26
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 6:
Line 6: + + Line 306:
Line 308: − + Line 379:
Line 381: − + − Deck had dropped off. They stopped publishing Edu when I left the + Line 476:
Line 478: − + Line 1,496:
Line 1,498: − + Line 1,931:
Line 1,933: − + − some coffee in the Colosseum and I said, "Isaac, can you write me+ − an article?" "I got a good story from the iRobot series that hasn't+ − been widely used or published and you can use that." So I got an + − early contribution from Isaac [inaudible 00:27:27] and Alvin + + Line 2,151:
Line 2,154: − + Line 2,434:
Line 2,437: − + Line 2,471:
Line 2,474: − + Line 2,558:
Line 2,561: − + − + + Line 2,618:
Line 2,622: − + − + Line 2,841:
Line 2,845: − + Line 3,418:
Line 3,422: − Creator Computing because he was coming off of AT&T where he had to +
no edit summary
Interviewer: Kevin Savetz
Interviewer: Kevin Savetz
Date: 3/4 April 2013
Kevin: I'm interested in how you guys got together. Was it some sort of
Kevin: I'm interested in how you guys got together. Was it some sort of
David: I had left Digital Equipment in 1974, and I'm sure you read the
David: I had left Digital Equipment in 1974, and I'm sure you read the
whole rationale behind that, and joined AT&T in marketing,
whole rationale behind that, and joined AT&T in marketing,
educational marketing. Same thing I was doing at Deck but obviously
educational marketing. Same thing I was doing at DEC but obviously
marketing different products to a different mix of customers. AT&T,
marketing different products to a different mix of customers. AT&T,
back then and perhaps today, they had a real formula that you're in
back then and perhaps today, they had a real formula that you're in
it would be three months later that the Altair came about. It was
it would be three months later that the Altair came about. It was
more that I thought that an educational magazine like we had been
more that I thought that an educational magazine like we had been
publishing at Deck should continue.
publishing at DEC should continue.
DEC had dropped off. They stopped publishing Edu when I left the
education group. Well, they published an issue or two but they
education group. Well, they published an issue or two but they
really weren't serious about continuing it. Then you had all of
really weren't serious about continuing it. Then you had all of
newsletter, what he called the "Amateur Computer Group Newsletter".
newsletter, what he called the "Amateur Computer Group Newsletter".
It was for engineers who were scavenging up old parts from
It was for engineers who were scavenging up old parts from
Honeywell and IBM and GE and Deck and trying to put together a
Honeywell and IBM and GE and DEC and trying to put together a
computer. You've got success stories and here's how you can make
computer. You've got success stories and here's how you can make
this worth together.
this worth together.
Because PDP1170 was not a low-end, with a platter and disk, 12
Because PDP1170 was not a low-end, with a platter and disk, 12
inch, maybe 15 inch, but a big, big platter drive, and data entry
inch, maybe 15 inch, but a big, big platter drive, and data entry
terminals, deck writers, BTO5. And when Ziff came in, I mean they
terminals, DECWriters, VT05. And when Ziff came in, I mean they
were blown away that we were doing our own fulfillment, and doing a
were blown away that we were doing our own fulfillment, and doing a
very efficiently.
very efficiently.
They had some notable people there. I was sitting down with Alvin
They had some notable people there. I was sitting down with Alvin
Toffler in the lobby of the Colosseum and along comes over to us
Toffler in the lobby of the Colosseum and along comes over to us
Isaac [inaudible 00:27:03] . What a wonderful little party. We had
Isaac [inaudible 00:27:03] (ED: from context, they are talking about
Isaac Asimov). What a wonderful little party. We had some coffee in
the Colosseum and I said, "Isaac, can you write me an article?"
"I got a good story from the robot series that hasn't been widely
used or published and you can use that." So I got an early
contribution from Isaac [inaudible 00:27:27] and Alvin
Toffler wrote something for us.
Toffler wrote something for us.
developers and people in educational institutions they wanted
developers and people in educational institutions they wanted
Basic.
Basic.
There were few schools and colleges in Boston area, near Deck that
There were few schools and colleges in Boston area, near DEC that
were OK with Focal. But stuff was getting published by Minnesota
were OK with Focal. But stuff was getting published by Minnesota
Educational Computer Consortium and others in Basic, [inaudible
Educational Computer Consortium and others in Basic, [inaudible
England that we could take subscriptions.
England that we could take subscriptions.
Betsy: A housewife who kept her dark issues in her spare bathroom.
Betsy: A housewife who kept her back issues in her spare bathroom.
[laughs]
[laughs]
David: I said there was a lot of early development in New Jersey and there
David: I said there was a lot of early development in New Jersey and there
was a guy named Saul Libes, you will find him probably, [laughs]
was a guy named Saul Libes, you will find him probably, [laughs]
who was the first president of the Armature Computer Group in New
who was the first president of the Amature Computer Group in New
Jersey. He was a Professor at [inaudible 01:04:43] College and he
Jersey. He was a Professor at [inaudible 01:04:43] College and he
felt that Byte magazine started out fine but then they were
felt that Byte magazine started out fine but then they were
[laughter]
[laughter]
David: Actually, a bigger acquisition was earlier and that was Rom
David: Actually, a bigger acquisition was earlier and that was ROM
Magazine. Rom was published by who?
Magazine. Rom was published by who? (ED: not the Atari-related
magazine of the early 1980s.)
Betsy: Erik Sandberg-Diment.
Betsy: Erik Sandberg-Diment.
David: Yeah, if you can get a hold of the third one. [laughter] I don't
David: Yeah, if you can get a hold of the third one. [laughter] I don't
even have that. There's a same thing on Tarry-on. There were three
even have that. There's a same thing on Atarian. There were three
issues of Tarry-on that I did not keep the third issue. Oh, man.
issues of Atarian that I did not keep the third issue. Oh, man.
Shoot me.
Shoot me.
with worms. We just had a different kind of culture, a lot of fun.
with worms. We just had a different kind of culture, a lot of fun.
Betsy: Jonny Anderson went to work for A plus in San Francisco. He was one
Betsy: Jonny Anderson went to work for A+ in San Francisco. He was one
of the five people killed in the San Francisco earthquake of 1986.
of the five people killed in the San Francisco earthquake of 1986.
He was in a car and a piece of the building fell on the car. He was
He was in a car and a piece of the building fell on the car. He was
Betsy: I think he was sort of in rebellion when he started working at
Betsy: I think he was sort of in rebellion when he started working at
Creative Computing because he was coming off of AT&T where he had to
wear a suit to work every day. So the first thing he did was burn
wear a suit to work every day. So the first thing he did was burn
his suits and wear t-shirt and jeans way before anybody was doing
his suits and wear t-shirt and jeans way before anybody was doing