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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 … Continue reading RCR Episode 262: 60 years between Bell 103 and today” s InterNet →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, Michael Mulhern, and Carrington Vanston Topic: Prebricked drives Episode 253 relates to 1953. Core memory begins its long dominance of the RAM space, the IBM 701 is introduced. A year that was kind of between things, so as one might expect the conversation keeps sliding into a discussion of … Continue reading RCR Episode 253: Prebricked drives →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Ian Baronofsky, and Jack Nutting Topic: 2017 YEAR++ Topic and feedback notes: Edladdin Retro_gaming (Instagram) “The Great Apple II BBS Tour” contest: telnet://a80sappleiibbs.ddns.net:6502 (A 80’s Apple II BBS) telnet://cqbbs.ddns.net:6502 (Captain’s Quarters) telnet://dura-bbs.net:6359 (Dura-Europas) PDP-8/L renovation (page in Swedish) ABC80 archive (page in Swedish) Retro Computing News: Doug Engelbart’s Mother of All … Continue reading RCR Episode 163: 2017 →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Jack Nutting (not hosting) Topic: 3-Smooth 3x3x3x3x2. Feedback notes: 7 Classic Home PC Follow-Up That Were Never Released Retro Computing News: Atari shows off new joystick A digital clock implemented in Life StackExchange notes on creating the clock Conway’s Game of Life NASA fires Voyager-1’s thrusters for first time in 37 … Continue reading RCR Episode 162: 3-Smooth →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Cynde Moya, and Jack Nutting Topic: Living Computers: Museum + Labs This week we are joined by Cynde Moya, collections manager, and chair of the acquisitions committee for the Living Computers: Museum + Labs in Seattle. We discuss various topics, including some of the new exhibits and acquisitions, philosophy of restorations, … Continue reading RCR Episode 161: Living Computers →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: The Final Frontier 160. $A0. A high-ASCII space. LDY. Space bars. Keyboards? Places to put things? Yeah, we got nothing. Feedback notes: Micro Computer Machines of Canada MCM/70 Mac Portable ejects a floppy disk in space FitalyStamp for Palm Retro Computing News: Steve Wozniak … Continue reading RCR Episode 160: The Final Frontier →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Mark Lemmert, Michael Mulhern, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: Retro Gaming Evolution What changes are there in game development with old hardware in a new context? Use modern hardware enhancements? Modern advancements in computer science, user interface, programming environments? To what extent is there still something left to squeeze out of … Continue reading RCR Episode 159: Retro Gaming Evolution →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, Ken Gagne, Jack Nutting, and Steven Weyhrich Host’s Topic: The Retropocalypse What might drive computing to go back “off-line”—massive infrastructure or privacy/secturity disaster? What kind of advantages are there to the limited/isolated machines of the olden-days? Is there a difference between obsolete and just retro? Might data/privacy disasters (even … Continue reading RCR Episode 158: The Retropocalypse →

Panelists: Jack Nutting (hosting), Earl Evans, and Paul Hagstrom Host’s Topic: eBay and retrocomputing “Atari 800 – RARE – $1,000 – L@@K!!1!”. Why do such listings exist? They are becoming more and more common. Does anyone ever accidentally buy from these outrageous listings? Memorabilia – especially recent-ish (90s, 2000s). Sometimes the vintage section of eBay … Continue reading RCR Episode 157: eBay and retrocomputing →

This is the annual group “megapodcast” recorded at KansasFest, from July 2017. The event draws quite a few podcasters, so we all sit in a room and talk for an hour. This year’s podcast involves the obligatory discussion of the KansasFest event itself (which is an annual gathering of Apple II enthusiasts, along with some … Continue reading RCR Episode 156: Assembly Chicken PolyANTICast Roundtable episode 1 (KansasFest 2017) →

Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhern, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: Getting done Projects – so easy to start, so difficult to complete! What techniques have you found to cross the finish line? What stands in your way? Should we adopt a more businesslike approach to our hobby endeavors – would … Continue reading RCR Episode 155: Getting done →

Host’s Topic: News news news So much news since the previous episode, the topic is: more news. Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Michael Mulhern, and Earl Evans Feedback notes Modifying Microsoft Flight Simulator 4 to run on three immersive monitors 64bites: Commodore 64 BASIC/Assembly video tutorials Love Notes to Newton documentary (indiegogo, campaign finished) RetroMacCast interview … Continue reading RCR Episode 154: News news news →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Carrington Vanston Topic: UNIVAC liked Ike Episode 252 relates to 1952. The year when UNIVAC correctly called the election early and nobody believed it. The year the paper introducing the Huffman code compression algorithm was published. And the 50th anniversary of all the things that happened in 1902. … Continue reading RCR Episode 252: UNIVAC liked Ike →

