Panelists: Carrington Vanston (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Ken Gagne, Paul Hagstrom, John Leake, John Linville, Rob McMullen, Michael Mulhern, Wade Ripkowski, Kevin Savetz, Steven Weyhrich, and Mike Whalen.

Host’s Topic: KansasFest 2015

This episode features a special huge circle of podcasters around a single microphone at KansasFest 2015, where we reflect on KansasFest, relative merits of the Apple II, the CoCo, Atari 8-bits, and Commodores, and on the phenomenon that is KansasFest. We also make a couple of attempts at Carrington’s choose-your-own-adventure door decoration, and talk about the history and brainstorm about the prospects of future KansasFests. While listening to this episode is nothing like being at KansasFest, it’s a little bit less like not being at KansasFest.

• KansasFest

Podcasts and people

• ANTIC The Atari 8-bit Podcast
  • Kevin Savetz
• The CoCo Crew
  • John Linville
• Drop /// Inches
  • Paul Hagstrom
• Electric Dreams BBS Podcast
  • Mike Whalen
• Inverse ATASCII
  • Wade Ripkowski
• Open Apple
  • Quinn Dunki
• Player/Missile Podcast
  • Rob McMullen
• Retro Computing Roundtable
  • Ken Gagne, Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhurn, Carrington Vanston, Steven Weyhrich
• RetroMacCast
  • John Leake

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

Host’s Topic: Think Again

Recently, the Lenovo blog floated the idea of a “ThinkPad Time Machine” — basically, a new ThinkPad that would take its design cues from the classic ThinkPads of yore: ThinkPad Time Machine?. It would feature things like a blue enter key, a 7-row keyboard, multi-color ThinkPad logo, dedicated volume controls, rubberized paint … even exposed screws.
What “old” design would you like to see in modern hardware? Is there a certain model of computer or device you’d jump at the chance of buying if it could combine original outsides with modern insides?

Retro Computing News:

• UK computer museum seeks BBC Micro fixers
• The National Museum of Computing
• 3Com Audrey
  • Audrey Hacking Wiki
• Car Navigation System – 1985 style
• Creating a one-sided version of Conan for Apple II
  • FTP link to Conan folder on Asimov archive
• Casio “Smart Watches” – Photo Gallery
  • Seiko Computer Watch Fun
• 45th Anniversary of the announcement of System/370

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• Amiga 1000

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Tiny Tool Set

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: Mac Studio Display M4551
• Carrington: Mac Portable “dummy”
• Carrington: Mac IIci with box
• Michael: IBM Internal S/370 Training Manuals
• Paul: Apple II mystery cable
• Paul: Eagle computer
• Paul: Autoduel C64 with tool set
• Paul: Panasonic HHC
  • see also: Panasonic HHC

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

Host’s Topic: Surprises!

I’m sure we’ve all bought retro machines where we’ve found a little something extra. An unlisted interface card, extra RAM, Floppy in the drive… A mummified mouse hiding behind a power supply!

Retro Computing News:

• SIDtracker64 for iPad
• Ninjaforce NinjaTracker for Apple IIGS
• Commodore – The Amiga Years, the funded Kickstarter
• Amiga 2000 and climate change at the Grand Rapids Public School system
• Retrochallange 2015/7
• Breakthroughs in OCR ca. 1966
  • Details: “The Computer Tutor… or How To Teach Your Computer to Read”
• #CPCRetroDev Game Creation Contest
• TIS-100 game, use assembly language, solve problems, and discover the secrets of the machine
• Can you pilot an Apollo Lunar Mission?
• From Abacus to Smartphone
• Windows 1.01 (starts running at 12:30)
• Earl ports Forth to a C128

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• IBM PC Convertible

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• 64JPX – JoyPad eXpander

Auction Picks:

• Earl: ATARI 1200XL COMPUTER
• Jack: HP-01 Calculator watch
  • HP-01 at Wikipedia
• Michael: Sharp OZ8000
• Michael: Palm Pilot
• Michael: Sony Clié PEG-NX70V/U
• Paul: Univac 8” drive unit (8406)
• Paul: Oki 8-bit Starter Kit (80C49)

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

Host’s Topic: Bugs

Bugs. You’ve seen ‘em. You’ve complained about ‘em. Maybe you’ve even created some yourself. The bugs we encounter on retro systems can seem like a different beast than on modern systems. On the one hand, we typically have no manufacturer offering support for buggy old hardware and software, but on the other hand, the inherently simpler design of older systems gives us a great chance of being able to track down and even fix bugs ourselves.

