Pinned
Ben Z
@bzotto.bsky.social
· 18d
Go Computer Now! – The Story of Sphere Computers
A book telling the extraordinary story of Sphere, a 1970s Utah personal computer maker far ahead of its time—until its sudden collapse.
www.kickstarter.com
Thanks to all the lovely people out there who have supported the Sphere book project, the campaign has cleared its goal. I am immensely appreciative.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
I gave a talk at VCF West this past summer: a little about Sphere, a lot about the early history of floppy disks. Enjoy! youtu.be/NoXtIR_Edgk?...
VCF West: The Minifloppy Revolution, and a Disk Controller for the Sphere 6800
YouTube video by Vintage Computer Federation
youtu.be
November 29, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I gave a talk at VCF West this past summer: a little about Sphere, a lot about the early history of floppy disks. Enjoy! youtu.be/NoXtIR_Edgk?...
Reposted by Ben Z
Man Who Thought Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ Was Over In For Thrill Of His Fucking Life https://theonion.com/man-who-thought-fleetwood-macs-the-chain-was-over-in-for-thrill-of-his-fucking-life/
November 24, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Man Who Thought Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ Was Over In For Thrill Of His Fucking Life https://theonion.com/man-who-thought-fleetwood-macs-the-chain-was-over-in-for-thrill-of-his-fucking-life/
One of the best san francisco history episodes and doesn’t get much play these days. The farallon egg wars!!
Here's a🧵about the San Francisco Egg Wars of the 1800s. It has bloody gunfights, marauding pirates, a bunch of (literally) batshit deaths & some nasty looking eggs...
November 22, 2025 at 8:39 AM
One of the best san francisco history episodes and doesn’t get much play these days. The farallon egg wars!!
Love this www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...
San Francisco has a new font. It was inspired by an old Muni streetcar
A San Francisco designer fell in love with the typeface on an old Muni streetcar. She tracked down the man who created it to build the city’s newest font.
www.sfchronicle.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Love this www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...
Reposted by Ben Z
Bay Area tech history nerd friends: Paul Terrell, the founder of the Byte Shop–Apple’s first dealer—is holding a 50th anniversary party next month. It’s open to all and I’ll be there! byteshop50thyearbirthdayp.rsvpify.com
Byte Shop 50th Year Birthday Party • RSVPify
December 6, 2025 @ 5:00 PM - Double Tree by Hilton 2050 Gateway Place San Jose, Ca. 95110
byteshop50thyearbirthdayp.rsvpify.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Bay Area tech history nerd friends: Paul Terrell, the founder of the Byte Shop–Apple’s first dealer—is holding a 50th anniversary party next month. It’s open to all and I’ll be there! byteshop50thyearbirthdayp.rsvpify.com
Thanks to all the lovely people out there who have supported the Sphere book project, the campaign has cleared its goal. I am immensely appreciative.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
Go Computer Now! – The Story of Sphere Computers
A book telling the extraordinary story of Sphere, a 1970s Utah personal computer maker far ahead of its time—until its sudden collapse.
www.kickstarter.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Thanks to all the lovely people out there who have supported the Sphere book project, the campaign has cleared its goal. I am immensely appreciative.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
Reposted by Ben Z
three-text is free open source software ready for immersive typographic experiences on the web github.com/countertype/... #threetext #threejs
November 12, 2025 at 9:15 AM
three-text is free open source software ready for immersive typographic experiences on the web github.com/countertype/... #threetext #threejs
Reposted by Ben Z
Sustainable band lineups include four cool people (Ramones), four dorks (Weezer), or two cool people and two dorks (Cheap Trick). Unsustainable band lineups include one cool person and three dorks (Pixies)
November 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Sustainable band lineups include four cool people (Ramones), four dorks (Weezer), or two cool people and two dorks (Cheap Trick). Unsustainable band lineups include one cool person and three dorks (Pixies)
Found a 1967 first edition of Kemeny & Kurtz's "BASIC Programming" book. The language was already spreading far enough beyond Dartmouth to warrant a book published by Wiley & Sons. It was only a three or four years old then.
November 11, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Found a 1967 first edition of Kemeny & Kurtz's "BASIC Programming" book. The language was already spreading far enough beyond Dartmouth to warrant a book published by Wiley & Sons. It was only a three or four years old then.
Reposted by Ben Z
I salute In-N-Out Burger for launching a whole ass Book-It program
November 11, 2025 at 5:21 AM
I salute In-N-Out Burger for launching a whole ass Book-It program
Reposted by Ben Z
LOVE my new @bart.gov holiday sweater.
Appreciate that instead of thinking “how do we make it weirder/uglier?” they pivoted to “let’s make a holiday sweater people can wear to a first date or job interview!”
❄️🚇💯❄️
Appreciate that instead of thinking “how do we make it weirder/uglier?” they pivoted to “let’s make a holiday sweater people can wear to a first date or job interview!”
❄️🚇💯❄️
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 PM
LOVE my new @bart.gov holiday sweater.
Appreciate that instead of thinking “how do we make it weirder/uglier?” they pivoted to “let’s make a holiday sweater people can wear to a first date or job interview!”
❄️🚇💯❄️
Appreciate that instead of thinking “how do we make it weirder/uglier?” they pivoted to “let’s make a holiday sweater people can wear to a first date or job interview!”
❄️🚇💯❄️
Reposted by Ben Z
I’m once again asking the #retrocomputing community to please back this Kickstarter! Really want to read this story!
Please and thank you!
Please and thank you!
Go Computer Now! – The Story of Sphere Computers
A book telling the extraordinary story of Sphere, a 1970s Utah personal computer maker far ahead of its time—until its sudden collapse.
www.kickstarter.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I’m once again asking the #retrocomputing community to please back this Kickstarter! Really want to read this story!
Please and thank you!
Please and thank you!
Reposted by Ben Z
Last few days for funding “Go Computer Now!”, a book about the nearly forgotten, pioneering Utah computer firm Sphere (1975–1977) that you likely *never heard about*. (I edited the book.) Help us get over the last hump at www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo... @bzotto.bsky.social
Go Computer Now! – The Story of Sphere Computers
A book telling the extraordinary story of Sphere, a 1970s Utah personal computer maker far ahead of its time—until its sudden collapse.
www.kickstarter.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Last few days for funding “Go Computer Now!”, a book about the nearly forgotten, pioneering Utah computer firm Sphere (1975–1977) that you likely *never heard about*. (I edited the book.) Help us get over the last hump at www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo... @bzotto.bsky.social
The back of a Sphere computer was a mess. Why? There was no "backplane"-- no slots. The whole system was loomed together with 14-connector ribbon cables, and the cards sat in loose slots. Moving the system could easily wiggle out a pin or two somewhere, and maybe the computer wouldn't start up.
November 8, 2025 at 5:07 PM
The back of a Sphere computer was a mess. Why? There was no "backplane"-- no slots. The whole system was loomed together with 14-connector ribbon cables, and the cards sat in loose slots. Moving the system could easily wiggle out a pin or two somewhere, and maybe the computer wouldn't start up.
Awesome new 3D type rendering tools by @tribby.com countertype.com/tools/three-...
three-text interactive demo
Interactive demo of three-text, a 3D text rendering and layout engine for Three.js
countertype.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Awesome new 3D type rendering tools by @tribby.com countertype.com/tools/three-...
Yes!! Learn about the quick rise and sudden fall of Sphere-- and then the even faster rise and fall of this mysteriously related Total Microcomputer Model 4000--in this cool book coming soon. Santo has kindly contributed information and imagery to the book. Great stories. Check it out!
This is my Total Microcomputer Model 4000 computer. Technically the last of a rare Motorola 6800 based home computer that was a pioneer in an "all-in-one" computer. Six days left on @bzotto.bsky.social Kickstarter for his book detailing Sphere Corporation here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
November 7, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Yes!! Learn about the quick rise and sudden fall of Sphere-- and then the even faster rise and fall of this mysteriously related Total Microcomputer Model 4000--in this cool book coming soon. Santo has kindly contributed information and imagery to the book. Great stories. Check it out!
6800 squad unite. gotta have that 16-bit index register baby
I have a huge soft spot for the Motorola 6800 series processors. My first computer (Radio Shack MC-10) had a 6805 and the computers I used until the early 90s were all 6809 based. I tried to learn assembly on 6502 after 6809 and wow. Sure the 6502 was everywhere, but also a bit brain-dead compared
November 6, 2025 at 6:25 PM
6800 squad unite. gotta have that 16-bit index register baby
Reposted by Ben Z
I edited the book and am helping to manage the Kickstarter campaign. When Ben came to me with a manuscript, I had an initial concern it was a prank—what is this vital company from 1975–1977 that was *everywhere* apparently and I had never heard of? Success is written by the victors.
