Retro Computing Roundtable

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Kay Savetz Topic: 1990 1990 saw a decline of various personal computer magazines, as well as the introduction of the Video Toaster. Apple started misting the market with computer variants. Topic/Feedback links: RCR episode 90 Macintosh LC  Macintosh Classic  Macintosh IIfx  Macintosh IIsi Computer mags in 1990 were an interesting mix of modern and dying (Compute’s Gazette, BBC Acorn, Atari Explorer, the last issue of Antic) and MSX which was both. MiniDisc  (actually 1992) MiniDisc.wiki (home of Web MiniDisc Pro) MZ-RH1 MiniDisc player/recorder with USB data export support Photoshop 1.0  Video Toaster Retro Computing News: Interim Computer Museum Intellivision: How a videogame battled Atari and almost bankrupted Barbie Adventures in Videoland Adventures in Videoland playthrough 2-XL Vintage Computer/discussion-related commercials: MiniDisc system infomercial Minute Rice Family Computing magazine  2-XL by Mego Keeping up with the Commodore Super Breakout Various 1980s ads (The Clapper) Lotus 123 Retro Computing Gift Idea: PBTfans 1984 R2 keycaps See also: Big Mac at CHM Auction Picks: Paul: CORE remote CL 9 (company) Celadon PIC-100 (rebranded CORE, post CL 9) MagicLink PIC-1000 (no relation, but had IR remote capability) Oric-1 Oric-1 (Wikipedia) Pravetz 8D (Oric-1 clone) Elizabethan typing Sargon II MC-10 Chaos the software Three tiny Apple programs Lisa floppies Closing notes: Kay’s 2025 Wrapped Softalk for the IBM PC Enter magazine (at time of recording) Teaching and Computers Other ways to experience this episode: a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr290.a2stream YouTube episode 290 Feedback/Discussion: [email protected] [email protected] on Mastodon rcrpodcast.com on bluesky Vintage Computer Forum RCR Podcast on Facebook Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X Listen/Download:

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Earl Evans Topic: 1989 Several things happened during the final year to begin prior to The Simpsons hitting the airwaves. For example, Sim City and PKZIP came out. Tim from CERN proposed an information sharing architecture. Everyone on the bus started playing with Game Boys. Topic/Feedback links: SimCity Mac Office (Word 4, Excel 2.2, PowerPoint 2.01, Mail 1.37) ZIP format introduced Phil Katz ARC  Tim Berners-Lee proposed WWW Microsoft SQL Server announced Nintendo Game Boy Macintosh Portable Ejecting a disk in space RCR episode 89 Retro Computing News: MBASIC-2025: Modern MBASIC 5.21 Interpreter & Compilers Microsoft: the Zork source code is open sourced. Usagi Electric TI homebrew Rebecca Heineman (Burger Becky) Vintage Computer/discussion-related commercials: Wisk TRS-80 Model II SQL Server Retro Computing Gift Idea: Max Build More Retro Building Bricks Unboxing Toy Auction Picks: Earl: Atari 600 XL Home Computer Near Mint . Never Used. Was In Storage For 40 Years Paul: Myst board game Tandy 16B. TS1500 command cartridge player Timex Computer Corp Winter 1983 catalog Available cartridges included Supermath and Flight Simulator. TS 1500 in case TS 1500 in box TS 1500 description Closing notes: We’re covered in Compute’s Gazette Issue number 5, in Brian Cox’s Podcast Corner Other ways to experience this episode: a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr289.a2stream YouTube episode 289 Feedback/Discussion: [email protected] [email protected] on Mastodon rcrpodcast.com on bluesky Vintage Computer Forum RCR Podcast on Facebook Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X Listen/Download:

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Earl Evans Topic: 1988 In 1988, NeXT introduced its cube, bundled with Mathematica 1.0. IRC was developed. Sound Blaster changed gaming. Microsoft Office was announced. Lots of software was developed, and hardware incrementally improved. Topic/Feedback links: NeXT cube Laser 128EX/2 Mathematica Celebrating 35 Years of Mathematica (YouTube, first few sections show it in action on an SE/30) The Mathematica Story – A Scrapbook Sound Blaster (but 1990? 1989?) Microsoft Office (announced 1988, shipped 1990) IRC developed – /me likes this Apple IIc Plus – last 8-bit computer introduced by Apple? IBM PS/2 Model 70 Lemonamiga games for 1988 Retro Computing News: Video of production of new Commodore 64s in the factory Ken Shirrif repairs a Commodore PET Vintage Computer(-related) commercials: Amstrad Portable PC Microsoft Office System: It’s Showtime Retro Computing Gift Idea: Viking Electronics DLE-200B Two-Way Phone Line Simulator See also: Open House H650 Integrated Voice Networking System Auction Picks: Earl: Altos 580 Computer, Z80 system, supported multi-user MP/M, could accommodate hard drives, 4 RS232 ports See also: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/altos/580_Series_5/ Paul: NeXT Cube NeXT Video Cable Amstrad PPC 640 Adventure International Buckaroo Banzai Akalabeth Contributed Programs See also: Street Life (Apple II disk image) Closing notes: Ivan Loves the 80s Steve Jobs Unveils the NeXT Computer Other ways to experience this episode: a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr288.a2stream YouTube episode 288 Feedback/Discussion: [email protected] [email protected] on Mastodon rcrpodcast.com on bluesky Vintage Computer Forum RCR Podcast on Facebook Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X Listen/Download:

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Blake Patterson Topic: 1987 The Acorn Archimedes became the first computer sold based on the ARM chip. Even today, the last does not appear to be in sight. 1987 also bought us Perl, the IBM PS/2, VGA, Hypercard. CompuServe gifted us GIF. Beyond 1987, we talk BBC BASIC, Quantum Link, and more about the Commodore Colt than you ever wanted. Topic/Feedback links: Acorn Archimedes  IBM PS/2 VGA  Larry Wall wrote Perl  Bill Atkinson designs Hypercard  CompuServe introduced a proprietary graphics interchange format. Great. Took off like gangbusters. Like a gift to the online world. So Far; The First 10 Years of a Vision (Apple turned 10) Retro Computing News: The Commodore acquisition happened One line Tetris (Rheolism) (Hackaday) Rheolism How Rheolism works Vintage Computer(-related) commercials: Commodore Colt at Best Buy Acorn Electron  IBM PS/2 Retro Computing Gift Idea: The Apple II Age: How the Computer Became Personal (Laine Nooney)  See also: INIT HELLO wrap-up discussion (YT) See also: RCR episode 266 with Laine Nooney Auction Picks: Paul: Commodore Colt Spectravideo Compumate VCS keyboard CompuMate (Wikipedia) I turned my Atari 2600 into a REAL COMPUTER (YT, 8-Bit Show And Tell) Actual Quantum Link software package Alternate universe (to Apple users) SoftDisk: LoadStar Cf: SoftDisk Closing notes: INIT HELLO Other ways to experience this episode: a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr287.a2stream YouTube episode 287 Feedback/Discussion: [email protected] [email protected] on Mastodon rcrpodcast.com on bluesky Vintage Computer Forum RCR Podcast on Facebook Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X Listen/Download:

Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Blake Patterson Topic: 1986 IDE, IMAP, IIGS, and even some other things that do not begin with “I” were introduced in 1986. Topic/Feedback links: Apple IIGS MacBook Wheel SCSI-1 IDE IBM PC XT/286 IMAP ShaderGlass Retro Computing News: The Myst Graph: A New Perspective on Myst (and Part II) Postage-stamp-sized Atari 8-bit compatible FPGA hardware device Ice-T, a VT100/102/52 terminal emulator for the Atari 8-bit Bill Atkinson passed away (Wired) Building a dream PC in 1993 Shufflepuck Cafe for the Apple II Retro Recipes is buying Commodore Vintage Computer(-related) commercials: Gateway Myst board game What is the @ (Good Morning America) Retro Computing Gift Idea: Strong Magnetic Field warning stickers Also Magnetic-Field-Warning cookie cutters Auction Picks: Blake: 1980s AMust Corp. Mini Robot-1 Simulator Arm HX-3000 Australia (EARLY ROBOTICS) Paul: PowerBook Weight Saving Device The Toy Shop (C64) Closing notes: Alien Beast Inspector INIT HELLO Other ways to experience this episode: a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr286.a2stream YouTube episode 286 Feedback/Discussion: [email protected] [email protected] on Mastodon rcrpodcast.com on bluesky Vintage Computer Forum RCR Podcast on Facebook Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X Listen/Download: