Episode 17.5 - Bill's Problem with Piracy

Advent of Computing

Player FM - Internet Radio Done Right

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הוסף לפני six שנים

תוכן מסופק על ידי Sean S Haas and Sean Haas. כל תוכן הפודקאסטים כולל פרקים, גרפיקה ותיאורי פודקאסטים מועלים ומסופקים ישירות על ידי Sean S Haas and Sean Haas או שותף פלטפורמת הפודקאסט שלהם. אם אתה מאמין שמישהו משתמש ביצירה שלך המוגנת בזכויות יוצרים ללא רשותך, אתה יכול לעקוב אחר התהליך המתואר כאן https://he.player.fm/legal.

Squid Game: The Official Podcast

1
Keys and Knives - S3 Ep 1 26:28

לפני 22 ימים26:28

הפעל מאוחר יותר

רשימות

לייק

אהבתי

26:28

Squid Game is back—and this time, the knives are out. In the thrilling Season 3 premiere, Player 456 is spiraling and a brutal round of hide-and-seek forces players to kill or be killed. Hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please break down Gi-hun’s descent into vengeance, Guard 011’s daring betrayal of the Game, and the shocking moment players are forced to choose between murdering their friends… or dying. Then, Carlos Juico and Gavin Ruta from the Jumpers Jump podcast join us to unpack their wild theories for the season. Plus, Phil and Kiera face off in a high-stakes round of “Hot Sweet Potato.” SPOILER ALERT! Make sure you watch Squid Game Season 3 Episode 1 before listening on. Play one last time. IG - @SquidGameNetflix X (f.k.a. Twitter) - @SquidGame Check out more from Phil Yu @angryasianman , Kiera Please @kieraplease and the Jumpers Jump podcast Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts . Squid Game: The Official Podcast is produced by Netflix and The Mash-Up Americans.…

לפני 6 שנים 10:26

MP3•בית הפרקים

In this mini-episode we look at a strange event in Microsoft's early history and their first case of piracy. Along the way you will learn about the best advetrizing campaign in history: the MITS MOBILE Computer Caravan!

Like the show? Then why not head over and support me on Patreon. Perks include early access to future episodes, and stickers: https://www.patreon.com/adventofcomputing

Important dates in this episode:

1976: 'Open Letter to Hobbyists' Written by Bill Gates

http://tee.pub/lic/4jnwv7m_ZPw

175 פרקים

#Tech #History #Sean S Haas #Sean Haas #Computer

Advent of Computing

Episode 17.5 - Bill's Problem with Piracy

Advent of Computing

49 subscribers

published לפני 6 שנים

שתפו

MP3•בית הפרקים

Like the show? Then why not head over and support me on Patreon. Perks include early access to future episodes, and stickers: https://www.patreon.com/adventofcomputing

Important dates in this episode:

1976: 'Open Letter to Hobbyists' Written by Bill Gates

http://tee.pub/lic/4jnwv7m_ZPw

175 פרקים

#Tech #History #Sean S Haas #Sean Haas #Computer

כל הפרקים

Advent of Computing

1
Episode 161 - The IAS Machine 1:03:18

לפני 5 ימים1:03:18

1:03:18

The first batch of digital computers emerge directly following WWII. The hallmark of this generation is uniqueness: no two computers are the same. However, there is a machine that bucks that trend. The IAS Machine, built in Princeton in the late 1940s, served as the inspiration for at least a dozen later computers. But how similar were these Princeton-class computers? What exactly was so special about the IAS Machine? And how does good 'ol Johnny von Neumann get tied up in all of this? The Eastern Boarder map fundraiser Selected Sources: Bigelow Oral History - https://www.si.edu/media/NMAH/NMAH-AC0196_bige710120.pdf Prelin IAS Machine Report - https://www.ias.edu/sites/default/files/library/Prelim_Disc_Logical_Design.pdf…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 160 - What can Lunar Lander tell us about FOCAL? 56:28

לפני 19 ימים56:28

56:28

Lunar Lander is one of the best loves video games of all time. The game was created in 1969 as an homage to the recent Apollo 11. From there it would only spread. Just about anything that can print text has it's own version of Lunar Lander. The early history of this game is mixed up with something weird: two nearly identical programming languages. Today we will be using the history of Lunar Lander as a good excuse to look at an obscure tongue called FOCAL. This language is so close to BASIC that direct line-by-line translation is possible. But are the two connected?…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 159 - The Intel 286: A Legacy Trap 1:06:40

לפני 5 weeks1:06:40

1:06:40

In 1982 Intel released the iAPX 286. It's was the first heir to the smash-hit 8086. But the 286 was developed before the IBM PC put an Intel chip on every desk. It's design isn't influence by the PC. Rather, it reaches further into the past. Today we are looking at the strange melding of old technology, new ideas, and compatibility that lead to the 286.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 158 - INTERCAL RIDES AGAIN - Restoring a Lost Compiler 1:08:22

לפני 7 weeks1:08:22

1:08:22

In 1973 the world caught it's first glimpse of INTERCAL. It's a wild and wacky language, somewhere between comedy and cutting satire. But the compiler was never circulated. There would be later implementations, but that original compiler remained lost to time. That is, until now. This episode covers how the original source code was found, and my attempt to get it up and running. Get the source code for INTERCAL72 here: https://github.com/rottytooth/INTERCAL72/ Read the original INTERCAL manual: https://3e8.org/pub/intercal.pdf…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 157 - Only S1 Users Will Survive! 1:04:40

לפני 10 weeks1:04:40

1:04:40

The S1 operating system can do it all! It can run on any computer, read any disk, and execute any software. It can be UNIX compatible, DOS compatible, and so, so much more! But... can S1 ship? Today we are talking about an operating system that sounds too good to be true. Is it another example of vaporware? Or is S1 really the world's most sophisticated operating system?…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 156 - RPG, a Different Paradigm? 1:04:10

לפני 12 weeks1:04:10

1:04:10

How do you make a computer act less like a computer? It sounds like some kind of riddle, but in the early 1960s it was an actual problem. As IBM customers transitioned from tabulators to computers they ran into all sorts of practical issues. Programmers became a hot commodity. But how do you find a programmer in 1959? And how can you even afford such a luxury? Wouldn't it be better if you could just use your new computer as a tabulator? Well, with RPG, all that and more was possible.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 155 - LINC 58:21

לפני 14 weeks58:21

58:21

In the early 1960s a neat little machine came out of MIT. Well, kind of MIT. The machine was called LINC. It was small, flexible, and designed to live in laboratories. Some have called it the first personal computer. But, is that true? Does it have some secret that will unseat my beloved LGP-30? And how does DEC fit into the picture?…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 154 - ACTing Up 1:20:48

לפני 16 weeks1:20:48

1:20:48

The LGP-30 is one of my favorite computers. It's small, scrappy, strange, and wonderous. Among its many wonders are two obscure languages: ACT-I and ACT-III. In this episode we are exploring the ACTS, how the LGP-30 was programmed in practice, and why I've been losing sleep for the last few weeks.

Advent of Computing

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Episode 153 - The Keypact Mystery 55:07

לפני 18 weeks55:07

55:07

When I was down at VCF SoCal I ran into a strange machine: the Keypact Micro-VIP. It's a terminal without a keyboard, covered in dials, with a speaker and a switch labeled "voice". This chance encounter with the unknown sent me down a wild path. It involved the creeping spread of computing, chicken feed, door to door life insurance salesmen, and at least one early hacker.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 152 - LIVE at VCF - Reviving Retro Panel 1:00:06

לפני 20 weeks1:00:06

1:00:06

A special treat from VCF SoCal. While visiting I had the chance to host a panel on restoration and preservation. I was joined by: David from Usagi Electric ( https://www.youtube.com/@UsagiElectric) Rob from Souther Amis ( https://www.southernamis.com/) Jim, Former Executive Director Computer Museum of America ( https://computerhalloffame.org/home/about/)…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 151 - The Friden Flexowriter 1:00:33

לפני 24 weeks1:00:33

1:00:33

Have you ever looked at an old computer and seen a weird typewriter thing tacked on? In most cases that's a device called a Flexowriter. It's half electric typewriter, half teleprinter, half tape reader, and all business! This episode we are chronicling the rise, fall, and weird business dealings of the Flexowriter.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 150 - Starting Windows Up 1:05:06

לפני 26 weeks1:05:06

1:05:06

In the modern day Windows is a power house, but that wasn't always the case. In this episode we are looking at the fraught development of Windows 1.0. During development it was called vaporware, it was panned in the press, roasted at at least one trade show, and even called... "eclectic". Through it all a vision in lime green would take form.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 149 - IDRIS Is Not UNIX 58:47

לפני 28 weeks58:47

58:47

This episode we are taking a trip back to UNIX world. We're looking at IDRIS, the first clone of UNIX. It was supposed to be highly compatible, but use no code from Bell Labs. IDRIS ran on everything from the Intel 8080 up to the IBM System/370. There was even a version that could run MS-DOS programs. Sound too good to be true? Well, that may be the case. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/aquartercenturyofunixpeterh.salus_201910/page/n196/mode/1up - A Quarter Century of UNIX https://github.com/hansake/Whitesmiths-Idris-OS - Co-Idris disk images and executables…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 148 - Is BLISS Ignorance? 1:03:21

לפני 30 weeks1:03:21

1:03:21

In 1970 a little language called BLISS emerged from Carnegie Mellon University. It was a systems language, meant for operating systems and compilers. It was designed, in part, as a response to Dijkstra's famous Go To Considered Harmful paper. It had no data types. It used the most bizzare form of the pointer I've ever seen. And it was a direct competitor to C. Sound interesting, yet? Selected Sources: https://bitsavers.computerhistory.org/pdf/dec/decus/pdp10/DECUS-10-118-PartII_BlissReadings_Dec71.pdf - Readings on BLISS https://www.cs.tufts.edu/~nr/cs257/archive/ronald-brender/bliss.pdf - A History of BLISS…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 147 - Molecular Electronic Computer 54:48

לפני 32 weeks54:48

54:48

In 1961 Texas Instruments unveiled the Molecular Electronic Computer, aka: Mol-E-Com. It was a machine that fit in the palm of your hand, but had all the power of a much larger computer. This was in an age of hefty machines, which made the achievement all the more marvelous. How was this even possible? It was all thanks to the wonders of molecular electronics, and a boat load of funding from the US Air Force. Selected Sources: https://web.archive.org/web/20160304071831/http://corphist.computerhistory.org/corphist/documents/doc-496d289787271.pdf - Invention of the Integrated Circuit, Kilby https://archive.org/details/DTIC_AD0411614/page/n15/mode/2up - Investigation of Silicon Functional Blocks, TI https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0273850.pdf - Silicon Semiconductor Networks, TI…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 132 - The PDP-1 1:15:43

לפני 1 year1:15:43

1:15:43

In 1959 the world bore witness to a new type of computer: the PDP-1. It was the first interactive computer to really make a dent in the market. Some say it was the first minicomputer: a totally new class of machine. But where did this computer come from, and what made it so different from the rest of the digital pack? Selected sources: https://americanhistory.si.edu/comphist/olsen.html - Smithsonian interview with Ken Olsen https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2019/03/102785079-05-01-acc.pdf - Computing in the Middle Ages https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_decBooksBeng_37322315 - Computer Egnineerling, Bell et al.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 131 - Computer... Books? 1:03:05

לפני 1 year1:03:05

1:03:05

I've been feeling like rambling, so it's time for a classic ramble. This time we are looking at the origins of books about computers. More specifically, computer books targeted at a general audience. Along the way we stumble into the first public disclosure of digital computers, the first intentionally unimportant machine, and wild speculation about the future of mechanical brains. No sources listed this time, because I want the journey to be a surprise!…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 130 - ALGOL, Part II 1:15:32

לפני 1 year1:15:32

1:15:32

This is a hefty one. I usually try to keep things as accessible as possible, but this time we have to get a little more technical than usual. We are picking up in 1964, with the first proposals for a new version of ALGOL. From there we sail through the fraught waters of ALGOL X, Y, W, and finally 68. Along the way we see how a language evolves over time, and how people and politics mesh with technical issues. Selected Sources: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/1061112.1061118 - Successes and Failures of the ALGOL Effort https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MAHC.2010.8 - Cold War Origins of IFIP https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/algol/algol_bulletin/ - The ALGOL Bulletin…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 129 - ALGOL, Part I 1:04:54

לפני 1 year1:04:54

1:04:54

ALGOL is one of those topics that's haunted the show for a while. It comes up any time we talk about programming languages, and with good reason. Many of the features and ideas found in modern languages have their roots in ALGOL. Despite that influence, ALGOL itself remains somewhat obscure. It never reached the highs of a C or LISP. In this series we are going to look at ALGOL from 1958 all up to 1968, keeping a careful eye on how the language evolved, how it's problems were addressed, and how new problems were introduced. Selected Sources: https://www.softwarepreservation.org/projects/ALGOL/paper/Backus-Syntax_and_Semantics_of_Proposed_IAL.pdf - Backus, 1958 IAL report https://algol60.org/reports/algol60_rr.pdf - ALGOL 1960 Report https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/1060960.1060966 - Cleaning Up Algol…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 128 - Cryotrons LIVE! 41:49

לפני 1 year41:49

41:49

Originally presented at VCF SoCal in February of 2024. The cryotron, a superconductive switch, almost revolutionized computing. It's one of those fascinating near misses. In this episode we are talking about the history of the cryotron, how the NSA and supercomputing factors into the mix, and the current state of research into the topic. Did the NSA actually construct a supercomputer that ran in a vat of liquid helium? The answer is... maybe? Video of this talk: https://youtu.be/FqzSGTZ3TMU…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 127 - Nim 1:00:32

לפני 1 year1:00:32

1:00:32

This is going to be a wild rambling ride. In 1939 a computer called Nimatron was made. It was one of the earliest digital electronic computers in the world. It did one thing: play a game called Nim. Over a decade later, in 1951, another Nim machine hit the scene. This computer called Nimrod, was designed to demonstrate how computers worked... by playing a game of Nim. These machines, humble as they may sound, end up deeply complicating the history of computing. Join me as I, once again, muddy the long arc of progress. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/faster-than-thought-b.-v.-bowden - Faster Than Thought https://www.goodeveca.net/nimrod/NIMROD_Guide.html - Faster Than Thought…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 126 - IBM Compatible (No, Not Those) 1:13:47

לפני 1 year1:13:47

1:13:47

This episode wraps up the System/360 trilogy by taking things back to where they started for me. We will be looking at System/360 clones, how they could exist, why they existed, and why IBM didn't crush them. We close with a discussion of how these earlier clones impact our understanding of the IBM PC story. The truth is, by 1981 IBM was no stranger to clones. This is the culmination of a wild story, so prepare! Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/iclbusinesstechn0000camp/mode/1up - ICL: A Business and Technical History https://archive.org/details/impactreportamdaunse/page/1/mode/1up - Impact Report by INPUT https://www.stayforever.de/ibm-pc-a-conversation-with-dr-david-bradley/…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 125 - US v IBM 1:10:32

לפני 1 year1:10:32

1:10:32

My coverage of the IBM System/360 continues! In this episode we look at US v IBM, and the fallout that surrounded the release of the System/360. By 1969 IBM already had a history of antitrust litigation. What was IBM doing to upset the Department of Justice, and how does it tie in to the larger story of clone computers? Selected Sources: http://www.cptech.org/at/ibm/ibm1956cd.html - 1956 Consent Decree https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/298/131/ - 1936 Consent Decree https://archive.org/details/foldedspindledmu00fish/page/n5/mode/2up - Folded, Spindled, and Mutilated…

Advent of Computing

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VCF SoCal - Interview with Micki and Steve 29:31

לפני 1 year29:31

29:31

In this episode I sit down and talk with Micki and Steve about VCF SoCal, a new Vintage Computer Festival! The event is taking place in Orange, California on Febuary 16th and 17th. VCFs are a wonderful time, and a great opportunity to meet up with other retro enthusiasts. The weekend will be filled with exhibits and speakers, including myself! I will be in attendence, and talking about some super cool technology. Stick around until the end of the interview for the full details. More information on VCF SoCal can be found at: https://www.vcfsocal.com/…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 124 - The Full 360 1:03:31

לפני 2 years1:03:31

1:03:31

The release of the IBM System/360 represents a major milestone in the history of computing. In 1964 IBM announced the 360 as the first family of compatible computers. Users could choose a system that was just the right size for their needs, mix and match peripherals, and have no fear of future upgrades. If you started on a low-end 360 you could move up to a top of the line model and keep all your software! Something like this had never been done before. Such a watershed moment resulted in interesting cascading effects. In this episode we will look at the 360 itself. In the coming weeks we will be examining how it shaped and dominated the market, how it led to a federal antitrust suit, and how a mysterious series of clone computers survived in uncertain times. Selected Sources: https://spectrum.ieee.org/building-the-system360-mainframe-nearly-destroyed-ibm https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2012/11/102658255-05-01-acc.pdf - Fred Brooks Oral History https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2017/11/102655529-05-01-acc.pdf - 14K Days…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 123 - The Jupiter Ace 57:35

לפני 2 years57:35

57:35

Released in 1982, the Jupiter Ace is a fascinating little computer. It's hardware isn't much to write home about. It's just an 8-bit microcomputer very much in line with other systems of the era. Where it shines is it's software. In a period when most home computer ran some version of BASIC the Ace was using Forth. On the surface that might sound like a trivial difference, but that one deviation from the norm made all the difference in the world. Selected Sources: https://www.theregister.com/2012/09/21/jupiter_cantab_jupiter_ace_is_30_years_old - The Register article on the Ace https://jupiter-ace.co.uk/documents_index.html - Every other Ace resource you could ever want…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 122 - To Edit Text 59:08

לפני 2 years59:08

59:08

Tools are the most important programs in the world. Without quality tools it's impossible to write quality software. One of those most important of those tools, and the most hotly coveted, is the text editor. These programs offer us a window into the digital world. It's no wonder that programmers the world over basically live inside text editors. In this episode will discuss when exactly that digital window was opened. When did text editors first appear? What forms did they take? Selected Sources: https://www.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/_media/pdf/DEC.pdp_1.1960.102650331.pdf - Colossal Typewriter Manual https://www.si.edu/media/NMAH/NMAH-AC1498_Transcript_StephenPiner.pdf - Piner Oral History https://opost.com/tenex/anhc-31-4-anec.pdf - The Beginnings of TECO…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 121 - Arguments Against Programming 1:04:13

לפני 2 years1:04:13

1:04:13

Most accounts of the early history of programming languages all share something in common. They all have a sentence or two explaining how there was great resistance to these new languages, but eventually all programmers were won over. Progress was made, despite the forces of counterrevolutionaries. What you won't find in most histories are the actual arguments these counterrevolutionaries made. This episode we are looking at those arguments. I've tracked down a handful of papers that argue against digital progress. Are these truly cursed articles, or is there something to be learned from arguments against programming? Selected Sources: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/1455270.1455272 - Why Not Try A Plugboard? https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/367390.367404 - Comments from a FORTRAN User https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/320932.320939 - Methods of Simulating a Differential Analyzer on a Digital Computer…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 120 - Simply COSMAC 1:03:08

לפני 2 years1:03:08

1:03:08

Have you ever opined for a simpler time? Have you ever wanted a computer that you can understand all the way down to the silicon? Then RCA's COSMAC might be the architecture for you! COSMAC was a simplified computer architecture designed in the early 70s. It's tiny, cheap, and built to be easy to understand. But is the chip actually useful? Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-5721710/page/26/mode/1up?view=theater - All the ELF articles in one place! https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MC.1974.6323475 - A Simplified Microcomputer Architecture…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 119 - The Batch! 1:00:28

לפני 2 years1:00:28

1:00:28

This episode we are looking at a ghost of bygone days: batch processing! Before fancy terminals peppered computer rooms, before there was a microcomputer on every desk, there was the batch. In this non-interactive form of computing a user could wait hours, days, or even weeks to get a chance at computer time. Machines were kept well away from programmers, guarded by digital clerics. Why did such an arrangement exist? And did it ultimately help the programmer? Selected Sources: https://multicians.org/thvv/compatible-time-sharing-system.pdf - Compatible Timesharing System, 15th Anniversary https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MAHC.1983.10026 - Rykman on GM-NAA I/O https://ethw.org/First-Hand:Operating_System_Roots - Operating System Roots…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 146 - The Z4 58:00

לפני 34 weeks58:00

58:00

The Z4, completed by Konrad Zuse in 1945, is a computer with a wild story. It was made from scrounged parts, survived years of bombing raids, moved all around Berlin, and eventually took refuge in basements and stables. In this episode we will follow the Z4's early days, and look at how it fits into the larger picture of Zuse's work. Along the way there is looting, rumors, and even... IBM! Selected Sources: The Computer, My Life - Konrad Zuse's autobiography https://web.archive.org/web/20090220012346/http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/370000/361515/p678-bauer.pdf?key1=361515&key2=3342588511&coll=&dl=acm&CFID=15151515&CFTOKEN=6184618 - Plankalkul, F.L. Bauer and H. Wossner https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9787324 - Architecture of the Z4, Rojas…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 145 - Zuse's Mysterious Machines 1:00:39

לפני 36 weeks1:00:39

1:00:39

In 1933 Konrad Zuse, a German civil engineer, caught the computing bug. It would consume the rest of his life. According Zuse he invented the world's first digital computer during WWII, working in near total isolation within the Third Reich. How true is this claim? Today we are looking at Zuse's early machines, the Z1, Z2, and Z3. Selected Sources: The Computer -- My Life, by Konrad Zuse https://arxiv.org/pdf/1406.1886 - Z1 Architecture paper by Rojas https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/85.707574 - Z3... Turing Complete? also by Rojas…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 144 - RABBITS 21:20

לפני 38 weeks21:20

21:20

:(){ :|:& };:

Advent of Computing

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Episode 143 - The Haunted Hard Drive 21:42

לפני 39 weeks21:42

21:42

Have you ever felt like a computer just refuses to work? Like a machine has a mind of it's own? In 1970 a hard drive at the National Farmers Union Corp. office decided to do just that. That year it started crashing for apparently no reason. It would take 2 years and 56 crashes to sort out the problem. The ultimate solution would leave more questions than answers. Was the hard drive haunted? Or was something else at play? Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/computercrime0000mckn/page/98/mode/2up - Computer Crime https://archive.org/details/sim_computerworld_1972-08-02_6_31/mode/1up?view=theater - Computer World article…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 142 - OS and JEDGAR 19:10

לפני 40 weeks19:10

19:10

This time we are diving back into the Jargon File to take a look at some hacker folklore. Back in the day hackers at MIT spent their time spying on one another's terminals. That is, until some intrepid programmer found a way to fight back. Selected Sources: http://www.catb.org/esr/jargon/html/os-and-jedgar.html - OS and JEDGAR https://github.com/PDP-10/its - ITS restoration project…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 141 - Computer Ruins Grocer 18:36

לפני 41 weeks18:36

18:36

In 1962 Food Center Wholesale Grocers Inc installed a new IBM 305 RAMAC. That's when things started to go wrong. The faulty machine seemed to have a mind of it's own, and would spread chaos to grocery stores all around Boston. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/computerinsecuri0000norm - Computer Insecurity https://bitsavers.computerhistory.org/magazines/Computers_And_Automation/196805.pdf - Computers and Automation article https://archive.org/embed/sim_computerworld_january-01-08-1969_3_1 - Computerworld…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 140 - Assembling Code 1:03:46

לפני 42 weeks1:03:46

1:03:46

Programming, as a practice and study, has been steadily evolving for the past 70 or so years. Over the languages have become more sophisticated and user friendly. New tools have been developed that make programming easier and better. But what was that first step? When exactly did programmers start trying to improve their lot in life? It probably all started with assembly language. Well, probably… Selected Sources: https://albert.ias.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/d47626a1-c739-4445-b0d7-cc3ef692d381/content - Coding for ARC https://sci-hub.se/10.1088/0950-7671/26/12/301 - The EDSAC http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf//ibm/periodicals/Applied_Sci_Tech_Newsletter/Appl_Sci_Tech_Newsletter_10_Oct55.pdf - IBM Applied Sci Tech Newsletter…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 139 - HUTSPIEL 1:06:25

לפני 44 weeks1:06:25

1:06:25

The early history of computer games is messy, weird, and surprising. This episode we are looking at HUTSPIEL, perhaps one of the oldest games ever played on a computer. It's a wargame developed to simulate nuclear conflict... and it's 100% analog. Join us as we find out just what tax dollars were being used for in 1955. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/hutspiel-a-theater-war-game - The HUTSPIEL paper…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 138 - Type-It-Yourself 1:03:15

לפני 46 weeks1:03:15

1:03:15

I'm finally back to my usual programming! This time we are taking one of my patent pending rambles through a topics. Today's victim: the humble type-in program. Along the way we will see how traditions formed around early type-in software, and how the practice shifted over time. Was this just a handy way to distribute code? Was this just an educational trick? The answers are more complex than you may first imagine. Selected Sources: https://s3data.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/DEC.pdp_1.1964.102650371.pdf - LISP for the PDP-1 https://archive.org/details/DigiBarnPeoplesComputerCompanyVol1No1Oct1972 - PCC Issue #1 https://archive.org/details/Whattodoafteryouhitreturn - What To Do After You Hit Return…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 137 - Edge Notched LIVE 52:33

לפני 48 weeks52:33

52:33

LIVE from VCF West 2024, my talk on edge notched cards! Since this is a live recording from an auditorium the audio is a little boomy, so be warned. Actually, I'm pretty sure this is the same space that CHM uses for some of their oral histories. What I have today is just the audio component. VCF will be posting a full video eventually, which I'll be sure to pass around.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 136.5 - Data Center Disaster 18:08

לפני 50 weeks18:08

18:08

I've gotten busy preparing for VCF West, so this time you get a short one! In this byte-sized episode we are looking at a short and strange story: that time a plane struck a software company, and the company turned around and used the crash in their own ads.

Advent of Computing

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Episode 136 - Getting On TRAC 1:14:40

לפני 52 weeks1:14:40

1:14:40

Have you ever formed a bad first impression? Way back when I formed a hasty impression of this language called TRAC. It's been called a proto-esoteric language, and for good reason. It's outlandish, complex, and confounding. But, after the urging of some listeners, I've decided to give TRAC a second look. What I've found is, perhaps, more confusing than I ever imagined. This episode we are looking at the wild history of TRAC, how it actually pioneered some good ideas, and why it feels so alien. Selected Sources: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/800197.806048 - 1965 TRAC paper https://github.com/gmilmei/trac64 - TRAC64 processor in "modern" C https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/365230.365270 - 1966 TRAC paper, with more code!…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 135 - XENIX 1:07:04

לפני 1 year1:07:04

1:07:04

In 1984 SCO released PC XENIX, a port of UNIX that ran on an IBM PC. To understand why that's such a technical feat, and how we even got here, we have to go back to the late 1970s. In this episode we are taking a look at how Microsoft got into the UNIX game, and how they repeatedly struggled to make micro-UNIX work for them. Along the way we run into vaporware, conspiracy, and the expected missing sources!…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 134 - Beyond the Punch 1:04:10

לפני 1 year1:04:10

1:04:10

This episode I'm opening up my research vault to present some interesting pre-digital technology. Back before computers us humans used to write everything down on paper. Over time that lead to some organizational issues. By 1890 punch cards show up to solve one aspect of this problem, but that technology had it's limitations. We will be looking at other paper-based approaches to data management, as I slowly try and explain a realization I've come to about the early history of hypertext.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 133 - LIVE from Intelligent Speech 2023 41:15

לפני 1 year41:15

41:15

I'm currently out traveling. Due to my poor planning I managed to score back to back trips, for both business and leisure. While I'm not able to get an episode out on time, I do have a replacement! In 2023 I was invited to speak at the Intelligent Speech conference. So, today, I present the audio of that talk. The topic is, of course, the wild path of the Intel 8086's creation and rise to power! If you prefer to watch, here's the video of the same talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ud8LK3-eAM…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 118 - Viral Dark Ages 1:15:35

