Podcast Episodes

Monte Carlo

Episode 116

It's finally time! In this episode we are looking at the Monte Carlo method, perhaps the first practical computer program that could outpace human capability. The best part: the method relies on a r…

Published on 2 years, 3 months ago

Digital Lifeforms

Episode 115

I will admit, the title here is a bit of click bait. In the early 1950s a researcher named Nils Aall Barricelli started in on a bold project. His goal was to simulate evolution on a computer and, i…

Published on 2 years, 4 months ago

Reading - The Story of Mel

This episode is simply a reading of the Story of Mel. I opened last episode with an excerpt, but didn't feel right leaving it at that. So, I present, the Story of Mel as written by Ed Nather and pres…

Published on 2 years, 4 months ago

The LGP-30: A Forgotten Machine

Episode 114

In 1956 Librascope released the LGP-30, a truly wild machine. It was, for the time, the most simple and cheap machine that could actually be useful. It was the size of a desk when contemporary machi…

Published on 2 years, 4 months ago

Prolog, Part II

Episode 113

I'm wrapping up my dive into Prolog with... Prolog itself! This episode I'm actually covering the development of Prolog, using all the natural language processing lore we covered last time. Along the…

Published on 2 years, 4 months ago

Prolog, Part I

Episode 112

I've been told I need to do an episode about Prolog. Well, here's the start of that process. To talk about Prolog we first need to come to grips with natural language processing, it's tools, and it'…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

To Boldly Transmit

Episode 111

Space is cool, in all meanings of the word. Not only is it wondrous, vast, and fascinating, it can also be a cold place. It's also a very useful place to put things. This episode we are looking at t…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

The Atari 2600

Episode 110

I don't usually cover video games. When I do, you know it's for a weird reason. This episode we are looking at the Atari VCS 2600, it's strange hardware, and how it fits into the larger story of the …

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

What's Up With Microcontrollers?

Episode 109

What really is the deal with microcontrollers? Are they just little computers... or are they something totally different? This episode we are looking at the development of the microcontroller throug…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

The Mundaneum, Part II

Episode 108

This episode we pick back up where we left off. We are looking at the roots of the Mundaneum, the applications of the Universal Decimal Code, and how it call connects to hypertext.

Selected Sources:…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago