Advent of Computing

By Sean Haas

Welcome to Advent of Computing, the show that talks about the shocking, intriguing, and all too often relevant history of computing. A lot of little things we take for granted today have rich stories... more

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FAQs about Advent of Computing:

How many episodes does Advent of Computing have?

The podcast currently has 179 episodes available.

Advent of Computing episodes:

May 21, 2023 Episode 108 - The Mundaneum, Part II
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
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57min
May 07, 2023 Episode 107 - The Mundaneum, Part I
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
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1h 7min
April 16, 2023 Episode 106 - Digital Eyes
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
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1h 13min
April 02, 2023 Episode 105 - Apple's Growing Pains
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
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1h 19min
March 19, 2023 Episode 104 - Sketchpad
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
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1h 14min
March 06, 2023 Episode 103 - The Text Interface
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
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1h 2min
February 20, 2023 Episode 102 - Application of Ada
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
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1h 6min
February 06, 2023 Episode 101 - Origins of Ada
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
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1h 3min
January 23, 2023 Episode 100 - Updates and Mysteries
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.
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1h 13min
January 09, 2023 Episode 99 - The Berkeley Software Distribution
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
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1h 10min

FAQs about Advent of Computing:

How many episodes does Advent of Computing have?

The podcast currently has 179 episodes available.

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