לפני 2 years1:15:35

1:15:35

It's finally Spook Month here on Advent of Computing! To kick things off I'm tackling a bit of a mystery. Between 1972 and 1982 there is only one well documented virus. This period is book ended with plenty of sources and, yes, even viruses. But this decade long span of time has almost nothing! Was this era truly safe from the grips of malicious code? Or is there a secret history lurking just beneath the surface? Selected Sources: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/358453.358455 - Worms at Xerox PARC! https://archive.org/details/crimebycomputer0000park - Crime by Computer https://archive.org/details/dr_dobbs_journal_vol_05_201803/page/n89/mode/2up - Programming Pastimes and Pleasures…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 117 - What's in a Byte? 1:03:45

לפני 2 years1:03:45

1:03:45

Byte has to be one of the most recognizable parts of the digital lexicon. It's an incantation that can be recognized by even the uninitiated. But where does the byte come from? Has it always existed, or did it more recently come into being? And, more specifically, why is a byte 8 bits? Is it some holdover from long ago, or is there some iron clad rule of 8's? Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1977-02/page/n145/mode/1up?view=theater - Buchholz on the "byte" in BYTE! https://sci-hub.se/10.1049/pi-3.1949.0018 - A STORAGE SYSTEM FOR USE WITH BINARY-DIGITAL COMPUTING MACHINES https://ia600208.us.archive.org/32/items/firstdraftofrepo00vonn/firstdraftofrepo00vonn.pdf - The First Draft of a Report on EDVAC…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 116 - Monte Carlo 1:01:27

לפני 2 years1:01:27

1:01:27

It's finally time! In this episode we are looking at the Monte Carlo method, perhaps the first practical computer program that could outpace human capability. The best part: the method relies on a random walk to reach a statistically valid answer! Selected Sources: https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10596 - Igniting the Light Elements https://library.lanl.gov/cgi-bin/getfile?00326866.pdf - The Beginning of the Monte Carlo Method, Nick Metropolis…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 115 - Digital Lifeforms 1:08:29

לפני 2 years1:08:29

1:08:29

I will admit, the title here is a bit of click bait. In the early 1950s a researcher named Nils Aall Barricelli started in on a bold project. His goal was to simulate evolution on a computer and, in doing so, create a perfect lab to study evolutionary processes. What he found was astonishing. Given a simple rule set these interesting patterns emerged. He called them symbioorganisms. Despite being simple numeric constructs, they exhibited many properties of living things. Did Barricelli create a digital form of life? Selected Sources: https://sci-hub.se/10.1007/BF01556771 - Numerical Testing of Evolution Theories. Please, just read this paper and be amazed!…

Advent of Computing

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Reading - The Story of Mel 11:01

לפני 2 years11:01

11:01

This episode is simply a reading of the Story of Mel. I opened last episode with an excerpt, but didn't feel right leaving it at that. So, I present, the Story of Mel as written by Ed Nather and preserved in the Jargon file.

Advent of Computing

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Episode 114 - The LGP-30: A Forgotten Machine 1:06:06

לפני 2 years1:06:06

1:06:06

In 1956 Librascope released the LGP-30, a truly wild machine. It was, for the time, the most simple and cheap machine that could actually be useful. It was the size of a desk when contemporary machines took up small rooms. It plugged into a normal wall outlet while other machines requires special power feeds. It was, perhaps, the first hint of a personal computer. And at its heart was a magnetic drum that only a true programmer could love. Selected Sources: http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/story-of-mel.html - The Story of Mel https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/TEC.1957.5221555 - Frankel's MINAC Paper http://www.hp9825.com/html/stan_frankel.html - A Biography of Frankel…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 113 - Prolog, Part II 1:10:20

לפני 2 years1:10:20

1:10:20

I'm wrapping up my dive into Prolog with... Prolog itself! This episode I'm actually covering the development of Prolog, using all the natural language processing lore we covered last time. Along the way we will see how Prolog developed from a set of tools, and how those tools were generalized into a useful language. Selected Sources: http://alain.colmerauer.free.fr/alcol/ArchivesPublications/PrologHistory/19november92.pdf - The Birth of Prolog https://archive.org/details/introductiontoma0000hutc/mode/1up?q=%22q-systems%22&view=theater - An Introduction to Machine Translation…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 112 - Prolog, Part I 1:08:46

לפני 2 years1:08:46

1:08:46

I've been told I need to do an episode about Prolog. Well, here's the start of that process. To talk about Prolog we first need to come to grips with natural language processing, it's tools, and it's languages. This episode we are doing just that, going from ELIZA to Planner ro SHRDLU in an attempt to figure out how AI was first taught human tongues, where smoke and mirrors end, and where facinting programming begins. Selected Sources: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/365153.365168 - ELIZA https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:cm792pj8606/cm792pj8606.pdf - Planner https://web.archive.org/web/20200725084321/http://hci.stanford.edu/~winograd/shrdlu/AITR-235.pdf - SHRDLU…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 111 - To Boldly Transmit 1:03:17

לפני 2 years1:03:17

1:03:17

Space is cool, in all meanings of the word. Not only is it wondrous, vast, and fascinating, it can also be a cold place. It's also a very useful place to put things. This episode we are looking at the first practical use of space: communication satellites. Selected Source: https://archive.org/details/BigBounc1960 - The Big Bounce https://archive.org/details/dtic-ada-141865-ieee-centenial-journal-1984-ocr/page/n67/mode/2up - A Signal Corp Space Opera https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4308/ch6.htm - The Odyssey of Project Echo…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 110 - The Atari 2600 1:07:58

לפני 2 years1:07:58

1:07:58

I don't usually cover video games. When I do, you know it's for a weird reason. This episode we are looking at the Atari VCS 2600, it's strange hardware, and how it fits into the larger story of the rise of microprocessors. These new tiny chips were already changing the world, but they brought along their own problems. Selected source: https://spectrum.ieee.org/atari-2600 - Inventing the Atari 2600 https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2012/09/102658257-05-01-acc.pdf - Al Alcorn Oral History https://www.digitpress.com/library/interviews/interview_bob_whitehead.html - Bob Whitehead Interview…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 109 - What's Up With Microcontrollers? 1:02:35

לפני 2 years1:02:35

1:02:35

What really is the deal with microcontrollers? Are they just little computers... or are they something totally different? This episode we are looking at the development of the microcontroller through the history of the TMS1000.

