Our Friend the Computer

Our Friend the Computer

A podcast exploring alternative computing histories and their relationship to society. Hosted by Camila Galaz and Ana Meisel. read less

BBC Literacy Project (Edu-Computers)
May 13 2023
BBC Literacy Project (Edu-Computers)
Camila is super excited about a children’s toy computer and then the girls chat about the BBC Computer Literacy Project from the 70s/80s. They discuss the TV programing which brought the need for it to the eyes of parliamentarians, how it built on previous literacy projects which combined TV shows with adult education curriculums, the creation of the BBC Micro computer and BBC Basic, and the state of computers in the mind of the public at the time. Are we in need of a new Computer Literacy Project for the modern age??Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)OFtC is a sister project of the Media Archaeology Lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  America Girl tiny computer: https://www.americangirl.com/products/isabel-and-nickis-computer-and-desk-set-for-18-inch-dolls-hnr85 Research:- Full BBC Computer Literacy Project archive: https://clp.bbcrewind.co.uk/- Arthur, Charles. “How the BBC Micro started a computing revolution.” The Guardian, Jan 10, 2012.- Blyth, Tilly. “Computing for the Masses? Constructing a British Culture of Computing in the Home”. AICT-387, Springer, pp.231-242, 2012, IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology- Blyth, Tilly. “The Legacy of the BBC Micro effecting change in the UK’s cultures of computing.” Nesta, May 2012. https://media.nesta.org.uk/documents/the_legacy_of_bbc_micro.pdf- “David Bowie predicted in 1999 the impact of the Internet in BBC interview.” Youtube, uploaded by loquenotecuentan, Jan 12, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaHcOs7mhfU- Raspberry Pi Forums, The BBC Computer Literacy Project 2012, https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewtopic.php?t=3102 - “The BBC Computer Literacy Project | The BBC at 100.” Youtube, uploaded by tnmoc, Dec 16, 2022.
One Laptop Per Child (Edu-Computers)
Mar 10 2023
One Laptop Per Child (Edu-Computers)
Ana introduces the One Laptop Per Child scheme which auspiciously deployed millions of laptops to children in the Global South between 2005 - 2014. The girls discuss the impacts of the campaign, whether the charismatic idea of “fixing the world” via access to digital literacy actually translated to reality, the issues with constructivism, while analysing Morgan G. Ames’ study in Paraguay from her book “The Charisma Machine: The Life, Death, and Legacy of One Laptop per Child”. They kick things of with chatting about Camila’s online residency and Ana’s street demonstration.Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Ana who also audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)OFtC is a sister project of the Media Archaeology Lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  References:- Ames, Morgan G., “The Charisma Machine: The Life, Death, and Legacy of One Laptop per Child”, 2019, The MIT Press- “The Charisma Machine: The Life, Death, and Legacy of One Laptop per Child, By Dr. Morgan G. Ames”, UNC African Studies Center, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCeaQUPaze4- Robertson, Adi, "OLPC's $100 laptop was going to change the world — then it all went wrong", 2018, The Verge, https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/16/17233946/olpcs-100-laptop-education-where-is-it-now- “Nicholas Negroponte Interview - One Laptop per Child (OLPC)”, 2007, OLPCFoundation, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o97UD78s6iM- Cortés, Mariana Ludmila, “OLPC Announces Partnership with Zamora Teran Foundation”, Laptop.org, 2015, http://blog.laptop.org/2015/09/03/olpc-announces-partnership-with-zamora-teran-foundation/#.ZAjnmezP3n4
Australia's Microbee Computer (Edu-Computers)
Feb 7 2023
Australia's Microbee Computer (Edu-Computers)
