Floppy Days Vintage Computing Podcast

Interview with Peter Jennings, Microchess & VisiCorp Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FloppyDays Sponsors: 8-Bit Classics - https://www.8bitclassics.com/?ref=Floppydays  Arcade Shopper - https://www.arcadeshopper.com/  FutureVision Research - https://www.fvresearch.com/  Tuc's Workbench - https://shop.tucs-workbench.com/  Hello, and welcome to episode #167 of the Floppy Days Podcast, where you can learn about obsolete, but still very fun, technology of the past! In this episode we talk with someone that was right there in the early days of computers and who created some amazing software for the very early, very primitive KIM-1 computer.  In fact, he is credited with producing the very first microcomputer game to be sold commercially.  I'm speaking of Peter Jennings, the creator of MicroChess for the KIM-1 and later ported to many other early home computers, such as the TRS-80 Model I/III, Commodore PET, Apple II, Tandy CoCo, and Atari 8-bit. Peter co-founded Personal Software, which later became VisiCorp. Proceeds from MicroChess sales helped finance the development of VisiCalc, the first-ever spreadsheet program, which I'm sure you've heard of. Peter also developed the first model of the ChessMate while working for Commodore. I think you'll find his story pretty interesting.  He's done a lot throughout his career and he's met a lot of the early computer icons. Interview Links Peter's Website - https://benlo.com  VisiCorp at Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VisiCorp  Peter at Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_R._Jennings  Microchess at Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microchess  Brad Templeton - https://www.templetons.com/brad/  The Commodore ChessMate - https://commodore.international/2022/03/26/the-history-of-the-commodore-chessmate/  The Pocket Guide to World History - https://pockethistory.com/   

Interview with David Pogue, Tech Journalist and Author Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FloppyDays Sponsors: 8-Bit Classics - https://www.8bitclassics.com/?ref=Floppydays  Arcade Shopper - https://www.arcadeshopper.com/  FutureVision Research - https://www.fvresearch.com/  Tuc's Workbench - https://shop.tucs-workbench.com/  Hello and welcome to Floppy Days #166 for August, 2026.  My name is Randy Kindig and I'm your host for this glimpse of what life was like in the 70's and 80's with home computers. This episode is an interview-only show with a guest that I'm betting most of you have heard of and have admired his contributions to mainstream technology learning. David Pogue is a seven-time Emmy-winning correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning. He's also a New York Times bestselling author; he has written or co-written more than 120  books.  He's also a five-time TED speaker and host of 20 NOVA science specials on PBS.  He was The New York Times weekly tech columnist.  He recently released his latest book that is getting rave reviews:  "Apple: The First 50 Years." I must admit some early trepidation in speaking with David for the podcast.  Not because of any qualms about David himself; David is actually a terrific guy and that was obvious from his mountainous and amazing set of work.  It was more of some intimidation based on his many appearances on TV and the large number of interviews HE personally has done over the years.  However, as the interview progressed, David made me feel completely at ease and I'm honored to have been able to talk with him 1-on-1. I think you'll enjoy hearing about his career, his many stories, his musical parodies, and details about his latest book about the first 50 years of Apple. This interview took place June 25, 2026. Upcoming Shows ABBUC Summer Camp - August 26-30 - Winterberg-Elkeringhausen, Germany - https://abbuc.de/summercamp  Vintage Computer Festival GB 2026 - September 11-13 - Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, United Kingdom - https://www.facebook.com/events/25457837877216829/  Vintage Computer Festival Midwest - September 12-13 -  Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL - https://vcfmw.org/  Tandy Assembly 2026 - October 2-4, 2026 - Cincinnati, Ohio - https://www.tandyassembly.com/  Portland Retro Gaming Expo - October 9-11 - Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR - https://retrogamingexpo.com/  Chicago TI International World Faire - October 24 - Evanston Public Library, Evanston, IL - https://www.chicagotiug.org/home  VCF Montreal - November 7-8 - Champlain College Saint-Lambert, Saint-Lambert, QC - https://cvcfed.org/vcf-montreal-2-0/  Schedule Published on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub  Interview Links https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Pogue  https://davidpogue.com/  Apple: The First 50 Years - https://amzn.to/3QiMpHr  substack blog - https://pogueman.substack.com/  "Clap Along" - Pogue's parody song for Apple's 50th - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyXbvtnhOIk  "I Write the Code" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWgMAMiiahY  "I Got an iPhone" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vniMR6Ez9cE&list=RDvniMR6Ez9cE&start_radio=1  

Floppy Days 165 - The Sphere Computer, Part 2 with Ben Zotto Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FloppyDays Sponsors: 8-Bit Classics - https://www.8bitclassics.com/?ref=Floppydays  Arcade Shopper - https://www.arcadeshopper.com  and https://thekeep.net  FutureVision Research - https://www.fvresearch.com/  Tuc's Workbench - https://shop.tucs-workbench.com  Hello and welcome to episode 165 of the Floppy Days Podcast, for July, 2026.  My name is Randy Kindig and I'm your host for this audio and video tribute to vintage computers and computer history. For those of you listening to these podcasts in order, this month's episode is the second part of the 2-part series on the Sphere, which was introduced in 1975; the same year as the Altair and even before the Apple 1. Once again, I want to reiterate what the Sphere was and why do we care?  The Sphere was the first "personal computer," defined as such by Byte Magazine due to its consumer focus and built-in keyboard and monitor.  Many computers can claim the moniker of first "personal computer", and rightly so, but this one has the endorsement of an early, well-respected, long-running computer magazine and they have good reason for feeling this way about the Sphere.  Once you hear the details, you'll see just how ground-breaking this machine was at a very early period of computer history. Not only that, some of the personal stories behind the machine are simply downright fascinating. Ben Zotto is the undisputed expert on the Sphere in these times, after finding an abandoned machine sitting on the sidewalk and deciding to adopt it and learn more about it.  He recently wrote a comprehensive book on the Sphere called "Go Computer Now!" that Ben and I spent a lot of time talking about in the last episode -- which again was the first episode on the Sphere.  This episode series actually serves two purposes: first as an interview with Ben to learn more about him and his book, and secondly as an overview of a computer I didn't cover back when I started this podcast back in 2013 with the Altair 8800 and the Apple 1. So, as I said earlier, this will be the second part of a 2-part journey on the Sphere.  Last month we talked in great detail with Ben Zotto about how he ended up going down the Sphere rabbit hole and all the great things he's done to promote an important machine that was forgotten in the annals of history.  This month, Ben and I go through all the usual topics about the Sphere: history, tech specs, using the machine, current Web sites and a great deal more. I really hope you enjoy hearing more about the Sphere and all the things that Ben has done to fill in the gap in history that used to be occupied by the Sphere! Vintage Computer Shows Silly Venture SE (Summer Edition) - July 30-Aug. 2 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2026-se  Southern Fried Gaming Expo and VCF Southeast - July 31-Aug 2, 2026 - Atlanta, GA - https://gameatl.com/  VCF West - August 1-2 - Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA - https://vcfed.org/events/vintage-computer-festival-west/  Long Island Retro Gaming Expo - August 7-9, 2026 - Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, NY - https://liretro.com/  ABBUC Summer Camp - August 26-30 - Winterberg-Elkeringhausen, Germany - https://abbuc.de/summercamp  Vintage Computer Festival GB 2026 - September 11-13 - Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, United Kingdom - https://www.facebook.com/events/25457837877216829/  Vintage Computer Festival Midwest - September 12-13 -  Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL - https://vcfmw.org/  Tandy Assembly 2026 - October 2-4, 2026 - Cincinnati, Ohio - https://www.tandyassembly.com/  Portland Retro Gaming Expo - October 9-11 - Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR - https://retrogamingexpo.com/  Chicago TI International World Faire - October 24 - Evanston Public Library, Evanston, IL - https://www.chicagotiug.org/home  VCF Montreal - November 7-8 - Champlain College Saint-Lambert, Saint-Lambert, QC - https://cvcfed.org/vcf-montreal-2-0/  Schedule Published on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub  Tech Specs BASIC - https://sphere.computer/news/2026-03-28-the-secret-minicomputer-inside-your-sphere.html  Using the Machine/Tips https://sphere.computer/articles/sphere-bringup-guide.html  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFOKQoWlpGk  Popular Magazines/Newsletters Byte Magazine - https://archive.org/details/1982-10-byte-magazine-october-1-byte-magazine-21533/1975%2009%20BYTE%2000-01%20The%20Worlds%20-%20Byte%20Magazine_21693/  Sphere Global News newsletter; put out by Sphere Corp. - https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_spherenews_1063041  Sphere Microcomputer Users' Newsletter - August 1977 - letter from Programma - https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_spherenews7_5204616  Books Stan Veit's book - https://archive.org/details/stan-veits-history-of-the-personal-computer  Stan Veit Podcast: https://www.classiccomputing.com/CCPodcasts/Stan_Veit/Stan_Veit.html  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?app=desktop&list=PLUOGYbuIdClP9KoaDfHXqLvqOeaqTATQK  Fire in the Valley - https://www.amazon.com/Fire-in-Valley-audiobook/dp/B071YYZJG5  Bill Gates' memoir "Source Code: My Beginnings" - https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Source-Code-My-Beginnings/dp/B0D5KHFN6C  Digital Deli - https://archive.org/details/digitaldelicompr0000unse  Ben's book - https://gocomputernow.com/  Software Games & Cassettes! on the 1975 Sphere computer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AISsrGfb9n0  Ads "Why not go computer now?" - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sphere_Personal_Computer_Ad_January_1976.jpg  Modern Upgrades https://sphere.computer/shop.html  Emulation https://sphere.computer/emulator/  Community Forums AtariAge - https://www.atariage.com  VCFEd - https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php  Current Web Sites and Videos Very old SPHERE computer doing very silly tricks, for SPHERETEMBER!!! - Ben Zotto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHALstVxdPI  Sphere repository at bitsavers.org - https://bitsavers.org/pdf/sphere/  Home repository for the Sphere-1 reconstruction by Andrew Shapton - https://github.com/Sphere-Corporation  https://hackaday.com/2023/03/11/a-love-letter-to-the-sphere-computer/  VCF West: Sphere 1: The First Modern Microcomputer — Ben Zotto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GilFixu4KY  References Ben's site - https://sphere.computer/  Ben's book "Go Computer Now!!!" - https://shop.gocomputernow.com/products/go-computer-now  Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere_1 

Floppy Days 164 - The Sphere, Part 1 with Ben Zotto Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FloppyDays Sponsors: 8-Bit Classics  Arcade Shopper and https://thekeep.net  FutureVision Research  Tuc's Workbench  Hello!!! and welcome to episode 164 of the Floppy Days Podcast, for June, 2026.  My name is Randy Kindig and I'm your host for this joy ride through the rewarding hobby of vintage computers and computer history. I have to start off by apologizing, as I'll actually be stepping back in the computer timeline for this episode.  Sometimes it happens.  My goal from the beginning of this podcast was to go through computers in the approximate order they were released (at least by year).  And, I've largely done that with this podcast.  However, sometimes a machine comes up that I didn't know about or didn't recognize its importance at the time I put together the list of computers to cover.  This month that computer is the Sphere, which was introduced in 1975.  That's right, I said 1975.  That was the same year as the Altair and even before the Apple 1. What was the Sphere and why do we care?  The Sphere was the first "personal computer," defined as such by Byte Magazine due to its consumer focus and built-in keyboard and monitor.  Now, I know that many computers can claim the moniker of first "personal computer", and rightly so, but this one has the endorsement of an early, well-respected, long-running computer magazine and they have good reason for feeling this way about the Sphere.  Once you hear the details, you'll see just how ground-breaking this machine was at a very early period of computer history. Not only that, some of the personal stories behind the machine are simply downright fascinating. Ben Zotto is the undisputed expert on the Sphere in these times, after finding an abandoned machine sitting on the sidewalk and deciding to adopt it and learn more about it.  He recently wrote a comprehensive book on the Sphere called "Go Computer Now!" that I mentioned the last episode I had acquired.  Well, I ended up reading that book cover-to-cover and really enjoying it.  So much so that I decided to contact Ben and see if he would be willing to come onto the podcast to talk about his book and the Sphere Computer.  Thankfully, he was.  This podcast actually serves two purposes: first as an interview with Ben to learn more about him and his book, and secondly as an overview of a computer I didn't cover back when I started this podcast back in 2013 with the Altair 8800 and the Apple 1. So, this will be a 2-part journey on the Sphere.  This month we talk in great detail with Ben Zotto about how he ended up going down the Sphere rabbit hole and all the great things he's done to promote an important machine that was forgotten in the annals of history.  