Retro Computing News:

• Re-engineered: Wizardry III (comp.sys.apple2)
• Model 100 Roomba
• Amiga – a visual compendium
• Dragons Lair on Sinclair ZX81
• American Genius: Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates
• Commodore – The Amiga Years by Brian Bagnall, uncancelled
• Arduboy – Card Sized Gaming
• the two first two computers in the Netherlands
• Open Apple #47.5: John Brooks v. Matt Ownby
• Confessions of a Tech Nerd: Why I Buy Vintage
• UNIX history on github
  • Github repository for UNIX
• Remembering Amiga

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• Are you keeping up with the Commodore?

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Roomba robot kit

Auction Picks:

• Earl: Hewlett Packard HP 85A
• Earl: Franklin Ace 1000
• Jack: Atari Lynx II
• Paul: TRS-80 DVI
• Paul: CoCo set with appliance controller
• Paul: PET bonanza

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

Host’s Topic: Media Archaeology

Lori Emerson, founder of the Media Archaeology Lab, talks with us about the MAL, the history, goals, progress, and current happenings.

Retro Computing News:

• Media Archaeology Lab
• ADAMdsk
• ADAM wiki
• CommVex v11, July 18-19, 2015
• Mega65
• CP/M utilities including te and SamaruX
• Bitcoin mining on an IBM 1401 mainframe
• 4am’s modern cracks of Apple II software
• Amiga 30th anniversary event at CHM
• Pac-Man Google doodle turns 5

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• Coleco ADAM – is that legal?

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Apple-themed t-shirts with patent drawings from Retroconnector

Auction Picks:

• Earl: ZX80 SINCLAIR Computer ULTRA RARE Fully Functional
• Jack: Amstrad NC100 notebook computer
• Paul: Jupiter ACE bits
• Paul: Coleco ADAM

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

Host’s Topic: Let’s Kickstart Something

There are plenty of modern-day add ons for our beloved retro computers. Virtual disk drives tend to top the list, followed by network devices. But what’s missing? Namely, what modern-day add on do you wish was out there for your favorite micro, but isn’t?

• Carte Blanche II FPGA card
• Nishida Radio’s UNISDISK Air

Retro Computing News:

• Steven Spielberg’s father, Arnold Spielberg, designed the GE-225 mainframe used to create Dartmouth BASIC
  • Chuck Peddle (hello!) started off on a GE-225
• Welcome to the great Atari reboot
• “The Bletchley Girls” book
  • Colossus veteran recalls end of war in Europe
• Softalk magazine on the Internet Archive
  • Softalk Apple Project
• Oxford chaps solve 1982 Sinclair music problem
• ZX Spectrum over at “Lego Ideas”
  • Chris McVeigh
  • Powerpig site
• Codes That Changed The World, available as a podcast

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• TI-99/4A $100 Rebate commercial

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Atari joystick bubble gum tin

Auction Picks:

• Earl: Two DEC VAX 11/750’s with Disks, Mag Tape, RX01, Ethernet, Software & Spares
• Jack: 1977 Tandy/Radio Shack Science Fair Digital Computer
• Michael: Fortran for DOS
• Paul: VT100 terminal with add-on card
• Paul: TRS-80 Model 100 bundle with printer
• Paul: Apple M0100 mouse, original color

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

Host’s Topic: Choices of a New Generation

Host’s Topic: There has been much discussion lately among retro enthusiasts about introducing the “next generation” (i.e. our kids) to the computers and software of our youth. If the machines we love are going to live on after we die, it will have to be in the hands of people who never had them growing up, and therefore have no real nostalgia for them. My question is this: What were your parents nostalgic for, that they tried to instill in you a nostalgia for? Did it work?

