Panelists: Ken Gagne (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, and Carrington Vanston

Host’s Topic: What’s your favorite retrogaming input device?

What’s your preference for retrogaming? On original hardware, on new hardware?

Retro Computing News:

• Atari Gotcha
• Tube Tunes podcast
• Word for Windows 1.1a source code at CHM
• Norway to become first country to switch off FM radio
• Chris Torrence reviews 8bitdo’s AP40
• BBC, “Programming in the early days of the computer age”
• Viva Amiga documentary
• Ars Technica: “People still use the Amiga today”
• Doomed: The Embers of Amiga FPS
• Retro-inspired computer built with a Raspberry Pi
• Ms. Pac-Man GDC 2016 post-mortem
• GDC Post-mortem for Infocom Zork
• GDC Post-mortem for Activision Pitfall
• The elusive Palm OS 5.5 Garnet emulator for Windows/Linux
• Compiling a MacOS 8 application on macOS Sierra
• Vintage IRMA boards
• Drop /// Inches podcast
• Twin Peaks FWWM FAQ
• Hercules System/370 emulator
• VintageIsTheNewOld Vintage computer podcast roundup

Vintage Computer Commercials

• 1986 Vintage IBM Computer Commercial

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Magnetic core memory shield for Arduino

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: Big lot of Silicon Graphics computers for sale in Sweden
• Earl: HUGHES-AIRCRAFT-WD10202-WD12534-r-logic-BOARD-with-daughter-card
• Paul: MP32C64
  • XT CF Lite
  • Dancing Demon
  • Applesoft manual

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
• Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Michael Mulhern, and Carrington Vanston

Host’s Topic: The new retro

The calendar has flipped over again, to 2017. How does that affect what we consider to be “retro”?

Retro Computing News:

• It’s 2017.

Vintage Computer Commercials

• “How To”

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, and Carrington Vanston

Host’s Topic: Acquisitions of 2016

Acquisitions of 2016 – What were your favourite finds for the 2016? Any surprises, good or bad? Are you looking for anything in particular for 2017?

Retro Computing News:

• AtariCrypt magazine
• MAGIC-1 TTL-based computer
• LNW-80 L2 BASIC ROM
• Rare M4 Enigma machine sells for £367,000
• German Navy 4-rotor Enigma
• Atari 2600 emulator, in Minecraft
• Apple II web server written in BASIC
• Apple II web server write-up on Hackaday
• Open Apple podcast
• Buckshot: Apple II image converter tool
• Restoration of an Australian IBM 5160
• ASM-80
• Open Apple podcast
• Testing raisin bran
• Steve Wozniak was my computer teacher in 1995
• Eaten by a Grue podcast

Vintage Computer Commercials

• IBM Wangaratta

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Millennium Falcon Multi-Tool

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: Macintosh Quadra 840AV
  • Quadra 605 (non-)prototype
• Michael: One Handed Keyboard
  • Twiddler 2
  • One Handed Mouse and Keyboard
  • One GB IDE SSD
• Paul: Russian “DIALOG”
  • TOPO
  • Microsoft BASIC-80 manual
  • Carton o’ disks
  • TI 99/4

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
• Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, Michael Mulhern, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston

Host’s Topic: Replica replica

Replicas, precise or otherwise. What do you think about (near-)perfect replicas? Is our nostalgia for using a new-looking object, or for using an object that was actually produced in the past? Should we worry about replicas getting passed on to people who don’t know them as replicas?

Retro Computing News:

• Oregon Trail card game
• P112 SBC
• Qibec 1-bit 1-instruction CPU
• Rebooteroids released for the Atari Jaguar
• Computers for Apollo
• Linux exploit via 6502
• Listening to the music of Turing’s computer
• Tiny BASIC converted to Intel 8080 assembly
  • related post on CP/M USENET group
• “Stella at 20” at (almost) 20
  • Footage at archive.org
• CDC 6500 restoration
• 2016 Presidential Medals of Freedom: Hamilton, Hopper, (Gates, Gehry)

Vintage Computer Commercials

• Digital computers

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Keyboard waffle iron

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: Homebrew IBM Selectric Printer Card for Apple II
  • Panasonic KX-WD55 Daisy-Wheel Printer
  • Rochester Data typewriter interface ad (Spr 1981 Apple Orchard)
  • Portal: A Computer Novel
  • Portal reviews on 1MHz podcast, episode 6
• Earl: Soviet Military Magnetic Ferrite Core Memory Module M–1
• Jack: Packri Monster console
  • See also: Pits of Death (iOS)
• Michael: Caverns of Mordia – Special signed releases, 1 of 20
  • and 20 of 20
• Paul: Diskeeper/Plus v3.0b
  • Mosaic in a box (Spry)
  • Whole Internet catalog
  • Mac Plus walnut cabinet
  • Kenbak–1 computer replica
  • See also: Kenbak–1 kit
  • Replica Beagle Bros
  • See also: Beagle Bros software repository

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, John Linville, and Jack Nutting

Host’s Topic: RetroChallenge 2016/10

Both Michael and John were first time RC judges – How did it go?

