ANTIC The Atari 8-bit Podcast

Stan Osborne, Atari Design Research Stan Osborne was a freelance software engineer in Atari's Design Research department from 1981 through 1984. He also worked on projects for coin-op and home computing departments. He created micro-kernels, proof of concepts, proto-applications and device drivers. There are two versions of this interview: the podcast version is about an hour shorter. The extended version is at the Internet Archive, and includes a lot more of Stan's education, jobs, and history before he was at Atari. This interview took place on May 16, 2017, with a short additional segment added on August 4. "I was being paid to do whatever I wanted to, if I had time. When you're a freelance independant contractor, you set the clock schedule for when you're going to be there and what you're gonna go. I could visit anybody, anywhere on the Atari campuses." Extended version of this interview

Harry Stewart, Pilot and WSFN Harry Stewart was a contractor for Atari from August 1978 through October 1983. He contributed to the operating system design and the manuals for the Atari 400 and 800; created the Atari implementation of the WSFN language (which was released in the first Atari Program Exchange catalog, summer 1981). He worked on Atari's PILOT programming language and the unreleased sequel, Super PILOT (also known as Summer Camp PILOT.) Harry saved an enormous amount of material: source code, memos, notes, and more. He scanned some of it, I scanned some of it, and it's online at the Internet Archive at the AtariAge forums. This interview took place on June 29, 2017. "You debugged in your head. It wasn't sitting at the machine single-stepping and doing breakpoints. If you had a problem, you thought it out. Why is this happening? ... Working on the hardware only as necessary." Misc. scans from Harry Extended WSFN in the summer 1981 APX catalog Atari PILOT II, source code, discussion Atari PILOT: source code, discussion, Internal Specification, External Specification Extended WSFN manual, and draft version. Source code, discussion WSFN: An Introduction

Carol Shaw, Atari and Activision Carol Shaw was a software engineer at Atari from August 1978 though 1980. She programmed for the Atari 2600 and Atari 8-bit computers. She programmed on 3-D Tic Tac Toe for the Atari 800 and 2600; and the math application Calculator. She worked on Video Checkers, Othello, and Super Breakout for the 2600. She also co-wrote the Atari BASIC Reference Manual. Carol joined Activision in 1982, where she created the hit game River Raid, which she programmed for the 2600 then ported to the Atari 8-bit computers, and Happy Trails for the Intellivision. This interview took place on June 29, 2017. "Originally it was going to be a boat going up a river, but my boat was kind of boring looking ... How about an airplane going up a river? We'll have it kind of a canyon or something like that." Colleen Calculator Atari Calculator Cartridge Specification Colleen Floating Point Routines Atari BASIC BNF - Backus–Naur Form Benj Edwards' 2011 interview with Carol

In this episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-bit Computer Podcast: Kevin hacks the heck out of the Atari 8-bits, we're back on the interview bandwagon, Josh Renaud tells us about ATASCII animations, and Nir Dary gives us the scoop on the Outline Demo Party.

READY!

Recurring Links

Floppy Days Podcast

AtariArchives.org

AtariMagazines.com

Kevin's Book "Terrible Nerd"

New Atari books scans at archive.org

ANTIC feedback at AtariAge

Atari interview discussion thread on AtariAge

ANTIC Facebook Page

AHCS

Eaten By a Grue

What we've been up to

• Indy Vintage Computer Club meeting - https://www.facebook.com/events/418655208501577/permalink/451824541851310/
• Archived HesWare material from Jay Balakrishnan - https://archive.org/details/@rkindig
• VCFSE summary (and our Atari exhibit) on Floppy Days #75 - http://floppydays.libsyn.com/floppy-days-75-vcfse-5-post-show-with-thomas-liebert-jon-guidry-amiga-bill-anthony
• Atari 8-bit on Hackaday! - http://hackaday.com/2017/07/09/firework-shows-the-vintage-atari-way/
• Lost Firebox ROM - Nir Dary - http://atariage.com/forums/topic/267234-atari-sets-off-fireworks-pictures-source-code/?p=3800095
• Operation - Operation Game with Atari 8-Bit Computer (v2)
• DK Bongos - DK Bongos with Atari 8-Bit Computer

Interviews

• Transcript of Tom Eckman Interview - https://computingpioneers.com/index.php/Tom_Eckman by Tom Raidna
• Transcript of interview with David and Betsy Ahl - https://computingpioneers.com/index.php/Dave_Ahl_and_Betsy_Ahl