Retro Computing News:

• ESA deems modding retro games for preservation is illegal
• Jimmy Maher on the “68000 wars”
  • 1st half
  • 2nd half
  • 3rd half
  • The Future Was Here
• Wander (1974), lost mainframe game found
  • Wander source code
  • Terry Winograd’s SHRDLU
• Kaboom! game released for Apple IIgs
• George at InfoAge/VCF East X
• VCF SE 3.0
• Steve Furber on Computerphile, designing the ARM
  • The Path toward ARM and BBC B

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• IBM 5100

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Retrory memory game

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: Stratos SE/30 Dual Slot PDS Adapter
• Jack: “Atari-style” USB joystick with blue LED lighting effects
• Paul: Apple-Vision Source
• Paul: Letter from Bruce Tognazzini
• Paul: Three-Dimensional Microcomputer Graphics
  • Scan of what appears to be this manual

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

Host’s Topic: Programming tools

One of the things we like to do with old computers is program them. With modern computers, running editors and emulators, we can do some things a lot more easily than we could when dealing directly with the classic machines. Do you have any favorite tools and tips for doing this sort of thing?

Retro Computing News:

• Apple2BuildPipeline
• WUDSN
• cc65
• OCM – Oldenburger Computer Museum
• The PiDP-8/I – Recreating the 1968 PDP-8/I
• Restoration of a PDP-11/04, running CAPS-11 operating system and BASIC, loading from cassette tape
  • video
• How to turn your whole car into a vintage driving game
• Matt Parker: The Imitation Archive – a teaser
  • talk announcement, with photo
• 8088MPH demo on IBM PC
• French Touch demos on Apple II
• Moleman 2 movie
• KansasFest 2015
• VCF East X
  • Guru Meditation team gets their Amigas ready
• VCF SE 3.0
• OzKfest
• ANTIC interviews Al Alcorn
• Turing Notebook
  • controversy over the UK granting of export licence
• Apple II Watch
• Designing an Apple II on an Arduino Uno

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• Alan Alda on typing and Atari

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Retro classic computer mug

Auction Picks:

• Earl: Electronika BK0010-01 PDP-11 compatible
• Earl: Microsoft FoxPro 2.6 for MS-DOS
• Jack: Vintage Retro Computer Bookends
• Michael: Atari belt buckle
• Michael: Atari cap
• Michael: Battlezone button
• Paul: Commodore Power Monitor
• Paul: IBM 5155
• Paul: Amdek Color-I

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

Host’s Topic: Teaching Old Data New Tricks

Host’s Topic: What can/should/do you do with the data you find on newly acquired vintage computers?

Retro Computing News:

• The Magnavox Odyssey on What’s My Line?
• Jeff Minter v. zombie Atari re: Tempest
• Doctor Who, Prime Computer ads
• 12-minute Mandelbrot: fractals on an IBM 1401 mainframe
• Ready Player one picked up
• Chris Osborne assembles MC-10 128K RAM kit
• How One Man Invented the Console Adventure Game
• The Interface Experience: Forty Years of Personal Computing

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• Prime Computer

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Retrode 2 USB game cart adaptor

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: Bob Bishop’s Dung Beetles for Apple II (sealed)
• Carrington: TRS-80 Mega Bug cartridge for Tandy CoCo
• Jack: An incredibly clean and shiny Atari 800XL plus printer and disk drive
• Paul: Laser 200 set
• Paul: Coco 2 x2, box, cartridges
• Paul: Some cables, from clean sale, to be delivered someday

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

Host’s Topic: Printers, with Lasers

Host’s Topic: 30 years ago HP and Apple released their first Laser printers, both based on a Canon engine. When did you first use a laser printer instead of an impact or thermal printer? What was the drove you to use lasers, and how hard/easy were they to use?

• How Steve Jobs helped launch the desktop publishing revolution
• Senator Obama on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me

Retro Computing News:

• Warren Robinett (Adventure) and Howard Scott Warshaw (Yars Revenge) postmortems at GDC
• Kickstarter: Newly molded Commodore 64c cases from original molds
• Ancient Atari goodies from Videogame History Museum
• BBC Micro Bit
  • BBC Micro Bit and Colossus
  • the original BBC Micro
• Al Lowe, one Sierra history
• [Digitized VHS marketing tapes]
  • ComputerLand Business Computing System
  • Apple 1988 marketing video: The Mainstreet Workgroup
  • Apple 1988 marketing video: The Macintosh Advantage
  • Apple 1988 marketing video: Hambrecht & Quist
  • ComputerLand/Apple “Moving Up”

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• ComputerLand/Apple “Moving Up”

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• ZX Spectrum Keyboard

Auction Picks:

• Jack: Atari trackball controller “for parts”
• Michael: Witty Mouse
• Michael: Sinclair QL Tool Kit
• Michael: //c Playing Cards
• Paul: Broken Apple Cats

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X – link
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