Retro Computing News:

• RetroChallenge
• Jumpman: Reverse Engineering the Atari 8-bit Version
• gcc explorer w/ gcc6809 and CMOC
• Burroughs 220 simulator – on an Apple II
  • Michael Mahon describing the simulator at KansasFest
• New Macs omit startup sound
  • Jim Reekes interview on startup chime, Sosumi, etc.
  • How to re-enable the startup chime
  • Potentially surprising conditions for startup
• WITCH at TNMOC
• Nibbler 4 bit CPU project
  • William Buchholz’s PCB version
  • Tindie site where PCBs were sold
  • Other BMOW projects

Vintage Computer Commercials

• Burroughs 1963 Company Status

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Electric bow tie

Auction Picks:

• Jack: World’s dirtiest Atari 810?
• John: The 8088 Project Book
  • “Rare New York Times” CoCo
• Michael: KIM-1
  • KIM-1 in case
  • Epson HX-20
• Paul: Minidac 601
  • Olympia HHC briefcase
  • Forethought Powerpoint 1.0
  • NeXT ADB mouse
  • K-Power: Program along with Joey Ramone
  • K-Power March 1984 on archive.org
  • Barrington E’lite 8” drive

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Michael Mulhern, and Paul Hagstrom

Host’s Topic: How do you get your retrocomputing content and community?

How do you get your retrocomputing content and community? Forums, Google+, Facebook, Usenet, Mailing lists, IRC?

Retro Computing News:

• Prototype IBM PC, Atari 800-inspired
• Paul Atkinson: “Delete: A design history of computer vapourware” (2013)
• XEGS Cart-by-Cart podcast
• FinApple
• CPUville Z80 kit
• CCTECH discussion of QBUS/Unibus on PDP-11s
• David Greelish Classic Computing – Josh Bensadon Interview (JAIR8080 IMSAI Reproduction)
  • S100Computers.com (John Monahan)
  • 486 Board
  • Trident VGA
  • Reproduction S-100 front panel (Don Caprio)
• ARPANET went down in a spectacular way 36 years ago
• TI 99/4A clone with TMS99105
• Gole F1 Mini PC
• Museu de la Tècnica, in Figueres, as stumbled upon by Marcin Wichary
  • See also Flickr album of trip

Vintage Computer Commercials

• IBM PCjr

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Back to the Future Flux Capacitor Wristwatch

Auction Picks:

• Michael: Commodore 65
  • VZ200
• Paul/Earl: Vintage Victor Model 412 Personal Computer DOS 3.1 PC w/ 602 Mono CRT Monitor
  • Pricey keyboard to go with it
• Earl: Vintage IBM PCjr
• Paul/Carrington: Lorenz telex teletype console desk
• Paul: GIMIX Micro-20 68020 SBC

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Michael Mulhern, and Jack Nutting

Host’s Topic: NO CARRIER

Modems. They played a big part in the past, almost entirely useless now. What are your experiences with modems? Do you miss them? Have you worked out a way to use one now?

Retro Computing News:

• Vintage Computer BBS list v3.10a
• Delta City BBS
• Electric Dreams podcast
• Week of the KFest
• @midnight 1998 episode
• Project MF
• The Antique Computers that Just Won’t Quit
• USB to quadrature mouse adaptor (DIY instructions)
• Tezza’s Blog – The New Zealand Poly-1
• A portable MegaProcessor
  • MegaProcessor
• The Three Fives kit
• How to send an email – ‘84 style
• RC2014 Mini Z80 kit

Vintage Computer Commercials

• America On Line, 1995

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Thumbs Up Music Modem Keyboard

Auction Picks:

• Jack: Prototype hologram from Superman game for Atari Cosmos
  • See also: Cosmos
• Michael: Retro Computer (Board) Games:
  • Avalon Hill – VC
  • See also: VASSAL
  • See also: Michael Sternberg’s KansasFest 2014 presentation
  • SSI – President Elect:1988
  • SSG – Carriers at War
• Paul: Altair 680
  • See also: Malcolm in the Middle S04E15 Garage Sale (2003)
  • Osborne 1 with external monitor
  • Quadram QuadLink

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Ken Gagne (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhern, and Jack Nutting

Host’s Topic: $(document).ready(function() {alert(“Welcome, TRS-80 user.”);});

How retro-accessible do we need to make our websites?

