Get the best experience in our app Enjoy offline reading, category favourites, and instant updates - right from your pocket. Download the App Maybe later Home Archived Instant antiques Back Instant antiques 7th January 2005, 12:00am Merlin John Share Instant antiques https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/instant-antiques-0 Copy Link Merlin John looks back misty-eyed to the heyday of the beige box Digital Retro: The Evolution and Design of the Personal Computer By Gordon Laing pound;19.95 Ilex www.ilex-press.com www.digitalretro.co.uk Gordon Laing is a freelance journalist, former editor of Personal Computer World and a contributor to TES Online Want to keep reading for free? Register with Tes and you can read five free articles every month, plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters. Register Log in Register with Tes and you can read five free articles every month, plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters. More information Keep reading for just £4.90 per month /per month for 12 months You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £4.90 per month for three months and get: Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content Exclusive subscriber-only stories Award-winning email newsletters Subscribe now You've reached your limit of free articles this month. Subscribe for £4.90 per month for three months and get: Unlimited access to all Tes magazine content Exclusive subscriber-only stories Award-winning email newsletters More information Read more Enchanted spiders and cosmic blobs Merlin John • 18th August 2006 Creative flair Merlin John • 23rd June 2006 Gadget corner Merlin John • 6th January 2006 Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! Merlin John • 6th January 2006 Recent Most read Most shared SEND reform: Experts at hand service could be a game-changer Analysis 28 February 2026 Teacher strike ballot opens over pay and workload News 28 February 2026 15% of secondary teachers not confident identifying SEND News 27 February 2026 The SEND reforms are out - now the real tests begin Analysis 25 February 2026 Do banded books make for poorer readers? Teaching & Learning 25 February 2026 3 in 5 people see teaching as ‘unappealing’ News 25 February 2026 SEND reforms a ‘massive demand’ on schools, says DfE boss News 26 February 2026 SEND reform plans ‘risk overwhelming Sendcos’ News 27 February 2026 Head retention policies a welcome focus - but will it be enough? Analysis 26 February 2026
