Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Blake Patterson, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: Poolside computing arrives

We look back on a few highlights of 1965, including the Programma 101, the PDP-8, Moore’s Law. We talk analog computers, Visual BASIC, sticky mice, and more.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Moore’s Law (Wikipedia)
• Moore’s Law (NYT)
• PDP-8
• The incredible story of the first PC, from 1965
• Olivetti Programma 101: Memory of the Future
• Olivetti Programma 101 (Wikipedia)
• Project TACT
• A history of Visual BASIC
• The Xerox Alto turns 50

Retro Computing News:

• Jacob Ziv
• Infinite Mac
• A history of Visual BASIC
• Globus analog spaceflight computer
• Technology Connections video on stereo records
• Puyo Puyo
• 1979 video of father watching son program an Apple II
• Followup interview with same father and son today
• A2Central reboot

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Visual BASIC launch
• Triumph of the Nerds part 1
• Olivetti Programma 101: Memory of the Future

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• The UNIX pipe card game

Upcoming (or recent) gatherings:

• VCF East (Apr 14-16, 2023, Wall, NJ)
• CoCoFest (Apr 22-23, 2023, Chicago area, IL)
• Indy Classic Computer and Video Game Expo (Apr 29-30, 2023, Indianapolis)
• VCF Southwest (June 23-25, 2023, Dallas area, TX)
• KansasFest 2023 (July 18-23, Kansas City, MO; July 29-30, online)
• VCF Southeast (July 28-30, 2023, Atlanta, GA)
• VCF West (Aug 4-5, 2023, Mountain View, CA)
• VCF Midwest (Sep 9-10, 2023, Elmhurst, IL)
• Tandy Assembly (Sep 29-Oct 1, 2023, Springfield, OH)

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • Newtech Model 6 Music Card Reproduction (S-100 bus)
• Carrington:
  • Mostek Bytewide button
  • I’ve Got Mnemonic Plague button
  • I Confessed to Cringely button
• Paul:
  • Your Computer
  • Sanyo MBC-550
  • IBM System/360 RPG Programming
  • Sticky mouse
• Quinn:
  • Commodore 1901
  • See also: Commodore monitors by model

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr265.a2stream

Feedback/Discussion:

• rcrpodcast@podcast.social on Mastodon
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
• Throwback Network
• Throwback Network on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: Double bucky, you’re the one

We look back on a few highlights of 1964, including the double bucky, SABRE, and BASIC.

Topic/Feedback links:

• The term “double bucky” is coined
• The double bucky song
• BASIC is introduced (successor to DARSIMCO and DOPE)
• IBM introduces SABRE
• CDC 6600 supercomputer
• ASR-33
• PicoMite
• ChatGPT on an Apple IIGS
• Retro.directory
• What is retro.directory? (YouTube)

Retro Computing News:

• Tetris: the movie
• NABU: Network adapter from nabu.ca
• NABU: Marduk emulator
• NABU ROMs from nabunetwork.com
• MouSTer
• Hoard of retro fonts

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Adobe Illustrator 88
• Nintendo Tetris
• Sabre

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• M0110 triple-mode keyboard
  • YouTube demo
• VTech LS916 retro handset
  • Physically appears to fit
  • See also RCR episode 41

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Macintosh SE: zero drives is better than one
• Paul:
  • Make your II+ respectful again
  • Aspirational drive badges
  • Sabre flip-zone
  • Lisa 2
    • See also: replacement Lisa motherboards
  • Apple III Plus prototype
  • @World modem for the Pippin

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr264.a2stream

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
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Earl Evans, Michael Mulhern, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: The year of the gopher

We begin 2023 with a shift to new hosting providers, that require encrypted communication. How/should we access the modern web from old computers?

