Retro / History

Stories and technical context from the history of personal computing, PC hardware, operating systems, software, and gaming. Explore the technologies and design decisions that shaped how we use computers today.

An open beige 1990s desktop PC with a sound card installed beside speakers and a glowing CRT monitor.

Nov 2, 2026H.W. Crestwood

Sound Blaster 16: The Expansion Card That Gave PCs a Voice

An open beige 1990s desktop PC with RAM modules being installed beside a glowing CRT monitor.

Oct 29, 2026H.W. Crestwood

RAM Upgrades in the 90s: Why Moving from 8MB to 16MB Felt Like Magic

A late-1990s gaming desk with a CRT monitor showing chaotic vehicular-combat action beside period-correct PC gaming hardware.

Oct 24, 2026H.W. Crestwood

Carmageddon (1997): The Controversial Game That Defied Censorship

A visual progression from an older PC with a tiny fan to larger air coolers and a modern water-cooled desktop.

Oct 19, 2026H.W. Crestwood

The Evolution of PC Cooling: From Tiny Screaming Fans to Water Loops

An early-2000s desktop workspace with a CRT monitor and a classic productivity-software atmosphere, evoking the mature interface era of Office 2003.

Oct 14, 2026H.W. Crestwood

The Genius of Microsoft Office 2003: Before the Ribbon Took Over

A late-1990s gaming desk with a CRT monitor showing a moody first-person science-facility scene beside period-correct PC hardware.

Oct 8, 2026H.W. Crestwood

Half-Life and GoldSrc: How Valve Rewrote FPS Storytelling

A late-1990s desktop PC with a CRT monitor showing live television in a desktop window beside tuner-card-era accessories.

Oct 4, 2026H.W. Crestwood

TV Tuner Cards: How We Watched Cable TV on CRT Monitors

A mid-2000s gaming desk with a monitor showing a game scene and a small framerate counter, evoking early gameplay recording culture.

Sep 28, 2026H.W. Crestwood

Fraps: How a Tiny Utility Created the First Gaming YouTubers

An early-2000s desktop PC setup with CDs and glowing abstract music visualizations, evoking the personal digital music mood of Windows Media Player 9.

Sep 25, 2026H.W. Crestwood

Windows Media Player 9: Visualizations, Skins, and CD Rip Nostalgia

An early-2000s enthusiast PC setup with a red graphics card and performance-themed display, evoking the Radeon 9700 Pro era.

Sep 12, 2026H.W. Crestwood

ATI Radeon 9700 Pro: The Card That Shocked Nvidia