Retro Computing News:

• PocketCHIP
• Fignition
  • Keyboard
• C64 keeps on keeping on
• New MicroBee
  • Facebook post about MicroBee
• Eureka, a Latin poem composer from 1845
• Silicon Cowboys
• Alternate connector for Atari SIO device by Ray Ataergen, aka atari8warez on atariage.com
  • Alternative from Lotharek
• RetroChallenge 2016/10
  • list of entries
• IFComp, Interactive Fiction Competition
• Karateka Atari version development disks

Vintage Computer Commercials

• Activision: Grand Prix

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• 8Bitdo’s AP40 Kickstarter

Auction Picks:

• Jack: Another Gramd Priks!
  • The 4500 euro one from before
• Michael: Mimic Systems Spartan
  • photo source
  • More about the Spartan
• Paul: Twiggy drive
  • Lisa 1 bezel
  • Lisa 1 mouse
  • microSci Havac
  • PET 2001-8

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston

Host’s Topic: Mandatory downgrade

If you had to use a legacy operating system as your daily driver, which one would you pick and why?

Retro Computing News:

• ProDOS 2.4.1 released
  • ProDOS 2.4 released
  • ProDOS 2.4.1 in-browser emulation at archive.org
  • Direct link to disk image
  • Why the Apple II ProDOS 2.4 Release is the OS News of the Year
• Mitchell Waite interview on ANTIC
  • also, Michael Boucher, MECC interview
  • ANTIC, The Atari 8-Bit Podcast
• Recovering Atari ST ASIC designs
• Bill Atkinson’s Polaroids of early OS milestones
• No new CFFA3000s for a while
• PacCommEx, Summer 2017
• Apple adds to vintage software collection via eBay
• Apple IIGS turned 30
• Teardown: same product, fifty years apart
• OSEPP Motor Driver
• NodeMCU dev board, includes ESP8266 WiFi microcontroller
• Dara O Briain’s Go 8 bit on Dave
• IT Crowd DVD has subtitles in 1337

Vintage Computer Commercials

• Apple II GS – “Experts”

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• PocketCHIP

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: Dust cover for Apple II
  • The Alien for Apple II (sealed)
  • Tandy Color Computer 1 with odd keyboard
• Earl: RARE Vintage Apple III Computer /w 256k ram!
• Jack: Gramd Priks Atari 2600
  • Related: David Crane talks about writing Grand Prix
• Paul: New VIC-20 Datasette drives, almost gone
  • Robot arm
  • Epson QX-16
  • Pencil II
  • SVI 328
  • Mac Memory Disk
  • Review: Macworld March 1985: Memory Disk review (p. 72)

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Ken Gagne, Paul Hagstrom, and Jack Nutting

Host’s Topic: Old computers de-composing

Dr. Peter Thorne stopped by TNMOC and talked about CSIRAC, Australia’s oldest computer, and indeed the world’s oldest existing computer—and also explained that it will almost certainly not be restored, but kept instead in original, but non-working, condition. Discuss.

Retro Computing News:

• CSIRAC won’t work again
• RCR YouTube channel
• RetroGathering
• RetroChallenge
• 2015 megapodcast (RCR 105)
• CoCo Crew
• How Australia played the world’s first music on a computer (Australian Geographic)
• CSIRAC – the first computer to play music (ABC Science)
• Trevor Pearcey interview (1996)
• A timeline of 1-bit music (1-bit forum)
• The hacker, the scrapheap, and the first Apollo computer
• Lode Runner Total Recall (HTML5)
• Omnivore, Jumpman Level Design contest
• Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation
  • Chris Klimas interview (Polygamer #50)
• “Multimedia LPs” on the RCR Facebook group
• Vinyl Data (kempa.com)
• CloudT Model 100 emulator in a web page
• VirtualT Model 100 emulator
• Sierra classics now on Steam
• GOG.com
• PocketChip
• Music excerpts from:
  • CSIRAC music, including samples
  • Apple II Electric Duet
  • Altair 8800

Vintage Computer Commercials

• The computer “CSIRAC” (1965)
• CocoFest (April 22-23, 2017)

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• QWERKYWRITER

Auction Picks:

• Jack: Enterprise 128
  • See also: Enterprise on Wikipedia
  • See also: RCR 69 for one earlier mention
• Michael: When Computers meet Vinyl
  • Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Home Computers LP
  • Music From Mathematics (played by IBM7090)
  • 8-Bit Weapon, Silo64 Soundtrack
  • Also: Greatest baseball game never played
  • And: Drop /// Inches episode 15
• Paul: ORIC-1
  • ACE Discovery 500
  • See also: ACE Discovery 500 ads

Feedback/Discussion:

• @rcrpodcast on Twitter
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
  • Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed