Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Ken Gagne, and Jack Nutting

Host’s Topic: Funding retrocomputing projects

When you get a new idea for something related to retrocomputing (new electronics, new cases, coffee table books)—and it’s a great idea—but you can’t fund it all yourself, what are the options? Thinking back on such projects, what seems to you like it’s been most successful? What would you try (or never try again)?

Retro Computing News:

• Virtualbasic.org
• Alamogordo dig sales exceed $100K
• 8bit Generation on Kickstarter
• Happy 20th Birthday Win95
• Happy 20th birthday Atari Jaguar CD!
  • RetroVGS
  • Jaguars at the dentist
• Quinn prepares to look at the IIc Plus ROM code the hard way
• The Byte Works Opus ][ (Software, Source) now available from Gamebits
• Uthernet II preorders were open

Vintage Computer Commercials:

• Windows 95: Multitasking
• Thomson MO6
• Guide to Windows 95 with friends

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Start button shirt

Auction Picks:

• Jack: Atari joystick belt buckle
• Ken: Microzine 8+9
• Paul: ZX-81 kit
  • Thomson M05

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

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), and Earl Evans

Host’s Topic: The end of retrocomputing

We here on the speaking end of these microphones have a pretty similar timelines with computers, having been young and eager when computers were just entering the “personal” era. No doubt a part of the current interest in re-exploring that time is nostalgia. Will people who were 10 in 2003 (Bart Simpson aside) play around with old Dell Windows boxes when the mid 2030s roll around? Did people who were 10 in 1920 seek out old standing mixers to play with in the 1960s? The time we focus on is generally the point when the technology was new and changing and finding itself, isn’t that going to be the time “retrocomputing” will always focus on? What for you lies outside the bounds of the hobby interest—too new, too widely available, too closed, too …? to “feel like” retrocomputing? It’s not about who can play or what anyone calls it, but what personally is the endpoint of your own interest?

Retro Computing News:

• Radio Shack Microcomputer trainer pages
• GMC-4, modern RS Microcomputer trainer clone
• Retropie 3
• VINTAGE COMPUTER FESTIVAL MIDWEST 10 August 29-30, 2015, Elk Grove Village, IL
• ECCC – Emergency Chicagoland Commodore Convention
• New Vintage Style 64C Computer Housing Case – Red
• Brand-new colored keycaps for your Commodore C64
• C64 reloaded (motherboard from Individual Computers)
• Surfing the internet with a Model 100
• Commodore PET in JavaScript, along with chiclet keyboard layout!
• Saving 25,000 manuals from Manuals Plus
• Ongoing, amazing PDP-12 restore effort happening at the RICM, Rhode Island Computer Museum

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• TRS-80 Color Computer 3 vs. shortwave radio

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• iRecorder (iPhone dock/speaker in cassette player form factor

Auction Picks:

• Earl: Televideo 920C with second page of memory installed
• Paul: Lear-Siegler ADM 3A terminal
  • Lot of 20 Atari 400/800 cartridges. And some other stuff.
  • SX-64 with Prophet MIDI synth
  • HERO 1

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

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

Host’s Topic: Second chances

If we had a time machine – What do you wish you’d done “back in the day” in the computing world, and is there a chance you can catch up and do it now in the retrocomputing hobby?

Retro Computing News:

• WDC 6502 and 65816-based development boards
• Amiga Turns 30:
  • ArsTechnica series
  • Guardian article
  • Jay Miner interview
• How “two bored 1970s housewives” helped create the PC industry
  • Vector Graphic Vector-1 computer
  • Vector-1 on eBay
• Retrochallenge 2015/07 ends
  • Tezza’s newly-mobile-friendly site
  • Earl’s Forth for Commodore 128
• Charles Babbage Institute
• PiDP-8/I kits
  • PiDP forum
• Apple IIgs bounty:
  • Apple IIgs System 6.0.2
  • GS/OS 6.0.2 hard disk image for Floppy Emu
  • Space Ace for the Apple IIgs
  • BurgerLib
  • KitchenSink
• Leadlight Gamma released for Mac/PC
• Sleepaway camp for Apple II fanatics, Motherboard Radio (Jason Koebler)
• History of Icons

Vintage Computer Commercial:

• Remington Rand UNIVAC

Retro Computing Gift Idea:

• Green Computer Power Button Keychain

Auction Picks:

• Carrington: The Apple Boogie
  • Story on Apple Boogie on The Next Web
  • Download the songs
  • Blue Busters video
• Carrington: Outbound Laptop
• Paul: Radio Shack Science Fair Microcomputer Trainer
  • Science Fair Microcomputer with more beat up box
• Earl: Bell Teletype Model 26
  • Wikipedia says it’s from 1946

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

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

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
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed