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Retro Computing Roundtable

Retro Computing Roundtable
Retro Computing Roundtable
Latest episode

34 episodes

  • Retro Computing Roundtable

    RCR Episode 288: NeXT, Sound Blaster, and IRC

    25/01/2026 | 2h 6 mins.
    Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Earl Evans

    Topic: 1988

    In 1988, NeXT introduced its cube, bundled with Mathematica 1.0. IRC was developed. Sound Blaster changed gaming. Microsoft Office was announced. Lots of software was developed, and hardware incrementally improved.

    Topic/Feedback links:

    NeXT cube

    Laser 128EX/2

    Mathematica

    Celebrating 35 Years of Mathematica (YouTube, first few sections show it in action on an SE/30)

    The Mathematica Story – A Scrapbook

    Sound Blaster (but 1990? 1989?)

    Microsoft Office (announced 1988, shipped 1990)

    IRC developed – /me likes this

    Apple IIc Plus – last 8-bit computer introduced by Apple?

    IBM PS/2 Model 70

    Lemonamiga games for 1988

    Retro Computing News:

    Video of production of new Commodore 64s in the factory

    Ken Shirrif repairs a Commodore PET

    Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

    Amstrad Portable PC

    Microsoft Office System: It’s Showtime

    Retro Computing Gift Idea:

    Viking Electronics DLE-200B Two-Way Phone Line Simulator

    See also: Open House H650 Integrated Voice Networking System

    Auction Picks:

    Earl:

    Altos 580 Computer, Z80 system, supported multi-user MP/M, could accommodate hard drives, 4 RS232 ports

    See also: http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/altos/580_Series_5/

    Paul:

    NeXT Cube

    NeXT Video Cable

    Amstrad PPC 640

    Adventure International Buckaroo Banzai

    Akalabeth

    Contributed Programs

    See also: Street Life (Apple II disk image)

    Closing notes:

    Ivan Loves the 80s

    Steve Jobs Unveils the NeXT Computer

    Other ways to experience this episode:

    a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr288.a2stream

    YouTube episode 288

    Feedback/Discussion:

    [email protected]

    [email protected] on Mastodon

    rcrpodcast.com on bluesky

    Vintage Computer Forum

    RCR Podcast on Facebook

    Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

    Listen/Download:
  • Retro Computing Roundtable

    RCR Episode 287: Eureka!

    09/01/2026 | 1h 49 mins.
    Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Blake Patterson

    Topic: 1987

    The Acorn Archimedes became the first computer sold based on the ARM chip. Even today, the last does not appear to be in sight. 1987 also bought us Perl, the IBM PS/2, VGA, Hypercard. CompuServe gifted us GIF. Beyond 1987, we talk BBC BASIC, Quantum Link, and more about the Commodore Colt than you ever wanted.

    Topic/Feedback links:

    Acorn Archimedes

    IBM PS/2

    VGA

    Larry Wall wrote Perl

    Bill Atkinson designs Hypercard

    CompuServe introduced a proprietary graphics interchange format. Great. Took off like gangbusters. Like a gift to the online world.

    So Far; The First 10 Years of a Vision (Apple turned 10)

    Retro Computing News:

    The Commodore acquisition happened

    One line Tetris (Rheolism) (Hackaday)

    Rheolism

    How Rheolism works

    Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

    Commodore Colt at Best Buy

    Acorn Electron 

    IBM PS/2

    Retro Computing Gift Idea:

    The Apple II Age: How the Computer Became Personal (Laine Nooney) 

    See also: INIT HELLO wrap-up discussion (YT)

    See also: RCR episode 266 with Laine Nooney

    Auction Picks:

    Paul:

    Commodore Colt

    Spectravideo Compumate VCS keyboard

    CompuMate (Wikipedia)

    I turned my Atari 2600 into a REAL COMPUTER (YT, 8-Bit Show And Tell)

    Actual Quantum Link software package

    Alternate universe (to Apple users) SoftDisk: LoadStar

    Cf: SoftDisk

    Closing notes:

    INIT HELLO

    Other ways to experience this episode:

    a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr287.a2stream

    YouTube episode 287

    Feedback/Discussion:

    [email protected]

    [email protected] on Mastodon

    rcrpodcast.com on bluesky

    Vintage Computer Forum

    RCR Podcast on Facebook

    Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

    Listen/Download:
  • Retro Computing Roundtable

    RCR Episode 286: Somehow all Myst

    25/11/2025 | 2h 12 mins.
    Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Jack Nutting, and Blake Patterson

    Topic: 1986

    IDE, IMAP, IIGS, and even some other things that do not begin with “I” were introduced in 1986.

