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
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
In 1970 a little language called BLISS emerged from Carnegie Mellon University. It was a systems language, meant for operating systems and compilers. It was designed, in part, as a response to Dijkstra's famous Go To Considered Harmful paper. It had no data types. It used the most bizzare form of the pointer I've ever seen. And it was a direct comp…
…
continue reading
1
He Lost 100+ Pounds After Gaining It Back 5 Times | EP 24
1:46:42
1:46:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:46:42
Nick Geoppo’s weight loss journey is anything but ordinary. In this deeply personal and inspiring podcast episode, Nick shares his struggles with gaining and losing 50+ pounds every year for five years before finally breaking the cycle. From hitting rock bottom to becoming a coach who helps others achieve sustainable weight loss, Nick’s story is on…
…
continue reading
1
Episode 147 - Molecular Electronic Computer
54:48
54:48
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
54:48
In 1961 Texas Instruments unveiled the Molecular Electronic Computer, aka: Mol-E-Com. It was a machine that fit in the palm of your hand, but had all the power of a much larger computer. This was in an age of hefty machines, which made the achievement all the more marvelous. How was this even possible? It was all thanks to the wonders of molecular …
…
continue reading
The Z4, completed by Konrad Zuse in 1945, is a computer with a wild story. It was made from scrounged parts, survived years of bombing raids, moved all around Berlin, and eventually took refuge in basements and stables. In this episode we will follow the Z4's early days, and look at how it fits into the larger picture of Zuse's work. Along the way …
…
continue reading
1
Episode 145 - Zuse's Mysterious Machines
1:00:39
1:00:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:39
In 1933 Konrad Zuse, a German civil engineer, caught the computing bug. It would consume the rest of his life. According Zuse he invented the world's first digital computer during WWII, working in near total isolation within the Third Reich. How true is this claim? Today we are looking at Zuse's early machines, the Z1, Z2, and Z3. Selected Sources:…
…
continue reading
1
Finding Purpose After Heartbreak | Adam Roa | Ep 23
1:55:20
1:55:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:55:20
In this episode of the Sacred Thomas Podcast, I sit down with poet, speaker, and coach Adam Roa to explore the journey of finding purpose after heartbreak. Adam shares deeply personal insights on overcoming loss, building self-love, and rediscovering meaning in life. Known for his viral poem, “You Are Who You’ve Been Looking For,” Adam opens up abo…
…
continue reading
:(){ :|:& };:
…
continue reading
1
Surviving Outlast Season 2: The Emotional Rollercoaster | Drew Haas| Ep 22
2:52:32
2:52:32
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:52:32
Winning $1 million sounds like a dream, but surviving ‘Outlast’ was about far more than just the cash. In this episode of The Sacred Thomas Podcast, I sit down with Drew Haas to uncover the truth behind what it really took to win. From the mental battles in the wilderness to the emotional toll that pushed him to the edge, Drew shares the untold sto…
…
continue reading
Have you ever felt like a computer just refuses to work? Like a machine has a mind of it's own? In 1970 a hard drive at the National Farmers Union Corp. office decided to do just that. That year it started crashing for apparently no reason. It would take 2 years and 56 crashes to sort out the problem. The ultimate solution would leave more question…
…
continue reading
This time we are diving back into the Jargon File to take a look at some hacker folklore. Back in the day hackers at MIT spent their time spying on one another's terminals. That is, until some intrepid programmer found a way to fight back. Selected Sources: http://www.catb.org/esr/jargon/html/os-and-jedgar.html - OS and JEDGAR https://github.com/PD…
…
continue reading
In 1962 Food Center Wholesale Grocers Inc installed a new IBM 305 RAMAC. That's when things started to go wrong. The faulty machine seemed to have a mind of it's own, and would spread chaos to grocery stores all around Boston. Selected Sources: https://archive.org/details/computerinsecuri0000norm - Computer Insecurity https://bitsavers.computerhist…
…
continue reading
1
Stuck in Life? You’re Avoiding the Real Problem | Sean Clayton | Ep 21
1:46:37
1:46:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:46:37
In this episode, Sacred Thomas has an insightful conversation with Sean Clayton, diving deep into the concepts of personal growth, self-awareness, and spiritual alignment. Sean shares his journey of overcoming childhood trauma, breaking free from limiting beliefs, and learning to walk in his divine purpose. They explore how old patterns of behavior…
…
continue reading
Programming, as a practice and study, has been steadily evolving for the past 70 or so years. Over the languages have become more sophisticated and user friendly. New tools have been developed that make programming easier and better. But what was that first step? When exactly did programmers start trying to improve their lot in life? It probably al…
…
continue reading
The early history of computer games is messy, weird, and surprising. This episode we are looking at HUTSPIEL, perhaps one of the oldest games ever played on a computer. It's a wargame developed to simulate nuclear conflict... and it's 100% analog. Join us as we find out just what tax dollars were being used for in 1955. Selected Sources: https://ar…
…
continue reading
I'm finally back to my usual programming! This time we are taking one of my patent pending rambles through a topics. Today's victim: the humble type-in program. Along the way we will see how traditions formed around early type-in software, and how the practice shifted over time. Was this just a handy way to distribute code? Was this just an educati…
…
continue reading
1
Revealed: The Truth Behind Reality TV Weddings | Justin Porter | Ep 20
2:55:02
2:55:02
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:55:02
In this episode, I sit down with Justin Porter, the innovative force behind a documentary-style wedding film business and JPM Live Academy. Justin shares his journey from breaking away from conventional wedding videography to revolutionizing the industry with a fresh, authentic approach. We dive into his passion for storytelling, the outdated pract…
…
continue reading
1
Unbeatable Short Term Rental Strategy Near National Parks | Lexington Isham | Ep 19
1:35:29
1:35:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:35:29
In this episode, I sit down with Lexington Isham, son of the legendary composer Mark Isham. We explore his life journey and the experiences that inspired him to create Stargazing Homes, a turn-key short-term rental business designed for unforgettable experiences in the most beautiful places on the planet. Want to start your own short term rental bu…
…
continue reading
