Love this www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/arti...

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...

three-text is free open source software ready for immersive typographic experiences on the web github.com/countertype/... #threetext #threejs

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.

I salute In-N-Out Burger for launching a whole ass Book-It program

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!” ❄️🚇💯❄️

I’m once again asking the #retrocomputing community to please back this Kickstarter! Really want to read this story! Please and thank you!

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.

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!

6800 squad unite. gotta have that 16-bit index register baby

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.

This looks like exactly my shit.

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-...

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!

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

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...

Been waiting for years for this one. Instant order!

the "Reopen Last Closed Tab" function in the modern browser is an incredible invention. thank you to whoever did this

I offer inscribed/signed and giftwrapped copies of my book Six Centuries of Type & Printing if you have a discriminating and hard-to-shop-for typophile or designer in your life! sixcent.info

I think this is going to be two of my classes tomorrow. Carrying on the Halloween theme. Besides, I know the guy who made this game.

A tech & history post about the origins of "Halt and Catch Fire" and the way in which this real, strange mode is visible on Sphere computers: news.sphere.computer/archive/halt...

I did a video q&a with my book editor about Sphere and why books are still an important way of capturing important stories @glennf.com youtu.be/uuTp1paEjH4?...

The only Free Press I know about is the one that published the big book of random numbers !

Having edited this book, I can state that Sphere’s absence from most previous accounts of the period requires a revision of them. Sphere was a key innovator despite its short lifetime. If we remember Ed Roberts and MITS, we should remember Mike Wise and Sphere.

If you’re interested in personal computer history and wonder why you never heard of Sphere Computers, @bzotto.bsky.social and I talk about what made it unique and the importance of finding it a place in the timeline: youtu.be/uuTp1paEjH4?... www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...

Why not?!

A very appreciated mention from @daringfireball.bsky.social. If you haven't checked out the campaign, please do! If you have a friend who has not checked out the campaign, I bet they'd really appreciate it if you told them about it. ;-) daringfireball.net/linked/2025/...

This book NEEDS to exist, so of course I just backed it. (I went to high school near a Sphere dealer, though I’m pretty sure it didn’t still sold Spheres by then.) www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...

😂😂

Hello! I'm very proud to announce that my yearslong research project into the lost Sphere computer, corporation, and community has launched a crowdfunding campaign today for a professionally-printed hardcover book, with a compelling narrative and images! www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...

Santo is not even *just* a rare Sphere owner, he is also a generous community-minded fellow who kindly contributed information and photography to the book. Thank you!

The GO COMPUTER NOW! campaign has launched! Help @bzotto.bsky.social make his book about the early personal computer company you never heard of, Sphere, become a reality. I edited the book and it is a *fascinating* story of what might have been. www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...

Hello! I'm very proud to announce that my yearslong research project into the lost Sphere computer, corporation, and community has launched a crowdfunding campaign today for a professionally-printed hardcover book, with a compelling narrative and images! www.kickstarter.com/projects/bzo...

If you missed out on the Shift Happens massive book set, I’ve just posted a listing for a mint-condition, never-opened, super-premium version: www.ebay.com/itm/40628451... This includes exclusive items, like a note signed by author @aresluna.org, which he provided for this auction.

And then adorn your coffee table with our book about Bob and his remarkable career! drcolorbook.com

I have been very fortunate to have Glenn's assistance with the development of the Sphere book manuscript over the last year. Crowdfunding is imminent... onwards!

Love this behind-the-scenes interview with my beloved @jachristian.bsky.social about this crazy photo she took in 2020

A nice writeup of Bob's work and our new book in the Examiner. Book is available at drcolorbook.com www.sfexaminer.com/news/the-cit...

Over the last few years I helped write a career retrospective coffee table book about one of San Francisco's most influential artisans: Bob Buckter, aka Dr. Color, aka the guy whose sign is on all the colorful Victorians. The book is now available for sale! drcolorbook.com

I wrote this a couple years ago, but the gist is "Every internet-connected device will eventually collect and report data about you to its creator," and the corollary is "if its creator can generate additional revenue from selling ads, they eventually will."

Incredible retroactive casting vindication: the guy who played college-age Robert Redford in Sneakers grew up to look really quite a lot like middle-age Robert Redford in Sneakers.