Elder Days

from Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)

elder days
 n.

   The heroic age of hackerdom (roughly, pre-1980); the era of the
   {PDP-10}, {TECO}, {ITS}, and the ARPANET. This term has been rather
   consciously adopted from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy epic The Lord of
   the Rings. Compare {Iron Age}; see also {elvish} and {Great Worm}.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

elder days

   The heroic age of hackerdom (roughly, pre-1980); the era of
   the {PDP-10}, {TECO}, {ITS} and the {ARPANET}.  This term has
   been rather consciously adopted from J. R. R. Tolkien's
   fantasy epic "The Lord of the Rings".

   Compare {Iron Age}.  See also {elvish} and {Great Worm}.

   [{Jargon File}]

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