Review of Retro Computing Roundtable Archive - The Best Retro

The Best Retro Computing Podcast

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“I have been listening since about 2011 and since it was so good, I went back and listened to all of the earlier ones. While working in Atlanta back then and living there during the week, I found this podcast and connected up with one of the podcasters who lived in Atlanta, David Greelish, who incidentally is also the author of a great book about classic computing. David, along with Carrington Vanston and Earl Evans were the hosts back when I first started listening and though some hosts have come and gone and come back again occasionally. All of them are very interesting to listen too and the dynamic in the group is warm and friendly. It is never boring, often quite funny and always informative. Earl, from Oregon, comes across like the "dad" of the show. He has a smooth easy to listen to voice like an old time radio DJ that is very distinctive. I think he and I are about the same age, though he may have a few years on me. I think this though because so many of his memories of the early days of computing ring a bell with me. We seem to have many experiences in common even though we live on opposite coasts, roughly 3000 miles apart. David left after a while to pursue a comedy career, but he has come back at least once fairly recently and it was great to hear from him again. I hope he makes some more return visits. Carrington seems to be the most energetic and he brings a perspective from the great white north in Canada where one of the best bands of all time hails from, namely Rush, so just based on that alone, he is alright with me. Some of the other hosts are from Sweden, Boston and one is even from down under in Australia. All of them are knowledgeable and seem to be great guys whom you will enjoy listening to again and again. Usually just three or four are in on any particular podcasts though there have been more or less podcasters on at times. Each week they follow an agenda that includes news about what is going on in the retro computing world, which many times crosses over into the world of makers, especially with regard to recreating vintage computers and peripherals using new components like SCBs, SD cards, and more. They list some auctions of interest and talk about some topic or other. On top of that, they have what I think is the best podcast theme song ever. It sounds so retro, like its right out of 1979 0r 1980 and the words, though talking about Oz invoke the feelings many of us have about the golden age of computing. Indeed, "will we ever find our way back to Oz?" Maybe we have already with the likes of the Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Particle, CHIP, Pine, Odroid, and so many more. I kind of feel like we have, though we are older now and that comes with the benefits and liabilities. I can now afford my hobby better than I could when I was a teenager in the late 70s and early 80s, but I'm not quite as fast at figuring this stuff out as I was back then. They usually have at least one old computer commercial they play during a break and it is fun to hear these old ads about Commodore 64s, TI 99/4As, etc. I really appreciate them taking the time to do this and you will not be at all disappointed if you subscribe to their podcast and listen every two weeks or so when they are released. In fact, go back and listen to the old ones, but don't neglect to listen to the current one as son as it comes out though, as some of the things they talk about are time sensitive, like eBay auctions, Kickstarter campaigns, etc. Lastly, I do not get what some reviewers have said about it being so Apple biased. They do talk about Apple computers a lot, but I don’t see it as biased even though I too, like some of the reviewers say, could not afford an Apple computer back in the day so I am more interested in Commodore and other retro platforms. Still to me they get good coverage too and I am still interested in the Apple II just for a different historical perspective.”

JBChristian via Apple Podcasts · United States of America · 03/28/16

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What’s New with Old Computers

☆

“Playing around with vintage computers is a sub-sub-niche hobby. So, the probability is asymptotically approaching nil that you have friends nearby that share your interest. Earl, Carrington, Paul, Michael, and Dr. Steven are your surrogate friends with whom you have the pleasure of hanging out...”Read full review »

8-bit Curmudgeon via Apple Podcasts · United States of America · 06/04/14

Great podcast!

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“If you are interested in retro computing, this is the podcast for you. Apple, Commodore, Atari, Fignition, Altair... no brand is to small, big, old or new for these guys. Can hardly wait for the next episode. :-)”

Johan Fondén via Apple Podcasts · Sweden · 05/20/12

Brilliant podcast

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“I’m abut 8 episodes behind real time, but have listened to every episode up until that point. If you like retro computers at all, then you must give this a listen. Earl and Carrington have regularly asked people to rate and review this podcast, so I assumed there would be loads of reviews here....”Read full review »

Stevebrowne via Apple Podcasts · Great Britain · 07/17/14

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