Next month, Ben and I go through all the usual topics about the Sphere: history, tech specs, using the machine, current Web sites and a great deal more. I really hope you enjoy hearing about the Sphere and meeting Ben Zotto! New Acquisitions/What I've Been Up To/News VCFSW - https://www.vcfsw.org  REU Grande - https://www.go4retro.com  National Videogame Museum (NVM) - https://nvmusa.org/)  article/cover for May, 2026 Call-A.P.P.L.E. Magazine with Floppy Days Woz interview - https://www.callapple.org/  passing of Howell Ivy: audio interview from 2022 - https://floppydays.libsyn.com/floppy-days-114-howell-ivy-exidy-sorcerer-and-exidy  video interview from 2022 - https://youtu.be/QojU9ty4q_U audio interview for Byte Shop 50th - https://floppydays.libsyn.com/floppy-days-161-byte-shop-interviews  video interview for Byte Shop 50th - https://youtu.be/QlmkvVSuNbs  Upcoming Vintage Computer Shows KansasFest 2026 - July 14-19 - University of Illinois Springfield (in person) - July 31-Aug. 1 (virtual) - https://www.kansasfest.org/  Silly Venture SE (Summer Edition) - July 30-Aug. 2 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2026-se  Southern Fried Gaming Expo and VCF Southeast - July 31-Aug 2, 2026 - Atlanta, GA - https://gameatl.com/  Long Island Retro Gaming Expo - August 7-9, 2026 - Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, NY - https://liretro.com/  Fujiama - August 26-30 - Lengenfeld, Germany - http://atarixle.ddns.net/fuji/2026  Vintage Computer Festival GB 2026 - September 11-13 - Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, United Kingdom - https://www.facebook.com/events/25457837877216829/  Vintage Computer Festival Midwest - September 12-13 -  Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL - https://vcfmw.org/  Tandy Assembly 2026 - October 2-4, 2026 - Cincinnati, Ohio - https://www.tandyassembly.com/  Portland Retro Gaming Expo - October 9-11 - Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR - https://retrogamingexpo.com/  Chicago TI International World Faire - October 24 - Evanston Public Library, Evanston, IL - https://www.chicagotiug.org/home  VCF Montreal - November 7-8 - Champlain College Saint-Lambert, Saint-Lambert, QC - https://cvcfed.org/vcf-montreal-2-0/  Schedule Published on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub  Interview Links Ben's site - https://sphere.computer/  Ben's book "Go Computer Now!!!" - https://shop.gocomputernow.com/products/go-computer-now  Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere_1    

Floppy Days 163 - Interview with Charles Pfister, Apple 1 Case Designer Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FloppyDays Sponsors: 8-Bit Classics  Arcade Shopper and https://thekeep.net  FutureVision Research  Tuc's Workbench  New Acquisitions Chalkboard PowerPad -  https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n10/52_The_legend_of_the_pad_of_.php  "Go Computer Now!!!" by Ben Zotto - https://shop.gocomputernow.com/products/go-computer-now  "Apple The First 50 Years" by David Pogue - https://amzn.to/4f6XJjU (sponsored link) FujiNet RS-232 - https://www.fvresearch.com/product/fujinet-rs232/  Upcoming Shows (thru AUGUST, 2026) VCF Southwest - May 29-31, 2026 - Westin Dallas Ft. Worth Airport - https://www.vcfsw.org/  Retrofest 2026 - May 30-31 - Steam Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon, UK - https://retrofest.uk/  CORGSCON - Columbus Ohio Retro Gaming Society - June 6-7 - Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, OH - https://www.corgscon.com/  INIT HELLO (Apple II) - June 19-21 - System Source Computer Museum, Hunt Valley, MD - https://init-hello.org/  Chilliwack & Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo - June 20 - New Westminster, BC, Canada - https://www.vancouvergamingexpo.com/index.html  Pacific Commodore Expo NW 2026 - June 20-21 - Old Rainier Brewery Intraspace, Seattle, WA - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex  KansasFest 2026 - July 14-19 - University of Illinois Springfield (in person) - July 31-Aug. 1 (virtual) - https://www.kansasfest.org/  Silly Venture SE (Summer Edition) - July 30-Aug. 2 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2026-se  Southern Fried Gaming Expo and VCF Southeast - July 31-Aug 2, 2026 - Atlanta, GA - https://gameatl.com/  Long Island Retro Gaming Expo - August 7-9, 2026 - Cradle of Aviation, Garden City, NY - https://liretro.com/  Fujiama - August 26-30 - Lengenfeld, Germany - http://atarixle.ddns.net/fuji/2026  Schedule Published on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub  Interview Links EDI Insights (YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/@EliteoneDesigns  Elite Designs (Facebook) - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100046369452863  Computer History Museum - https://computerhistory.org/