Advent of Computing

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 m...

5 Okt 20251h

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 t...

21 Sep 202554min

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....

7 Sep 202552min

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? Thi...

24 Aug 202558min

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 Sou...

10 Aug 20251h 1min

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. Th...

13 Jul 20251h 3min

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 te...

29 Jun 202556min

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. ...

15 Jun 20251h 6min