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

Topic: 1971

1971 brought us Computer Space, the Intel 4004, the Kenbak-1, and Email.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Computer Space
• It’s the year 2022, let’s play Computer Space (YouTube)
• Intel 4004
• Kenbak-1 (“arguably the first personal computer”)
• Ray Tomlinson of BBN sent the first email message in 1971

Retro Computing News:

• John Romero and John Carmack reunion live on Twitch, Dec 10, 2023 (Twitch)
• Apple Time Warp podcast – Nasir Gebelli interview (part 1 of 3)
• MECC 6502 Simulator (YouTube)
• MECC 6502 disk simulator working disk image (Brutal Deluxe MECC archive)
• Ayaneo AM01 retro style mini PC
• Ayaneo AM01 retro style mini PC announcement video (YouTube)
• Ayaneo AM01 retro style mini PC (Indiegogo campaign)

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Newton commercials
• See some dinosaurs
• Atari XE ad

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Dust covers!
  • VITNO on Etsy (several options)
  • Fabric Atari cover (eBay)
  • Transparent Atari cover (eBay)
  • Retro computer comforter (prior gift idea)

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • JLPGA PowerBook 170 (different auction)
• Paul:
  • MacIvory card (auction long gone)
  • Graphics Magician for Mac (auction long gone, program on Macintosh Garden)
  • Pocket computers (different auction)
    • See also: Forever 1500
    • See also: Pockemul
    • See also: Invasion Force
    • See also: Sharp PC-1500 ad from Japan (YouTube)
  • Turn anything into a 6100/60av (auction long gone)
  • Mac OS 8.5 in-store demo (different auction)
  • Newton faxmodem (different auction)
  • Mouse cables
  • SIMON SAYS PRINT “HELLO” (different auction)

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr271.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, Earl Evans, and Carrington Vanston

Topic: 1970

In 1970, (Unix) time and Life began. Also, Pascal was “published,” Forth was first used by other programmers, Shakey the robot shook, DRAM appeared.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Recollections about the development of Pascal (Niklaus Wirth)
• The evolution of Forth (forth.com)
• Shakey the Robot (YouTube)
• 75 years of innovation: Shakey the Robot (SRI)
• conways game of life (Google search)
• Martin Gardner’s Scientific American article (Scientific American, Oct 1970)
• DRAM (Wikipedia)
• Aquarius+ (GitHub)
• Aquarius+ (AtariAge)
• The current state of the Aquarius computer (YouTube, VCF West 2023)

Retro Computing News:

• UTM
• Adrian Black becomes a full-time retro content creator
• WiFi Retromodem V3
• ThinkPad 701C
• Restoring the 701C butterfly laptop (YouTube)
• IBM ThinkPad 701C “butterfly” keyboard (YouTube)
• Tezza Stewart is back! (YouTube)

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• US Robotics (1997)
• US Robotics X2 (with Woz)
• Hayes: Say Yes to the Future

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• EOR #$FF (David Youd)
  • EOR #$FF on archive.org

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Toaster Mac cotton dust cover
  • C64 canvas dust cover
  • Embarrassed by your Amstrad?
• Earl:
  • C64/V20 keyboard cover
• Paul:
  • Tandy 200 with a black screen
  • Apple Interactive Television Box (original auction gone now, different one)
  • iMac VGA-revealing cover
    • See also: iMac G3 description (mac27.net)
  • Computer Napoleonics (SSI)
    • See also: Computer Napoleonics (Paul’s, on archive.org)
  • BBC Micro, US version, sort of
    • See also: BBC Micro B US (Chris’ Acorns, Computing History)
  • AC-3 in its box (Radio Shack acoustic coupler)
  • The Controller in its box

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr270.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: 1968-1969

In 1968 and 1969, we had SHRDLU, the Mother of All Demos, Go To being considered harmful, and Unix.

Topic/Feedback links:

• SHRDLU
• SHRDLU in action (YouTube)
• Terry Winograd’s PhD thesis.
• How SHRDLU got its name.
• Douglas Englebart’s Mother of All Demos (YouTube)
• Douglas Englebart’s Mother of All Demos (Wikipedia)
• Edgar Dijkstra: Go To Statement Considered Harmful
• David Tribble: Go To Statement Considered Harmful, a retrospective
• UNIX timeline
• Ritchie: The Evolution of the Unix Time-sharing System

Retro Computing News:

• Open AC-1 kit
• Wizardry modern remake
• Deathlord Relorded
• The Making of Karateka
• World’s longest-running PCjr

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Aquarius
• Doom 2
• Ordimini

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Doom Guy: Life in First Person (John Romero)

Auction Picks:

• Carrington:
  • Wings out of Shadow
  • Mission on Thunderhead
  • iMac G4 in Toronto
• Paul:
  • Apple IIGS ADB keyboard
  • Sealed Knight of Diamonds folder
  • Amnesia
    • See also: Amnesia Remembered (John Aycock)
    • See also: Amnesia manuscript
  • Canon X-07
    • See also: Canon X-07 (oldmachinery)
  • Ordinathan
    • See also: Ordinathan (YouTube)
  • Mouse nest
  • Aquarius
  • Digi-Comp I
  • Mindset
    • See also: Mindset

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr269.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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Various podcasters who attended the KansasFest 2024 or virtual A24eVR event relate their experiences and thoughts, in the annual “megapodcast” tradition.

