Behold! The first MADDIDA from @computerhistory.bsky.social! This is the very model that was shipped across country via air freight and then demo'd to John von Neumann. It somehow survived the flight, a few nights in a cold hotel room, and being operated after a few stiff martinis.

Another VCF in the books. It's always such a fantastic event! Thanks to everyone that showed up for my talk, and to everyone who said they like to use UNIX. I know some of you are lying, but I do appreciate the enthusiasm. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...

LIVE from VCF West - Wait, Is That Really UNIX?

Podcast Episode · Advent of Computing · August 3 · Bonus · 48m

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Starting the drive down to VCF! I hope I brought enough floppy disks

When I say I like retrocomputing this is what I mean:

This is interesting! Some very early binary notation. You can recognize it... if you squint a little. archive.org/details/bub_...

Forth xkcd.com/3277/

Dr. Lauren Liebe talking about students learning how to play PLATO games. The early graphics are so abstract by today's standards that they couldn't even tell what they were looking at

My long suffering IBM PS/2 now gets to run cursed "UNIX".

Who else is getting excited for VCF West this weekend?

New Adjunct of Computing just dropped everywhere. Question of the day is: what's the best solvent for melting magnetic tape?

Something isn't quite right here...

What is a computer? That's a question I've grappled with for years. The answer changes depending on what period we are talking about. In this episode I'm looking at a machine from 1950 that's digital, but only barely. Would you call it a computer? podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...

Computer birth announcement from 1950 that gets a little... intense.

Does anyone know if there is any running UNIVAC I hardware anywhere? Or has none ever been restored?

I've been having so much fun doing the after show. The latest episode is out, where Joe tries to get me to be interested in Oberon and I try to get Joe to read a book I haven't quite finished. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...

185 - The Conviviality Lair

Podcast Episode · Adjunct of Computing · July 11 · 1h 15m · Video

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Want to read an odd paper? dl.acm.org/doi/epdf/10....

Currently watching Ebirah, Horror of the Deep. I can totally recommend it. The sound track is used in such a weird way. Surf music while Godzilla acts like King Kong and beats up a lobster. Truly wild.

I have a question for anyone who has more of a math degree than I do. Lets assume that we do the whole 1/0 is equivalent to true/false thing. And lets assume that = is a function that returns a value. How is = ever different from the Kronecker delta?

I'm learning a new language for the show. I will try to keep it a surprise, so all I can say is... ⍳

My office buddy.

Things got delayed with the holiday, but the latest after show is out! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

In Search Of The 25 Position Demon Punch

Podcast Episode · Adjunct of Computing · May 29 · 1h 1m · Video

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I'm going back to VCF West this year! My tentative plan is to do a rundown of all the weird little UNIX clones I've collected. Should be a lot of fun, especially as some new information has been uncovered!

Consider

Latest episode is out! I'm finally talking about magnetic drum memory itself. It's a much more wild story than I ever expected. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Spinning Memories

Podcast Episode · Advent of Computing · May 18 · 59m

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I'm pretty sure now that this is an accurate photo of the machine called DEMON I. Which means that shelf up front with the paper hanging from it was the fabled 25-POSITION DEMON PUNCH!

To spice things up, I'm currently on the trail of an NSA device from the late 40s called the DEMON PUNCH.

I broke the case wide open! [REDACTED] was made by ERA! Duh! I can spot their trademark anywhere!

I really want to learn more about how OPHIDIA is similar to [REDACTED].

Look how... beautiful it is?