The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):
bitty box
/bit'ee boks/, n.
1. A computer sufficiently small, primitive, or incapable as to cause a
hacker acute claustrophobia at the thought of developing software on or for
it. Especially used of small, obsolescent, single-tasking-only personal
machines such as the Atari 800, Osborne, Sinclair, VIC-20, TRS-80, or IBM
PC.
2. [Pejorative] More generally, the opposite of ?real computer? (see Get a
real computer!). See also mess-dos, toaster, and toy.
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):
bitty box
calculator
(Or "calculator") /bit'ee boks/ A computer
sufficiently small, primitive, or incapable as to cause a
hacker acute claustrophobia at the thought of developing
software on or for it. The term is especially used of small,
obsolescent, single-tasking-only personal computers such
as the Atari 800, Osborne, Sinclair, VIC-20, TRS-80
or IBM PC, but the term is a general pejorative opposite of
"real computer" (see Get a real computer!).
See also mess-dos, toaster, toy.
(1994-11-29)