Participants:

• Paul Hagstrom
  • Retrocomputing Roundtable
  • Drop /// Inches
• Ron
  • Ron’s Computer Videos
• Kat (LadyAiluros)
  • Retro Metal
• Javier Rivera
  • Retro Repair Roundtable
• Chris Torrence
  • Assembly Lines
• Josh
  • 48KRAM on Twitch
• Ken Gagne
  • Juiced.GS
  • A2Central.com
  • Open Apple

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr268.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, Earl Evans, and Blake Patterson

Topic: 1967

1967 gave us Logo and the floppy disk, so we talk about that, and then many other things.

Topic/Feedback links:

• Logo (Wikipedia)
• LogoWriter tape 1 (The Daily Papert)
• LogoWriter tape 1 (Vimeo)
• Logo Week (ByteCellar)
• TurtleSpaces
• JSLogo
• History of the Floppy Disk (Wikipedia)
• Ejecting a floppy in space

Retro Computing News:

• Chevy V8 engine replica built using LEGO & Apple II
• Port of Space Taxi to the Atari 8-bit systems (VITNO)
• Space Taxi (Wikipedia)
• Myst demake
• PETSCII BBS Builder
• GEM ported to a Dana word processor

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• C64 between too expensive and too small
• 3M disks
• C64 job interview

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Turtle USB mouse

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • IBM 7362149 83 Key Beamspring Keyboard For 5251 Display Station
    • See also: Beam spring (Deskthority)
• Earl:
  • Commodore IEEE-488 Interface Cartridge for Commodore 64
• Paul:
  • Memotech ZX81 keyboard
  • IIGS and Lego TC Logo setup
  • How to build a working digital computer out of paper clips
    • See also: How to build a working digital computer out of paper clips (archive.org)
  • Vintage tech that looks like Homer Simpson:
    • Exhibit A (Commodore 1541 drive)
    • Exhibit B (Power Mac 7100/80)
    • Exhibit B2 (Quadra 650)
  • The Controller
  • Pairs well with VisiCalc (Your Blood Pressure cassette)
  • Pie-Man from Bearware
    • See also: QVision Apple II Review 1983 video
    • See also: Bearware (MOCAGH)

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr267.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, Blake Patterson, with guest Laine Nooney

Topics: 1966, and The Apple II Age

Two topics this time: First, some things from 1966, and then, a discussion with Laine Nooney on their newly published book The Apple II Age: How the Computer Became Personal.

Topic/Feedback links:

• The Apple II Age: How the Computer Became Personal (University of Chicago Press, 2023, Laine Nooney)
• Laine Nooney
• Don’t Copy That Floppy: The untold history of Apple II software piracy (Excerpt from the book)
• Carterfone
• Hush-a-Phone (1921) (eBay)
• ELIZA—A Computer Program For the Study of Natural Language Communication Between Man and Machine, Joseph Weizenbaum, Communications of the ACL, 1966.
• Apollo Guidance Computer (Wikipedia)
• BIT-C-128 Video DAC

Retro Computing News:

• A2VGA – Pico IIe Card
• Appril2
• CrossRunner (a new IIGS emulator)
• Jordan Mechner, Replay
• Deep dive into a Sol-20
• New 386 DOS PCs in 2023?

Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

• Danny Ross presents Timex/Sinclair 1500 and 2068 at Boston Computer Society, October 26, 1983
• Apple IIGS commercial

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Opis 192 Cable C Candlestick phone

Upcoming (or recent) gatherings:

• VCF Midwest (Sep 9-10, 2023, Elmhurst, IL)
• Tandy Assembly (Sep 29-Oct 1, 2023, Springfield, OH)

Auction Picks:

• Blake:
  • Timex/Sinclair 1500
  • Another Timex/Sinclair 1500
• Paul:
  • Seiko SmartPad
  • See also: Seiko SmartPad2
  • See also: SmartPad2 in action
  • MacroMind-Paracomp MacRecorder Sound Studio Pro
  • Breakout II

A2Stream file:

• a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr266.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, 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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Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed