Various podcasters who attended the KansasFest 2023 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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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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