November 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I edited the book and am helping to manage the Kickstarter campaign. When Ben came to me with a manuscript, I had an initial concern it was a prank—what is this vital company from 1975–1977 that was *everywhere* apparently and I had never heard of? Success is written by the victors.
Reposted by Ben Z
This looks like exactly my shit.
For a ripping tale about the lost history of a key early personal-computer company—one connected in ways to Apple, Radio Shack, and others—pledge for a copy of “Go Computer Now!”, @bzotto.bsky.social’s story of Sphere Computers, which you never heard of! www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
Go Computer Now! – The Story of Sphere Computers
A book telling the extraordinary story of Sphere, a 1970s Utah personal computer maker far ahead of its time—until its sudden collapse.
www.kickstarter.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:16 PM
This looks like exactly my shit.
Reposted by Ben Z
Just sent off all my newspaper flongs and other newspaper-related printing stuff to the wonderful Museum of Printing to add to their collection and help researchers! They’re in Haverhill, MA, easy jaunt from Boston. www.museumofprinting.org @museumofprinting.bsky.social
The Museum of Printing, Haverhill, Massachusetts
The Museum of Printing in Haverhill, Massachusetts is dedicated to preserving the history of the graphic arts, printing equipment and printing craftsmanship.
www.museumofprinting.org
November 3, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Just sent off all my newspaper flongs and other newspaper-related printing stuff to the wonderful Museum of Printing to add to their collection and help researchers! They’re in Haverhill, MA, easy jaunt from Boston. www.museumofprinting.org @museumofprinting.bsky.social
A great reflection on the contextualization of aesthetics, and time, and yearning, by @katewagner.wehwalt.net
untappedjournal.com/stories/why-...
untappedjournal.com/stories/why-...
Untapped : Why the Subjects of McMansion Hell Have Ascended to McMansion Heaven : By Kate Wagner
How can these houses, long emblematic of pre-recession greed and excess, now be recast as aspirational, not in their size, but in their whimsy?
untappedjournal.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:26 PM
A great reflection on the contextualization of aesthetics, and time, and yearning, by @katewagner.wehwalt.net
untappedjournal.com/stories/why-...
untappedjournal.com/stories/why-...
Had a great time talking with Sean about Sphere, and getting into some stuff off the beaten path, like the TRAC language, which seems to keep coming up on his show... Check out Advent of Computing if it's new to you!
Dropping a surprise episode! I got the chance to interview Ben Zotto, who is publishing a book I'm very excited to read!
adventofcomputing.libsyn.com/episode-1695...
adventofcomputing.libsyn.com/episode-1695...
Advent of Computing: Episode 169.5 - Ben Zotto and the Story of Sphere Computers
I recently had the chance to talk to Ben Zotto about his upcoming book: Go Computer Now! - The Story of Sphere Computers. It's all about an obscure machine powered by the Motorola 6800 that released i...
adventofcomputing.libsyn.com
November 1, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Had a great time talking with Sean about Sphere, and getting into some stuff off the beaten path, like the TRAC language, which seems to keep coming up on his show... Check out Advent of Computing if it's new to you!
Reposted by Ben Z
They cloned my baby! 😍❤️
November 1, 2025 at 7:11 PM
They cloned my baby! 😍❤️
Color of the day: Mauveine, aka Aniline Purple. The color of ditto machine ink of old, among other things. Developed in 1856 by someone trying to cure malaria. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauveine
October 31, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Color of the day: Mauveine, aka Aniline Purple. The color of ditto machine ink of old, among other things. Developed in 1856 by someone trying to cure malaria. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauveine
Happy Halloween! Here are some sample design spreads from my forthcoming book on the Sphere computer, company, and community. Archival, newly-commissioned, and never-before-seen images of the early micro era. Please check it out so we can get it printed! Thanks. www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...
October 31, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Happy Halloween! Here are some sample design spreads from my forthcoming book on the Sphere computer, company, and community. Archival, newly-commissioned, and never-before-seen images of the early micro era. Please check it out so we can get it printed! Thanks. www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...