Computer Chronicles Revisited
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Computer Chronicles Revisited
@deviledeggpress.com
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"Computer Chronicles Revisited" is a monthly newsletter reviewing the people, products, and companies featured on the PBS series that aired from 1983 to 2002. Published by Deviled Egg Press. Edited by S.M. Oliva.
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One benefit of the going through the old Newsbytes archive, which @savetz.bsky.social has made publicly available, is that you can see there was a time when tech journalists weren't completely in awe of people like Steve Jobs and actually called them out on their self-aggrandizing nonsense.
An October 1988 report from Wendy Woods' Newsbytes on the launch of the NeXT Computer. The full text reads: THE BUM'S RUSH FOR THE UNINVITED/A "WIERD" EVENT SAN FRANCISCO (NB) -- "I felt I was being manipulated, from start to finish," one developer, who asked not to be named, said of the NeXT computer unveiling. The event was tightly orchestrated from the invitations to the visuals and right through the front door of the symphony hall. Invitations were checked so carefully that the event got underway 40 minutes late, and of the 3,000 invited, only 260 were journalists, hand-picked for their friendliness to Steve Jobs' company or their publication's influence. John Dvorak, writing in the San Francisco Examiner, says that NeXT even sent out "dis-invites" or "memos telling people that they could no longer be accommodated." While little of the computer news media was allowed to enter, the guest list included a wide variety of others: Richard Smolan, creator of the "Day in the Life" books, Steve Arnold of LucasFilms computer game division, and a slew of investor capitalists, whose potential for investment in NeXT was generally seen as the reason for the unveiling 6 to 9 months before a product ships. NeXT planners left no room for unflattering or stray shots either verbal or visual. While all local and national television news operations were invited, none could bring in video cameras. Theirs was a hand-out tape, pre-cut and packaged, for reporter voice-overs. And in case applause not greet Jobs at the proper times, the audience appeared to be peppered with NeXT cheerleaders. When Jobs announced the machine would have an optional 330 megabyte hard drive for $2,000, people started clapping; when he announced a 660 megabyte drive for $4,000 was also an option, more hysterical clapping. "It was very weird," commented one spectator to NEWSBYTES, "I felt I was in a commercial and was the only one who hadn't seen the script."
September 16, 2026 at 6:57 PM
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I would seriously buy a folding phone that came with GEM...
A satirical post from my Mastodon account portraying a fictional conversation between Gary Kildall and Atari Corporation chairman Jack Tramiel. Kildall: "Jack, we've heard about Apple's new 'folding' smartphone, which is expected to sell for around $2,000. How will Atari compete in that space?" Tramiel: "Our folding phone will be more powerful, easier to use, and available through mass-market retailers. And you can be damn sure any money we make from our phones won't be used to finance Nazis."
September 16, 2026 at 5:30 PM
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Remember when computer programmers did ads for Scotch instead of peddling society-destroying scams?

Peter Norton remembers.

#retrocomputing
A 1980s ad for Dewar's Scotch whiskey. Computer programmer Peter Norton is seated and holding an IBM PC-style keyboard. On a small table next to him is an open bottle of Dewar's and a half-filled glass. Everything except the Dewar's is in black and white. The ad copy contains a "Dewar's Profile" of Norton with various facts about him, such as that he's the Chairman and CEO of Peter Norton Computing, Inc, and that his preferred Scotch is Dewar's "White Label" with water.
September 16, 2026 at 2:31 AM
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When tech journalists weren't afraid to ask the *tough* questions. 😛
This is a joke post. There's a picture of Paul Schindler facing a picture of another man, Roy Nierenberg, who I am using as a stand-in for this made-up exchange. Paul: "Many people are concerned about the ethics of this type of software. Is there any risk that your program might 'escape containment' and cause the death of humanity within a decade?" Guest: "Actually, Paul, our software helps you plan a fancy dinner party. It runs on a Commodore 64. I suppose if you don't follow the recipes, your guests might get sick from under-cooked pork. Or maybe they won't like our suggested wine pairings. But I think the risk of an existential threat to humanity is pretty low."
September 15, 2026 at 1:18 PM
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When Osborne Computer Corporation filed for bankruptcy in September 1983, there were 1,000 unsold Osborne-1 computers stranded in a Toronto warehouse. For some reason, they were not FCC-approved for sale in the US. I wonder whatever became of them...

(cc: @quarterpast.bsky.social)

#retrocomputing
A section from the Osborne bankruptcy filings: "(The Toronto Finished Goods have been refused by the purchaser, Lanpar Technologies, Inc., who is indebted to Debtor [Osborne] but who has asserted various claims and offsets against Debtor. The amounts Debtor claims are owed it by Lanpar for these goods are included in the valuation of accounts receivable forming a part of the Orderly Liquidation Value. These units of finished goods have not been approved for sale by the Federal Communications Commission for use or sale in the United States. Debtor could realize value from these units if it could recover them and sell them in other overseas markets. In the event the Court approved a settlement of the Lampar dispute which also allows Lanpar to keep or sell said goods and which permits Lanpar to pay less than the full value of the Debtor's receivable, the Adjusted Orderly Liquidation Value will be correspondingly reduced."
September 15, 2026 at 1:27 AM
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George Morrow on people who buy computers:

"About 35 percent of the people who buy computers don't need them. They're potentially unhappy users who'll spread bad news about computers."

#retrocomputers
George Morrow on the set of "Computer Chronicles" holding a copy of Ashton-Tate's "Byline" software package.
September 14, 2026 at 11:23 PM
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During the 1980s #AI hype, former Minnesota Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton bought up a bunch of software startups with the goal of replacing programmers with "automated" software development. Below is a September 1986 report from Wendy Woods. Spoiler: Fran's plan failed and he sold his company at a loss.
A photograph of Fran Tarkenton playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. A September 16, 1986, report by Wendy Woods for her Newsbytes service: TARKENTON GAME PLAN IS TO MAKE PROGRAMMERS OBSOLETE Fran Tarkenton, former quarterback, wants to make computer programmers obsolete, and he's running toward his goal with the tenacity of the Georgia Bulldog he once was. Last week he bought his third computer software firm, KnowledgeWare Inc., of Ann Arbor, MI, and reitterated his goal of automating the production of computer software. Tarkenton, now based in Atlanta, already has GAMMA, which automates the back end of system development, and programs which automate the front end of system design. KnowledgeWare adds artificial intelligence technology that automates the analysis and design steps at the front end of the cycle. New software based on the merged technologies was promised in 60 days.
September 14, 2026 at 6:01 PM
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November 28, 1987: Stewart and Gary blow off that Saturday's episode tapings, spend seven hours playing Spectrum Holobyte's "Falcon" instead.

#retrogaming
Stewart Cheifet and Gary Kildall on the set of "Computer Chronicles." They are playing "Falcon" against each other on PCs in what is almost certainly the first nationally televised LAN party.
September 14, 2026 at 2:15 AM
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In October 1983, Xerox demonstrated a prototype of its first color laser printer on "Computer Chronicles." To show how the printing assembly worked, Xerox's Tibor Fisli sprayed Freon so the laser could be seen on camera.

A 1987 treaty restricted Freon's use due to its impact on the ozone layer.
Stewart Cheifet and Tibor Fisli on the set of "Computer Chronicles." They are standing over a printer assembly from a Xerox Color Laser Printer. Fisli is holding a can of Freon.
September 13, 2026 at 11:30 PM
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Jan Lewis, a regular "Computer Chronicles" contributor, launched a HyperCard-specific magazine called "HyperAge" in 1988. Sadly, it only lasted two issues due to a falling out with her business partner. But at least we get this image of John Sculley!

www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
The cover of the premiere issue of "HyperAge" from 1988. Under a headline "John Sculley Goes Hyper!" is a picture of a thoughtful-looking Sculley looking at a Macintosh II running HyperCard.
September 13, 2026 at 9:57 PM
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Oakland ADA Don Ingraham appeared on a 1985 "Computer Chronicles" to discuss the potential liability of BBS operators if their users posed stolen credit card numbers.

Ingraham was also an accomplished puppeteer who went to high school with Frank Oz.

www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Don Ingraham on the set of "Computer Chronicles."
September 13, 2026 at 3:12 PM
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For you folks who like lost games: In 1986, Lotus magazine editor Daniel Gasteiger appeared on "Computer Chronicles," where he demoed a text adventure game he wrote using only Lotus Symphony macros. Aside from this one screenshot, there's no other evidence I've found of this game's existence.
Screenshot of Daniel Gasteiger's Unititled Lotus Symphony Adventure Game. The text reads as follows: You are traveling in a small passenger plane over mainland China in the year 1926. You have been dozing for the past hour or so when a change in attitude of the aircraft causes you to waken. Looking around, you notice that all the other passengers have vanished, as has the plane’s pilot-presumably, through the open door to your left. You also noticed that the plane is tilted nose-downward and you’re descending at an alarming rate. Taking stock of the situation, you see that something must have exploded in the cockpit as some of the controls are intact. In fact the only things in the entire chain of the plane that don’t look damages are your seat cushion, your briefcase, and a backpack stored under your seat…"
September 13, 2026 at 12:53 AM
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George Morrow on software development:

"Ninety percent of the software gets written in 10 percent of the time. The next 9.5 percent takes 90 percent of the time. The last one-half percent never gets done. But the software still gets sold."
George Morrow, dressed in a bright orange turtleneck and suit jacket, seated while appearing on a 1985 episode of "Computer Chronicles."
September 12, 2026 at 9:55 PM
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I recently acquired this lot of manuals originally sold with a Morrow Micro Decision in April 1984. I know the date because one of the manuals still had a card (with a handwritten note) from the salesperson, along with a punched card for some reason.

#retrocomputing
A card written by Margo Takemiya, a computer sales person, dated April 18, 1984, informing a customer that she is now affiliated with Track Computer Center in Oakland, California. There is also a punched card with an unknown program. A stack of software manuals for the Morrow Micro Decision computer from 1984. This includes the Micro Decision User's Guide as well as manuals for various software programs, including WordStar, CP/M, LogiCalc, Personal Pearl, and Microsoft BASIC 80.
September 12, 2026 at 6:33 PM
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Founded in 1980, Software Publishing Corporation developed a series of low-cost office application programs under the "PFS" brand. I detailed SPC's history in a November 2025 podcast. You can read the full transcript here:

www.computerchronicles.blog/transcript-a...

#retrocomputing
A 1980 Softtalk magazine ad for "PFS:File" by Software Publishing Corporation. The ad's slogan reads, "pfs:software - Who needs it? You do."
September 12, 2026 at 12:44 PM
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If you think getting a hold of RAM is difficult now, back in the 1970s you had to wander the streets at night looking for George Morrow and hoping he hadn't sold out of 8K boards.

#retrocomputing
A 1978 computer magazine ad from Morrow's Micro-Stuff for Thinker Toys of Berkeley, California. The ad features George Morrow wearing a suit and trench-coat. One side of the trench-coast is opened to reveal a selection of personal computer expansion boards. The ad copy describes the Econoram III, an 8-kilobyte RAM board sold for $149. The headline of the ad reads, "The Chips Are Down! 8K Now Just $149 Assembled."
September 11, 2026 at 10:59 PM
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Before there was "we need to invest all our resources in AI because of China," there was "we need to invest all our resources in AI because of Japan."
A 1984 newspaper ad for "Computer Chronicles" airing on KCSM-TV in San Mateo, California. The headline reads, "Japan's 5th Generation and the American Response." The description reads, "Hailed by some as a technological 'Manifest Destiny," the Fifth Generation Computer Project is Japan's bid for technological supremacy in the 1990's."
September 11, 2026 at 1:22 AM
deviledeggpress.com
The Equinox 100 was a microcomputer system released in 1977 by Parasitic Engineering of Albany, CA. Designed by Howard Fullmer and George Morrow, it came with an Intel 8080A CPU running at 2 MHz, a 20-slot S-100 bus, an Octal digit LED, and a 12-key pushbutton keyboard.

#retrocomputing
A 1977 full-page ad for the Equinox 100. The ad features a brown-haired white woman dressed in casual attire with a glass of red wine in her hand. She's sitting next to a desk with the Equinox 100 and associated peripherals. The caption on the ad reads, "The Equinox System: When you put it together, it's really together."
September 10, 2026 at 9:52 PM
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When you asked for a copy of Microsoft BASIC but your parents could only afford the dollar-store knockoff...
The cover of the Beginner's Guide & Operator's Manual for "Micro Mike's BAZIC," published by Morrow Designs.
September 10, 2026 at 7:30 PM
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There was a company back in the 1980s peddling "biofeedback" software they claimed could control a C64 using your mind. Wendy Woods had a bit on this for a 1986 "Computer Chronicles." I covered it here:

www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
Wendy Woods, seated with an impassive expression, wearing a black "biofeedback" headband.
September 10, 2026 at 4:29 PM
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Deborah Brecher, an early computer educator, warned in her 1985 text, "The Women's Computer Literacy Handbook," about the looming risks to personal privacy posed by companies selling "dossiers" or curated information profiles through on-line databases.

www.computerchronicles.blog/computer-chr...
A frightening and little discussed assault on individual privacy is the fact that many organizations, businesses, and magazines sell their mailing lists without permission of their members, subscribers, or patrons. Dossier companies and even the government can buy up these lists to see what names are on them. Think about it–the types of magazines you read reveals more about your political affiliation than your voter registration does. And the stores you shop at say something about your lifestyle… The Orwellian “Big Brother society” is too close for comfort. The problem is that there are no laws that regulate the buying and selling of information.
September 10, 2026 at 2:19 PM
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"Why pay $1,999 for an Apple iPhone Duo when for just $1,795 you can walk home today with an Osborne-1 pre-loaded with a complete suite of office productivity software."
Adam Osborne, a middle-aged mustachioed British man dressed smartly in a three-piece suit, standing next to a shelving unit containing hundreds of Osborne-1 computers.
September 9, 2026 at 8:32 PM
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In 1985, Nat Goldhaber and Ed Zschau appeared in back-to-back episodes of "Computer Chronicles." Zschau was a congressman; Goldhaber ran a company that made a file-sharing system for the Mac. Both men share an odd distinction: They were unsuccessful candidates for the Reform Party VP nomination.
Congressman Ed Zschau seated in his congressional office. Nat Goldhaber on the set of Computer Chronicles seated next to a classic Macintosh computer.
September 9, 2026 at 5:06 PM
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How quickly they forgot G.I. Joe...
A 1989 newspaper headline: "Ross Perot or Donald Trump: Who's a real American hero?"
September 9, 2026 at 2:45 PM
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A footnote from this month's newsletter. Robert Flast was an American Express VP who pushed the company to install an expensive "expert system" to speed up credit transaction reviews. AI professor Ed Feigenbaum claimed the system would save AMEX $27M/yr.

As for Mr. Flast, well, read the footnote:
"Robert Flast left American Express in May 1988, about 17 months before this episode aired. He established a consulting business with his wife, Loren, to offer training courses in LOTUS AGENDA , a personal information management program. After Loren Flast became pregnant with the couple’s third child, however, Robert decided to return to the corporate world so he could earn a steady paycheck and employer-sponsored health insurance. J.D. Solomon, 'Pregnancy changed a fledgling company,' BRIDGEWATER COURIER-NEWS, Feb. 26, 1990, p. 10."
September 9, 2026 at 2:19 AM