So this visit was initially planned for my birthday (September 21), but due to various life events we couldn't gather together for the event. But here we are.
The moment I was shown the HCM website by a fellow passerby on Fediverse I just knew this is one of the spots I want to visit right after settling in the Netherlands (especially when you can actually interact with the computers!!). I've always been an adorer of computers from the aesthetic standpoint, that's where I learned typing before handwriting as a kid, and were my escape from a rather sad reality... and, well, they are my work device as a digital artist.
By the way, if someone from the HCM staff is reading this blogpost, hello!
This is, I think, the first section we went to - I've basically grown up with a GameCube controller in my hands, and this section didn't disappoint me.
They had plenty of consoles set up - from the PS1, OG Xbox to the PS3 (which I fondly remember to this day) - but the Wii and Gamecube setups were the closest to my heart as these were my first consoles (they even had Super Smash Bros Brawl!)
The room also had a display cabinet full of various handhelds, mostly Nintendo ones, but I also spotted a Sega Game Gear... with a radio tuner?
Nearby they also had another display shelf, but it mostly contained home consoles that weren't plugged in for play and/or the boxes. Nonetheless that was still a treat to my eyes, especially that they had hardware I myself wanted to hunt on online bidding sites.
Now, moving onto...
If you haven't been to HCM yet, then it's nice to know that they have areas separated by decades (and appropriately decorated, too!)
There are areas for hardware of the 70s, 80s and 90s (but I feel like the last one is sort of fused with the 00s too)
There's too much to cover in the tour, so excuse me while I will only make a few points. Even if I managed to write everything I saw, it's not the same as actually interacting with these machines.
So especially with earlier computers, I was too scared to do anything - they had a text-based interface or running a game/program/demo so the last thing I wanted is to break something there. Plenty of these also seemed to be turned off (and reasonably so, to be fair), and truth be told, maybe it's because of my age but that was the part I enjoyed the least (but it wasn't bad by any means!)
Then we approached the 80s zone, and that's where I could finally do something proper on the computers. And by "proper" I mean leaving a mark of my visit...
I'm pretty sure what stuck out most to me was those bunch of Macintosh computers. One of them even had a Wacom Artpad II (released almost a decade later!) plugged in to one of them, but sadly even though one of the staff tried her best, we couldn't get Photoshop running.
Right next to those Macs there was this giant beast that looked like a literal control headquarters straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Did you know? There was a computer brand in Netherlands once. With the cheesiest name possible, because I couldn't believe that Tulip Computers wasn't just something straight out of a sitcom. But damn, their logo looked so good.
And with that we slowly moved on to the 90s, and from there all hell broke loose for me - most computers at that era already came with some sort of art software (at least Windows ones did) - and that section by far had one of the coolest set-ups ever.
Behold, the image that will probably slap you in the face because it looked like your own room at some point:
Later on there were a bunch of Windows 9X computers, which is something that I do actually remember experiencing, albeit vaguely.
And lo and behold, there was a computer with a working tablet!
Mind you, nowadays tablets are sensitive to feedback since you can only lightly slide and it already draws a stroke. Here you have to press extra to start drawing. Not too comfortable, for me.
Later my friend wanted to transfer this image to their server, but with no results. I just saved it hoping someone in the future opens it.
They had something no other computer had. The GOAT in terms of operating systems - the Windows XPMind you, I have an XP-era Thinkpad at home, but seeing an actual desktop running this OS feels different. In fact, it looked eerily similar to the setup I had as a wee lad (or rather, my sister had - I got my own computer a bit later...)
The only downside? I wish they installed Gadu-Gadu on there, but let's say it's a cultural difference. However playing Plants vs Zombies was still a blast as it was back then.
As a bonus, here's one more thing; when you are about to finish your tour, there's plenty of cabinets showing off game boxes and sometimes even merch/promo stuff.
So you may ask "Alex, is it worth visiting it though?"
To which I say: if this didn't convince you that it's a place you must see, then I don't know what else will.
Like really, pay them a visit, get some merchandise (when I was visiting they had literal CPU and RAM keychains which is so fucking cool), support them. Because holy shit I haven't had this much fun in ages.