News

• New Hardware: Atari 400 RAM-Card 48/52 KB & external OS-ROM - http://atariage.com/forums/topic/267042-new-hardware-atari-400-ram-card-4852-kb-external-os-rom/
• Mouse pads with game and computer designs Atari - http://atariteca.blogspot.com/2017/05/mouse-pads-con-disenos-de-juegos-y.html
• BEST Electronics Atari Composite Video Cables - http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/
• Adventures in Atari BASIC by WEBMikey (Mikey Walters) - https://wearethemutants.com/author/webmikey7/
• 6502 in the cloud - http://www.6502cloud.com, http://hackaday.com/2017/07/08/6502-retrocomputing-goes-to-the-cloud/
• Donkey Kong - The Atari 8-bit Arcade hack is finally here! - http://www.indieretronews.com/2017/07/donkey-kong-atari-8-bit-arcade-hack-is.html?m=1
• Turbo BASIC Source Code is found! - https://atariwiki.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=TURBO-BASIC%20XL#section-TURBO-BASIC+XL-SourceCode
• How Atari Changed Personal Computing on Marketplace Tech Podcast (first few minutes) - https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-tech/06262017-using-biometrics-detect-fraud
• Break Out: How the Apple II Launched the PC Gaming Revolution by David L. Craddock - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0764353225
• The A - Z of Atari 8-bit Games: Volume 1 (The Atari 8-bit) by Kieren Hawkin - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071SD5W9C
• SDRIVE - http://atariage.com/forums/topic/262509-sdrive-arm-preorder/page-1
• Josh Renaud - HTML5 ATASCII animation viewer (AtasciiTube project) - http://breakintochat.com/collections/atascii/index.html , http://atariage.com/forums/topic/251957-atasciitube/
• PCB with 8mbit memory for Atari computers - http://atariteca.blogspot.com/2017/06/chile-pcb-con-memoria-de-8mbit-para.html
• Post Magazine - Internet whizz Yat Siu on programming at 13 and landing a job at Atari as a schoolboy - http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2101469/internet-whizz-yat-siu-programming-13-and-landing
• Discovery, Atari Collaborate on New Series - http://worldscreen.com/tvreal/discovery-atari-collaborate-on-new-series/
• Tempest Elite now available - http://members.tcq.net/video61/tempestelite.html
• Upcoming Shows where you might see Atari computers or Atari people:
• • Kansasfest July 18-23 https://www.kansasfest.org
  • VCF West - August 5-6, 2017 - Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, California - http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west-xi/
  • Ajka Hungary, Arok party - Aug 11-13, 2017 - https://www.facebook.com/ArokParty/
  • Fujiama 2017 Aug 17-20, 2017 - http://www.abbuc.de/news-feeds-component/events/icalrepeat.detail/2017/08/17/215/-/fujiama-2017
  • VCFMW - Sept. 9-10, Elk Grove Village, IL - http://vcfmw.org/
  • PRGE http://www.retrogamingexpo.com Oct 20-22
  • OldComp Party #3 - Sep 8-10, 2017 - (Czech Republic)
  • ByteFest 2017 Oct 13-15, 2017 - http://www.bytefest.org/english-info2/ (Prague, Czech Republic)
  • Vintage computer fest Seattle Feb 10-11 2018, Living Computers: Museum + Labs - http://vcfed.org/wp/2017/07/07/vintage-computer-festival-pacific-northwest/

Nir Dary videos this month

• Bonami Computers & Computer games museum in The Netherlands - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LrYd4fBiA0
• First demonstration of the EclaireXL v2 board (Atari XL FPGA based computer) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuL3VOGjW0U
• EclaireXL ATARI 800XL FPGA Computer second video - connecting original Atari Peripherals - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ordWyp8HZZ8
• FPGA ATARI vs Real ATARI head to head - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6RRu5WCAxM
• Upgraded Atari vs FPGA Atari head to head (with same monitors) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wHHSnh7MHo

YouTube videos this month (not Nir Dary) - 552 using the search term "Atari 800"

• atari 800 xl, fully loaded with stereo, u1mb, vbxe and rapidus (Atari 8 Bit) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-eEp6YE2D4
• Atari 8-bit (400, 800, XL, XE) - Numen by taQuart (2002), requires 320KB RAM. Running on real Atari 600XL with Ultimate 1MB and Dual Pokey Stereo. (StaxX28) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MBD755hYIQ
• Atari 8-bit: ML in Basic Part 1 (Patzawa), how to poke and use ML routine with basic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAp7X_MLAv4
• ATARI 800XL Rapidus and Ultimate installation (Lotharek) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DJVoP8UsVI
• Atari 400/800 - Peek & Poke Computer Museum in Rijeka, Croatia - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r-NYRAF6hU
• Reconditioning my Dad's Atari 800 / 410 / 810 / 835 / 1027 Computer (Uber man) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fAicXxoIHc

New at Archive.org

• https://archive.org/details/@savetz

Nir Dary Segment - Outline Demo Party 2017

• http://www.spelcomputermuseum.nl/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFAz9fkXxx4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMvlklz17EI&feature=youtu.be

Possible side effects of listening to the Antic podcast include stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat; drowsiness, dizziness, feeling nervous; mild nausea, upset stomach, constipation; increased appetite, weight changes; insomnia, decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm; dry mouth, intense hate of Commodore, and Amiga lust. Certain conditions apply. Offer good for those with approved credit. Member FDIC. An equal housing lender.

