Episode 90 - Interview with Lee Felsenstein (Osborne 1)

Welcome to episode 90 of the Floppy Days Podcast for April, 2019.

In the timeline for personal computer introductions, we are now in the year 1981.  For this episode, and actually the next couple as well, we are going to be talking about the Osborne 1.

The Osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released on April 3, 1981 by Osborne Computer Corporation.  It was powered by the Z80 CPU, weighed 24.5 lb, cost US$1,795, and ran the CP/M operating system. It was powered from a wall socket, as it had no on-board battery, but is a portable device since it can be hand-carried when packed.  The computer shipped with a large bundle of software that was almost equivalent in value to the machine itself.

The Osborne 1 was the brain child of Adam Osborne and was brilliantly engineered by Lee Felsenstein.  So, who better to have help me talk about the machine than Lee Felsenstein himself. To kick off this series, we’re going to spend some time with Lee talking about his time before and after the Osborne 1.  And then in the next show we will talk about the history surrounding the Osborne 1 itself. Finally, we will cover the usual computer topics such as tech specs, emulators, Web sites, and more.

Links Mentioned in the Show:

New Acquisitions

• BBC Micro repair/accessories - Mark Haysman http://www.retroclinic.com
• Pi Co-processor for BBC Micro - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACORN-BBC-MASTER-128-INTERNAL-RASPBERRY-PI-MULTI-CORE-CO-PROCESSOR-KIT/264220089777
• ZX Spectrum +2A RGB to SCART cable - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sinclair-ZX-Spectrum-3-2A-2B-High-Quality-RGB-Scart-Video-Cable-TV-Lead/260830045368
• VIDHD - To order VidHD boards ($135 USD + S/H), email [email protected] and include the desired quantity and shipping address.
• VIDHD video - https://youtu.be/ehQpC2-NEBM
• Exidy Sorcerer Cassette software in WAV format from Terry Stewart - https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2017-01-23-software-for-real-sorcerers.htm

Upcoming Shows

• the Commodore Los Angeles Super Show (CLASS)!  April 27-28, Toolbox LA (https://toolbox.la) Chatsworth, California - The CLASS website is on-line at http://www.portcommodore.com/class and discussion of CLASS is in the shared forum area with CommVEx at https://www.commodore.ca/forum/viewforum.php?f=6
• VCFSE 7.0 is scheduled for April 27, 28, Roswell, GA - http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/otherevents/vintage-computer-festival-southeast/
• VCF East May 3-5, InfoAge Science Center, Wall, NJ - http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-east/
• June 8-9 Pacific Commodore Expo NW (PaCommEx) at The Living Computers: Museum + Labs, Seattle, Washington - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex, discussion is on the forum at https://www.commodore.ca/forum/viewforum.php?f=14
• KansasFest, July 15-21, 2019, Kansas City, MO - https://www.kansasfest.org/
• VCF West, Aug 3-4, Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, California - http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/
• Fujiama 2019 - Monday, August 26, 2019 to Sunday Sep. 1, 2019 (ONE WHOLE WEEK) - Schützenhaus, Lengenfeld, Germany.  Visit atarixle's Fujiama page, Krupkaj's parties photos or mathy meetings page.
• VCF Midwest, Elmhurst, IL - Sep. 14-15, 2019 - http://vcfmw.org/
• Tandy Assembly - Springfield, OH, Sep. 28-29, 2019 - http://www.tandyassembly.com
• Portland Retro Gaming Expo Oct 18-20 http://www.retrogamingexpo.com
• Chicago TI International World’s Faire - Nov 2, 2019 - http://chicagotiug.sdf.org/ - Evanston, IL

Lee Felsenstein Interview

• http://www.leefelsenstein.com/
• https://www.patreon.com/lfelsenstein