Welcome to Advent of Computing, the show that talks about the shocking, intriguing, and all too often relevant history of computing. A lot of little things we take for granted today have rich stories behind their creation, in each episode we will learn how older tech has lead to our modern world.
…
continue reading
Sean Haas Podcasts
When it comes to choosing guests for this podcast, there's just one simple rule: I have to genuinely want to talk to you. Whether it's having a laid-back chat with friends or exploring a new perspective, I'm all about having engaging conversations that pique peoples interest. So let's connect, share stories, and make this podcast a friendly and relatable experience!
…
continue reading
1
How Men & Women Got Programmed to Fail Each Other | Wayne Barkus | Ep. 28
2:37:32
2:37:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:37:32
In this episode, Wayne Barkus and I sit down for one of the deepest conversations I’ve ever recorded. We talk about the hidden programming that shapes men and women from childhood…why so many relationships break down before they even begin…and how most of us are navigating adulthood with wounds we never asked for. This isn’t a “men vs women” conver…
…
continue reading
I'm back to normal episodes, and I'm running out the gate with a weird one. Thoroughbred/OS was a multi-user and multi-tasking operating system for the IBM PC. It's mian interface was... BASIC of all things! What exactly is this oddity? https://winworldpc.com/product/thoroughbred-os/662 - Try Out Thoroughbred/OS yourself…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 169.5 - Ben Zotto and the Story of Sphere Computers
52:41
52:41
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:41
I recently had the chance to talk to Ben Zotto about his upcoming book: Go Computer Now! - The Story of Sphere Computers. It's all about an obscure machine powered by the Motorola 6800 that released in 1975. I figured it was the perfect faire for my audience. And... I really want to read this book! You can back the project over at kickstarter: http…
…
continue reading
In 1981 Joe Dellinger attempted to create the perfect computer program: a virus that spread silently. In 1982 a revision of that virus broke containment. It would have remained completely hidden if it wasn't for an obscure Apple II game. Today we look at the story and motivation behind that virus, and how it slipped into the sands of time. Or... di…
…
continue reading
Imagine a secret number that could be used to bring your computer to a screeching halt. In 1977 Gerry Wheeler discovered an interesting feature of Motorola's new 6800 microprocessor. There was a secret instruction that, if read, would cause the processor to stop working. He called this magic number Halt and Catch Fire, or HCF, and wrote a neat arti…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 167 - The Tape That Unwound Itself
27:25
27:25
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
27:25
Have you ever had a computer do something you can't explain? Have you ever thought a machine had a mind of its own? In 1971 Met Life was faced with this exact conundrum. Their tape drives, for some reason, were throwing tape all over the floor every night. Systems were checked and no flaws were found, but every morning an operator would walk in on …
…
continue reading
My trilogy on the PDP-11 concludes with a look at the far flung places this computer can take us. In this episode we look at some issues with claims of the PDP-11's linage, smuggling, Hungarian-made microcode, and much more. Along the way we answer the question: if the PDP-11 was such a good design then where was it during the home computing boom o…
…
continue reading
This episode we continue my series on the PDP-11 by examining how DEC adapted to the advent of the microprocessor. Along the way we will see how the PDP-11 inspired new generations of computers, and the surprising connection to early digital hobbyists.
…
continue reading
1
The Pain They Don’t See: William King Hollis on Turning Wounds Into Wisdom | Ep. 27
2:25:15
2:25:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:25:15
In Episode 27 of the Sacred Thomas Podcast, I sit down with the unstoppable William King Hollis — a man who went from homelessness and heartbreak to becoming one of the most recognized motivational speakers in the world. This conversation isn’t polished or sugar-coated. It’s raw. It’s about pain, demons, father wounds, addiction, faith, family, and…
…
continue reading
Last weekend I had the chance to talk about the LGP-30 and my emulation project at VCF West in Mountain View, CA. The showrunners will be posting a full video later, but that takes a while to go live. In the meantime, here's the audio I siphoned off the sound board and my slide deck. View my slides here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E9-B3EzxudF…
…
continue reading
1
The Wounds That Break Men… and the Role Women Play | Ryan Moresby-White | Ep 26
1:18:33
1:18:33
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:18:33
In this episode of The Sacred Thomas Podcast, I sit down with Ryan Moresby-White, a men’s coach whose mission is to help men heal the boy inside so they can show up as secure, grounded men in love, leadership, and life. We go deep into the wounds men carry, especially from childhood — and how some of the deepest pain the masculine holds actually co…
…
continue reading
The DEC PDP-11 is one of the most influential minicomputers of all time. Some would even call it the most influential computer of all time. But where exactly did it come from? How was it designed? This episode is the start of a 3 part series that will look at how the PDP-11 was created, adapted to changes, and the strange places it ended up.…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 162 - CSIRAC, Australia's First Computer
1:01:05
1:01:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:01:05
In 1949 CSIRAC sprung to life in a lab in Sydney, Australia. It was a very early stored program computer. All machines of the era were unique. But CSIRAC, well, it was very unique indeed. Selected Sources: https://cis.unimelb.edu.au/about/csirac/music/reconstruction - The Music of CSIRAC https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MAHC.1984.10014 - Pearcy and Beard…
…
continue reading
The first batch of digital computers emerge directly following WWII. The hallmark of this generation is uniqueness: no two computers are the same. However, there is a machine that bucks that trend. The IAS Machine, built in Princeton in the late 1940s, served as the inspiration for at least a dozen later computers. But how similar were these Prince…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 160 - What can Lunar Lander tell us about FOCAL?
56:28
56:28
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:28
Lunar Lander is one of the best loves video games of all time. The game was created in 1969 as an homage to the recent Apollo 11. From there it would only spread. Just about anything that can print text has it's own version of Lunar Lander. The early history of this game is mixed up with something weird: two nearly identical programming languages. …
…
continue reading
1
Resentment, Love & Growth: How to Heal What Feels Broken | Preston Smiles & Alexi Panos | Ep 25
2:15:38
2:15:38
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:15:38
Learn more about The Bridge: thebridgemethod.org Use code: "Thomas20" for 20% off What do you do when you’ve outgrown your old self… but the world still expects you to be them?In this deep and wildly honest conversation, I sit down (again) with Preston Smiles and Alexi Panos — two powerhouse voices in transformation, relationships, and conscious le…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 159 - The Intel 286: A Legacy Trap
1:06:40
1:06:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:06:40
In 1982 Intel released the iAPX 286. It's was the first heir to the smash-hit 8086. But the 286 was developed before the IBM PC put an Intel chip on every desk. It's design isn't influence by the PC. Rather, it reaches further into the past. Today we are looking at the strange melding of old technology, new ideas, and compatibility that lead to the…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 158 - INTERCAL RIDES AGAIN - Restoring a Lost Compiler
1:08:22
1:08:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:08:22
In 1973 the world caught it's first glimpse of INTERCAL. It's a wild and wacky language, somewhere between comedy and cutting satire. But the compiler was never circulated. There would be later implementations, but that original compiler remained lost to time. That is, until now. This episode covers how the original source code was found, and my at…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 157 - Only S1 Users Will Survive!
1:04:40
1:04:40
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:40
The S1 operating system can do it all! It can run on any computer, read any disk, and execute any software. It can be UNIX compatible, DOS compatible, and so, so much more! But... can S1 ship? Today we are talking about an operating system that sounds too good to be true. Is it another example of vaporware? Or is S1 really the world's most sophisti…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 156 - RPG, a Different Paradigm?
1:04:10
1:04:10
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:04:10
How do you make a computer act less like a computer? It sounds like some kind of riddle, but in the early 1960s it was an actual problem. As IBM customers transitioned from tabulators to computers they ran into all sorts of practical issues. Programmers became a hot commodity. But how do you find a programmer in 1959? And how can you even afford su…
…
continue reading
In the early 1960s a neat little machine came out of MIT. Well, kind of MIT. The machine was called LINC. It was small, flexible, and designed to live in laboratories. Some have called it the first personal computer. But, is that true? Does it have some secret that will unseat my beloved LGP-30? And how does DEC fit into the picture?…
…
continue reading
The LGP-30 is one of my favorite computers. It's small, scrappy, strange, and wonderous. Among its many wonders are two obscure languages: ACT-I and ACT-III. In this episode we are exploring the ACTS, how the LGP-30 was programmed in practice, and why I've been losing sleep for the last few weeks.
…
continue reading
When I was down at VCF SoCal I ran into a strange machine: the Keypact Micro-VIP. It's a terminal without a keyboard, covered in dials, with a speaker and a switch labeled "voice". This chance encounter with the unknown sent me down a wild path. It involved the creeping spread of computing, chicken feed, door to door life insurance salesmen, and at…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 152 - LIVE at VCF - Reviving Retro Panel
1:00:06
1:00:06
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:06
A special treat from VCF SoCal. While visiting I had the chance to host a panel on restoration and preservation. I was joined by: David from Usagi Electric (https://www.youtube.com/@UsagiElectric) Rob from Souther Amis (https://www.southernamis.com/) Jim, Former Executive Director Computer Museum of America (https://computerhalloffame.org/home/abou…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 151 - The Friden Flexowriter
1:00:33
1:00:33
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:33
Have you ever looked at an old computer and seen a weird typewriter thing tacked on? In most cases that's a device called a Flexowriter. It's half electric typewriter, half teleprinter, half tape reader, and all business! This episode we are chronicling the rise, fall, and weird business dealings of the Flexowriter.…
…
continue reading
In the modern day Windows is a power house, but that wasn't always the case. In this episode we are looking at the fraught development of Windows 1.0. During development it was called vaporware, it was panned in the press, roasted at at least one trade show, and even called... "eclectic". Through it all a vision in lime green would take form.…
…
continue reading
This episode we are taking a trip back to UNIX world. We're looking at IDRIS, the first clone of UNIX. It was supposed to be highly compatible, but use no code from Bell Labs. IDRIS ran on everything from the Intel 8080 up to the IBM System/370. There was even a version that could run MS-DOS programs. Sound too good to be true? Well, that may be th…
…
continue reading
