Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Ken Gagne, Paul Hagstrom, and Carrington Vanston

Host's Topic: Second chances

If we had a time machine - What do you wish you’d done “back in the day” in the computing world, and is there a chance you can catch up and do it now in the retrocomputing hobby?

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Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X - link

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Panelists: Carrington Vanston (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Ken Gagne, Paul Hagstrom, John Leake, John Linville, Rob McMullen, Michael Mulhern, Wade Ripkowski, Kevin Savetz, Steven Weyhrich, and Mike Whalen.

Host's Topic: KansasFest 2015

This episode features a special huge circle of podcasters around a single microphone at KansasFest 2015, where we reflect on KansasFest, relative merits of the Apple II, the CoCo, Atari 8-bits, and Commodores, and on the phenomenon that is KansasFest. We also make a couple of attempts at Carrington’s choose-your-own-adventure door decoration, and talk about the history and brainstorm about the prospects of future KansasFests. While listening to this episode is nothing like being at KansasFest, it’s a little bit less like not being at KansasFest.

Podcasts and people

Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X - link

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Panelists: Carrington Vanston (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, and Michael Mulhern

Host's Topic: Think Again

Recently, the Lenovo blog floated the idea of a “ThinkPad Time Machine” -- basically, a new ThinkPad that would take its design cues from the classic ThinkPads of yore: ThinkPad Time Machine?. It would feature things like a blue enter key, a 7-row keyboard, multi-color ThinkPad logo, dedicated volume controls, rubberized paint … even exposed screws.

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Panelists: Michael Mulhern (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, and Jack Nutting

Host's Topic: Surprises!

I’m sure we’ve all bought retro machines where we’ve found a little something extra. An unlisted interface card, extra RAM, Floppy in the drive... A mummified mouse hiding behind a power supply!

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Panelists: Jack Nutting (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, and Carrington Vanston

Host's Topic: Bugs

Bugs. You’ve seen ‘em. You’ve complained about ‘em. Maybe you’ve even created some yourself. The bugs we encounter on retro systems can seem like a different beast than on modern systems. On the one hand, we typically have no manufacturer offering support for buggy old hardware and software, but on the other hand, the inherently simpler design of older systems gives us a great chance of being able to track down and even fix bugs ourselves.

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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Earl Evans, Lori Emerson, and Jack Nutting

Host's Topic: Media Archaeology

Lori Emerson, founder of the Media Archaeology Lab, talks with us about the MAL, the history, goals, progress, and current happenings.

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Panelists: Earl Evans (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, Michael Mulhern, and Jack Nutting

Host's Topic: Let’s Kickstart Something

There are plenty of modern-day add ons for our beloved retro computers. Virtual disk drives tend to top the list, followed by network devices. But what’s missing? Namely, what modern-day add on do you wish was out there for your favorite micro, but isn’t?

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Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Jack Nutting, and Carrington Vanston

Host's Topic: Choices of a New Generation

Host’s Topic: There has been much discussion lately among retro enthusiasts about introducing the “next generation” (i.e. our kids) to the computers and software of our youth. If the machines we love are going to live on after we die, it will have to be in the hands of people who never had them growing up, and therefore have no real nostalgia for them. My question is this: What were your parents nostalgic for, that they tried to instill in you a nostalgia for? Did it work?

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Panelists: Jack Nutting (hosting), Earl Evans, Paul Hagstrom, and Michael Mulhern

Host's Topic: Programming tools

One of the things we like to do with old computers is program them. With modern computers, running editors and emulators, we can do some things a lot more easily than we could when dealing directly with the classic machines. Do you have any favorite tools and tips for doing this sort of thing?

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Panelists: Carrington Vanston (hosting), Paul Hagstrom, and Jack Nutting

Host's Topic: Teaching Old Data New Tricks

Host’s Topic: What can/should/do you do with the data you find on newly acquired vintage computers?

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