After the girls discuss recent tech-art exhibitions they've seen in New York and London, Camila introduces Ana to some stories about the history of computer eduction in Australian schools. This months episode is a two-for-one! Firstly, we learn about a government plan to develop an especially Australian computer for use in schools with options for networking and for portable 'laptop-style' use. Then we hear about the rise and fall of the 'Microbee' computer—Australia's first home-grown personal computer. This computer, which was designed and manufactured in Australia, controlled a large portion of the primary school computer market not just in Australia but also Scandinavia and Russia, winning contracts over Apple!Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)OFtC is a sister project of the Media Archaeology Lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  References:- Jones, Gemma. “BYTE CLUB - First computer museum for Gosford.” The Daily Telegraph, Jul 30, 2003- Laing, Gordon. “Microbee.” Personal Computer World, October 2005. - Laing, Gordon. “Secret of Project Granny Smith.” The Sydney Morning Herald, July 12, 2005.- “MicroBee - A conversation with Owen Hill.” Youtube, uploaded by State of Electronics, Feb 9, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYNRcn9gg5A- “Microbee - The Australian Educational Computer of the 80s.” Youtube, uploaded by The Centre for Computing History, Oct 26, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mp52Gb3aDs- Tatnall, Arthur and Leonard, Ralph. “Purpose-Built Educational Computers in the 1980s: The Australian Experience.” IFIP WG 9.7 International Conference on History of Computing (HC) / Held as Part of World Computer Congress (WCC), Sep 2010, Brisbane, Australia. pp.101-111- Tatnall, Arthur. “The Australian Educational Computer That Never Was.” IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, Volume 35, Number 1, January–March 2013, pp. 35-47- Tatnall, Arthur. “The Beginnings of Government Support for Computers in Schools – The State Computer Education Centre of Victoria in the 1980s.” 12th IFIP International Conference on Human Choice and Computers (HCC), Sep 2016, Salford, United Kingdom. pp.291-302
TamilNet
Jan 10 2023
TamilNet
Virtual Tamil Eelam doesn’t connect itself to a physical label. Instead, it petitions to be recognised as a nation-state by publishing its heritage and cultural histories, diverse news, forums, distinct map designs and symbols, and suggestions for communal activities on websites that date back to the 90s. Ana describes how the Tamils have found creative uses of the web’s varying information dispersal techniques, and the girls chat about how that addresses their national sentiments as autonomous, legitimate and independent.Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Ana who also audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)OFtC is a sister project of the Media Archaeology Lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  References:- Skawennati, Mikhel Proulx, Dragan Espenschied, “Rhizome Presents: CyberPowWow and Panel Discussion”, December 10 2022, Rhizome, New Museum, New York- Christopher Kulendran Thomas, “Another World”, ICA, London, October 2022 - January 2023- Christopher Kulendran Thomas, “New Eelam: Bristol”, in collaboration with Annika Kuhlmann. Installation view at Spike Island, Bristol, 2019- “Christopher Kulendran Thomas Talk (audio) at the 2017 Verbier Art Summit“, Verbier Art Summit, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIrHCy_2MXc, Published Jan 26 2021- “Australia puts Tamil Tigers on terrorist list”, Irish Times, https://www.irishtimes.com/news/australia-puts-tamil-tigers-on-terrorist-list-1.408157, Published Dec 21 2001- “3/ Serendipity”, @BaytAlFann, https://twitter.com/BaytAlFann/status/1604405373011886081, Published Dec 18 2022- “Spatial conceptions of URLs: Tamil Eelam networks on the World Wide Web”, Jillana Enteen, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1461444806061944, New Media & Society Journal, 2006- TamilNet (www.tamilnet.com)- EelamWeb (www.eelamweb.com)- Ilankai Tamil Eelam Sangam (www.sangam.org)- “Tamilnet blocked in Sri Lanka”, https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/news/story/2007/06/070620_tamilnet, BBCSinhala, 2007- Bruno Latour, “We Have Never Been Modern”, 1993, Harvard University Press- Banadict Anderson, “Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism”, 1991, London, Verso
The Coleco Adam
Dec 13 2022
The Coleco Adam
Camila and Ana discover the infamous story of the 1983 failed Coleco Adam home computer and uncover the 1985 home computer crash, Ana learns the difference between Cabbage Patch Kids and Sour Patch Kids, and we all lose a $500 college scholarship voucher.Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)OFtC is a sister project of the Media Archaeology Lab at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  References: - “Adam Coleco Vision Family Computer System (Boxed)” Nightfall Crew June 22 2015. https://www.nightfallcrew.com/22/06/2015/adam-coleco-vision-family-computer-system-boxed/- Anderson, John J. “Coleco.” Creative Computing vol 10 no 3, March 1984 https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n3/65_Coleco.php- Atwood, Jeff. “The Cult of Coleco Adam.” Coding Horror Blog, March 6 2006. https://blog.codinghorror.com/the-cult-of-coleco-adam/- Bishop, Liz. “Cabbage Patch Dolls, ColecoVision: The rise & fall of a toy company with local ties” CBS 6 Rewind, September 28 2022. https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/cabbage-patch-dolls-colecovision-the-rise-fall-of-a-toy-company-with-local-connections-cbs6-rewind-jobs-unemployment-electronics-video-games-amsterdam- “Coleco ADAM Adventures.” Youtube, uploaded by Vintage Geek, November 12 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msI9HrQ1izY- “Coleco ADAM, the Computer That Could Have Been - First Look.” Youtube, uploaded by Newsmakers Tech December 3 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQHUSjsRvMs- King, Andrew. “Joystick: The Untold Story of Ottawa’s Coke-Fueled 1980’s Video Game Industry” Ottawa Rewind, December 2018. https://ottawarewind.com/2018/12/02/joystick-the-untold-story-of-ottawas-coke-fueled-1980s-video-game-industry- Noble, David. “The home computer is dead, we said in 1985. Oops.” Australian Financial Review Classic, March 21 1985, reposted January 18 2022. https://www.afr.com/technology/how-the-afr-called-the-death-of-the-home-computer-in-1985-we-were-wrong-20220117-p59oyn- Potts, Mark. “Coleco Pulls Plug On Adam.” The Washinton Post, January 3 1985. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1985/01/03/coleco-pulls-plug-on-adam/e6ecdba7-a479-4b5d-a67e-e92e12341ece/- Sanger, David E. “Coleco Gives up on the Adam.” The New York Times, January 3 1985. https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/03/business/coleco-gives-up-on-the-adam.html- Schrage, Michael. “Computer Industry Slump is Broad, Deep.” The Washington Post, June 30 1985. https://www.washingtonpost.co
Unitron and the Brazilian Macintosh clone
Nov 15 2022
Unitron and the Brazilian Macintosh clone
Ana and Camila discuss the world’s first macintosh clone, the Mac 512 by Unitron, and how Apple threatened to start a trade war on Brasil due to their clone. Although Unitron was not doing anything wrong with the Brazilian law, Apple tried to get themselves out of financial worries and seized control of how their new hardware and software package (the first Mac) was being sold around the world. This led them to force Brasil to stop producing their Macs, and tighten up restrictions on licensing. The girls dig deeper into how such political rivalry was triggered by the problems of the US’s economic movement of financialization and the tech industry’s laissez-faire attitude of the 80s.Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Ana who also audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)References:Time, "The New Rules of Play", 1968 - https://web.archive.org/web/20071114005733/https://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,899963,00.htmlMac84, “The Rise and Fall of the Macintosh Clones - Part 1: The Original Apple Hackintosh”, 2021 - youtube.com/watch?v=lwMzYFEGoag, https://mac84.net/web/macintosh-clones/Adam Rosen, The Cult of Mac, ”Meet Unitron Mac 512: World’s First Macintosh Clone”, 2014 - https://www.cultofmac.com/266710/meet-unitron-mac-512-worlds-first-macintosh-clone/BrasilWire, “The 1980s Trade War between Brasil… and Apple”, 2015 - https://www.brasilwire.com/the-1980s-trade-war-between-brasil-and-apple/Mark Fisher, “Ghosts of My Life: Writings on Depression, Hauntology and Lost Futures”, 2014Jecel Mattos de Assumpcao Jr, “Mac 512” - http://archive.retro.co.za/mirrors/apple/www.lsi.usp.br/~jecel/mac512.html
The BBC Domesday Project
Oct 18 2022
The BBC Domesday Project
Back after a summer break, Camila and Ana delve into a project they discovered at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge when Camila was visiting Ana in London. Called the BBC Domesday Project, this was a mid-80s attempt at an interactive survey of the entire country with data collected largely by school children. With the data contained on two Laserdisks and only accessible via specialised hardware, the system quickly suffered from a serious case of Digital Obsolescence. While a 2000s project called Domesday Revisited worked to save the data and create an emulation of the software, the book it was based on (the 1086 Domesday Book) has continued to be accessible as a printed book for 900 years.Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)References— “BBC: Domesday Project - 1985 1986.” Youtube, uploaded by Daniel Garcia August 14, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn0oFJU5pxM  — “The BBC Domesday Project - Panel Discussion.” Youtube, uploaded by The Centre for Computing History March 23, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZA8LRgv1iw — “Digital Domesday book unlocked” BBC News, December 2, 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2534391.stm — “Domesday Project” The Centre for Computing History. http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/domesday/ — Evans, Claire L. ‘Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet’. Penguin Putnam Inc, 2018. — Mackenzie, Iain. “Domesday Project reborn online after 25 years” BBC News, May 12 2011. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-13367398 — “Newsround - BBC Domesday Project Feature - November 1986.” Youtube, uploaded by The Centre for Computing History July 30, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMh1FqvleH8
NABU (Pre-Internet Networks)
Jun 7 2022
NABU (Pre-Internet Networks)
Back from London, Camila tells Ana about Canada's NABU network which  operated via cable television services. It also could be considered one of the first examples of a 'streaming' subscription model for entertainment! The girls discuss the progression of streaming services, video game development, and their love of computer history museums.  Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputerMain research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana audio edited.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)References:- Barr, Greg. “Nabu Network dream fades” The Citizen, Ottawa, July 29 1986- Duhcharme, Jim. “The NABU Network: The Internet before the Internet.” PC World, December 4, 2005- Lungu, Dov, and Stachniak, Zbigniew. “Following TRACE: The Computer Hobby Movement in Canada.” Scientia Canadensis, vol.34 no. 1, 2011- Sutcliffe, Mark. “NABU Network an idea well ahead of its time.” The Ottawa Citizen, April 25, 2009- https://techpolicyinstitute.org/publications/miscellaneous/the-nabu-network-a-great-lesson-but-not-about-openness/- http://www.cse.yorku.ca/museum/collections/NABU/nabu.htm- https://todayinottawashistory.wordpress.com/2015/11/07/the-nabu-network/- https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/nabu- https://www.ewh.ieee.org/reg/7/millennium/telidon/telidon_nabu.html- https://ottawarewind.com/2018/12/02/joystick-the-untold-story-of-ottawas-coke-fueled-1980s-video-game-industry/- https://doughenningproject.com/2021/08/12/nabu-computer-network-doug-article-advertisement/
CAPTAIN (Pre-Internet Networks)
Apr 26 2022
CAPTAIN (Pre-Internet Networks)
Camila shares her research on the Japanese videotex system CAPTAIN. The girls discuss competing videotex protocols, how to informatize a country, biased reporting, and if a network can be successful in its aims even if the actual system failed.Camila’s film ‘Vecino Vecino’ is premiering 6pm Thursday May 5th at Prismatic Ground experimental documentary festival in New York. Tickets and info here: https://www.screenslate.com/events/prismatic-ground-2022 Follow us on Twitter @OurFriendCompAnd Instagram @ourfriendthecomputer Main research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana audio edited. Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)References:- Arai, Yoshio. “History of the development of telecommunications infrastructure in Japan.” Netcom 33 (2019)- Baijal, Pradip. “From Nationalisation to Privatisation: UK and Japan.” Economic and Political Weekly 35, no. 13 (March 2000): 1101-1106- “Evolutionary Network Development of Japan's Computer Networking.” Japan - Germany Information Technology Forum, Oita Japan. Nov 8, 1994 - Gabriel, Michael R. “Videotex and Teletex: Waiting for the 21st Century?” Educational Technology 28, no. 3 (March 1988): 27-31- Lehmann, Yves. “Videotex: A Japanese Lesson.” Telecommunications 28, iss. 7 (July 1994): 53-54- Morris-Suzuki, Tessa. “Beyond Computopia: Information, Automation and Democracy in Japan.” Kagan Paul International Limited, London. 1988- Ohlin, Tomas. “The Baby Networks: Nordic Positions Before the Internet.” 3rd History of Nordic Computing (Oct 2010): 278-286- Pollack, Andrew. “Technology: The Japanese Challenge; Japan’s Drive to Automate.” The New York Times, August 10, 1984. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/08/10/business/technology-the-japanese-challenge-japan-s-drive-to-automate.html - West, Joel, and Dedrick, Jason, and Kraemer,  Kenneth L. “Reconciling Vision and Reality in Japan's NII Policy.” Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations, University of California, Irvine (1996)
Pink Minitel (Bonus!)
Mar 15 2022
Pink Minitel (Bonus!)