Host’s Topic: Random Access Memories RAM limitations. Early on in home/personal computing, we were faced with very real RAM constraints. Not like today’s RAM measured in GBs and added in freely, only really affecting disk reliance. What do you remember about bumping into RAM limits, planning programs around them, finding failures, expanding, etc. Panelists: Paul … Continue reading RCR Episode 153: Random Access Memories →

Host’s Topic: Future nostalgists We’re nostalgic for our formative computing years now, but lots of that old cool stuff got discarded or broken or traded along the way. D’oh! If only we’d been thinking of now then. But the kids of today will be our age at some point. Are we doing any better for … Continue reading RCR Episode 152: Future nostalgists →

Panelists: Jack Nutting (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, and Michael Mulhern Host’s Topic: Is this important? Is this old stuff objectively important, or is it just nostalgia? Feedback notes Living Computer Musem + Labs’ permanent Apple exhibit Break Out: How the Apple II launched the gaming revolution (David Craddock) Breakout: How Atari 8-bit computers defined … Continue reading RCR Episode 151: Is this important? →

Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhern, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: Spring cleaning Do you remove the accumulated goop? How do you remove the accumulated goop? Topic/feedback links: How II 0x06: Cleaning Vintage Plastic Parts Your Computer Emulating DOS, for running legacy applications DOSBox vDOS vDosPlus PCem Building miniature CP-500 (Brazilian TRS-80 clone), … Continue reading RCR Episode 150: Spring cleaning →

Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: Still Going Strong Adobe Illustrator recently turned 30 years old. AutoCAD is 34, Microsoft Word and Excel are both over 30, and Mathematica is 28. Even the IBM PC emulator DOSBox is itself now almost 15 years old. What new versions of … Continue reading RCR Episode 149: Still going strong →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, and Carrington Vanston) Host’s Topic: Venturing down the retro upgrade path How far should we go down the upgrade path toward modernity? If you have a, say, 68030 Mac, would you want to put a third-party 68040 accelerator in it? You would have in 1993. But what is the … Continue reading RCR Episode 148: Venturing down the retro upgrade path →

Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhern, and Carrington Vanston) Host’s Topic: Big collections Big collections — what are the implications? Saving systems from oblivion? Or, perhaps, removing them from the hands of enthusiasts who might happily use them? How to enjoy a large collection — viewing, using, showcasing? Retro Computing News: The Finnish … Continue reading RCR Episode 147: Big collections →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting) and Carrington Vanston (not hosting) Host’s Topic: The next new old thing So, we’re kind of experts on something. Or we’re familiar with something. But part of the fun of the hobby is seeing what else there was that we never got involved in. Now that we have our new modern … Continue reading RCR Episode 146: The next new old thing →

Panelists: Ken Gagne (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: What’s your favorite retrogaming input device? What’s your preference for retrogaming? On original hardware, on new hardware? Retro Computing News: Atari Gotcha Tube Tunes podcast Word for Windows 1.1a source code at CHM Norway to become first country to switch off FM … Continue reading RCR Episode 145: Your favorite retrogaming input device →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Michael Mulhern, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: The new retro The calendar has flipped over again, to 2017. How does that affect what we consider to be “retro”? Retro Computing News: It’s 2017. Vintage Computer Commercials “How To” Feedback/Discussion: @rcrpodcast on Twitter Vintage Computer Forum RCR Podcast on Facebook Throwback Network … Continue reading RCR Episode 144: The new retro →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Charles Mangin, and Carrington Vanston Topic: Memories of Whirlwind I It’s been 71 years since 1951. So, we talk about some things kind of loosely related to 1951, including computer music, the Whirlwind I, and memory technology. Topic/Feedback links: Whirlwind I Jim Butterfield C64 training tape David Ahl’s BASIC Computer Games, … Continue reading RCR Episode 251: Memories of Whirlwind I →

Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: Acquisitions of 2016 Acquisitions of 2016 – What were your favourite finds for the 2016? Any surprises, good or bad? Are you looking for anything in particular for 2017? Retro Computing News: AtariCrypt magazine MAGIC-1 TTL-based computer LNW-80 L2 BASIC ROM Rare M4 Enigma … Continue reading RCR Episode 143: Acquisitions of 2016 →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, Michael Mulhern, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: Replica replica Replicas, precise or otherwise. What do you think about (near-)perfect replicas? Is our nostalgia for using a new-looking object, or for using an object that was actually produced in the past? Should we worry about replicas getting passed … Continue reading RCR Episode 142: Replica replica →

Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, John Linville, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: RetroChallenge 2016/10 Both Michael and John were first time RC judges – How did it go? Retro Computing News: RetroChallenge Jumpman: Reverse Engineering the Atari 8-bit Version gcc explorer w/ gcc6809 and CMOC Burroughs 220 simulator – on an Apple II Michael … Continue reading RCR Episode 141: RetroChallenge 2016/10 →

Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Michael Mulhern, and Paul Hagstrom Host’s Topic: How do you get your retrocomputing content and community? How do you get your retrocomputing content and community? Forums, Google+, Facebook, Usenet, Mailing lists, IRC? Retro Computing News: Prototype IBM PC, Atari 800-inspired Paul Atkinson: “Delete: A design history of computer vapourware” (2013) XEGS … Continue reading RCR Episode 140: Retrocomputing content and community →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Michael Mulhern, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: NO CARRIER Modems. They played a big part in the past, almost entirely useless now. What are your experiences with modems? Do you miss them? Have you worked out a way to use one now? Retro Computing News: Vintage Computer BBS list v3.10a Delta … Continue reading RCR Episode 139: NO CARRIER →

Panelists: Ken Gagne (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhern, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: $(document).ready(function() {alert(“Welcome, TRS-80 user.”);}); How retro-accessible do we need to make our websites? Retro Computing News: PocketCHIP Fignition Keyboard C64 keeps on keeping on New MicroBee Facebook post about MicroBee Eureka, a Latin poem composer from 1845 Silicon Cowboys Alternate connector for … Continue reading RCR Episode 138: $(document).ready(function() {alert(“Welcome, TRS-80 user.”);}); →

Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: Mandatory downgrade If you had to use a legacy operating system as your daily driver, which one would you pick and why? Retro Computing News: ProDOS 2.4.1 released ProDOS 2.4 released ProDOS 2.4.1 in-browser emulation at archive.org Direct link to disk image … Continue reading RCR Episode 137: Mandatory downgrade →

Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Ken Gagne, Paul Hagstrom, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: Old computers de-composing Dr. Peter Thorne stopped by TNMOC and talked about CSIRAC, Australia’s oldest computer, and indeed the world’s oldest existing computer—and also explained that it will almost certainly not be restored, but kept instead in original, but non-working, condition. Discuss. … Continue reading RCR Episode 136: Old computers de-composing →

Panelists: Jack Nutting (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, and Michael Mulhern Host’s Topic: 35 years since there wasn’t yet an IBM PC The IBM PC launched into a world of many personal computer brands, types, operating systems, and eventually took the label and became the ubiquitous and standard PC (and PC-compatible), leaving most other systems fallen by … Continue reading RCR Episode 135: 35 years since there wasn’t yet an IBM PC →

Panelists: The regular “How To Retro History of Open Chicken Missile Antics Roundtable” crew. Host’s Topic: Chicken Missile? At KansasFest 2016, on July 22, 2016, a crowd of retrocomputing podcasters sat around a table in a room and spoke about KansasFest itself and about our computing histories. There was one microphone in a big room, … Continue reading RCR Episode 134: Chicken Missile? (KansasFest 2016) →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, and Carrington Vanston Topic: Computing Machinery and Intelligence It’s been 72 years since the year Turing published the paper that outlined the Turing test. So: Let’s talk about interactions we’ve had relating to artificial intelligence in some form or another. Topic/Feedback links: RetroMagazine issue 12, English version Total Replay … Continue reading RCR Episode 250: Computing Machinery and Intelligence →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Ken Gagne, Michael Mulhern, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: I’ve a feeling we’re not in Missouri anymore All of us are now back in our respective countries after KansasFest and. Retro Computing News: Margaret Hamilton’s introduction (July 2001, AGC conference 1) Don Eyles walks through AGC source code The Code that … Continue reading RCR Episode 133: I’ve a feeling we’re not in Missouri anymore →

Panelists: Kevin Savetz (hosting), Mark Pilgrim, Kate Szkotnicki, Lisa Allyn, and Jeff Blakeney (contestants) Host’s Topic: Kevin Loves Apples After one too many repetitions of his name, Kevin Savetz materialized at KansasFest 2016 and wrested control of the Retrocomputing Roundtable. A panel of four attendees compete in Apple-II-related games, recorded live at KansasFest. KansasFest Intro … Continue reading RCR Episode 132: Kevin Loves Apples (KansasFest 2016) →

