Retro Computing Archives

Amiga CD32: Commodore’s last stand

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing, Retro Gaming September 17, 2025September 16, 2025

On September 17, 1993, just seven and a half months before it went bankrupt, Commodore trotted out one last new product: the Amiga CD32. It was a 32-bit game console based on the Amiga 1200. Was this yet another case of Commodore ineptitude, or did Commodore actually have a good idea this time that failed for other reasons?

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

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The 6502 CPU’s odd debut

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing September 16, 2025September 16, 2025

On September 16, 1975, the 6502 CPU made its debut. It was a simple, inexpensive processor designed and priced for everyone. The 6502 cost $25 when Intel’s closest equivalent cost $370. Unsurprisingly, its low price made it an immediate success and it ended up powering numerous computers and game consoles from the 1970s and 1980s.

Dave Farquhar

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The FBI’s raid on an MP3 pirate

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing September 12, 2025August 11, 2025

On September 12, 2007, the music pirate group Rabid Neurosis, or RNS, started unraveling with an FBI raid on 35-year-old Bennie Lydell “Dell” Glover, of Shelby, North Carolina. They weren’t the first MP3 pirate group, but they were one of the most prolific. Nearly two years later, on September 9, 2009, four members were indicted with conspiracy to commit copyright infringement.

Dave Farquhar

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When the RIAA sued a 12-year-old for MP3 piracy

Dave Farquhar Copyright, Music, Retro Computing September 8, 2025September 8, 2025

It was 22 years ago this week, on Semptember 8, 2003, that the Recording Industry Association of America started suing individuals for pirating MP3 files. One of the people caught up in a lawsuit was a 12-year-old honors student who lived in public housing.

Dave Farquhar

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The ill-fated HP-Compaq merger

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing September 5, 2025September 5, 2025

On September 6, 2001, HP announced its intention to acquire Compaq for $25 billion. It was a stunning end for what still seemed to be one of the rising stars of the PC industry. I also think it proved that bigger isn’t always better. The HP-Compaq merger arguably made sense at the time, but both companies had alternatives that would have suited them better. On May 23, 2012, HP announced the end of the Compaq brand, a stunning end for what had been the largest technology merger in history.

Dave Farquhar

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Google incorporated September 4, 1998

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing September 4, 2025September 4, 2025

On September 4th, 1998, Google incorporated in California. Even if you are not a fan, and make no mistake, I am not, you have to admit Google left its mark on the Internet. It fundamentally changed the Internet in numerous ways, some of them bad, but some of them very good.

Google’s highly anticipated 2004 IPO valued the company at over $23 billion and it marked the beginning of the recovery from the dotcom bust.

Dave Farquhar

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Wayne Green, computer journalism pioneer

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing September 3, 2025September 3, 2025

Computer journalism pioneer Wayne Green was born 103 years ago on this day, September 3, 1922. Green founded several different magazines, computer and otherwise, some of which ended up competing with each other.

Dave Farquhar

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Anandtech shut down abruptly, August 30, 2024

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 29, 2025June 29, 2025

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. Now that a year has passed, I think it’s time.

Dave Farquhar

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TEAC founded in 1953, sort of

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 28, 2025August 28, 2025

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.

Dave Farquhar

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Digg v4 and lessons not learned

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 27, 2025August 27, 2025

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.

Dave Farquhar

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