Episodes

  • ANTIC Interview 442 - Bob Stein, Atari Research

    ANTIC Interview 442 - Bob Stein, Atari Research
    Nov 1 2024
    Bob Stein, Atari’s Encyclopedia Project Bob Stein worked at Atari Research for 18 months beginning in 1981. He was hired by Alan Kay. He worked almost exclusively on an encyclopedia project, a potential collaboration between Atari and Encyclopaedia Britannica that never went anywhere. I learned about Bob after he uploaded an item called The Atari Drawings to Internet Archive. It's a collection of nine colorful pencil drawings, drawn in 1982 by Disney animator Glen Keane. The drawings depict futuristic scenarios where people use a computerized encyclopedia to get information: for instance, "An earthquake wakes a couple in the middle of the night. The Intelligent Encyclopedia, connected to an online service, informs them of the severity of the earthquake and makes safety tips readily available." and "A mother and her children looking into a tidepool in Laguna ask the Intelligent Encyclopedia about the plants and animals that they see." Bob described the collection of art in his introduction to the document: "In 1982 executives from Warner, Inc., Atari's parent company, were scheduled to visit the Research Lab where the Encyclopedia Project was located. Brenda Laurel and I came up with these scenarios to give the execs a sense of what we were working toward. The drawings were made by Disney animator, Glen Keane. When you look at these, remember they were made 16 years before Google and 12 years before Yahoo, even 8 years before the earliest web-based search engines. That said, one of the most interesting things about these scenarios as seen today, is that with the exception of the image of the architect and the teacher none of them indicated any inkling that the most important element of the web to come was that it would bring people into contact with each other. What we see here is almost entirely people accessing content from a central server, no sense that we would be communicating with each other or uploading our own contributions to the collective culture. My own explanation for this lapse focuses on the print-era mentality that saw readers purely as consumers of content." Bob saved and scanned a large number of materials from his time at Atari, and uploaded them to Internet Archive. In addition to the scans of Keane's Atari Drawings, the documents include memos about the encyclopedia project and a transcript of a 1982 seminar for Atari Research featuring Charles Van Doren. Check the show notes for those links. After Atari, Bob was co-founder of The Criterion Collection, which restores and distributes important classic films; and co-founder of The Voyager Company, the first commercial multimedia CD-ROM publisher. In 2004, he co-founded The Institute for the Future of the Book, a think tank "investigating the evolution of discourse as it shifts from printed pages to networked screens." This interview took place December 16, 2023. Video version of this interview at YouTube The Atari Drawings ANTIC Interview 420 - Brenda Laurel, Atari Research Whither The Encyclopedia Project - Atari Encyclopedia Project memos Back to the Future -- In honor of Encyclopedia Britannica giving up its print edition (Wayback machine) Stein Kay Atari Memos Pt 1 Stein Kay Atari Memos Pt 2 Exchange With Steve Weyer And J. David Bolter 1983 Hadley Letter 1980-12-01 Atari...Ifugao Question Journal, Michael Naimark CVD Atari Seminar 20 December 1982 Encyclopedia And The Intellectual Tools Of The Future . . . November 1981 Bob Stein Archives at Stanford The Digital Antiquarian — Bob Stein and Voyager Charles Van Doren in Wikipedia Bob Stein wants to change how people think about the book (2010)
    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • ANTIC Episode 111 - Is Kay Really Funny, or is it Just a Courtesy Snicker?

    ANTIC Episode 111 - Is Kay Really Funny, or is it Just a Courtesy Snicker?
    Oct 27 2024
    ANTIC Episode 111 - “Is Kay Really Funny, or is it Just a Courtesy Snicker?” In this episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-Bit Computer Podcast… We go over the ABBUC Software Contest winners, we cover PRGE, Kay accelerates his interview publishing schedule, and we ask the question: Is Kay really funny, or are Randy’s snickers simply courtesy? You decide … READY! Recurring Links Floppy Days Podcast AtariArchives.org AtariMagazines.com Kay’s Book “Terrible Nerd” New Atari books scans at archive.org ANTIC feedback at AtariAge Atari interview discussion thread on AtariAge Interview index: here ANTIC Facebook Page AHCS Eaten By a Grue Next Without For What we’ve been up to PRGE - https://www.retrogamingexpo.com/ Priming the Pump: How TRS-80 Enthusiasts Helped Spark the PC Revolution by David and Theresa Welsh - https://amzn.to/40l4vv1 (sponsored link) Recent Interviews ANTIC Interview 439 - Making Modern Atari Hardware ANTIC Interview 440 - Ed Sabo, UltraBASIC ANTIC Interview 441 - Nick Kennedy, Atari Morse Code Keyer News ABBUC 2024 Software Contest: https://www.atariteca.net.pe/2024/10/ruff-in-trouble-ganador-del-abbuc-2024.html https://abbuc.de/2024/10/ergebnis-abbuc-softwarewettbewerb-2024-result-abbuc-software-competition-2024/ ABBUC Magazines - https://abbuc.de 4th ATASCII Compo 2024 - Presentation Pre-Launch for Clear Case for 800XL has begun: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/seethruit/injection-molded-clear-case-for-atari-800xl-computer/ https://forums.atariage.com/topic/373926-pre-launch-for-clear-case-for-800xl-has-begun/ Bouncy World Server Available - https://www.atariorbit.org/2024/09/27/bouncy-world-server-available/ Replacement cartridge slot - Screaming at the Radio - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/373896-replacement-cartridge-slot/ Mastertronic Collectors Archive - Atari (8-Bit) Mastertronic Checklist - https://mastertronic.co.uk/atari-mastertronic-checklist/ Upcoming Shows Retro Computer Festival 2024 - November 9-10 - Centre for Computing History, Cambridge, England - https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/72253/Retro-Computer-Festival-2024-Saturday-9th-November/ Silly Venture WE (Winter Edition) - Dec. 5-8 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2024-we Event page on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub YouTube Videos Atari XL/XE -=Go! Tony Go!=- - Saberman RetroNews - Atari XL/XE -=Go! Tony Go!=- LIVE from PRGE 2024 Day 1: AtariAge New Releases & WIP - ZeroPage Homebrew - LIVE from PRGE 2024 Day 1: AtariAge New Releases & WIP (FIXED!) Videos of the ABBUC winners, such as: Atari XL/XE -=Eat Me!=- ABBUC Software Contest 2024 - Saberman RetroNews - Atari XL/XE -=Eat Me!=- ABBUC Software Contest 2024 1K Rainbox - Saberman RetroNews - Atari XL/XE -=1K RainBox=- ABBUC Software Contest 2024 My Atari 800 prints out the news and weather every morning! - Sascha Segan - My Atari 800 prints out the news and weather every morning! New at Archive.org https://archive.org/details/horten-computer-welt-11-85-preise/ https://archive.org/details/brace-bits-vol-3-no-1/BraceBits%20vol1%20no4/ https://archive.org/details/@allan52?query=portland Github https://github.com/marktmiller/atari-8-bit-forth-projects/tree/main/fig-forth1.1/FP%20library https://github.com/ivop/saprtools
    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • ANTIC Interview 441 - Nick Kennedy, Atari Morse Code Keyer

    ANTIC Interview 441 - Nick Kennedy, Atari Morse Code Keyer
    Oct 26 2024
    Nick Kennedy, Atari Morse Code Keyer I was adding a batch of ham radio newsletters to the Internet Archive's Digital Library of Amateur Radio And Communications, and I noticed the word "Atari" on one of the pages. In the September 2019 issue of Solid Copy, the newsletter of The CW Operators Club, Nick Kennedy had written: "Few hams who are both CW [morse code] enthusiasts and programmers of microcontrollers have been able to resist trying their hand at a keyer or two. I’ve done several in the past 30+ years, starting with one for the 6502 in an Atari 800 and on through PICs, AVRs and now...the Arduino." So I contacted Nick, amateur radio call sign WA5BDU, to find out what his Atari project was all about. First, a tiny bit of ham radio background: Morse code, that language of dots and dashes, can be sent over the radio waves using a Morse code key. Even if you know nothing about ham radio, I bet you picture a basic Morse code key: when tap the little lever, it makes an electrical connection that makes a sound. That's called a straight key. Avid Morse code enthusiasts may prefer a fancier "paddle" key: with two levers, one for short beeps and one for longer ones. A keyer is a device that is connected between the paddle key and the radio: it allows the sender to control timing of the transmitted signals, and other factors. Nick's software, WA5BDU Computer Keyer, turned his Atari computer into a keyer. He wired his Morse code paddle and his ham radio to joystick port 2. As he sent a message using his paddle, the Atari interpreted the signal, adjusted it as necessary, displayed the outgoing message on the screen, and sent the signal to the radio. Or, Nick could simply type on the Atari's keyboard to send Morse code messages, skipping the paddle key altogether. Nick sent me the keyer program and source code — as well as a packet radio terminal program that he wrote, and a tank game written by his brother. Check the show notes for links to all of those. Our interview took place on January 21, 2023. Video version of this interview Keyer software and source code at Internet Archive Ham Terminal software (with source code) at Internet Archive Various amateur radio software for for Atari 8-bit Nick interviewed by the QSO Today podcast in 2015 Nick's keyer article in Solid Copy Nick's web site Ad Astra magazine Pat Kennedy's tank game Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications Support Kay's interviews on Patreon
    Show more Show less
    36 mins
  • ANTIC Interview 440 - Ed Sabo, UltraBASIC

    ANTIC Interview 440 - Ed Sabo, UltraBASIC
    Oct 18 2024
    Ed Sabo, UltraBASIC Ed Sabo, with the help of his dad, founded UltraBASIC, a company that produced software for Atari 8-bit computers. UltraBASIC's software for the Atari 8-bits, which was all programmed by Ed, were: Tank Math: "a tutored math exercise plus a bonus roman numeral quiz" FunSpeller: "use your own words or the fifteen word-sets included" SuperFrogs: "the 7 game arcade with over 10,000 variations” … and Track Stack: a program launcher, "stack up to 15 machine language programs on the track stack disk" Ed also created some unpublished software, including a bulletin board system and RC Total, a program to track results of radio controlled car races. The company also operated a commercial coin op route, with video games, pinball machines, jukeboxes, and so on. Ed's UltraBASIC company still exists. Today, the company specializes in transmission rebuilds, custom headers, and other repairs for classic and custom cars. This interview took place on August 8, 2023. Video version of this interview (youtube): https://youtu.be/OXcW1Pm4DQ8 Tank Math: https://archive.org/details/tank-math-ultra-basic/ Super Frogs: https://archive.org/details/super-frogs-ultra-basic/ Funspeller: https://archive.org/details/superfrogs-funspeller-ultra-basic/ Track Stack: https://archive.org/details/TrackStackUltraBasic/ List of Ultrabasic games at Atarimania Ultrabasic, Inc.: http://ultrabasic.net M.U.L.E. Online: https://puzzud.itch.io/mule-online FujiNet: https://fujinet.online Support Kay's interviews on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/savetz
    Show more Show less
    35 mins
  • ANTIC Interview 439 - Making Modern Atari Hardware

    ANTIC Interview 439 - Making Modern Atari Hardware
    Sep 30 2024
    Two Interviews about Making Modern Atari Hardware In this interview episode, there are interviews with two people creating today's Atari hardware: the Atari 400 Mini and other modern reboots of retro consoles such as the Atari 7800+. First, an interview with Matthew Burnett, Vice President of Strategic Operations at Atari — the guy in charge of Atari's new hardware. We discuss how the Atari 400 Mini came to market. Then, I interview Ben Jones, Commercial Director for Plaion, a manufacturing and distribution company that was involved with the creation of the 400 Mini and 7800 Plus as well as other retro computing hardware like the C64 Mini and the A500 (Amiga) Mini. These interviews took place on September 27 2024 at Portland Retro Gaming Expo. Atari 400 Mini: https://atari.com/products/atari-400-mini-1 Atari 7800+: https://atari.com/products/atari-7800
    Show more Show less
    43 mins
  • ANTIC Episode 110 - Are the Grandkids Listening!?

    ANTIC Episode 110 - Are the Grandkids Listening!?
    Sep 23 2024
    ANTIC Episode 110 - Are the Grandkids Listening!? In this episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-Bit Computer Podcast… Kay makes TI users unhappy, VCFMW recap, we drool over an Atari Home Computer Demonstration Center display, we bid farewell to an Atari podcast, and Randy uses a word he wouldn’t want his grandkids to hear… READY! Recurring Links Floppy Days Podcast AtariArchives.org AtariMagazines.com Kay’s Book “Terrible Nerd” New Atari books scans at archive.org ANTIC feedback at AtariAge Atari interview discussion thread on AtariAge Interview index: here ANTIC Facebook Page AHCS Eaten By a Grue Next Without For Links for Items Mentioned in Show: What we’ve been up to TI Fest West 2017 - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/260465-fest-west-2017/page/15/ Kay as Radio Survivor podcast guest about Famous Computer Cafe - Podcast #342 – The Famous Computer Cafe ComputerLand radio commercials: https://archive.org/details/ComputerLand_Radio_Commercials https://archive.org/details/ComputerLand_Micro_Minutes_commercials VCFMW - https://vcfmw.org Indus GT drive https://atariprojects.org/2021/06/20/purchase-and-install-a-64k-ram-upgrade-for-an-indus-gt-floppy-drive-30-60-mins/ https://atariprojects.org/2021/06/20/run-the-cp-m-operating-system-on-your-atari-8-bit-computer-using-an-upgraded-indus-gt-floppy-drive-30-60-mins/ 10502PC cable - https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=157 6502 Software Gourmet Guide & Cookbook by Robert Findley - https://archive.org/details/6502sggac FujiNet-PC and Fujitzee - https://github.com/FujiNetWIFI/fujinet-pc/releases Recent Interviews ANTIC Interview 438 - John Carlsen, Atari Summer Employee - https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-438-john-carlsen-atari-summer-intern News FujiNet update (RAPID 11) https://www.atariorbit.org/2024/08/10/fujitzee-fujinet-game-system-gets-new-game/ https://www.atariorbit.org/2024/08/13/bouncy-fun/ Atari Calculator/Colleen Calculator information https://fosstodon.org/@app4soft/113119855733880407 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Calculator NotebookLM https://notebooklm.google.com/ Inverse ATASCII update and final episode SE8EB1 - Best of/Worst of - https://inverseatascii.info/2024/08/31/s8eb1-best-of-worst-of/ SE8EB2 - https://inverseatascii.info/2024/09/15/s8eb2-summary-announcement/ Into the Vertical Blank https://intotheverticalblank.com/ (from Philsan) RM 800XL project by @rm_800xl continues. Trademark is now registered and Revive Machines is working on injection molds: Revive Machines - https://revive-machines.com/index-en.html Trademark - https://t.co/XccGGybXQ1 Atari Basics newsletter - https://ataribasics.com/newsletter-hub/ XCF12 - https://thingiverse.com/thing:6710517 “F-16 Falcon Strike” - https://www.atariteca.net.pe/2024/08/primer-teaser-de-f-16-falcon-strike.html Mention of Atari computer in “It's no longer as simple as hitting the print button” (Bluefield, WV) - https://www.bdtonline.com/opinion/its-no-longer-as-simple-as-hitting-the-print-button/article_a533a3a8-5c1a-11ef-ba19-831e933a50bd.html NUC plus4 - https://ataribits.weebly.com/nucplus4.html Upcoming Shows Portland Retro Gaming Expo - September 27-29 - Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR - https://retrogamingexpo.com/ Tandy Assembly - September 27-29 - Courtyard by Marriott Springfield - Springfield, OH - http://www.tandyassembly.com/ Retro Computer Festival 2024 - November 9-10 - Centre for Computing History, Cambridge, England - https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/72253/Retro-Computer-Festival-2024-Saturday-9th-November/ Silly Venture WE (Winter Edition) - Dec. 5-8 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2024-we Event page on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pub YouTube Videos Carol Shaw's Road To River Raid - Revealing Gaming's History - Game Informer - https://archive.org/details/youtube-1OcT5zJzVV0 90 Minutes With Atari CEO Wade Rosen | All Things Nintendo - https://archive.org/details/youtube-yn8GTA4HMCU Decent USB Host: USB, Wifi and Bluetooth on Atari 8-bit computers - Screaming at the Radio! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgaEhkeXd_A Santosp Atari XE Remake Motherboard Build Part 1 - flashjazzcat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUMweiI8sOU Atari 8-Bit Series: Part 7: 410 Program Recorder - 8 Bit Milli - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvqy997uL84 1090XL Video With New Cards - reifsnyderb - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDsrE2A81y4 Capt. Grace Hopper on Future Possibilities: Data, Hardware, Software, and People - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si9iqF5uTFk New at Archive.org https://archive.org/details/computer-shopper-february-1989-vol-9-num-2-atari-articles https://archive.org/details/computer-shopper-july-...
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 38 mins
  • ANTIC Interview 438 - John Carlsen, Atari Summer Employee

