Retro Computing Roundtable

Retro Computing Roundtable

Earl Evans and Carrington Vanston

Gather 'round a virtual table to discuss today's news about yesterday's computers. Co-hosted by Earl Evans and Carrington Vanston.

1 hour 42 minutes

RCR Episode 271: TOMLINSON@BBNA
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:
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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
11 April 2024, 12:21 am
2 hours 1 minute

RCR Episode 270: Time Zero
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:
Retro Computing Gift Idea:
- EOR #$FF (David Youd)
  - EOR #$FF on archive.org
Auction Picks:
- Carrington:
- 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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
7 April 2024, 3:56 pm
2 hours 6 minutes

RCR Episode 269: Considered harmful
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:
Retro Computing News:
Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:
- Aquarius
- Doom 2
- Ordimini
Retro Computing Gift Idea:
- Doom Guy: Life in First Person (John Romero)
Auction Picks:
- Carrington:
- 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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
7 January 2024, 11:09 pm
1 hour 37 minutes

RCR Episode 268: KansasFest/A24eVR megapodcast
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
A2Stream file:
- a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr268.a2stream
Feedback/Discussion:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
7 January 2024, 10:42 pm
2 hours 12 minutes

RCR Episode 267: Turtles all the way down
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:
Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:
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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
4 December 2023, 4:06 am
2 hours 16 minutes

RCR Episode 266: The Apple II Age
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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
11 August 2023, 11:32 am
2 hours 3 minutes

RCR Episode 265: Poolside computing arrives
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:
Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:
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:
- Paul:
- 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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
19 May 2023, 2:25 am
1 hour 35 minutes

RCR Episode 264: Double bucky, you’re the one
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:
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:
A2Stream file:
- a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr264.a2stream
Feedback/Discussion:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
27 February 2023, 3:44 am
1 hour 49 minutes

RCR Episode 263: The year of the gopher
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:
Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:
Retro Computing Gift Idea:
- Shargeek 35W GaN retro charger
Auction Picks:
- Carrington:
- 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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
19 February 2023, 2:49 pm
1 hour 51 minutes

RCR Episode 262: 60 years between Bell 103 and today” s InterNet
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:
Retro Computing News:
Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:
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:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
25 December 2022, 8:43 pm
1 hour 53 minutes

RCR Episode 261: Cause the Commodordian is Keeping Up With You
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:
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:
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:
A2Stream file:
- a2stream file for this episode: http://yesterbits.com/media/a2s/rcr261.a2stream
Feedback/Discussion:
Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X
Show audio files hosted by CyberEars

Listen/Download:
9 December 2022, 3:19 pm
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