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Artwork for Advent of Computing

Advent of Computing

Sean Haas
Unix
IBM
Pdp-11
Digital Equipment Corporation
DEC
Programming Languages
Pdp-1
ALGOL
Intercal
Hypertext
IBM System 360
RCA 1802
Lgp-30
Edge-Notched Cards
VCF West
Tx-2
ENIAC
Flexowriter
BASIC
Vannevar Bush

Welcome to Advent of Computing, the show that talks about the shocking, intriguing, and all too often relevant history of computing. A lot of little things we take for granted today have rich stories behind their creation, in each episode we will learn how older tech has lead to our modern world.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes201Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryTechnology

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Artwork for Advent of Computing

Latest Episodes

I mean that both in the specific and the abstract. This episode we are looking at APL, which stands for A Programming Language. APL was developed in the mid 50s, but didn't see a working implementation until 1965. It's a language that truly looks lik... more

Dale Biagio(author of Hello, World!) got in touch with me recently. He said he had a book full of short histories of programming languages. Better still, it has sources! How could I resist! In this episode I sit down with Dale to talk about the inter... more

I've been browsing old compur surveys and trying to build up a comprehensive data set. What I've found is a little surprising: between late 1945 and 1949 only 10 new computers entered service. Once we get to the 50s that number explodes. What's going... more

What connects IBM, the NSA, the Third Reich, and high fidelity recordings of symphonies? The answer is: magnetic drum memory. Join me as I lose all track of scope and plot to discovery just how and why magnetic drum memory was invented.

Like Advent... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Dale Biagio
Author of Hello, World, The Human Stories Behind The Code That Built Our World
Author
Episode: Dale Biagio - Hello, World!
Ben Zotto
Researcher and writer currently pursuing a Kickstarter campaign for his book, 'Go Computer Now!'
Episode: Episode 169.5 - Ben Zotto and the Story of Sphere Computers

Host

Sean Haas
Host of Advent of Computing; recurring host who leads deep dives into historical computing topics.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 243 ratings
  • Surprisingly deeply researched. Sean apparently doesn't particularly mind JavaScript, which puts all of his opinions about programming languages under some suspicion.

    Podchaser
    5
    wrosecrans
    8 months ago
  • Highly recommended

    Incredibly well researched vintage computer gold has been mined here.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JMcAteer2008
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • A tour de force

    An unendingly interesting podcast on the history of computing. Full of history, anecdotes and weird quirks, this podcast is clearly a labor of love for the host who researches each episode in great depth. For now I’m only at episode 26 but have already learned a lot about plato, rogue, floppies and so much more. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next 100+ episodes go !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    steve_fegan
    France9 months ago
  • This might be the podcast most compatible with my specific brand of autism. I want all the data, and it gives me all the data. Love it.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    hanna
    10 months ago
  • Amazingly informative, interesting and generous

    Sean Haas is doing something amazing here. A generously written history that is always fascinating, well explained and illuminating. It’s so important to remember what computers really are in this age of such powerful tools, and Sean does a wonderful job of taking us hand by hand and step by step so we can see how we ended up where we are today. And it’s great to hear about the pioneers who took the steps over decades that got us here. Always fascinating - I highly recommend listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sondenbreitet
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the clear narrations and historical context.
Highly informative and well researched—offers deep dives into foundational tech.
Quality research and engaging storytelling make complex topics accessible.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#197
Germany/History
Apple Podcasts
#108
Finland/History
Apple Podcasts
#210
South Africa/History
Apple Podcasts
#239
Switzerland/History

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Dale Biagio - Hello, World!
Q: Where can people get your book and follow you online?
Dale explains the book is available on Amazon and his site thebook.com, with an interactive component that lets readers explore language visuals, and notes he is active on LinkedIn.
Dale Biagio - Hello, World!
Q: What was your favorite language in the book? Do you pick favorites?
Dale shares that JavaScript was his first love for its interactivity, while also praising the elegance of Haskell and the unique strengths each language offers, indicating no single favorite but a deep appreciation for multiple languages.
Dale Biagio - Hello, World!
Q: Could you give a little introduction about yourself and the book for the listeners out there?
Dale describes his 25-year software career, the shift toward architecture, and how Hello, World evolved from a reference book into a narrative about the people behind the languages.
Episode 164 - LGP-30 LIVE! from VCF West
Q: Did you actually have an Lgp-30 to play with?
Sean highlighted that he doesn't own an Lgp-30 but is using available documentation and resources for his emulator.
Episode 164 - LGP-30 LIVE! from VCF West
Q: Do you know how to program?
Sean is looking for contributors to his Github repository to help improve his emulator project.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Advent of Computing

What is Advent of Computing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show dives into the history of computing, tracing foundational technologies, designs, and personalities that shaped today's digital world. Episodes explore topics from magnetic memory and tape to early programming languages and operating systems, weaving technical detail with archival storytelling. Listeners get a sense of the context, culture, and often messy real-world forces that steered innovation, making complex history engaging and highly useful for understanding modern tech foundations. Noteworthy is the host's knack for connecting obscure, influential machines to broader tech trends, creating a narrative that's both educational and surprisingly entertaining for both tech professionals and curious generalists.

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Which podcasts are similar to Advent of Computing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Advent of Computing:

1. Adjunct of Computing
2. The Retro Hour (Retro Gaming Podcast)
3. CoRecursive: Coding Stories
4. Oxide and Friends
5. Mac Geek Gab — Apple Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

How many episodes of Advent of Computing are there?

Advent of Computing launched 7 years ago and published 201 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Advent of Computing?

Recent guests on Advent of Computing include:

1. Dale Biagio
2. Ben Zotto

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