Evan Koblentz's Most Recent Posts

I frequently hear from computer history enthusiasts and collectors who want to know where they can see, touch, and acquire vintage computers in person. Lucky for them, summer 2011 is a fine time for some carbon-based exploration of our favorite silicon-based toys.

Last week I wrote in memory of Jean Bartik, the last of the original six ENIAC programmers. Unfortunately there have been several important figures in computer history who left us recently. Some are extremely famous, such as DEC founder Ken Olsen; he received significant media attention for his accomplishments. But some others aren't well known, despite their importance, so here are a few thoughts in their honor too.

I just saw a TV commercial for the Chevy Volt. The car is positioned as a major milestone in American technology history, right up there with the Wright brothers. And toward the end, it evokes two young guys in a garage -- who look just like Woz and Jobs -- working on a primitive desktop computer.

Jean Bartik, the last of the original ENIAC programmers, died this morning. She was 86.

She was born Betty Jean Jennings, on Dec. 27, 1924 and raised on a Missouri farm. Her first job was as a human "computor" during World War II.. She joined the programming staff at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering in 1945.

Dozens of videos of recent speeches by pioneers of the computer industry are now on YouTube, thanks to the Computer History Museum, the Mountain View, Calif. organization announced this week.

Many of the CHM's videos already were on its own site, but they partnered with YouTube because of bandwidth issues. An important side effect is that YouTube can bring scores of new viewers who otherwise wouldn't seek out the CHM resources.

To be very clear: Judah Klausner, the man behind Klausner Technologies which is currently suing Apple and AT&T for supposed infringement of a voicemail patent, is not a mere troll.

This is the last time I'll blog about the Vintage Computer Festival until next summer, I promise ... because right now I'm all VCF'd out, having just returned from California and the VCF X.   This year they had 29 exhibits (including my own exhibit celebrating the 25th anniversary of laptops) , three lecture tracks, and some great vendors.  I picked up an Epson PX-8 and HP-18C, issue #2 of the Osborne magazine, and a rare BASIC module for my Atari Portfolio.  Meanwhile, lots of people took pictures.  Here is Wayne Smith's gallery and here are some other publications' articles and media.  So where's ENIAC co-inventor John Mauchly fit into all this?  I'll tell you in a few days.  Stay tuned!

Well, not quite starring me, but at least my name will be in the credits.  I signed on as a "historical consultant" for the show Modern Marvels.  This is for an episode airing early next year on 1990s technology.  Specifically, I'm consulting for them on the history of smartphones and loaning to them my IBM Simon.  I may also advise them on the history of the WWW as well.  The episode will air Feb. 14.

...But this time it's not just any Vintage Computer Festival -- it's the 10th anniversary of the mothership out in Silly-Con Valley -- at the Mountain View Computer History Museum this coming weekend, to be specific.  My friend Sellam Ismail outdid himself by lining up 25 exhibitors and three lecture tracks this time around the block.  I'll try to post some updates during the week.  Also coming soon: just what is the new IT History Society and a report on what else you can do wit

The headline says it all: here is a four-part YouTube video of computer legend Chuck Peddle, speaking at VCF East back in June, remotely from Sri Lanka to New Jersey via Skype.  The receiving PC with Skype crashes at the end, which is sort of poetic... Grab some popcorn and enjoy!  (Note: Chuck's lecture begins around 15 or 16 minutes into the video.)

Three months ago, I wrote here that Palm's Foleo concept is a bit of a sham, because plenty of similar devices existed before it and they all failed.  And yet, in today's announcement about the Foleo's cancellation, CEO Ed Colligan said, "the market category defined by Foleo has enormous potential." Defined by Foleo!? Enormous potential!? I feel like the Aflac duck after listening to Yogi Berra -- absolutely baffled. Alas, now me wants a Foleo!  A few developers and employees have them; certainly a few will land on eBay. Someday that will be a nice collectible computer.

Wow: lots to write about tonight.  Sorry that it's been so long.  Sometimes busy is good! So we'll just use some bullet points.

•  Back on April 6, I wrote about Hewlett-Packard's plans to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the HP-35 scientific calculator. Today it became official: the HP-35s is now available for only $60.  The new model lets you switch between RPN and algebraic modes, and has 800 storage registers, 100 built-in functions, and a two-line display. HP also announced the finalists of its calculator video memories contest -- my favorite is Godzilla Stole My 12C which (unfortunately in my opinion) did not win a prize. Some of the winners are Success Breeds Success by Chuck Innocenzi (best screenplay), 20 Questions with your HP 12c by Jamie Coy (best technical film), and  Calculator Man by Robert Wiest (voter's choice.)
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"Controversial" only begins to describe the ongoing debate about what was the first personal computer.  A widely accepted answer is John Blankenbaker's Kenbak-1, developed in his garage from 1970-1971.  Others prefer honoring the Datapoint 2200, but that was more of a business- and industrial-oriented minicomputer.  Alas, Blankenbaker and his associates created less than 50 Kenbak-1 computers, with only 14 or 15 known to still exist -- so expect to pay anywhere from $10,000-$15,000 if you find one today.  The good news: Blankenbaker recently gave his endorsement to a new replica kit dubbed the "Kenbak-1 Series 2" from Grant Stockly (of AltairKit.com fame) with the first units priced at $999, based on original blank PCBs and flawless copies of the original manuals.

Three wild topics are on my mind today.

First: Any computer wiz older than 30 knows about the legendary MOS Technology 6502 processor -- the heart of computers like the Commodore Pet and Apple ][.  The chip's top developer, Chuck Peddle, rarely engages in public speaking.  But he's appearing via live videoconference this Saturday morning at the Vintage Computer Festival East 4.0, in Wall, New Jersey.  (Disclosure: the VCF East is hosted by my own user group, a.k.a. MARCH.)

UPDATE: I wrote the blog post below about two hours ago.  Now, Palm's news is official but sans the folding screen ... which might have been the coolest, most innovative feature, if only it were true!  So what that leaves us is Jupiter-esque, albeit running Linux and with Palm's typically well-designed synchronization options.  That's moderately interesting, but what REALLY interests me is this: hey, it's a Linux subnotebook for $500!  Hackers rejoice.  Meanwhile the press conference is still planned for 2:30 EST today.  - Evan