Playing chess has always been a bellwether for computers. The game isn’t trivial, but the rules are managably simple. However, the game is too complex to be easily solved entirely, so you have to use tricky software to play a credible game. Big computers do have an advantage, of course. But Microchess — arguably the first commercial game for home computers — was able to play on tiny machines like the Kim-1. Joachim Froholt » interviewed Peter Jennings » — the man behind Microchess to learn the whole story of its creation.
A detailed article about the Ampere WS-1 clamtop computer, released in November 1985. The article discusses the company's history, design, features, and software. It also includes excerpts from magazines such as ASCII, Just Computers, and Australian Personal Computer.
The December 2024 newsletter from Obsolescence Guaranteed covers updates on new projects such as PiDP-10 and PiDP-1, news about existing projects like PiDP-8 and PiDP-11, and upcoming plans for 2025 including a PiDP-1 replica and an annual programming competition.
This paper describes the background and history of Multics Emacs, including the previous developments and the climate in which it was created. It also details the design and implementation experience, and important algorithms such as the redisplay algorithm.
The article describes how the author used Amazon Q Developer to write code for a virtual Commodore 64, starting with a simple BASIC program and then converting it to 6502 assembler for improved performance. The author also shares resources and tips for working with retro computing.
At 90, John Chowning, the inventor of FM synthesis that revolutionized electronic music, discusses his enduring passion and the impact of his work on pop music.
Dune is a shell designed for powerful scripting, combining elements of bash and Lisp, offering normal shell operations and functional programming abstractions for sysadmin tasks.
The Tildeverse is a minimalist community-driven internet experience, a reaction to the complexity and commercialization of the modern web. It emphasizes text-based interaction and retro aesthetics, offering services like collaborative writing, a radio station, and even Minecraft servers.
This video features an interview with Professor Hal Abelson, a pioneer in computer science education. He reflects on his career, starting from his early work with Logo programming language and its use in education. He emphasizes the importance of computer education for everyone, particularly for children who can use technology to make a real-world impact.
Abelson also discusses the risks associated with artificial intelligence and MIT's decision to make educational materials freely available online, which led to MIT OpenCourseWare. He believes computer scientists should not only focus on technical advancements but also consider the ethical implications of their work, asking "What, in fact, is worth making?". The video also highlights resources like Logo, Scratch, and MIT App Inventor, encouraging viewers to explore these tools.
Abelson also discusses the risks associated with artificial intelligence and MIT's decision to make educational materials freely available online, which led to MIT OpenCourseWare. He believes computer scientists should not only focus on technical advancements but also consider the ethical implications of their work, asking "What, in fact, is worth making?". The video also highlights resources like Logo, Scratch, and MIT App Inventor, encouraging viewers to explore these tools.
APL, one of the oldest computer languages, still has an active community and unique features. It uses mathematical symbols and has a strange keyboard layout but offers powerful data manipulation capabilities.