    Topic/Feedback links:

    Apple IIGS

    MacBook Wheel

    SCSI-1

    IDE

    IBM PC XT/286

    IMAP

    ShaderGlass

    Retro Computing News:

    The Myst Graph: A New Perspective on Myst (and Part II)

    Postage-stamp-sized Atari 8-bit compatible FPGA hardware device

    Ice-T, a VT100/102/52 terminal emulator for the Atari 8-bit

    Bill Atkinson passed away (Wired)

    Building a dream PC in 1993

    Shufflepuck Cafe for the Apple II

    Retro Recipes is buying Commodore

    Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

    Gateway

    Myst board game

    What is the @ (Good Morning America)

    Retro Computing Gift Idea:

    Strong Magnetic Field warning stickers

    Also Magnetic-Field-Warning cookie cutters

    Auction Picks:

    Blake:

    1980s AMust Corp. Mini Robot-1 Simulator Arm HX-3000 Australia (EARLY ROBOTICS)

    Paul:

    PowerBook Weight Saving Device

    The Toy Shop (C64)

    Closing notes:

    Alien Beast Inspector

    INIT HELLO

    Other ways to experience this episode:

    a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr286.a2stream

    YouTube episode 286

    Feedback/Discussion:

    [email protected]

    [email protected] on Mastodon

    rcrpodcast.com on bluesky

    Vintage Computer Forum

    RCR Podcast on Facebook

    Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

    Listen/Download:
  • Retro Computing Roundtable

    RCR Episode 285: You’ll Have Mail

    04/06/2025 | 2h 21 mins.
    Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, and Blake Patterson

    Topic: 1985

    The year of the Amiga arrives, NeXT is founded, the first .com site appears, Quantum Computer Services begins its journey toward becoming AOL.

    Topic/Feedback links:

    Commodore Amiga 

    Installing FS-UAE on Mac 

    Amiga Forever

    Ample

    NeXT 

    symbolics.com

    symbolics.com museum

    Symbolics

    Aldus PageMaker

    Apple LaserWriter 

    Enterprise

    Super Mario Bros

    Microsoft Windows 1.0

    Quantum Computer Services founded, which became AOL 

    GameLine

    GameLine (eBay)

    Atari Compendium: Longevity (mentions Supercharger)

    Arcadia/Starpath Supercharger (eBay)

    A modern news story on AOL

    Retro Computing News:

    The First Perfect Computer (upgrading an Amiga 1000)

    INIT HELLO

    Computer Museum at System Source

    National Electronics Museum

    Bloop Museum

    CuriousMarc visits System Source

    Usagi Electric visits System Source

    Usagi Electric gets a Bendix G15 to run the first half of a test program

    DigiBarn

    The SuperFo Harlequin 128

    The Leningrad-1

    Original Soviet key cap kit

    Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

    America Online

    Enterprise 128

    Super Mario 2

    Retro Computing Gift Idea:

    Commodore4ever VertiPort

    Auction Picks:

    Blake:

    Vintage Olympia EX 100 Typewriter Extension CP/M Computer Word Processor Systel

    Paul:

    The PC-8001 They Didn’t Want You To See. Picture number 6 will shock you.

    Mario Bros 2 ripped burned floppy disk

    The 202 Alliance

    Mario Bros (202) on Internet Archive, hit Esc while “202 Alliance” is being painted

    Real pirates buy Apple Cats

    The Curse

    Apple catalogs (including last one with Apple //e)

    Closing notes:

    Rasberry Pi MIDI hat

    Stronghold

    Other ways to experience this episode:

    a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr285.a2stream

    YouTube episode 285

    Feedback/Discussion:

    [email protected]

    [email protected] on Mastodon

    rcrpodcast.com on bluesky

    Vintage Computer Forum

    RCR Podcast on Facebook

    Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

    Listen/Download:
  • Retro Computing Roundtable

    RCR Episode 284: Hammer time

    26/05/2025 | 1h 51 mins.
    Panelists: Paul Hagstrom (hosting), Quinn Dunki, Blake Patterson, and Kay Savetz

    Topic: 1984

    Apple introduced the Macintosh and Apple //c in 1984, IBM introduced the PCjr, HP introduced the LaserJet, and FidoNet began distributing mail.

    Topic/Feedback links:

    Apple //c

    IBM PCjr

    Christmas 1984: The Great Apple //c vs. PCjr Battle

    Macintosh

    The 1984 Superbowl ad (YT)

    The 1984 Superbowl ad

    FidoNet

    fidonet.org

    FidoNews

    Subtext (classic Mac BBS with FidoNet support)

    HP LaserJet

    LaserJet in HP’s own Virtual museum (warning: QuickTime 5 required)

    CHM discusses Lisa source code with Bill Atkinson

    Retro Computing News:

    SyncTerm

    Playing with toy interfaces – Rich Gold, Mattel Toys

    Video Game History Foundation Library opens

    Storing data on cassette with a modem

    KCS modem

    Vintage Computer(-related) commercials:

    Apple //c

    IBM PCjr

    Macintosh

    Retro Computing Gift Idea:

    Tiny TV

    Auction Picks:

    Blake:

    Atari SC1224 Vintage Color Monitor (specifically, red)

    RDKL Inc’s YT video about this collection

    Kay:

    Vintage The Microperipheral Corporation Computer Speech Synthesizer?

    No, almost certainly a Sofcast Shuttle Communicator

    Interview with Michael Darland, Microperipheral Corporation and Sofcasting

    Paul:

    AnDATAco front panel

    AnDATAco

    Speech recognition processor for Hero 1 and Apple II

    New overpriced belts

    ITT 2020

    US ZX-81 (auction long gone)

    Timexsinclair.com on ZX-81

    Closing notes:

    Super Impulse Space Invaders (eBay search)

    Other ways to experience this episode:

    a2stream file for this episode: http://lo-fi.rcrpodcast.com/rcr284.a2stream

    YouTube episode 284

    Feedback/Discussion:

    [email protected]

    [email protected] on Mastodon

    rcrpodcast.com on bluesky

    Vintage Computer Forum

    RCR Podcast on Facebook

    Intro / Closing Song: Back to Oz by John X

    Listen/Download:

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