The Retrobits Podcast

Hi there,

Retrobits is taking a break this week. Be sure to tune in next week for more retrocomputing goodness!

Coming up next week - The C Programming Language!

- Earl

Welcome to Show 063! This week's Topic: The Joystick!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Want to take your retro hobby into your virtual reality world? Now you can buy retro computer models for Second Life. No, really.The DECWriter printing terminal. Whether it's black and white or color, it's prettay. It's so prettay...Now you can play Centipedes anywhere you've got Java and a web browser. Check out Atari's Games site!If you need a CompactFlash card for your Apple II, you're in luck. And, for the Apple I. Yes, you read that right!A2Unplugged is coming out with new episodes - they are at #4 and counting...

Be sure to send any comments, questions or feedback to [email protected].

For online discussions on Retrobits Podcast topics, check out the Retrobits Podcast forum on the PETSCII Forums page!

Our Theme Song is "Sweet" from the "Re-Think" album by Galigan.

Thanks for listening!

- Earl

Welcome to Show 062! This week's Topic: The PDP-11 Minicomputer!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

It's not retro, but you can hook it up to retro stuff (that's one of my main purposes)...the Propeller 32-bit 8 core microcontroller! Electronics super-fun...Another interactive fiction environment - have a look at Eamon, and the many games available for it!The Wikipedia page on the PDP-11 - a good starting point. And one for RSTS as well...Here's a nice picture of a PDP-11/20 front panel. See those switches? Remind you of an IMSAI?Man, Bitsavers.org has an incredibly impressive collection of vintage computer manuals, in PDF format. Nice.I know, you want to play with a PDP-11 emulator, don't you? Admit it! And then, have a look at SIMH...FAQ on the PDP-11, lots of reading here! Make sure to check out the models that were made!More info sources on the PDP-11, here, and here...For a look at the PDP-11's big brother, point your browser to PDP Planet!

Be sure to send any comments, questions or feedback to [email protected].

For online discussions on Retrobits Podcast topics, check out the Retrobits Podcast forum on the PETSCII Forums page!

Our Theme Song is "Sweet" from the "Re-Think" album by Galigan.

Thanks for listening!

- Earl

Welcome to Show 061! This week's Topic: Retro Mix (A Variety Episode)

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Play Zork online? Sure!The Emergency Chicagoland Commodore Convention was held Sep 30, 2006. Pictures and descriptions are here and here...A self aware computer that doesn't take over the world or threaten global thermonuclear war? KITT is just such a hero!If you look over, and the car next to you doesn't have a driver, maybe it's a DARPA winner...A website hosted on a Lisa? Serious? Yep!Byte Cellar - The Vintage Computing Weblog - a good read...Now it's time to learn TI Extended BASIC - with videos on Google!Pong Story - an extensive history/memorial site to early video games. Fun stuff...Retrogaming Times Monthly - now coming to you for 109 months running! This is commitment!The Vintage Computer Festival 9.0 is coming up - check out www.vintage.org for details...Digibarn is planning an Apple 30th birthday event at the VCF 9.0 - more info here!

Be sure to send any comments, questions or feedback to [email protected].

For online discussions on Retrobits Podcast topics, check out the Retrobits Podcast forum on the PETSCII Forums page!

Our Theme Song is "Sweet" from the "Re-Think" album by Galigan.

Thanks for listening!

- Earl

Welcome to Show 060! This week's Topic: Zork - The Great Underground Empire!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Wikipedia link list - Zork, Infocom, and Interactive Fiction. Check it out!The American Radio Relay League - find out about hamfests (where you might find some cool retro computers), and the ham radio hobby in general...An Apple I, for only $666.66? Not any more. But have a look at the vintage ad, it's great!"Shall we play a game?" No scarier words were ever spoken by a sentient computer system - and you could hook up to it with an IMSAI. Check out the IMSAI page dedicated to the movie Wargames (in which an IMSAI system is used quite prominently...)Be sure to download and enjoy the debut edition of the Classic Computing Podcast by David Greelish!And while you are podcast surfing, do not miss the September edition of 1 MHz, the Apple II Podcast - Carrington Vanston covers Ballyhoo, an Infocom game. (And yes, it inspired me for this week's show...and to start playing Zork I once again! Thanks Carrington!)

Be sure to send any comments, questions or feedback to [email protected].

For online discussions on Retrobits Podcast topics, check out the Retrobits Podcast forum on the PETSCII Forums page!

Our Theme Song is "Sweet" from the "Re-Think" album by Galigan.

Thanks for listening!

- Earl

I'm still under the weather, so I will be taking a break this week from the show. Thanks for listening, and please do check back next week.

Chat with you soon,

- Earl

Welcome to Show 059! This week's Topic: The movie - Colossus, The Forbin Project!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

See the Wikipedia page for the movie "Colossus - The Forbin Project"...Also, have a look at their page for the IBM 1620, the panels of which were used extensively in the film!

Be sure to send any comments, questions or feedback to [email protected].

For online discussions on Retrobits Podcast topics, check out the Retrobits Podcast forum on the PETSCII Forums page!

Our Theme Song is "Sweet" from the "Re-Think" album by Galigan.

Thanks for listening!

- Earl

Welcome to Show 058! This week's Topic: The Oric Atmos!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Want to learn TI 99/4 BASIC? How about a series of videos of the TI 99/4 running the BASIC tutorial? See it now at Google Video...MMM, tasty, Mac on a Stick. Wait, no, it's not food, it's a classic Mac emulator and OS small enough to fit on a USB memory stick! Yum! (It's not food I said!)Here's a video podcast of Amiga demos, and links to the software also! Check out the Amiga Demo Podcast...This is the English version of the site Oric World. Don't miss the great history of Oric (Oric, the Story So Far) on the site!The newsgroup comp.sys.oric is one spot to tune in on Modern Day Fun for the Oric systems.Defence Force has info, software and more for the Oric, and a discussion forum as well!

Be sure to send any comments, questions or feedback to [email protected].

For online discussions on Retrobits Podcast topics, check out the Retrobits Podcast forum on the PETSCII Forums page!

Our Theme Song is "Sweet" from the "Re-Think" album by Galigan.

Thanks for listening!

- Earl

August 27, 2006...

Hi there...

Retrobits is taking a break this week. Be sure to tune in next week for more retrocomputing goodness! And as always - thanks for listening!

Welcome to Show 057! This week's Topic: The Future of Vintage Computing!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Here's a video containing an interview with Jack Tramiel - this is during his Atari (post-Commodore) days, promoting the new Atari ST line. Interesting. Stoic. (Note - link is to Google Video - it will start playing immediately after clicking...)

Be sure to send any comments, questions or feedback to [email protected].

For online discussions on Retrobits Podcast topics, check out the Retrobits Podcast forum on the PETSCII Forums page!

Our Theme Song is "Sweet" from the "Re-Think" album by Galigan.

Thanks for listening!

- Earl