Advent of Computing

Who is packing for #vcfsocal?

I need to do that soon...

Ok, yeah, this is comprehensive. It even has the OS I wrote in high school! That's... a wild level of completeness.

I didn't know this existed. Very comprehensive family tree of operating systems.

eylenburg.github.io/os_familytre...

I just want to share my boy's beautiful new haircut. That is all.

control panel of the day #HCI

😭

Total shot on the dark: did anyone ever use OMNIX back in 1979 or 1980? It was a UNIX like for Z80s that was withdrawn from the market shortly after release. Wondering if there is a disk that missed the recall somewhere in the wild.

Advent of Computing: Episode 175 - SNOBOL? That's Disgusting! Today we are talking about one of the most unique languages I've ever come across. SNOBOL emerges from the early days of programming. It's first compiler is implemented on the back of an envelope. It ...

New episode is a little late, but finally out! Enjoy me waxing about the strange beauty/madness of SNOBOL:
adventofcomputing.libsyn.com/episode-175-...

The Zeroth Generation: A Memoir from the Grandfather of the Modern Digital Computer The Zeroth Generation: A Memoir from the Grandfather of the Modern Digital Computer - Kindle edition by Stibitz, George, Banerjee, M, Russell, Jerome, Tropp, Henry. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Zeroth Generation: A Memoir from the Grandfather of the Modern Digital Computer.

ALSO! I can recommend Stibitz's autobiography. It was just republished so it's actually accessible now. But for some reason the ebook only opens in the kindle app, not on an actual kindle :/

www.amazon.com/Zeroth-Gener...

Just finished recording the next episode. It's already out on Patreon. This time we're talking Stibitz and the Bell Model I.

Oh man! I remember this one! There was also a game where you had to drive around busytown without hitting trash cans.

I need to update this chart. I think I can make it more unhinged now.

Was just reminded about Konrad Zuse's autobiography. This is your reminder to read The Computer - My Life. The English translation is really good!

Also, for some reason it's always that one plate of Babbage. I keep seeing it in slightly different sizes in so many different books.

It seems like all old computer books are dedicated to one of these nerds.

I also just learned that you can buy ebooks on Amazon that won't load onto a kindle... Having a weird digital day

Anyone else notice how ACM recently locked their advanced search behind a membership?

Advent of Computing: Episode 173 - Hybrid Programming Hybrid computers are composed of a digital computer linked to an analog computer. That leads to an interesting challenge: how do you write software for one of these things? The analog side actively re...

New episode! Continuing the analog/hybrid saga:

adventofcomputing.libsyn.com/episode-173-...

Christmas Retro Jigsaw 2025 - Completed it Mate! 👍

When you apply power to a grid of resistors you get power out of the output pin almost immediately. The voltage drop between input and output is predictable. So that's doing math very very fast

Booked everything for @vcfsocal.bsky.social this coming February. Who else is going?

Oh no. I've found a rabbit hole. The delayed episode is coming out this weekend, but it's also becoming a 2-part series. Anyone ever used a hybrid programming language?

This is some of the most cool manual art I've seen in a while

Wait... I can't read. Who is ARAP?

What was ARPA doing with my guy!??!

The choice is... clear?

Ya boy is currently at a trade show... And utterly exhausted. Some of you may be in the same boat. As such, next episode will be a week late.

One of these components is not like the others.