Cambridge, Centre for Computing History, Events, Museums

Computing fun with bugs – in Cambridge!

May 18, 2015 retrocomputingnews

A different kind of computer bug! (Pic: Centre for Computing History)

Youngsters visiting the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge next week will have the chance to experiment with a less common ‘bug in the system’, when the popular establishment in Rene Court, Coldhams Road is offering the chance to build a Crawling Microbug that will definitely impress everyone you know!!

On Wednesday 27 May, from 11am, they’ll be turning their Hauser Studio into an Electronics Lab., complete with soldering stations set-up and their in-house electronics expert ready to help children assemble, solder and test their very own crawling microbug ready to take home with you. What a great souvenir!

Ideal for budding electronics engineers or anyone interested in learning to solder, this is a great project where you get to build a robot bug which loves light and scuttles towards areas where it can find some!

This is a lively and unique workshop aimed at children aged from seven upwards. All under 16’s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Spaces are limited for this hands-on session, so booking is required to ensure your place. You can do this online by following this link:

http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/37660/Electronics-Lab-Build-A-Bug-27-May-2015/#

Payment is taken by PayPal immediately. Please print a copy of the receipt that is displayed at the end of the payment process and bring it with you as your e-ticket.

Please note: Whilst the Centre will make every effort to help ensure your Microbug works, careful assembly and soldering is required and they cannot be held responsible for any non-working Microbugs due to poor assembly.

This workshop session is priced at £22.00 per participant and includes the cost of the kit and entry to the museum!

Check out the Centre’s website here:

http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/

Commodore Meeting set for Vienna this Sunday

May 12, 2015 retrocomputingnews

Picture courtesy Computer Collection Vienna

This year’s Commodore Meeting Vienna is all set to take place in the spectacular city of Vienna (Wien), the world-famous capital of Austria, on Sunday, 17th May 2015.

The event provides an opportunity to meet each other in person , to exchange experiences and news and to work together with great machines or to play.

The event is aimed at users , fans and collectors of Commodore computers, say the organisers, Computer Collection Vienna.

Interested visitors who just want to take a look at cult computers, of course, are also welcome.

This meeting takes place annually , usually in the spring. Participation is free , but registration to attend the event is required.

The event is open between 4pm – 11pm.

The location is :

Wiener Freiheit

Schönbrunner Straße 25

1050 Wien

The Facebook event page is: https://www.facebook.com/events/734937869948377/

AT&T, Films, UNIX, USA

Historic UNIX film released online

May 12, 2015 retrocomputingnews

From 'The UNIX System', 1982 (Courtesy AT&T Archives) — From ‘The UNIX System’, 1982 (Courtesy AT&T Archives)

The AT & T Archives have released an historic film produced at Bell Laboratories in 1982, entitled ‘The UNIX System: Making Computers More Productive’.

This is bound to be of interest to computer historians and fans of UNIX, one of the world’s most important operating systems.

The film, which is introduced by Victor A. Vyssorsky, then Executive Director of Research Communications Principles, is just short of half an hour long, and is viewable on YouTube in the AT&T Tech Channel.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc4ROCJYbm0

New AT&T archive films can be found every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at: http://techchannel.att.com/archives

Arcade Retro, Children, Gaming

Going retro down in Wolvo – again!

May 4, 2015 retrocomputingnews

Thanks to a public-spirited couple who just happen to be arcade games fanatics, youngsters and families in Wolverhampton had the chance to play in the past like there was no tomorrow on Saturday last. Craig and Becky Turner, of Turnarcades and Revival Retro events fame, had managed to materialise a mad medley of sci-fi shoot-em-ups and chop-sockey champions at the Corpus Christi Church Social Club, all in aid of the local under-8’s football team, Ashmore Park Rangers FC.

Classic console meets modern hi-tech with the Super Everdrive for Super Nintendo

And throughout the afternoon the sound of lasers blasting, kung-fu fighting and Simpsons skateboarding mixed with the rest of the community hubbub coming from the bouncy castle, sponge-throwing, penalty shoot-outs and disco dancing – and much more – to add a colourful soundtrack to what otherwise might have been a grey day on Ashmore Park estate!

Youngsters go old-skool gaming under the watchful eye of Craig Turner

RCN Editor, Stuart Williams, took the opportunity to beat a path from Bloxwich across the borders into Wolverhampton to have a long and interesting chat with Craig and Becky, and he was impressed, but not surprised, to see how much fun the youngsters were having with the mix of classic consoles and arcade cabs laid on to aid the footie fundraising.

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