Computer

From: Steve Jobs. “Great Idea, Thank You.”

Steve Jobs sent an email to new NeXT Systems Engineer Steve Hayman, replying “Great idea, thank you” after Hayman naively set up an email alias for Jobs’ address ([email protected]) to his own. Initially panicking over misdirected emails, Hayman corrected the alias back to Jobs and explained his mistake, receiving a cherished written acknowledgment from Jobs. Hayman reflects on this unique interaction and his career, which began with Jobs and ended with Tim Cook.

https://blog.hayman.net/2025/05/06/from-steve-jobs-great-idea.html

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A Brief History of the Numeric Keypad

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Numeric keypad history: Originated from calculators and cash registers, with different layouts (e.g., 9-0 for calculators and 1-3 for phones) due to ergonomic choices, technological constraints, and user familiarity. Key innovations include Jean-Baptiste Schwilgué’s 1844 calculator, Felt’s Comptometer (1884), and Sundstrand’s 3×3 layout (1914). The evolution influenced phone designs, maintaining familiarity in modern devices. Keypad design reflects historical patterns and user preferences.

https://www.doc.cc/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-numeric-keypad

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GitHub – maurymarkowitz/101-BASIC-Computer-Games: Type-in Programs From the Original 101 BASIC Computer Games, in Their Original DEC and Dartmouth Dialects. No, This Is *not* the Same as BASIC Computer Games.

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Type-in programs from original 101 BASIC Computer Games in DEC and Dartmouth dialects; not the same as BASIC Computer Games. This collection showcases various programming styles and dialects, with some programs running in RetroBASIC.

https://github.com/maurymarkowitz/101-BASIC-Computer-Games

GitHub – maurymarkowitz/101-BASIC-Computer-Games: Type-in Programs From the Original 101 BASIC Computer Games, in Their Original DEC and Dartmouth Dialects. No, This Is *not* the Same as BASIC Computer Games. Read More »

Understanding the Origins and the Evolution of Vi & Vim

Vi and Vim Origins: Vi and Vim’s history parallels open-source software’s evolution. Key players and events shaped these UNIX text editors. George Coulouris created “em” at Queen Mary University in 1976, addressing frustrations with the line editor “ed”. Bill Joy developed Vi inspired by “em” after improving “ex” for full-screen editing at UC Berkeley. Vim, initially “Vi IMitation,” began as a clone of Stevie for the Amiga in 1988. Over 30 years, Vim evolved into a powerful tool with a vibrant community, boasting numerous features and plugins, still frequently used in programming today.

https://pikuma.com/blog/origins-of-vim-text-editor

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Cyberpunk 1958: The Early Days of the Polish IT Industry

Polish IT history highlights significant female contributions and innovative designs from the communist era. Women mathematicians played key roles in early programming, with teams often comprising a third female members, achieving notable successes. Polish computers, like the Odra series, faced challenges but facilitated various applications. Despite initial successes, state inefficiencies stunted development, leading to reliance on imported parts. While local programming languages like Loglan’82 emerged, they struggled against global trends. Ultimately, Poland’s IT legacy is marked by both ingenuity and obstacles.

https://culture.pl/en/article/cyberpunk-1958-the-early-days-of-the-polish-it-industry

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An Ars Technica History of the Internet, Part 1

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Extreme TLDR:
Internet’s inception began in 1966 due to Robert Taylor’s frustrations with multiple terminals at ARPA. Sparked by J.C.R. Licklider’s early vision of an “Intergalactic Computer Network,” Taylor proposed ARPANET to connect computers, eliminating inefficiencies. Key innovations included packet switching and the Interface Message Processors (IMPs) developed by Bolt Beranek and Newman. The ARPANET evolved, later adopting TCP/IP protocols, fostering the Internet’s growth, while facing competition from other networks and standards. By the late 1970s, technical debates shaped its development, leading to TCP/IP dominance and the eventual decommissioning of ARPANET by the late 1980s.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/04/a-history-of-the-internet-part-1-an-arpa-dream-takes-form/

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Iconic Compute!’s Gazette Magazine Returns After 35 Years, Expanding Focus to Entire Retro Computing Community

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Compute!’s Gazette, a foundational magazine for Commodore 64 enthusiasts, returns after 35 years under COMPUTE! Publications, debuting in July 2025. Founded by Edwin Nagle, it will expand its focus to the broader retro computing community. Nagle, inspired by childhood memories and a desire to connect retro enthusiasts, aims to offer both digital and print editions monthly, emphasizing tangible experiences. Pre-orders for the first issue are now available at computesgazette.com.

https://www.computesgazette.com/iconic-computes-gazette-magazine-returns-after-35-years-expanding-focus-to-entire-retro-computing-community/

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33-year-old AmigaOS for Commodore Computers Gets an Unexpected Update

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AmigaOS 3.2.3, an update for the classic operating system for Commodore computers, has been released by Hyperion Entertainment, featuring over 50 fixes and enhancements. This update continues the legacy of AmigaOS, originally launched in 1992, and improves features like the ReAction GUI toolkit and TextEditor. Users can obtain the update for free if they own AmigaOS 3.2, with it also supporting retro hardware.

https://www.tomshardware.com/software/operating-systems/33-year-old-amigaos-for-commodore-computers-gets-an-unexpected-update

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Why Is There a “small House” in IBM’s Code Page 437?

IBM’s Code Page 437 features a “small house” glyph (⌂) at code position 0x7F, where a DELETE (DEL) character logically belongs. This article explores how IBM’s choice of a house over more standard symbols may reflect the character set’s whimsical origin during the PC’s development. In contrast to prior systems like EBCDIC, CP437’s extended characters are a mix of international symbols and playful displays meant for text-based games. The origins of the house glyph remain ambiguous, with several theories suggesting it could symbolize home computing, relate to backspace, derive from other character sets, or come from an unrelated iconographic source. Despite inconsistencies in early documentation labeling it as either “house” or “delta,” the glyph’s legacy and use in ASCII art has since transcended its intended meaning, allowing users to impart their interpretations.

https://blog.glyphdrawing.club/why-is-there-a-small-house-in-ibm-s-code-page-437/

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