Panelists: Earl Evans and Randy Kindig (hosting), and Evan Koblentz (expert witness) Host’s Topic: Vintage Computer Festival West Randy and Earl wonder about VCF West, and Evan comes to the rescue, in this Very Special Episode of the Retrocomputing Roundtable (recorded jointly with Floppy Days). Also, the first of two consecutive episodes crossing over with … Continue reading RCR Episode 131: Vintage Computer Festival West →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: What good is source code? As more original source code becomes available (we’ll talk about a couple [Apollo Guidance Computer and LucasArts’ Habitat] later this episode—but before that fairly high profile source code from Apple II DOS, Xerox Alto, Microsoft BASIC, CP/M, … Continue reading RCR Episode 130: What good is source code? →

Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: Was the tech in the 80’s better than today? Was the 80’s tech better, or do you prefer today’s offerings? What did you love about the 80’s tech, and what do you miss? Retro Computing News: Dean Yergens’ collection, including Microsoft disks … Continue reading RCR Episode 129: Was the tech in the 80’s better than today? →

Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston Host’s Topic: Surprises A volunteer at TNMOC found a Lorenz cipher machine keyboard on eBay for £9.50. What has been your most unexpected find on eBay, at garage sale, or even at a flea market? Retro Computing News: Writing a Game in … Continue reading RCR Episode 128: Surprises →

Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Ken Gagne, Paul Hagstrom, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: Tragic: The Gathering of dust Most of us have vintage computers that we have purchased, used, but then ignored. In the early days, they were so easy to get, often for free, or cheap. Of your collection, which system do you most … Continue reading RCR Episode 127: Tragic: The Gathering of dust →

Panelists: Jack Nutting (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, and Michael Mulhern Host’s Topic: Absence makes the heart grow fonder What retrocomputers were actually less cool than you remember once you got your hands on one again? What were the annoyances you’d forgotten about? Retro Computing News: Chocolatchips Etsy store (Pocket Pokey and more) Let Chris Crawford teach … Continue reading RCR Episode 126: Absence makes the heart grow fonder →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), and Michael Mulhern Host’s Topic: A veritable plethora Continuing to wonder about modern recreations as ever more appear on the scene. Are we cheating? Should we just get over it? Does this mean more people are coming? How do you choose which Apple IIGS RAM card to get? Retro Computing News: … Continue reading RCR Episode 125: A veritable plethora →

Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhern, and Jack Nutting Host’s Topic: Lunar landistry SpaceX successfully blasted off a rocket, which they’ve done before – but this time, the rocket’s stage one came back down and landed itself safely! In celebration of their accomplishment, we wanted to look back on the game Lunar Lander, … Continue reading RCR Episode 124: Lunar landistry →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, Michael Mulhern, and Blake Patterson Topic: 2020 also We enter the third year of 2020. Yet another New Year’s, yet another opportunity to make the New Year’s resolution joke. Topic/Feedback links: Mega II project (single chip Apple II) Mega II project progress Acorn – a world in pixels (extended … Continue reading RCR Episode 249: 2020 also →

Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Earl Evans, and Paul Hagstrom Host’s Topic: Easter Eggs Hidden developer lists. Slipping it past management. Have you ever added an Easter Egg to a program? First EE? WAIT 6502 on a PET Other MS fingerprints/Easter Eggs Search Google for “do a barrel roll” using Chrome or Firefox Excel 97: Flight … Continue reading RCR Episode 123: Easter eggs →

Panelists: Jack Nutting (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, and Michael Mulhern Host’s Topic: Y2K Thoughts on the anticipation leading to the turn of the century. Retro Computing News: The Games, “Millennium Bug” episode Y2K survival guide with foreword by Leonard Nimoy iOS 1970s nostalgia Charles’ Metaphor Computer ML5-1200 photos Metaphor Computer Systems on Wikipedia DrKhumalo on lemon64 … Continue reading RCR Episode 122: Y2K →

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Jack Nutting, and Michael Mulhern Host’s Topic: Making money What’s the first program you got paid to write? Retro Computing News: Retrocomputing site on StackExchange Bonami Spelcomputermuseum Dick Smith Electronics to close Dick Smith Super-80 TRS-80 Trash Talk podcast FreHD M3SE MISE The Conversation with Alex Malley – Nolan Bushnell news.com.au … Continue reading RCR Episode 121: Making money →