Topic/Feedback links:

• Building a new C64 (Retro Recipes)
• LinuxJedi’s GoFloppy
• Gameboy Tetris ported to the Apple II

Retro Computing News:

• Chuck E. Cheese still uses floppy disks in 2023
• PC Magazine discontinuing their digital edition
• Computer Museum uses GreaseWeazle to help exonerate Maryland Man (cctalk)
• Lisa Source code available (press release, CHM)
• Lisa: Apple’s most influential failure (CHM)
• Happy 40th birthday, Lisa (CHM)
• Before Macintosh: The Apple Lisa
• New timepiece for a classic mac – part 1

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• I adore my 64
• PIZZA with mushrooms and a mouse
• Scotch brand electrical tape

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Shargeek 35W GaN retro charger

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Mac86 co-processor for the Macintosh SE
  • Black Macintosh TV that is neither a Macintosh TV nor black
  • Sinclair One Per Desk
  • See also: Tezza’s Telecom Computerphone
• Earl:
  • HP-85 computer, 16K memory module
• Paul:
  • Sharp CE-153 software board
  • Final Cartridge III
  • See also: Final Cartridge III+

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr263.a2stream

Closing notes:

• Dorm, text adventure release candidate and packaging
• PunyJam #3

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
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Earl Evans, and Michael Mulhern

Topic: 60 years between Bell 103 and today” s InterNet

In 1962, the world gained Spacewar! and the Bell 103 modem.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Spacewar at masswerk.at
• Spacewar!
• History of Spacewar!
• Computer Space
• Bell 103
• NCR CRAM
• NCR CRAM product brochure.
• BBC archive, speaking with Douglas Adams about the HHGTTG game
• A few Apple II clones
• Microsci Havac, review, Creative Computer Oct 1984
• A Computer Called LEO (book, Georgina Ferry)
• NitrOS9 Ease of Use project
• 8 bit Shack
• Linus Akesson 15 years of scene spirit
• Going online in the early 90s part 2, Goto10 substack

Retro Computing News:

• Adrian finds a white ceramic 6502 in his digital basement
• Modular display for retro systems
• NABU (York University)
• NABU retroNET
• Leo Binkowski, games programmer for NABU, on the local news in 1984
• NABU auction
• Adrian’s Digital Basement’s NABU
• DJ Sures’ playlist of NABU hacking
• IBM 5150 Christmas ornament that plays DOOM
• IBM 5150 Christmas ornament that plays DOOM (Hackaday)

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• “Pack up your troubles (pack up your family)” – Seattle World’s Fair 1962
• MS-DOS 5 Upgrade rap
• Bell Data-Phone

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• 4X magnifying glass with stand
• See also: One of these on Paul’s OCC1

Auction Picks:

• Earl:
  • Amiga 500 Keyboard
• Michael:
  • FORTRAN 5
• Paul:
  • Old Apple II with Disk II number 61
  • A very thin book
  • IBM postcard from 1962 Seattle World’s Fair
  • Crayperweight
  • Craysler mug
  • OCC1 for $50 BIN
  • OCC1 glare guard
  • Microsoft muMath 80
  • See also: MuMath 80 in the Microsoft catalog
  • See also: MuMath 80 review in BYTE
  • See also: MuMath 80 review in Creative Computing
  • Suncom Joy Sensor
  • See also: Joy Sensor review in Video and Computer Gaming Illustrated
  • See also: Suncom Aerobic Joystick ad
  • Best keypad layout (Micromodule 85)

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr262.a2stream

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
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: Cause the Commodordian Is Keeping Up With You

1961 was all fine and good, but someone has made an accordion out of two Commodore 64s and a bunch of floppy disks.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Neural net on a C64.
• Minus zero at fourmilab
• OS 2200
• Unisys 2200 Series architecture
• BBC archive on Infocom 1985
• Floppy disk supplier says business is booming. Reuters story. Oct 20, 2022.
• Lotus 1-2-3 for Linux. Tavis Ormandy.
• Lotus 1-2-3 for UNIX ported to Linux (video).
• The Commodordion (video).
• The Commodordion (write-up). Linus Akesson.
• the sixtyforgan
• Compiler Explorer
• Compiler Explorer: ZX Spectrum
• Compiler Explorer: Sega
• Upcoming CHM source code releases
• Previous CHM source code releases
• Kathleen Booth obituary. Inventor of assembly language.
• Assembly language
• Laine Nooney: The Apple II Age (forthcoming book)
• Laine Nooney
• Open Apple podcast #49 (talking with Laine Nooney)
• Teletext on a BBC Micro – Matthew North Music
• Interactive Ceefax Viewer

Retro Computing News:

• Mastodon client for MS-DOS
• DOjS
• Neurons in a dish play Pong (allegedly interesting)
• The Skeptic’s Guide podcast #901 (on whether the Pong-playing neurons are interesting)
• 2FA on a C64
• Turbo Button for modern PCs
• Angry Birds for the Apple II (8-Bit Shack)
• Angry Birds for the Apple II (video)
• Angry Birds for the Apple II (VITNO)
• ISA emulation

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Lotus 1-2-3 rocks
• Commodordian
• ADAM (legal)

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• HDD Clicker
• See also: HD Clicker write-up

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Creative Computing binary dice
  • Macintosh Extended Keyboard carrying case
• Paul:
  • COSMAC Super Elf
  • See also: COSMAC Super Elf
  • Decimal skills
  • Newton apps
  • Ventless Apple II case
  • Badgey the card reader
  • Coleco high speed digital data pack C-250
  • See also: Coleco high speed digital data pack C-250
  • Nobody does cool like Microsoft

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr261.a2stream

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
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Earl Evans, and Blake Patterson

Topic: Recommended Standard 232 and Programmed Data Processor-1

1960 brought us RS-232 and the PDP-1, more COBOL, and curly braces.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Recommended Standard 232
• A proposal for character code compatibility.
• The great curly brace trace
• Demo of the Digirule 2A
• Digirule 2U
• Legacy OS 2200
• Floppy disk assembly line
• Elephant: The Secrets of Perfect Memory

Retro Computing News:

• Mega 65 first look on Retro Recipes
• Mega 65
• A Lisa 1 starting up

Vintage Computer(-related) commercial:

• PS/2 (it)
• Lisa (alone)
• PS/2 (college)

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Epson LX-350
• See also: Continuous paper

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • Discovery Cartridge from Happy Computers For The Atari ST Computer
• Earl:
  • IBM PS/2 Microchannel 77s (9577-BNB)
  • See also: John C. Dvorak (PC Magazine) bested by the PS/2 (Computer Chronicles)
• Paul:
  • MCT Speed Demon
  • Micro Professor II

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr260.a2stream

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
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: Little bit taller, COBOLler

We consider 1959, and mostly come up with COBOL, then spend some time in an engagement-generating excercise, not quite remembering a remarkable number of things.

Topic/Feedback links:

• COBOL at Britannica.com
• COBOL at Smithsonian.
• Grace Hopper on Letterman
• Gorilla Banana, a rebranded Seikosha GP-100 (same as VIC-1525)

Retro Computing News:

• TRS-80 Model I/III diagnostic ROM
• Behind the scenes at Berkeley Softworks
• Open Apple #52
• Hell’s Halls type-in program for TI-99/4A
• Hells’ Halls cassette with game and variant
• How Apple I video memory worked

Vintage Computer(-related) commercial:

• Joust and Moon Patrol (Atari)
• Commodore VIC-20

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Joust board game

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Playskool Play and Learn Computer
  • Avalon Hill Class Struggle game
  • See also: The Story of Class Struggle, America’s Most Popular Marxist Board Game
• Paul:
  • Bell & Howell II+/-
  • Echo II set
  • Rocketry software
  • Griffin iMate selling for what now?
  • Brand new IBM PC, moldy box

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr259.a2stream

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
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: Tron and Perceptron

In 1958, the Perceptron arrived and Lisp was defined. We talk a bit about things we came across that were associated with 1958.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Setting up Genera in Linux
• Bell Labs 101 modem
• Tennis For Two
• Perceptron
• Open Worm
• Deviant Oliam on opening wristbands and removing tamper-proofing stickers
• LEO: The story of the World’s First Business Computer
• Lyons Electronic Office

Retro Computing News:

• The Lost TRON Documents
• CP/M’s open source status clarified
• The CP/M Email
• CP/M is now freer than it was (Hackaday)
• YouTube on a PET
• system.css
• 98.css

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Blip
• Tron home video game

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• MYST vinyl soundtrack

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Remarkable computer auction
  • Steve Jobs’ original Apple 1 prototype
  • Steve Wozniak’s Apple Rainbow Glasses
  • Bill Gates’ Tandy Model 100 with note
  • Atari Video Music (Model C240) still sealed in box
  • Apple IIe prototype with French external keyboard
  • Croix de Apple medal
  • Apple Color Plotter
• Paul:
  • Sirius 1982 retail/dealer price list, displays
  • MacPhone
  • Apple III
  • TRS-80 appliance and light controller
  • E-Z Key 60
  • See also: Different E-Z Key 60
  • See also: E-Z Key 60

Closing notes:

• Where Wizards Stay Up Late
• Proving Ground

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr258.a2stream

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

Topic: The dot matrix impact

Spending some time revisiting the calmer, quieter days when our printing was done by forcefully slamming pins through an ink ribbon onto perforated paper, pushed along by rotating spikes.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. Trailer
• Multimedia HyperGuide: A Windows 3.1 Podcast. Episode 11: The History of After Dark. (29 Sep 2020).
• RetroMagazine 15
• Connecting a 1541 drive to a KIM-1 (Commodore History)
• Unboxing the KIM-1 (Dave’s Garage)

Retro Computing News:

• Celebrating 50 years of Smalltalk
• TRS-80 programming competition

Vintage Computer(-related) commercial:

• Okidata Business Printer (1985)
• Epson (1984)

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• 50 Years of Text Games
• See also: 50 Years of Text Games (Kickstarter)
• See also: 50 Years of Text Games (Substack series)

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • On-Line Systems Thrilogy
  • Checkers by David Slate
  • Karateka for Apple II or maybe Commodore
  • Wasteland with Survival Guide
  • See also: Wasteland Survival Guide PDF
• Earl:
  • Radio Shack CGP115 graphics printer/plotter
• Paul:
  • IBM 5161
  • Apple mouse pad
  • Timex/Sinclair 2068
  • Numeric keyball

Closing notes:

• In Search of Darkness, and In Search of Tomorrow

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr257.a2stream

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Earl Evans, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: Keep calm and carry on

Episode 0 has arrived.

Topic/Feedback links:

• The 6502 overflow flag explained
• The 6502 overflow flag explained mathematically
• The 6502 overflow flag explained at the silicon level
• ZX80 8K BASIC ROM upgrade
• Floppy Days 114: Howell Ivy, Exidy
• The Gaming Chronicles (Kickstarter)
• Robert Henke, CBM 8032 AV

Retro Computing News:

• How to use an Apple II as a dumb terminal for a modern Mac
• Reverse-engineered AOL
• International Research Conference on the History of Computing. 1976
• DOOM ported to A/UX
• Encyclopedia Britannica picks an odd Apple
• Apple museum tour by Woz from 1984

Vintage Computer(-related) commercial:

• AOL commercial (1997)

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• MOS 6502 poster
• See also: MthreeL (etsy store)

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Screenies monitor frame
  • Q3 Monitor Mobile
  • 1965 Shazam System Reference Manual
• Earl:
  • Osborne 1
• Paul:
  • MicroProfessor II
  • Cray catalog
  • Novation modems
  • ELF II
  • ELF II (continued)
  • See also: ELF II
  • ZX microdrive
  • See also: ZX Microdrive (Wikipedia)

Closing notes:

• Dotti

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr256.a2stream

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed