Lately I have gotten into retro computing and it has inspired me to create a series of machines to showcase “FM Retro Tech”. This will involve creating a machine that reflects the technology of each decade from the 1980’s forward. For starters we will be exploring the 1980’s by building an IBM XT machine to get the project inspiration flowing.

I have also been doing some experimentation with virtualizing older software in preparation for the project. Today I succeeded in getting AutoCAD 2.62 to run alongside AutoCAD 2018 on my MacBook. AutoCAD 2.62 came out about one month into my CAD career (32 years ago) and I have always considered it to be my first version. There were only around 114 commands back then and that includes all the dimension, attribute, utility, and export commands! The coolest new commands included things like “explode” and “mirror”. Of course, those commands lacked the power and richness we enjoy in modern AutoCAD but at the time they were so amazing.

If you have any suggestions for database, CAD, CAFM, or CMMS software I should implement as part of this FM Retro Tech project, let me know! I am also on the hunt for old install disks for CAFM and CMMS programs to showcase so if you have any, consider me interested.