Advent of Computing

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Episode 108 - The Mundaneum, Part II 56:27

לפני 2 years56:27

56:27

This episode we pick back up where we left off. We are looking at the roots of the Mundaneum, the applications of the Universal Decimal Code, and how it call connects to hypertext. Selected Sources: https://web.archive.org/web/20051227184732/http://people.lis.uiuc.edu/~wrayward/otlet/xanadu.htm - Visions of Xanadu https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/4184 -- Selected Essays of Paul Otlet…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 107 - The Mundaneum, Part I 1:06:07

לפני 2 years1:06:07

1:06:07

The Internet is the closest we've come to a universal store of all human knowledge. However, it's not the first pass at this lofty goal. In this episode(and the next) we are looking at the Mundaneum, a project started in the 1890s to address the information problem. How is it connected to the larger story of hypertext? And how can this older project inform our views on the information problem? Selected sources: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/4184 -- Selected Essays of Paul Otlet…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 106 - Digital Eyes 1:12:24

לפני 2 years1:12:24

1:12:24

Back in episode 90 I made a passing reference to the Cyclops, the first consumer digital camera. It's this masterstroke of hackery that uses a RAM chip as a makeshift image sensor. In this episode I'm coming back around to the Cyclops and taking a look at the origins of digital imaging in general. Selected Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gmSeVfmZHw - Terry Walker CHM lecture https://sci-hub.ru/10.1109/6.591664 - The origins of the PN junction https://sci-hub.ru/10.1364/AO.11.000522 - The silicon vidicon photometer…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 105 - Apple's Growing Pains 1:18:11

לפני 2 years1:18:11

1:18:11

The Apple III was a pretty slick machine... in theory. From a lack of launch software, to strait up hardware failures, Apple's 3rd computer didn't really win in the market place. Why was that? Was the machine setup for failure from the start? Was it's case really designed before it's motherboard? When it comes to the III there's a surprising amount of folklore to untangle. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/sim_byte_1985-01_10_1/page/166/mode/1up?view=theater - Interview with Wozniak that covers the III https://www.digibarn.com/collections/systems/appleIII/sandersinterview.html - Sander discussing the project https://archive.org/details/apple-design/page/n14/mode/1up?view=theater - AppleDesign http://www.applelogic.org/AIIIDesignBugs.html - AppleLogic…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 104 - Sketchpad 1:13:39

לפני 2 years1:13:39

1:13:39

We're finally taking a look at Sketchpad. This program was completed in 1963 as Ivan Sutherland's Ph.D. research. On the surface it looks like a very fancy drawing program. Under the hood it's hiding some impressive new programming techniques. Selected Sources: http://worrydream.com/refs/Sutherland-Sketchpad.pdf - Sutherland's Sketchpad thesis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=495nCzxM9PI - Sketchpad in action https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738195 - Oral History transcripts…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 103 - The Text Interface 1:01:08

לפני 2 years1:01:08

1:01:08

This episode I attempt to find the first interactive computer text interface. All I can say is, well, it's a journey. Selected Sources: https://sci-hub.se/10.2307/3917015 - Early article on Stibitz's CNC Model I https://archive.org/details/fortranprimer0000orga/page/103/mode/1up?view=theater - Primer on the FORTRAN Monitor System https://kyber.io/rawvids/LISP_I_Programmers_Manual_LISP_I_Programmers_Manual.pdf - LISP I manual…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 102 - Application of Ada 1:05:12

לפני 2 years1:05:12

1:05:12

This episode picks up where we left off last time. We are looking at Ada and its applications. How does Ada handle tasking? What's the deal with objects? And, most importantly, what are some neat uses of the language? Selected Sources: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/956653.956654 - Rationale for the Design of Ada https://trs.jpl.nasa.gov/bitstream/handle/2014/45345/08-2590_A1b.pdf - Cassini's AACS computer and software http://www.bitsavers.org/components/intel/iAPX_432/171821-001_Introduction_to_the_iAPX_432_Architecture_Aug81.pdf - Behold the iAPX 432…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 101 - Origins of Ada 1:02:25

לפני 2 years1:02:25

1:02:25

Ada is a fascinating language with a fascinating history. It was initially developed as part of a Department of Defence project. The plan was to create a standardized language for everyone inside the DoD. The results, well, they may just surprise you. Selected Sources: http://archive.adaic.com/pol-hist/history/holwg-93/holwg-93.htm - Ada at the HOLWG https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/956653.956654 - Rationale for the Design of Ada http://iment.com/maida/computer/requirements/strawman.htm - Strawman…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 100 - Updates and Mysteries 1:12:56

לפני 2 years1:12:56

1:12:56

Advent of Computing has finally reached 100 episodes! Today we are taking a break from the usual content to discuss the show, it's arc, and some of the mysteries I have yet to solve.

Advent of Computing

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Episode 99 - The Berkeley Software Distribution 1:09:55

לפני 3 years1:09:55

1:09:55

UNIX is a big deal. It's one of the most influential programs in history. Most operating systems that we use today can trace their lineage back to UNIX. The only notable exception at this point is Windows. But all these new-fangled operating systems aren't blood relatives of UNIX, they are all derivatives. Second cousins, if you will. So how did we get from UNIX into a diverse field of UNIX-like things? It all starts with a little project at UC Berkeley. Selected Sources: https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2022/06/102743073-05-01-acc.pdf - Oral History of Bill Joy https://archive.org/details/aquartercenturyofunixpeterh.salus_201910/page/n157/mode/2up?view=theater - A Quarter Century of UNIX…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 98 - The Canon Cat 1:10:28

לפני 3 years1:10:28

1:10:28

This time we are looking at a somewhat obscure machine: the Canon Cat. Designed by Jef Raskin, the Cat is sometimes called the spiritual successor to the Macintosh. That's a nice little epitaph, but doesn't fully explain the tangled mess of things between Raskin, Jobs, Apple, and the Mac. Today we will try to untangle some of that mess as we examine a fascinating little computer that could have changed the world. Selected Sources: http://www.canoncat.net/ -- Everything about the Cat https://archive.org/details/Apple_Mac_Selected_Papers_1980/ -- Raskin's Macintosh memos https://www.digibarn.com/friends/jef-raskin/writings/millions.html -- Computers by the Millions…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 97 - What Exactly IS A Database? Part II 1:07:41

לפני 3 years1:07:41

1:07:41

We've approach the beast itself: SQL. Or, as it used to be known, SEQUEL. In this episode we will discuss how early navigational databases failed, and how we were able to move past them into a relational future. It's a fascinating tale about how careful research and planning can lead to much better tools. Selected sources: https://www.seas.upenn.edu/~zives/03f/cis550/codd.pdf -- Dr. Codd on relational databases https://web.archive.org/web/20070926212100/http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/chamberlin/sequel-1974.pdf -- The first SEQUEL paper https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~brewer/cs262/SystemR.pdf -- A History and Evaluation of System R…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 96 - What Exactly IS A Database? Part I 1:00:17

לפני 3 years1:00:17

1:00:17

I've fallen into a bit of a data rabbit hole, and you get to join me. In this episode I'm starting my journey to understand where databases came from, and how they started to evolve. This will serve as a foundation for next episode, when we will dive into one of the most popular databases from the 1970s: SQL. Along the way we wrestle with GE, the realities of the Apollo Program, and try to figure out what a database really is. Selected Sources: https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MAHC.2009.110 - A history of IDS https://archive.org/details/TNM_Integrated_Data_Store_introduction_-_General__20171014_0141 - Learn IDS for yourself! https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_ibm360imsRGuide1969_8480205/page/n6/mode/2up - Educational guide to IBM's IMS…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 95 - Aspen Movie Map 1:06:27

לפני 3 years1:06:27

1:06:27

So far I've strayed away from hypermedia in my larger hypertext coverage. This episode helps to fix that. Today we are looking at Aspen Movie Map, a project from 1978 that created a virtual Aspen, Colorado. Why would you want to digitize an entire city? Why did DARPA fund a trip to Aspen? And how does this link up with hypermedia? All this and more will be answered.…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 94 - Robots, and the End of Humanity 1:14:55

לפני 3 years1:14:55

1:14:55

Robots have always fascinated and horrified humanity in equal measure. The prospect of a synthetic lifeform is at times exciting, but can quickly turn south. Luckily we've never gotten that far... or have we? This episode we will look at a selection of early robots, from the Mechanical Turk to Elektro. All have one thing in common: they run off smoke and mirrors. Selected Sources: Robots of Westinghouse by Scott Shaut - Best source on Elektro and his friends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T35A3g_GvSg - See Elektro in action https://www.google.com/books/edition/Inanimate_Reason_Or_a_Circumstantial_Acc/mvVdAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv= 1 - On the Mechanical Turk…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 93 - Fun and (Horror) Games 1:04:16

לפני 3 years1:04:16

1:04:16

Anybody up for a fright? This episode we are looking at 3 of the earliest horror video games I can find. Over this journey we will look at different programmatic ways to instill fear, how platforms can affect the route to terror, and even dig up the mystery of the first horror game. Selected Sources: http://www.twenex.org/ - Sign up for an account and play Haunt https://www.zx-gaming.co.uk/games/monstermaze/default.htm - Escape from Rex and his maze! The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers, by John Sczepaniak…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 92 - Copy Protection 1:25:44

לפני 3 years1:25:44

1:25:44

It's Spook Month 2022! To kick things off we are diving into the frustrating depth of copy protection, piracy, and the origins of commercial software. In 1969 the Great Unbundling made the software market viable for the first time. Ever since then pirates and software vendors have been locked in a battle over bits. This episode traces the early days of copy protection, and how spite played an important role. Selected Sources: https://fadden.com/apple2/cassette-protect.html - In depth analysis of Apple II copy protection https://www.princeton.edu/~rblee/ELE572Papers/Fall04Readings/CryptoProc_Best.pdf - The crypto-microprocessor https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/85.988583 - A personal recollection of the Unbundling…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 91 - Whirlwind 1:23:16

לפני 3 years1:23:16

1:23:16

Whirlwind represents a fascinating story of transition. The project started in the middle of the 1940s as an analog machine. As times changed it became a digital device. By 1951 it was perhaps the fastest computer in the world, filled to the brim with new approaches to design and new technology. It may have even been host to the first video game. Selected Sources: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD0896850.pdf - Report on MIT's storage tubes https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MAHC.1983.10081 - An interview with Jay Forrester https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/app/uploads/sites/45/2017/09/retro-hurst.pdf - Screenshots and info about the Bouncing Ball https://www.retrogamedeconstructionzone.com/2021/07/the-whirlwind-bouncing-ball-simulator.html - Play the Bouncing Ball Program for yourself!…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 90 - Where Did The S100 Bus Go? 1:20:03

לפני 3 years1:20:03

1:20:03

In the last half of the 70s there was one gold standard in home computing: S100. This was a standardized bus that was the heart of many computers. It allowed for the interchange of parts from different manufacturers. Best of all, the S100 bus was simple. This made for a wonderful platform for hobbyists, and helped jump start the home computer revolution. And then... it disappeared. Where did the S100 bus go, and would we have been better off if it stuck around? This episode we tackle these questions and more. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/IoNewsVolume1Number1/page/n5/mode/2up?view=theater - The Cromemco Story https://www.digibarn.com/stories/MITS/mholley-images/Ed_Roberts_Oct_1984_ME.pdf - An interview with Ed Roberts https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/Apple%20II%20Documentation%20Project/Books/W.%20Gayler%20-%20The%20Apple%20II%20Circuit%20Description.pdf - Circuit Description of the Apple II…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 89 - Forth 1:16:54

לפני 3 years1:16:54

1:16:54

What language has two stacks? What language is used on satellites and in home computers? What language deals in words? Why, Forth, of course! Forth is a highly unique language developed in the 60s by Chuck Moore. And when I say unique, I mean unique. Forth uses reverse polish notation for all operations, along with a dedicated data stack for passing parameters. But it's not just unique for the fun of it, Forth's design is highly deliberate. It offers a level of simplicity and power that's rarely seen in programming languages. Selected Sources: http://www.forth.org/POL.pdf - Moore's Programming a Problem Oriented Language https://www.1strecon.org/downloads/Forth_Resources/CM_ForthLanguageInteractiveComputing_1970.pdf - Early paper discussing Forth https://archive.org/details/1985-10-dr-dobbs-journal/page/41/mode/1up - Dobb's Journal article on the NX4000…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 88 - BEFLIX, Early Digital Animation 1:14:38

לפני 3 years1:14:38

1:14:38

Digital animation has really become an artform in and of itself. In the current epoch these animations play out on fancy bitmapped displays, but it's origins are far more visceral. Or maybe we should say far more hacky. This episode we are diving in to BEFLIX: an early animation toolchain from Bell Labs that produced computer films on physical rolls of film. Selected Sources: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/363958.363993 - Paper on Zajac animation https://jimboulton.medium.com/studies-in-perception-a-restoration-story-241cd8c75ab1 - Recreation of Studies in Perception I https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1464122.1464130 - BEFLIX Paper https://techchannel.att.com/playvideo/2012/09/10/AT&T-Archives-Computer-Technique-Production-Animated-Movies - BEFLIX animation about BEFLIX…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 87 - The ILLIAC Suite 1:08:09

לפני 3 years1:08:09

1:08:09

Can a computer be creative? Can we program a machine to make art? It turns out the answer is yes, and it doesn't even take artificial intelligence. This episode we are diving in to the ILLIAC Suite, a piece for string quartet that was composed by a computer. Along the way we will examine the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, and how methods used to create the hydrogen bomb were adapted to create music. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/experimentalmusi0000hill/page/n5/mode/1up - Experimental Music https://web.archive.org/web/20171107072033/http://www.computing-conference.ugent.be/file/1 2 - Algoryhythmic Listening(page 40) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEb-H1Xb9XcIyrrN5qauFr2KAolSbPi0c - The ILLIAC Suite, in 4 parts…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 86 - Fluidic Computing 1:15:33

לפני 3 years1:15:33

1:15:33

What is a computer? A miserable pile of electrons! But... not necessarily. I have yet to find a fully satisfying definition for "computer" that encompasses the full grandeur of calculating machines. This episode we are further complicating that quest by adding fluid based computers to the mix. We will be looking at 3 machines that crunched numbers using nothing but fluids and tubes. There's actually a rich tradition of fluidics to talk about. Selected sources: https://archive.org/details/electronicbrains0000hall/page/186/mode/2up - Electronic Brains chapter on MONIAC https://archive.org/details/ACFELANALYTICALSTUDIESOFFREEZINGANDTHAWINGSOILS1953/LUKYANOV%20-%20Hydraulic%20Apparatus%20for%20Engineering%20Computations%20%281955%29/ - Translated paper on the water integrator https://www.gwern.net/docs/cs/computable/1964-gluskin.pdf - FLODAC!…

Advent of Computing

1
Episode 85 - Visi On, the PC GUI 1:14:32

לפני 3 years1:14:32

1:14:32

More Visi-fun ahead! Today we are looking at Visi On, a visionary user interface developed for home computers. Along the way we will discuss smalltalk, portability, and how the slick graphics over at Xerox were adapted to run on smaller machines. Selected Sources: http://toastytech.com/guis/vision.html - Toasty Tech's Visi On page, with screenshots and downloads for emulation https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-06/page/n255/mode/2up - A Guided Tour of Visi On https://archive.org/details/RosettaSmalltalkACM1979/mode/1up - Rosetta Smalltalk…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 84 - VisiCalc, the Killer App 1:07:04

לפני 3 years1:07:04

1:07:04

Today we are looking at VisiCalc, the original killer app. Hitting the market in 1979, VisiCalc was the first computer spreadsheet program. Through it's 6 year lifespan it was ported to everything from the Apple II to the IBM PC to the Apple III. It dominated the market and then... it disappeared. Selected Sources: https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/113026 - Oral History with Bricklin and Frankston http://www.bricklin.com/history/intro.htm - Bricklin's personal website https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MAHC.2007.4338439 - The creation and demise of VisiCalc…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 83 - SEAC 1:09:15

לפני 3 years1:09:15

1:09:15

The Standards Eastern Automatic Computer was built by the National Bureau of Standards in 1948. It started crunching numbers in 1950 and stayed in constant operation until... 1964! This early machine, festooned with vacuum tubes, lived well past the first transistorized computers. So what exactly is SEAC doing so far into the semiconductor future? Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/circularofbureau551unse/page/n7/mode/2up - Circular 551 https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/85.238389 - EDVAC Draft Report https://sci-hub.se/10.1145/1457720.1457763 - Imaging with SEAC…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 82.5 - Aaron Reed Interview, 50 Years of Text Games 40:27

לפני 3 years40:27

40:27

In this episode I talk with Aaron Reed, author of 50 Years of Text Games. We discuss the history of computer games, interactive fiction, business "gaming", and why we all love Adventure. You can find Aaron's work here: http://aaronareed.net/

Advent of Computing

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Episode 82 - Juggling Jobs with OS-9 1:00:59

לפני 3 years1:00:59

1:00:59

Multitasking: we all do it. For a feature of modern computing multitasking has surprisingly old roots. It started out as timesharing on vacuum tube based machines, reached ubiquity on large computers, then hit a wall: the microcomputer. Multitasking didn't smoothly transition over as soon as home computers hit the scene. It took some time, and it took some adaptation. Today we are looking at what made timesharing work, early changes to microprocessors that paved the way for multitasking, and one of the first operating systems to support timesharing in the home. Selected Sources: https://www.roug.org/soren/6809/os9sysprog.html - OS-9 System Programmer's Manual https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1979-01/page/n15/mode/2up - Article on the development of the 6809 https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/TEC.1962.5219356 - The One-Level Storage System…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 81 - A Ballad in 2600 Hertz 1:05:48

לפני 3 years1:05:48

1:05:48

There's power in music, but not all tones are created equal. During the reign of Bell Telephone there was one tone in particular that opened up a world of possibilities: 2600 Hz. The devotees of this note were called phreakers, and in some cases they knew the telephone system better than Bell employees themselves. This episode were diving in to the early history of phreaking, how a bag of tricks was developed, and why exploring the phone grid was so much fun. Selected sources: http://explodingthephone.com/ - Phil Lapsley's book and website of the same name https://archive.org/details/belltelephonemag09amerrich/page/205/mode/2up - All about the Holmes Burglar Alarm system http://explodingthephone.com/docs/dbx0947.pdf - FBI's records on Barclay and the Blue Box…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 80 - The Analytical Engine 1:13:32

לפני 3 years1:13:32

1:13:32

When people talk about early computers Babbage's Analytical Engine is bound to come up. Designed back in the 1830's it's definitely older than any other example of the art. But it also has a lot of strikes against it. The machine was purely mechanical. It only really did math. It stored numbers in decimal instead of binary. Worst of all, it only ever existed as designs on paper. So should we call this beast a computer? Or is it something else entirely? Selected Sources: https://www.fourmilab.ch/babbage/sketch.html - Sketch of the Analytical Engine, and Lovelace's Notes https://web.archive.org/web/20210226094829/http://athena.union.edu/~hemmendd/Courses/cs80/an-engine.pdf - Bromleys low level description of the engine https://sci-hub.se/10.1007/978-3-642-61812-3_2 - On the Mathematical Powers of the Calculating Engine, by Charles Babbage https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Oi3IhTZyVCAC/mode/1up - The Ninth Bridgewater Treatise, Babbage…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 79 - ZOG: Military Strength Hypertext 1:11:47

לפני 3 years1:11:47

1:11:47

We're getting back to my hypertext series with a big of an obscure tale. ZOG is a hypertext system what was first developed in 1972 at Carnegie-Melon University. It then stagnated until the latter half of the 1970s when it was picked back up. By 1983 it was cruising on a US Navy aircraft carrier. ZOG presents a hypertext system with some very modern notions. But here's the part that gets me excited: ZOG was developed after Doug Engelbart's Mother of All Demos. So, in theory, ZOG should take ques from this seminal event. Right? ... right? Selected sources: https://www.campwoodsw.com/mentorwizard/PROMISHistory.pdf - History of PROMIS https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA049512.pdf - 1977 ZOG Report https://apps.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA158084 - 1984 USS Carl Vinson Report…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 78 - INTERCAL and Esoterica 1:05:42

לפני 3 years1:05:42

1:05:42

Programming doesn't have to be a very serious discipline. In fact, sometimes it's better if it's a little silly. Today we are talking about INTERCAL, the first esoteric programming language. Is it a joke? Is it a form of hacker folk art? Is it even a good language? To answer those questions we need to asses what makes a programming language "good" in the first place. Program INTERCAL online today! (https://www.tutorialspoint.com/compile_intercal_online.php) Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/intercal-ref/mode/1up?view=theater - 1973 INTERCAL Manual https://esoteric.codes/blog/don-woods - Interview with Don Woods https://sci-hub.se/10.1145/800197.806048 - 1965 TRAC paper…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 77 - Magnetic Memories 1:09:16

לפני 3 years1:09:16

1:09:16

It's no secret, I'm a big fan of memory. Not only is memory crucial for the functioning of a computer, it's also plain weird. This episode we are looking at magnetic core memory; a technology that defined computing for more than two decades. We'll be talking about how it works, the impacts of ferrite, and the surprising controversy surrounding it's creation. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_datamation_31792007/page/n161/mode/2up - Datamation coverage of the patent disputes http://johngustafson.net/pubs/pub57/ABCPaper.htm - Recreation of ABC https://amhistory.si.edu/archives/AC0196_wang701029.pdf - Wang Oral History http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/core.html - Diagrams and photos of magnetic cores…

Advent of Computing

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Episode 76 - Star Trek the (Unofficial) Game 1:01:55

לפני 3 years1:01:55

1:01:55

This episode we blast off at warp speed! We're looking at Star Trek, a game written in BASIC in 1971. Examining this game gives us some insight into the early spread of BASIC. Along the way we will see the issue with paper, why strings matter, and how software was distributed before the Internet. Selected Sources: https://web.archive.org/web/20181106092235/https://gamesoffame.wordpress.com/star-trek/ - Games of Fame article with a few interviews https://www.atariarchives.org/bcc1/showpage.php?page=275 - Super Star Trek! https://archive.org/details/d64_Star_Trek_1983_Jeff_Lewis - c64 version of Trek, good middle ground between the original and more fully featured versions…

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