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Microsoft 6502 Basic released as open source Sept 3, 2025

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing September 3, 2026June 6, 2026 0 Comment

On September 3, 2025, Microsoft released version 1.1 of its 6502 Basic as open source. This code formed the basis for Applesoft Basic on the Apple II series as well as Commodore Basic on all of Commodore’s 8-bit computers, including the C-64. It was the same code that Jack Tramiel licensed for a flat $25,000 and then included in more than 15 million computers.

The code could be built into ROM or it could load from tape or disk and execute from RAM. One of the reasons this code proved so influential was because millions of Commodore computers booted straight into it from ROM.

Atari Lynx: The first color handheld game console

Dave Farquhar Retro Gaming September 2, 2026September 2, 2026 4 Comments

What did the original Amiga design team do after the Amiga went to market and Commodore wasted the opportunity? Jay Miner went back to designing medical devices, but three other members of the team designed the first color handheld game console, which, ironically, became the Atari Lynx. The Lynx reached the market September 1, 1989.

Commodore 64 released September 1, 1982

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing September 1, 2026September 2, 2026 5 Comments

On September 1, 1982, the Commodore 64 launched. Its name referred to the amount of memory it had on board: 64 kilobytes. And it was the first computer with 64K of memory to sell for under $600.

Adobe’s August 1994 acquisition of Aldus

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 31, 2026August 22, 2026 0 Comment

On August 31, 1994, software publisher Adobe bought Aldus for $446 million. Both companies were known for graphics products. Aldus’ most popular product was Pagemaker, a page layout program. Adobe’s most popular products were illustrator and Photoshop. The three products were frequently used together, and this merger brought them together under one roof.

Apple prevails over Franklin, August 30, 1983

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 30, 2026August 30, 2026 0 Comment

Prior to August 1983, the concept of copyright applying to computer software wasn’t settled law. Companies had sued one another for copyright violation, but prior to Apple taking Franklin Computer to court for copying the ROMs and the operating system disks for the Apple II and Apple II+ computers, no case had gone to trial. On August 30, 1983, Apple prevailed over Franklin.

A Roku alternative streaming device

Dave Farquhar Video August 29, 2026August 30, 2026 5 Comments

The privacy, or lack thereof, around streaming media has been bothering me lately. I’m sure some people would ask what took me so long. And I’m sure others would say I am overreacting. But it is a problem not very many people have talked about, and even fewer have tried to solve and then talk about. For me, the tipping point was the acquisition of Roku, a company I have long admired, by Fox, a broadcasting company. A media company, Fox or otherwise, tracking what I watch and injecting ads is way too Max Headroom for me, which led me to seek a Roku alternative.

Dell Optiplex 3040 and 3050 micro

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 29, 2026August 29, 2026 0 Comment

The Dell Optiplex 3040 and 3050 Micro are useful machines when you need a small form factor, versatility, and affordability. They aren’t as hip and chic as a Raspberry Pi, but they are more expandable and, these days, they’re likely more affordable too. And if you’ve seen prices on computer gear lately, they are not e-waste.

Anandtech shut down abruptly, August 30, 2024

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 28, 2026August 28, 2026 1 Comment

At the end of August 2024, Anandtech shut down rather suddenly and unexpectedly, ending a run that dated back to April 3, 1997. I thought about writing something at the time, but really needed longer to collect my thoughts.

TEAC founded in 1953, sort of

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 3 Comments

On August 29, 1953, the Tokyo Television Acoustic Company was founded. Later in the decade it merged with the Tokyo Electro-Acoustic Company, and the combined company took the name TEAC. The combined company specialized in designing and manufacturing tape recorders. But retro computer enthusiasts know TEAC for its awesome floppy disk drives.

Digg v4 and lessons not learned

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 26, 2026August 26, 2026 0 Comment

Digg was a high flying news aggregation site from the early web 2.0 era that still exists today, but really in name only. It serves as a cautionary too for why high profile websites tend not to make major changes overnight. A major update, Digg v4, introduced August 25, 2010, caused the site to implode over the course of about 6 weeks during the late summer of 2010. Contemporary tech CEOs would do well to read up on it lest they repeat history.

Digg went from concept to being worth $200 million in about three years and was more popular than Reddit, which is now a $15 billion company. One ill fated change wiped out 90% of its value and its user base in a matter of six weeks.

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