Stray Pointers

Juan Vazquez and Cameron Cunning rejoin the show to discuss how we fared with the 2025 Advent of Code competition. Website for the Advent of Code competition: https://adventofcode.com/   Cameron's GitHub Repo: https://github.com/ccunning2/AoC2025/tree/main/aoc-2025   Juan's Github Repo: https://github.com/javazquez/advent-of-code/tree/main/2025/aoc_2025_elixir   Jim's AoC2025 GitHub Repo: https://...

Tom Zimmer has implemented a variety of Forth compiler systems ranging from 8-bit commercial Forths to more modern implementations.  Tom discusses his background with electronics, computing, and Forth. Tom's websites: https://photobubba.com/   https://tomzimmer.wordpress.com/   The Win32Forth Project Page https://win32forth.sourceforge.net/   The Forth Interest Group (FIG) historical page on Forth...

Cameron Cunning and Juan Vazquez rejoin the show to discuss our approaches to the forthcoming Advent of Code 2025 coding competition in December. #rust #elixirlang #dlang #Aoc2025 #AdventOfCode #programming Website for the Advent of Code competition: https://adventofcode.com/   Cameron's GitHub Repo: https://github.com/ccunning2/   Jim's AoC2025 GitHub Repo: https://github.com/jimlawless/aoc2025/...

Angela Sylvaine returns for her fourth appearance on the show.  She and Jim recap the story of her first three novels and her future works including her forthcoming book Cold Snap. Please visit Angela's linktr.ee page for her book order and social media links: https://linktr.ee/angelasylvaine  

Telecommunications and BBS pioneer Nick Andrew talks about the TRS-80 Model I workalike known as the System-80.  With many hardware modifications, Nick wrote and operated his own BBS on the System-80 in the 1980's.  As time went on, Nick continued as a telecom pioneer. #z80 #trs80 #fidonet #bbsing https://github.com/nickandrew   https://www.nick-andrew.net/System80/Gallery/512x384/   http://projec...

Leor Zolman, creator of the BDS (Brain Damage Software) C compiler for CP/M ... the first commercial C compiler for microcomputers ... joins the show.  We discuss his compiler, tech writing, the genesis of The C Users Journal, his book Illustrated C, his path to teaching, and his journey in dealing with autism and trauma. Leor's presentation at VCF East (2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4vrB...

June 25, 2025 ( recorded on February 13th, 2024)   This episode is a reissue of an earlier audio-only episode with added video. Christine Seeman joins the show to discuss a variety of programming languages including Java, Ruby, and Go. We also discuss her live international speaking events. Website https://christine-seeman.com/   Mastodon: @christine@ruby.social  NDC London 2020 - 2FA Talk https:/...

May 16, 2025 Mike Taylor, author of the VIC-20 text adventures Magic Mirror and Nosferatu as well as the Commodore 64 game The Causes of Chaos joins the show.  We talk about those early adventure games, his evolution as a software developer, Perl, paleontology, and his book about the 11th incarnation of Doctor Who. Mike's contact information on Mastodon: @mike@sauropods.win https://sauropods.win/@...

Rob Sherman joins the show to discuss his early years of BBSing in the 1980's and his current telnet bulletin-board systems running on Atari 8-bit gear. Rob's telnet BBS's are as follows: Southernamis.ddns.net:23  This BBS runs in the AWS cloud 24/7 on Atari 130XE, 850 interfaces at a lightning speed of 9600 baud.  Amis86.ddns.net:9000  This BBS is a complete rebuild of MACE 1986 AMIS BBS. Enhance...

Gunnar Gustafson rejoins the show to discuss audio synthesis in musical gear.  He discusses family ties to some very early audio gear and he draws parallels to the evolution of musical synthesizers and the evolution of software development.

This is a video-added re-release of my interview with Rob Swindell. Rob is the author and sysop of the MS-DOS and telnet versions of the Synchronet BBS.  He joined the show to discuss the genesis of the BBS, running his own BBS company, and the journey to an open source Internet version of Synchronet. Rob's main site with links to source code repo's and his YouTube channel: http://synchro.net   Th...

This is a re-release (with video!) of my interview with software engineer, writer, and publishing entrepreneur Jeff Duntemann. Jeff was the first editor of Borland's In-House Magazine "Turbo Technix" which was supplied to purchasers of early editions of Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, and similar Borland products. He was the Structured Programming columnist for Dr. Dobbs Journal for a number of years. Jeff...