Merl Miller, dilithium Press Merl Miller was co-founder of dilithium Press, a publisher of computer books that was in business from 1977 through 1986. Merl was co-author of Computers for People (with Jerry Willis), a book that heavily features Atari 8-bit computers; and Things to Do With Your Atari Computer (with Jerry Willis and Nancy Morrice) as well as several other books about other types of personal computers. dilithium Press also published An Atari for Kids, An Atari in the Classroom, 32 BASIC Programs For the Atari Computer, Peanut Butter and Jelly Guide to Computers, and is perhaps best known for Computers for Everybody. This interview took place on June 26, 2017. Teaser quote: "When I worked for Prentice Hall, when I worked for West Publishing, when I started my own company, I never forgot that: a good book is one that sells." dilithium Press Press Kit for West Coast Computer Faire (1984) Computers for People Things to Do With Your Atari Computer

Claus Buchholz and Lance Ward, ACE-80

Hello. Welcome to an interview-only episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-bit Computer Podcast. I am Randy Kindig. In 1985, Claus Buchholz and Lance Ward released the ACE-80 and ACE-80XL cartridges, which gave 80-column text capability to the Atari 800 and XL computers, respectively. These were released through their newly-formed company, Amiable Computer Products. Claus also developed a 256K upgrade for the Atari 800XL and wrote an article on converting Atari computer programs to the 5200.

This interview took place on April 8, 2017.

Links:

• A.N.A.L.O.G. #15, January 1984 - TRANSPORTING ATARI COMPUTER PROGRAMS TO THE ATARI 5200 - http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/5200/conv_to_5200.html
• Byte article on Quarter-Meg Atari 800XL - http://atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_id=362652
• ACE-80 PDF at AtariAge - http://atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_id=99163

Robert Veline, Astro Pyrotechnics

The July/August 1987 issue of ST-Log magazine has an article by Matthew Stern called "Atari Sets Off Fireworks!" It features an interview with Robert Veline of Astro Pryrotechnics, a California-based fireworks company. I'll read some snippets from the article. ... I found Robert — who is still in the pyrotechnics industry today — to get more of the story. This interview took place on June 2, 2017. Thanks to Wade at the 1632 Atari ST PodcaST for pointing me to the article in ST-Log magazine. After our interview, Robert sent me pictures of his Atari-based firing box -- as well as all of the software for running it, the assembly language source code, Old Mother Hubbard's GCHIP Cook Book, his fireworks simulation software, and more. Teaser quote: "We did have one or two shows where you plugged the box in and turned it on -- and it was a 10-second show." Atari Sets Off Fireworks! in July/August ST-Log Magazine Robert's pictures, source code, and discussion Permanent version at Archive.org 1632 Atari ST PodcaST Outro music: Pink Floyd's Time

Gary Koffler, VP at Datasoft and Datamost Gary Koffler was VP at two publishers: Datasoft and Datamost. He was VP Software at Datasoft in 1980–1981. Datasoft published many Atari computer games, including Canyon Climber, Clowns and Balloons, Pacific Coast Highway, Sands of Egypt, and Zaxxon. At Datasoft, Gary managed creation of the AtariWriter word processor under contract for Atari. Next, Gary was VP Software and Talent at Datamost from 1982–1984. Datamost published Atari games including Mr. Robot and His Robot Factory, Tail of Beta Lyrae, Cohen's Towers, and Super Bunny. Datamost also published many books for the Atari computer, including Atari Roots, Kids and the Atari, The Elementary Atari, and Games Ataris Play. This interview took place on April 4, 2017. Teaser quote: "I didn't program ... I basically programmed programmers because I realized early on that if I wanted to have anything that was going to appear on these machines that I wanted to have appear on them, I was going to have to work with artists and programmers and musicians and animators." Datasoft Games list at Atarimania Datamost Games list at Atarimania

Dan Hale, EasyGrader Dan Hale published one program for the Atari 8-bit computers: EasyGrader, which first appeared in the fall 1982 APX catalog. This interview took place on May 30, 2017. EasyGrader in the fall 1982 APX catalog EasyGrader at AtariArchives.org

David Thornburg, Koalapad inventor David Thornburg invented the KoalaPad, a touch tablet that was available for the Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, Apple II, and the IBM PC. A version for the TRS-80 Color Computer was also available, sold as the TRS-80 Touch Pad. He is also the author of The KoalaPad Book, which was published in 1984. This interview took place on May 22, 2017. In it, we discuss George White, the founder of Koala Technologies, whom I previously interviewed. Teaser quote: "You know how to take things apart. Good for you. But you've never built anything in your entire life. You have no idea what it's like to invent something that has generated livelihood for hundreds of people, and is making a difference in the lives of thousands of people." Video version of this interview George White interview (audio) George White interview (video)