    ANTIC Interview 438 - John Carlsen, Atari Summer Employee
    Sep 18 2024

    ANTIC Interview 438 - John Carlsen - Atari Summer Employee

    Hello, and welcome to this interview-only episode of ANTIC, The Atari 8-bit computer podcast. I’m Randy Kindig, your host for this episode.

    John Carlsen worked at Atari only briefly, as a summer job for 6 weeks in 1987, between his final years of high school. Later, in 1988-1989, he worked for its founding president, Nolan Bushnell when he signed on to Nolan’s latest startup, called Bots, Inc. They made pizza delivery robots (and a related customer-facing order entry system) for Little Caesars Pizza. John then worked for Axlon, which was created by former Atari employees to manufacture add-on products for the Atari computer, followed by Aapps Corp., which spun out of Nolan's offices. In 1990-1991, John also worked for Mediagenic (Activision, Infocom, etc.) until a week after its hostile takeover.

    This interview took place on March 6, 2024.

    Links

    • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolan_Bushnell

    Show more Show less
    57 mins
  • ANTIC Episode 109 - Host Wars

    ANTIC Episode 109 - Host Wars
    Jul 31 2024
    ANTIC Episode 109 - Host Wars In this episode of ANTIC The Atari 8-Bit Computer Podcast… Brad and Randy cover VCFSE, Kay finishes archiving the Famous Computer Cafe and gets some great material from Dan Kramer and Larry Summers, and the hosts trade barbs… READY! Links for Items Mentioned in Show: What we’ve been up to Larry Summers: Excalibur - https://archive.org/details/excalibur-2nd-manual-type-apx https://archive.org/details/Functional_Specification_for_The_Arabian_Adventures_Packet_Technologies https://archive.org/details/Out_of_Ataris_Game_San_Jose_Mercury_News_1982-06 https://archive.org/details/Chris_Crawford_recommendation_letter_for_Larry_Summers https://archive.org/details/Atari_81_v1n4_1981-05 Superboots business plan - https://archive.org/details/superboots-business-plan Dan Kramer: https://archive.org/details/atari-management-recognition-award https://archive.org/details/atari-controller-design-focus-groups-report-1981 https://archive.org/details/a-qualitative-investigation-of-programmable-videogame-controllers https://archive.org/details/atari_silvia https://archive.org/details/cx2800 https://archive.org/details/cx2800-notes https://archive.org/details/atari-direct-video-pcb https://archive.org/details/atari-5200-controller-schematics-kramer-dan Famous Computer Cafe - https://archive.org/details/famous-computer-cafe?sort=-addeddate Book “Best of SoftSide - Atari Edition” - https://archive.org/details/ataribooks-best-of-softside-atari-edition https://gameatl.com/vintage-computing-festival-southeast/ News Atari Insights newsletter V1#1 - John Zielke - http://www.ataribasics.com Atari Opens Enrollment for its 2024 Summer Camp Program: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/atari-opens-enrollment-2024-summer-171700449.html https://atari.com/collections/summer-camp New drop-in replacement mechanical keyboard for the Atari 800 - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/368661-new-drop-in-replacement-mechanical-keyboard-for-the-atari-800/ Article on how to repair the split collars on an Atari 800 - https://atari.timhinds.com/atari-800-keyboard-restoration/ AtariProjects - http://atariprojects.org - Jason Moore Inverse ATASCII Podcast - https://inverseatascii.info/ - Wade Ripkowski The content presented at the Atari Last Party 2024 (the oldest demo party in Poland) has been added to the atarionline.eu Fujinet server ABBUC #157 magazine - German edition - http://abbuc.de A8Pico to win from ABBUC: Send the answer to the question: "What is the chorus in the Atari song?" You can find the answer on Wolfgang's YouTube channel: (https://www.youtube.com/@RetroWK ) Send answer by e-mail to a8pico2024@abbuc.de Enhanced 600XL PCB by kveldulfur - https://forums.atariage.com/topic/367934-enhanced-600xl-pcb-by-kveldulfur/ Atari FastBASIC - https://github.com/dmsc/fastbasic Upcoming Shows Atari Expo 2024 in Santiago Chile— Aug 3rd&4th.—http://www.expoatari.cl Vintage Computer Festival West - August 2-3 - Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA - https://vcfed.org/events/vintage-computer-festival-west/ Silly Venture SE (Summer Edition) - Aug. 15-18 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2024-se VCF Midwest - September 7-8 - Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL - http://vcfmw.org/ VCF Europe - September 7-8 - Munich, Germany - https://vcfe.org/E/ World of Retrocomputing 2024 Expo - September 14-15 - Kitchener, ON, Canada - https://www.facebook.com/events/s/world-of-retro-computing-2024-/1493036588265072/ Portland Retro Gaming Expo - September 27-29 - Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR - https://retrogamingexpo.com/ Retro Computer Festival 2024 - November 9-10 - Centre for Computing History, Cambridge, England - https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/72253/Retro-Computer-Festival-2024-Saturday-9th-November/ Silly Venture WE (Winter Edition) - Dec. 5-8 - Gdansk, Poland - https://www.demoparty.net/silly-venture/silly-venture-2024-we YouTube Videos FlashJazzCat SIDE3 Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoXGLvUAs84 Lotharek SIDE3 Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVFxVjqLbQk MAC/65 Assembler Editor and Atari 8-bit Machine Language Programming - Part 1 - David Arlington - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WdSPvqSIME MAC/65 Assembler Editor and Atari 8-bit Machine Language Programming - Part 2 - David Arlington - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQPw1myNLb4 The Atari 2024 Expo Preview - CmosGames (in Spanish) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx-3S8UzdDs Rewind 2 - a demo for Atari XL/XE by New Generation, Zelax & Radiance - VoyAtari - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuWEEms1IX4 Now there's a Decent keyboard for each Atari 8-bit computer - Screaming at the Radio - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiBLV-qH9To New at Archive.org Bluegrass Region Atari Computer Enthusiasts ...
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 11 mins