Camila and Ana delve deeper into the online world of Minitel this week with an exploration of the many sides of the “pink minitel” services provided on the network. Beginning with a discussion of Olivier Cheval’s 2019 short film “Rose Minitel” (and some Agnes Varda film chat), they then talk sexy chat rooms, digital labor, online dating, LGBTQ+ digital communities, and if love is actually real. Ooh la la!“I’ve found a new job. I work from home. I hit on men on Minitel... One franc per minute. After half an hour, I get a bonus. I get one bonus after the other. And I think of you.” - Rose Minitel, Olivier Cheval.We're on Instagram!And Twitter!Main research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana with the audio editing.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)References:- Chaplin, Tamara. “Lesbians Online: Queer Identity and Community Formation on the French Minitel.” Journal of the History of Sexuality 23, no. 3 (September 2014): 451-472.- Chrisafis, Angelique. “France says farewell to the Minitel - the little box that connected a country.” The Guardian, June 28, 2012- Goldman, Alex [host]. “The French Connection.” Reply All, no. 10. January 17, 2015.- Nagy, Jeff. “Pink Chat: Networked Sex Work before the Internet.” Technology and Culture 62, no. 1 (January 2021): 57-81.- Tempest, Rone. “Minitel: Miracle or Monster?” Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1989.- “Rose Minitel.” Olivier Cheval. 2019. 26min.- “Minitel Computer, Online Dating.” Youtube, uploaded June 1, 2014.- "La carte de presse pour les employés du Minitel rose?", Archive INA, Youtube, uploaded May 23, 2014.
Minitel (Pre-Internet Networks)
Mar 1 2022
Minitel (Pre-Internet Networks)
After some hobby chat, Camila tells Ana about the French videotex network ‘Minitel’. Launched in the early 80s, it was the most successful version of an online service before the World Wide Web. While other similar networks struggled, this episode looks at how the specifics of Minitel allowed it to become integrated into everyday life and what happened when France began adopting the Internet.We're on Instagram!And Twitter!Main research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana with the audio editing.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)References:- Amougou, Jules, and James S. Larson. “Comparing Implementation of Internet Diffusion in the United States and France: Policies, Beliefs, and Institutions.” Policy Research 25, no. 6 (2008): 563-578.- Arceneaux, Noah. Review of Minitel: Welcome to the Internet, by Julien Mailland and Kevin Driscoll. Journalism History 44, no. 1 (Spring 2018).- Benghozi, Pierre-Jean, and Christian Licoppe. “Technological National Learning: From Minitel to Internet.” In The Global Internet Economy, edited by Bruce Kogut, 153-189. MIT Press, 2003.- Cats-Baril, William L., and Tawfik Jelassi. “The French Videotex System Minitel: A Successful Implementation of a National Information Technology Infrastructure.” MIS Quarterly 18, no.1 (March 1994): 1-20.- Chrisafis, Angelique. “France says farewell to the Minitel – the little box that connected a country.” The Guardian, June 29, 2012. - Kessler, Jack. “Electronic Networks: A View from Europe.” Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science (April/May 1994): 26-27.- Mailland, Julien. “Minitel, the Open Network Before the Internet.” The Atlantic, June 16, 2017.- Mailland, Julien, and Kevin Driscoll. “Minitel: The Online World France Built Before the Web.”  IEEE Spectrum, June 20, 2017. https://spectrum.ieee.org/minitel-the-online-world-france-built-before-the-web- Schofield, Hugh. “Minitel: The rise and fall of the France-wide web.” BBC News, June 28, 2012.
Project Cybersyn (Pre-Internet Networks)
Feb 1 2022
Project Cybersyn (Pre-Internet Networks)
Camila and Ana explore Project Cybersyn – an early 70s socialist cybernetics project connecting factories in Allende's Chile. This is the first episode of our first season which will be focusing on pre-internet networks!We're on Instagram!And Twitter!Main research for the episode was done by Camila. Ana with the audio editing.Music by Nelson Guay (SoundCloud: fluxlinkages)Camila's project 'REDES: bread and justice, peaches and bananas' can be found  at https://externalpages.org/#camila-galaz References:- Beckett, Andy. 'Santiago Dreaming'. The Guardian 8 September 2003- Eaton, George. 'Project Cybersyn: the afterlife of Chile’s socialist internet'. New Statesman August 2018- Evgeny, Morozov. 'The Planning Machine'. The New Yorker Vol. 90, Iss. 31 (October 2014)- Fablab Santiago ed. ‘The Counterculture Room’. Pavilion of Chile at the London Design Biennale 2016- Loeber, Katherina. 'Big Data, Algorithmic Regulation, and the History of the Cybersyn Project in Chile, 1971-1973'. Social Sciences 7, no.4:65 (April 2018)- Medina, Eden. 'Computer Memory, Collective Memory: Recovering History through Chilean Computing'. IEEE Annals of the History of Computing October-December 2005- Medina, Eden. 'Cybernetic Revolutionaries: Technology and Politics in Allende’s Chile'. MIT Press, 2011- Medina, Eden. 'Designing Freedom, Regulating a Nation: Socialist Cybernetics in Allende’s Chile '. Journal of Latin American Studies Vol. 38 Iss. 3 (August 2006)