Videogames Turn 40

May 15th marks the 40 year anniversary of the first games hooked up to the television. An article on the 1up site tells the story of Ralph Baer, Bill Harrison, and Bill Rusch working at the Sanders Associates company on a little game called Pong. They go into a great deal of detail on the development of the console, going so far as to include a number of the group's original notes on the project. "Baer kept the tiny lab, a former company library in Sanders' early days, locked at all times. Only two men had keys: Baer and Harrison. The room would remain the base of operations for their controversial video experiments for years to come -- experiments that, had they been known about widely at the time, might have garnered intense ridicule from other employees of the prominent defense contractor. Pursuing them was an utterly audacious move."

So this means

[homey of my owney]

We REALLY can't trust them now?

Re:So this means

[Anonymous Coward]

From article:

"so simple even a frog could play them."

Why must article discriminate againt the French ? We are good people. Too much now in the US is anti-French feeling, like "freedom fries". Without France, its hards for US defeat Hitler, and France is a leads computer industry, with programming languages like OCAML, which win most programming contest.

Video game used to teach lesson on ..

[iknownuttin]

gambling.

My Father bought us the Atari system and we would play the "Tennis" game. I would bet my allowance and I would win several games. Each time my Dad lost, he would say, "How about double or nothing?"

I would always respond with "Yes!"

All of a sudden, my Dad would become great at video tennis and win. I lost everything, but kept my original allowance. Eventually, I gave up gambling with him and to this day I don't like to gamble. Educated risks, yes, but no gambling.

Re:So this means

[Anonymous Coward]

You have to discriminate against someone, and the Arabs have a better union.

Deep Sleep Operatives...

[morari]

...contacted. We know that the crystal in your palm has turned black, don't try to run Videogames!

Re:So this means

[YouMakeMeSoANGRY]

Pong may not require great manual dexterity, but I doubt even it can be played with a chunk of brie in one hand and a white flag in the other.

Re:So this means

[operagost]

So is Frogger so simple, a vertical white block can play it?

Re:Baer Necessities

[Frankie70]

I'd encourage people to read the whole article,


Will do. Right after I post some comments about the article.

Re:The good ol' days

[Anonymous Coward]

I for one am eager to welcome Final Fantasy XXX.

Re:Alternate first game

[fishybell]

Perhaps a two man soccer gamer with goals as wide as the field? Also, to make the game easier the soccer ball would bounce off of the side walls rather than going out of bounds.