What can one do with a personal computers in the early 1980’s?

Andy T

Type a report, do some spreadsheet, perhaps play some contemporary games of that time and platform, but how do you actually print? It was parallel or old style serial of platforms like Motorola'd Macs not like the USBing of anything today. I do want to setup a virtual profile of FreeDOS, except I can't find the games of the time I have.

night_train_to_memphis

The first IBM PC was introduced in '81, but the term, personal computer, had been in use. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer FreeDOS may be of interest to some. https://www.freedos.org/

AndyTechGuy

You can take it to the dump or donate it to a museum.

Anonymous

A paperweight

Me2

There was a large number of writers using Atari XL/XE computers, often running either SpeedScript or some version of AtariWriter.  The original Atari 800 had a better keyboard, but was disliked for the right shift key's position.

New World Man

Not much anymore - but if it dose still work, you can still DL appz and OSs for it, just not sure on media to get it over there. But would be a nice conversation peice, if youu know someone that's interrested iin the history of computers.

ocularnervosa

Find a recycling center that takes electronics.

Ashley and Ryan

Honorably try to convince your Dad an old-school way, he was too cool a dad.