Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Blake Patterson, and Kay Savetz

Topic: 1984

Apple introduced the Macintosh and Apple //c in 1984, IBM introduced the PCjr, HP introduced the LaserJet, and FidoNet began distributing mail.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Apple //c
• IBM PCjr
• Christmas 1984: The Great Apple //c vs. PCjr Battle
• Macintosh
  • The 1984 Superbowl ad (YT)
  • The 1984 Superbowl ad
• FidoNet
  • fidonet.org
  • FidoNews
  • Subtext (classic Mac BBS with FidoNet support)
• HP LaserJet
  • LaserJet in HP’s own Virtual museum (warning: QuickTime 5 required)
• CHM discusses Lisa source code with Bill Atkinson

Retro Computing News:

• SyncTerm
• Playing with toy interfaces – Rich Gold, Mattel Toys
• Video Game History Foundation Library opens
• Storing data on cassette with a modem
  • KCS modem

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Apple //c
• IBM PCjr
• Macintosh

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Tiny TV

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • Atari SC1224 Vintage Color Monitor (specifically, red)
    • RDKL Inc’s YT video about this collection
• Kay:
  • Vintage The Microperipheral Corporation Computer Speech Synthesizer?
    • No, almost certainly a Sofcast Shuttle Communicator
    • Interview with Michael Darland, Microperipheral Corporation and Sofcasting
• Paul:
  • AnDATAco front panel
    • AnDATAco
  • Speech recognition processor for Hero 1 and Apple II
  • New overpriced belts
  • ITT 2020
  • US ZX-81 (auction long gone)
    • Timexsinclair.com on ZX-81

Closing notes:

• Super Impulse Space Invaders (eBay search)

Other ways to experience this episode:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr284.a2stream
• YouTube episode 284

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
• rcrpodcast@podcast.social on Mastodon
• rcrpodcast.com on bluesky
• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Kay Savetz, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: 1983

In 1983, Apple gave us Lisa, the ImageWriter, and the Apple //e. Atari gave us the XL line, Microsoft gave us (Multi-Tool) Word, Lotus gave us 1-2-3, David Lightman gave us wardialing. The era of it being always DNS began.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Apple Lisa
• Apple ImageWriter
• iOMEGA Bernoulli Box
  • Demo of Bernoulli Box A220
  • Bernoulli Box brochure
  • PCMag review of the Bernoulli Box
• MIDI
  • ANTIC interview 447: Robert Moore and Paul Rother (Hybrid Arts MIDIMate)
  • ANTIC interview 448: Frank Foster (Hybrid Arts MIDIMate)
• Microsoft Multi-Tool Word
  • Multi-Tool Word in Infoworld May 30, 1983
  • Microsoft Word in PC World Nov 1983
• Lotus 1-2-3
• TRS-80 Model 100
• Apple //e
• Atari 1200XL
• DNS
• It’s always DNS
• MSX
• WarGames
  • The WarGames IMSAI etc.
  • History Lesson

Retro Computing News:

• Z80-sans
• 50 years of Oregon Trail
• Angry Robots! New puzzle game for 68K Macs
• Bill Atkinson accidentally doxxed Douglas Adams on The Computer Chronicles
• FlatMac (Hackaday)
  • FlatMac build video

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Lotus 1-2-3 rocks
• Atari XL home computer
• TRS-80 Model 100

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Brew Atari

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Portal (different auction)
• Kay:
  • TELEVIDEO 990 Terminal 63 Units (in a field!)
  • TEC Micro-Tec Model 70 X CRT VDT Terminal
• Paul:
  • Keep your vintage computers from looking crappy by using dust covers
  • Symantec Bedrock
    • Bedrock (framework)
  • Inside NeXT 2024 edition
  • This Apple-1 tape does not look authentic to me
  • Bernoulli Box 10+10

Closing notes:

• ANTIC interview: Robert Leyland: AtariArtist, KoalaPainter, Murder on the Zinderneuf, The Dragon’s Eye

Other ways to experience this episode:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr283.a2stream
• YouTube episode

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
• rcrpodcast@podcast.social on Mastodon
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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Michael Mulhern, and Kay Savetz

Topic: 1982

In 1982, Commodore launched the Commodore 64, GCE launched the Vectrex, Brøderbund launched a rescue helicopter. Computers reached TV, and Flynn drove a light cycle.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Commodore 64
• MAX Machine in Japan (Ultimax elsewhere), formerly VICKEY
• Spawned RUN magazine, but people failed to follow this advice in droves
• Tron
  • Apple III
• Choplifter
  • Choplifter: The Complete History (YouTube, Slopes Game Room
• Pitfall!
  • Classic game postmortem GDC 2011
• Vectrex
• The Computer Programme (10 part BBC series) first broadcast in January 1982
  • The Computer Programme BBC archives
  • Bits & Bytes
  • Computer Chronicles IBMS PS/2 (1987)
• Minitel
• NABU
• The Sketch Show, Secretary, series 1 episode 2
  • The Sketch Show

Retro Computing News:

• AltStore
• Mini vMac4ios
• Action Retro installs Mini vMac4ios
• The Commodore Thermostat (Commodore History, YT)
  • Commodore Thermostat on eBay
• A 9958 in your C64
  • The V9958 is a bad design. No, really (Andy Hu, YT)
• http://bsky.app

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Timex/Sinclair 1000
• Tron sweepstakes
• Vectrex

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Atari joystick decanter set
  • Atari 2600+
  • Atari 400 mini
  • Atari 7800+
  • Plaion
  • ANTIC interview 439: Making modern Atari hardware

Auction Picks:

• Michael:
  • Four APC magazines
• Paul:
  • MAX Machine
    • On Mercari via buyee
    • On Mercari via Zenmarket
  • Apple II+ from Pirates of Silicon Valley
  • QX-16 (not QX-10 as labeled) (auction long gone)
  • Epson QX-10
  • Softside 1983, Relaaax issue (auction long gone)
    • Softside 1983 Relaaax on IA

Closing notes:

• ANTIC interview 446 Mary Eisenhart (Microtimes magazine)
  • ANTIC Mary Eisenhart interview, video version   
• Homeputerium 10 line programming contest

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr282.a2stream
• YouTube episode

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
• rcrpodcast@podcast.social on Mastodon
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• Vintage Computer Forum
• RCR Podcast on Facebook
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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

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

Topic: 1981

In 1981, we started communicating with AT commands and Kermit. Timex/Sinclair released the 1000/ZX-81. We got the BBC Micro and the ABC 800. IBM introduced the PC, for business, no fun allowed. And MS-DOS. And more.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Sony 3.5 drive
• Quick, hide in this closet! (folklore.org)
• IBM PC
  • “Atari” design
• MS-DOS
• Osborne 1
• Xerox Star
• IPv4
• Kermit
• kermitproject.org
• C-Kermit 10.0 beta 11 released in early August
• Hayes Smartmodem 300
• Hayes AT command set
• Sinclair ZX81
• Timex/Sinclair 1000
• BBC Micro
• ABC 800
• Donkey Kong
• E-mu Emulator

Retro Computing News:

• Thomas Kurtz obituary (Legacy.com)
• Dartmouth BASIC at 50
• CHM in memoriam Thomas Kurtz
• San Francisco Muni will stop using floppy disks Any Day Now
• Atari ST Notebook (it was real)
• The Pentium as a Navajo weaving (Nat Gallery of Art)
• Ward Christensen passed away
• CBBS for winter contact in the Chicago computer hobbyists’ group. Feb 1978, written up in Byte Nov 1978
• Ward Christensen obituary (NYT)

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Magnavox TV with built-in Odyssey
• Super Pong
• HayesStack

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Floppy disk cookie cutters.

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • RARE DCS Industries Slot Box for Tandy EX HX 1000 A SX TX SL TL SL/2 TL/2 RL RLX
• Paul:
  • 3D printed TI cartridge tray.
  • Warez wear.
  • Omnitronix cassette interface
  • NeXT Cube.
  • Programma 101 (sold at $4000, 2 bids)

Closing notes:

• Estate Sale (wound up with Super Pong, not much else).

Streams:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr281.a2stream
• Behind-the-scenes livestream recording of this episode (YouTube)

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

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

Topic: 1980

In 1980, Commodore introduced the VIC-20, Sinclair introduced the ZX80, Tandy introduced the Color Computer, and HP tried to breed a computer out of calculators. Also other things happened. Which we discuss!

Topic/Feedback links:

• VIC-20 
• Sinclair ZX80
  • See also: MicroAce (timexsinclair.com)
• HP-85 
  • See also: Tandy PC-4
• Tandy Color Computer 
• Intel 8087 
• Pac-Man 
• Epson MX-80

Retro Computing News:

• ​​Apple’s best keyboard reimagined (YouTube)
• Update on the Business IIGS (original auction gone, but: Incider Jan 1989 cover)
• Daily news from a dot matrix printer
• APFram. APFram
• Atari Portfolio
• It was all Boris Vallejo

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Pac-Man Cereal
• VIC-20
• Timex/Sinclair 1000

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Inflatable Pac-Man costume

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • The Usurper, one of the last text adventures
  • The Odyssey, one of the worst named adventure games
• Paul:
  • Apple-Cat II with expansion box
    • Starring the Computer: Vacation (1983)
  • Apple IIGS upgrade (finished at $720, 11 bids)
  • Blank floppies (finished at $111.50, 9 bids)
  • Because we all want to be able to say “And over here, this is my Grundy NewBrain” (bought now at $850)
    • See also: Grundy NewBrain
  • Timex/Sinclair 1000 with box (finished at $15, 1 bid)
  • Because we all want to be able to say “And over here, this is my Jupiter Ace”
    • See also: Jupiter Ace
  • A moment of silence for the keyboards that have been parted out
  • OCC-2 (bought now at $499)
    • See also: OCC-2
  • 16K RAM chips sans RAM

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr280.a2stream

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
• rcrpodcast@podcast.social on Mastodon
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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

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

Topic: 1979

In 1979, VisiCalc’s rampage began, and models 400, 800 (Atari), II (TRS-80), and 4 (TI 99) arrived.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Wordstar
• VisiCalc
• TI 99/4
• Intellivision
• Asteroids
• Atari 400/800
• MUD1
• StarMud review
• TRS-80 Model II
• Motorola 68000
• Compu$erve
  • CB Simulator
• Robert Williams becomes first human killed by a robot

Retro Computing News:

• Unicode 16.0 adds more Symbols for Legacy Computing
• Existing Unicode symbols for Legacy Computing
• Unicode symbols for Legacy Computing working group document
• Unscii font
• Grace Hopper lectures archived and released
• Warhol’s lost Amiga art, found
• Wallops: a modern IRC client for classic Mac OS
• Famous Computer Cafe
• Computerland audio commercials (with gaps for filling in local deals)
• Mol (Baldur’s Gate demake for TRS-80 Model 100 and ZX Spectrum)
• Dungeons & Dragons Systems Reference Document
• RadioShack catalog archive

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Radio Shack
• Intellivision

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Insert Coin keychain
  • See also: iBot G3

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Mockingboard in box (Auction gone, but here’s a similar WorthPoint image)
  • InvisiCalc
    • Scanned at MOCAGH
• Paul:
  • Business IIGS (original auction gone, but: Incider Jan 1989 cover)
  • Amdek Color-I (original auction ended, here is similar one)
  • ZuluSCSI
    • See also: http://zuluscsi.com/
  • TI 99/4a replacement power supply
  • ZX81/TS1000 keyboard replacement
  • SE / SE/30 replacement power supply
    • Video for installing the SE/SE/30 replacement PSU (YouTube)
  • SIO2PC USB-C
    • See also: Set up RespeQT for SIO2PC (Atariprojects.org)

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr279.a2stream

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting) and Carrington Vanston

Topic: 1978

In 1978, we got WordStar and LaserDisc. Not VisiCalc.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Wordstar (Wikipedia)
• VisiCalc (Wikipedia) almost!
• Laserdisc
• Exidy Sorceror lot discussed in episode 182, November 2018
• DEC VAX (Wikipedia) again?

Retro Computing News:

• Grace Hopper lecture found but can’t be released
• Living Computer Museum will start auctioning things
• Gen One (Christie’s)
• Legends of Adventure: The Story of Sierra On-Line
• Unboxing an Apple-1 (YouTube)
• Apple-1 number 18

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Wordstar commercial (Computerland)
• Lotus 123 running alongside your good applications
• Coleco Adam scholarship

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• SC131
  • SC131 (YouTube)

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • X*Press X*Change
  • Apple Bunny key repeater
  • Dancing Baby screensaver
• Paul:
  • Math Sequences
  • Fix your Apple Plotter (auction long gone)
  • FujiNet for Adam (different auction, and also ended)
  • Atari power cube
    • Apple //c power cube (mozzwald)
    • Another Atari power cube (mozzwlad)
  • NABU RomWBW option card (auction long gone, but see below)
    • NABU forums post about the RomWBW option card
  • Newton 2000/20001 internal USB-C connectivity board (auction long gone, but see below)
    • Newtonsales
  • Model 100/102 ROM
    • Model 200 ROM
  • Atari 2600 power adapter
  • Model 100 set
  • July 1978 Disk II notes