Bruce Hoyt and his son Ben Hoyt discuss 70's-era home computing including the MOS KIM-1, The Ohio Scientific Superboard II, and the Ferguson Big Board CP/M machine, BASIC, assembly language, and Forth.  Bruce's Pentominos solution has been used to test and benchmark Forth systems.   The GForth version is available at the link below: https://www.complang.tuwien.ac.at/forth/pentomino.fs   Podcast Em...

Writer/illustrator Rick Lundeen rejoins the show to discuss his comic book series "The Bombardier" and his graphic novel adaptation of the classic Doctor Who story "The Daleks' Master Plan" Rick's Ko-Fi page is here: https://ko-fi.com/ricklundeen/gallery   The Bombardier four-issue series can be ordered here: https://www.indyplanet.com/the-bombardier-1  

With video! Software engineers Juan Vazquez and Cameron Cunning rejoin the show to discuss the 2024 Advent of Code, an annual programming competition. Website for the Advent of Code competition: https://adventofcode.com/    Cameron's Github Repo for AoC 2024: https://github.com/ccunning2/AoC2024    Jim's Github Repo for AoC 2024: https://github.com/jimlawless/aoc2024   

Brad Arnold, Randy Kindig, and Kay Savetz join the show to discuss their long-running podcast "ANTIC - The Atari 8-bit Podcast" ANTIC web site:  https://AtariPodcast.com   Kay's BlueSky:  https://bsky.app/profile/savetz.bsky.social   Kay's web site:  https://www.savetz.com/   Randy's Podcast (Floppy Days - Vintage Computing ) https://floppydays.libsyn.com/   Randy's Twitter: @floppydays Randy's Ma...

Retrocomputing enthusiast Niels Haedecke joins the show.  We talk about his telnet/SSH access Wintermute BBS, FidoNet, the RC2014 Z-80 CP/M computer and the telnet BBS he's running on it, the Forth programming language, and the My4th Computer. Niels' GitLab Repo: https://gitlab.com/users/ufud-org/projects   Niels' drivers for My4th are published here: http://mynor.org/my4th_software.htm#uart   The...

Jay Hannah joins the show to discuss his long-time use of the Perl programming language.  We also discuss Jay's prominence in several Omaha-based programming groups including the Omaha chapter of the Perl Mongers. Jay's GitHub repo is here: https://github.com/jhannah    

Software engineers Juan Vazquez and Cameron Cunning join the show to discuss the Advent of Code, an annual programming competition that takes place every December through the 25th of the month. Website for the Advent of Code competition: https://adventofcode.com/   Cameron's Github Repo for AoC 2024: https://github.com/ccunning2/AoC2024   Jim's Github Repo for AoC 2024: https://github.com/jimlawle...

Daryn Richardon rejoins the show to discuss the 1910 axe murders in Villisca, Iowa and how the event tied to similar events in the same era.  We discuss the book  The Man from the Train: Discovering America's Most Elusive Serial Killer. https://www.amazon.com/Man-Train-Discovering-Americas-Elusive/dp/1476796262  

Horror novelist Angela Sylvaine rejoins the show to discuss her new novel "Chopping Spree."  Angela and Jim exchange local horror-themed urban legend stories. Please visit Angela's linktr.ee page for her book order and social media links: https://linktr.ee/angelasylvaine      

Software engineer and Commodore computing enthusiast Bo Zimmerman joins the show to talk about his history with Commodore gear, BBSing, his other computing projects, and his website. Bo's website: https://zimmers.net  

Angela Sylvaine makes a return appearance on the show.  We discuss her first novel, Frost Bite, as well as her newest book The Dead Spot : Stories of Lost Girls.    Please visit Angela's linktr.ee page to order / pre-order her books: https://linktr.ee/angelasylvaine  

Traci Gorman and Alicia Retzlaff join the show to discuss their own podcast ... The TechnoGals ! The TechnoGals linktr.ee site: https://linktr.ee/technogals   The TechnoGals Spotify Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/technogals   The TechnoGals on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/technogals/   The TechnoGals YouTube Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@TechnoGals       

Long-time computing innovator Jim Brain joins the show to discuss his journey through electronics, Commodore computers, TRS-80 Color Computers, and the evolution of his company Retro Innovations. The Retro Innovations Website https://www.go4retro.com/ The Retro Innovations Store https://store.go4retro.com The Retro Innovations Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/go4retro