The Retrobits Podcast

Is that a Zylon behind you? LOOK OUT!

Welcome to Show 082! This week's topic: Star Raiders!

Which of the top 6 best buys in personal computing (from January 1982) is right for you? Have a look at this old article from Popular Mechanics to find out!Star Raiders, one of the top ten most important games of all time, has a tribute page here, and Wikipedia page 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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

To err is computer.

Welcome to Show 081! This week's Topic: Yad Sloof Lirpa!

No topics or links were discussed in this week's podcast. Why? Heh, you've got to listen to find out...

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

"Where a calculator on the Eniac is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes andweighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes andperhaps weigh 1-1/2 tons" - Popular Mechanics, March, 1949Welcome to Show 080! This week's Topic: The UNIVAC I!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

What are the 10 worst PCs of all time? See what PC World thinks...Wikipedia has a page on the UNIVAC I - thanks as always for their great info...also check out the page on the innovative mercury delay line memory.Can't play with a real UNIVAC I? How about a simulator?The Unisys History Newsletter, January 2001, has a great article on the UNIVAC...And this page on the UNIVAC goes into really impressive detail!

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

A chocolate VIC-20? Yum!

Welcome to Show 079! This week's Topic: The Commodore 16!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Commodore Gaming plans to release a new line of super-powered gaming systems - check it out at their web site...Retro Roundup - a one-stop site for retro computing and gaming news!Atari 2600 programming? You bet! With Batari BASIC...Commodore 16.com and Plus/4 World - two great sites with Commodore 16 and Plus/4 information, games, forums, the works!Want to emulate a C16 or Plus/4? Try YAPE, or the emulation built into VICE...

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

There's no key like Home. There's no key like Home.

Welcome to Show 078! This week's Topic: A Book Review - 10 Starter Programs From Family Computer!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Check out Evan Koblentz's new blog on ComputerWorld!And new episodes of the Boring Beige Box Podcast!

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

$110 per megabyte. That's when we walked to school uphill. 10 miles. In the snow.

Welcome to Show 077! This week's Topic: Retro Roundup!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Aprigliano's blog entries on his father and the (formerly) mysterious CDC machine can be found here, and the Commodore 129 remix of the Bach tune that Commodore used in the 80s can be found here...DTACK Grounded? A helicopter? No, a 68000 information newsleter, of course, with archives here...

C4 Expo 2007 info

To make hotel reservations for the C=4 Expo:Name of the Event: Cincinnati Commodore EXPOToll Free: (800) 354-9793In Kentucky: (800) 352-9866(859) 341-2800There is an International Airport located nearby, with shuttle service provided by the hotel.Expo Pricing:Door Charge: $10.00/person or $15.00/familySelling Tables: $15/ table or $35/ 3 tables (The hotel charges $10 in addition per table for power usage) Tables are 6' in length. All sellers and demonstrators need to set up before 9:00 on Saturday morning, the doors (for these only) will open at 7:00am.

For more information:Contact Roger Hoyer by email, or in writing.Email: [email protected]C=4 Expoc/o 31 Potowatomie TrailMilford, OH 45150http://c4expo.org/VCF East 4.0 Info

This year's show is June 9-10 in Wall, New Jersey. We have twice as much space as last year, and twice as many days, so it should be awesome.

Also this year we're holding a special panel to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Commodore's computer divison. The panel speakers are Chuck Peddle, Bil Herd, Dave Haynie, and Bob Russell.

Details about the VCF will be posted at www.vintage.org. Details about the sponsoring user group are at www.midatlanticretro.org.

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

Faster than a speeding mainframe! More powerful than a uniprocessor! It's the SuperPET!

Welcome to Show 076! This week's Topic: The Commodore SuperPET, and the APL Programming Language

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

Wikipedia's page on APL, some good info and links 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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models... "Altair 8800" (1975...what a year!)

Welcome to Show 075! This week's Topic: The Year 1975!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

A new full-color book for the Commodore 64 is available for pre-order - have a look at this site for more details. Brought to you by the same folks as the ZX Spectrum Book!Check out online videos of some PET programs in action!I love to hear Woz tell the tales of the old days - here is a show on IT Conversations where Woz recalls the early years...A computer, thousands of years old? Read about it here on The Guardian!Flash drive the ZX Spectrum? You bet - have a look at the ZX Spectrum Hardware Do It Yourself site...A Lisa emulator! Excellent!The KIM-1 lives on, in our hearts and projects. Check out the KIM-1 site on Floodgap....Homebrew Computer Club newsletters? What a blast from the past! Here they are, at the Digibarn site!

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.

Hi there,

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

Gooey and Whizzywhig. Don't they sound like ice cream flavors?

Welcome to Show 074! This week's Topic: The Apple Lisa!

Topics and links discussed in the podcast...

A Commodore 64 PDA? Excellent! Can it sync with my e-mail system? No, but it is way cool!Visit a website hosted by a real Lisa 2! No kidding!For a great multimedia resource on the Lisa, have a look at the Graphical User Interface Gallery site!Want to read the Lisa user's manual? You can, but watch out - this is a 60+ Mb PDF download...

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

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 License.