Bootstra.386 – A Bootstrap theme from the 1980s (kristopolous.github.io)

This is definitely based on the standard EGA/VGA text mode (originally 80x25 characters) used by DOS. Mode 0x10 IIRC.

This is also using the standard codepage 437, which includes the characters for single and double borders. You could also rewrite the symbol table to make custom characters, which is what Norton Utilities and others did.

VGA generally used the same text modes as EGA and very few people actually had an EGA, so referring to it as a VGA mode is an understandable mistake.

There were actually some VGA-specific text modes (80x30 mode for example) as well as SVGA modes, but they weren't really used much because the EGA modes were good enough, more widely compatible, and IIRC the 80x30 mode was noticeably slower.

Also IIRC, 80x30 mode used a slightly different font than this one, which is why I think it's the usual 80x25 EGA rather than one of the other modes.

Of course. In the "nature vs. nurture" argument, there is no room for computers. It is all nurture here. Moreover, current interfaces derive from the design choices illustrated here.

My only complaint is that it's not degradable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PTT_Bulletin_Board_System

Try telnetting to vert.synchro.net

[1] http://gazs.github.io/canvas-atkinson-dither [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Atkinson

If you actually used a Mac back in the late 80's / early 90's, this site's output will give you a heady shot of pure, undiluted nostalgia. I wasted half an afternoon once, converting images for my imaginary Hypercard project.

Photoshop will also give you options and allow you to reduce colors down to an 8 bit or 4 bit palette, with a variety of dithering choices, or for the true lofi look (It's 1991 and I used the school's lab scanner for the first time!), no dithering at all.

https://github.com/kristopolous/BOOTSTRA.386/blob/master/les...

    img {
     display: none;
     -webkit-filter: contrast(800%);
     -moz-filter: contrast(1000%);
     filter: contrast(1000%);
     -o-filter: contrast(800%);
     -ms-filter: contrast(800%);
    }

There may be some brilliant visual hack to get images to look more faithful ... but this was the best I could figure out.

Press F11 to experience the 80's.