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr278.a2stream

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: 1977

In 1977, XMODEM, VAX, and FAT arrived. And the Atari VCS (2600). And the TRS-80 Model 1, Commodore PET, and Apple II.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Atari 2600 (Wikipedia)
• Atari 2600 Pac-Man (Wikipedia)
• Tod Frye discusses Pac-Man 8K homebrew (YouTube)
• TRS-80 Model 1 (Wikipedia)
• TRS-80 Model 1 (trs-80.org)
• Commodore PET (Wikipedia)
• Commodore PET (commodore.ca)
• Apple II (Wikipedia)
• XMODEM (WIkipedia)
• FAT (Wikipedia)
• DEC VAX (Wikipedia)
• UNIVAC (Wikipedia)

Retro Computing News:

• Electromechanical Lunar Lander
• Tim Hunkin (YouTube channel)
• Apple II emulator on the CoCo3 (GitHub)
• Apple II emulator on the CoCo3 (YouTube)
• Michael Mahon’s Burroughs 220 emulator (KansasFest 2016 presentation)
• Michael Mahon’s Burroughs 220 emulator
• Choplifter reverse engineered
• Using fountain pens with pen plotters
• The Graphics Scientist

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Atari 2600 Pac-Man
• TRS-80
• VIC 20 vs Atari and Intellivision
• The Choplifter
• Pac-Man and other MB board games

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Ben Eater’s World’s Worst Video Card
  • World’s Worst Video Card (YouTube, part 1)

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Defender ENTEX
  • Defender MB (auction long gone)
  • Popeye
  • Pooyan
  • Turbo
  • Turtles
  • Board games based on 8-bit arcades (boardgamegeek.com)
• Paul:
  • TRS-80 model 1 set
  • PET 2001
  • Home security sticker (HERO robot)
  • Western Union Telefax receiver
  • Bull Questar 200
    • Bull Questar
    • Groupe Bull
    • List of Groupe Bull products
    • Micral: First personal computer using a microprocessor
    • Micral at MO5
    • “A talk with the father of computing” (Wired)
    • Computer Museum Catalog of Personal Computers

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr277.a2stream

Feedback/Discussion:

• feedback@rcrpodcast.com
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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Blake Patterson, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: 1976

In 1976, Bill Gates wrote a letter, and the Queen sent an e-mail. Two 1s (Apple- and Cray-) appeared on the scene.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Zilog Z80 (Wikipedia)
• CP/M (Wikipedia)
  • Incidental mention: Kaypro 2000
• An Open Letter to Hobbyists (Wikipedia)
• Apple-1 (WIkipedia)
• Cray-1 (Wikipedia)
• The Queen sent an email
• 5.25″ Floppy Disk (computerhistory)
• Public Key Cryptography

Retro Computing News:

• Riven (Digital Antiquarian)
• RealMyst
• Atari 2600 Myst Demake
• Atari 2600 Myst Demake Longplay (YouTube)
• Atari (not really) acquires Intellivision (not really)
• ICQ is shutting down
• USB-C power for the Apple //c
• JQuickTake

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Space games:Intellivision vs. Atari
• Apple QuickTake

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Core16 Interactive Core Memory Kit

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • NeXT NU I/O Sound box in 3d Printed Case
• Carrington:
  • New ALPS mechanical keyboards for Apple IIe
• Paul:
  • Apple CTW titles (auction long gone)
    • See instead: Compute! magazine review (1983)
  • Lo and Behold & Ringmaster (auction long gone)

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr276.a2stream

Feedback/Discussion:

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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Michael Mulhern, and Blake Patterson

Topic: 1975

In 1975 we got the Altair 8800, Micro-Soft.

Topic/Feedback links:

• MITS Altair 8800 (Wikipedia)
• History of Microsoft (Wikipedia)
• 6502 (Wikipedia)

Retro Computing News:

• A1222+ “Tabor” Now Available for Purchase
• KansasFest 2024 registration opens
• Z80 EOL announcment
• Z80 EOL (hackster.io)
• Z80 EOL (techspot.com)
• Sega AI
• BASIC turned 60

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Apple IIc
• Netpliance i-opener

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Zilog Z80 (mouser)

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • BackSID
• Paul:
  • Penguin Map Pack
  • Lode Runner board game
    • Magnet for the super-fans
  • MITS Computer Notes v1n1
  • Apple //c patent
  • i-opener

A2Stream file:

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Feedback/Discussion:

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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
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