Task: Watch “The Magic Room” Documentary about the Atari Summer Camp Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction Atari ran several summer computer camps during the early 1980s and produced a documentary featuring kids at the first one. There are three versions of the film
Read moreExplore the The Modern Atari 8-Bit Computer YouTube Channel (30-60 mins)
Task: Explore the The Modern Atari 8-Bit Computer YouTube Channel Needed: Web Browser Time: 30-60 mins for watching several videos Introduction I have learned a lot about Atari 8-bit computers and video game consoles by watching YouTube videos. One of my favorite channels is the
Read moreListen to the Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast (1-2 hours)
Task: Listen to the Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast Needed: Web browser Time: 1-2 hours Introduction If you are like me you can’t get enough Atari. Podcasts are one way to satisfy the Atari itch. I have previously posted about the Antic, Floppy Days,
Read moreExplore ANALOG Computing Magazine (30-60 mins)
Task: Explore ANALOG Computing Magazine Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction I have previously posted about the popular Antic Magazine covering the Atari 8-bit computers. Equally important was the ANALOG Computing magazine which covered Atari computers from 1981 until 1989 with a total of
Read moreRead “How Atari took on Apple in the 1980s home PC wars” by Benj Edwards (5-10 mins)
Task: Read “How Atari took on Apple in the 1980s home PC wars” by Benj Edwards Needed: Web browser Time: 5-10 mins Introduction There have been a number of popular press pieces on various aspects of the Atari story. There is a great piece by
Read moreExplore the 8-Bit Workshop Web Page (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore the 8-Bit Workshop Web Page Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction This is a must browse web page with some amazing resources for those interested in programming and game development for the Atari 8-bit consoles including the 2600, 5200, and 7800. Other
Read moreExplore Atari Advertisements in Retail Christmas Catalogs (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore Atari Advertisements in Retail Christmas Catalogs Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction If you grew up in the United State in the early 1980s the Christmas catalogs from Sears, J.C. Penney, and other department stores were the bomb. We all spent days
Read moreTry the Atari 8-Bit Twitter Bot (5-10 mins)
Task: Try the Atari 8-Bit Twitter Bot Needed: Web browser and a twitter account Time: 5-10 mins Introduction I have previously posted about the thriving Atari community on twitter. A fun new twitter bot has appeared in the last few weeks called the @atari8bitbot. This
Read moreWatch the Documentary “Once Upon Atari” (2 hours)
Task: Watch the Documentary “Once Upon Atari” Needed: Web browser Time: 2 hours Introduction The Atari story from start to finish is an amazing one. Particularly interesting are the stories from the early days of Atari which stem from a very free and open management
Read moreExplore Atari Tweets (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore Atari Tweets Needed: web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I am very active on twitter and love to post Atari-related items from time to time. Twitter is a great way to get information and interact with a slice of the Atari community. I
Read moreExplore Atari-Related Posts on Hackaday (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore Atari-Related Posts on Hackaday Needed: A web browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction Hackaday is a website that posts daily hardware and software hacks and projects. I was pleased to learn that they did a post about this Atari Projects resource. Their post, “Classic
Read moreWatch the Documentary “Atari: Game Over” (1 hour)
Task: Watch the Documentary “Atari: Game Over” Needed: Web browser Time: 1 hour Introduction One of the great stories of Atari was the “rumor” that they buried tons of E.T. cartridges for the 2600 in a desert landfill after the video game crash of 1983.
Read moreRead Atari News from the 1970s and 1980s (30-60 mins)
Task: Read Atari News from the 1970s and 1980s Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction A number of good books have been written about the history of Atari (e.g. Racing the Beam and Breakout). It is a fascinating story of innovation, success, and failure.
Read moreListen to the Into the Vertical Blank Podcast (30-120 mins)
Task: Listen to the Into the Vertical Blank Podcast Needed: Web browser or podcast app Time: 30-120 minutes Introduction I started listening to the “Into the Vertical Blank” podcast recently and have been really enjoying it. The hosts, Jeff and Steve Fulton, are twins that
Read moreWatch Episodes of the Bits and Bytes TV Show (1-2 hours)
Task: Watch Episodes of the Bits and Bytes TV Show Needed: Web browser Time: 1-2 hours Introduction I grew up in the U.S. and never had the opportunity to see the wonderful Canadian instructional TV series called Bits and Bytes that taught people how to
Read moreWatch Atari 8-Bit Computer TV Commercials (15-30 mins)
Task: Watch Atari 8-Bit Computer TV Commercials Needed: Web Browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction I honestly don’t recall seeing Atari computer commercials on TV as a kid. I must have seen a few over the years. These are really fun to watch now and there are
Read moreWatch “The Fate of Atari” Documentary (2 hours)
Task: Watch “The Fate of Atari” Documentary Needed: Web browser Time: 2 hours Introduction The history of Atari is a fascinating story of innovation, business success, and business failure. There must be case studies on Atari that have been used over the years to teach
Read moreWatch Atari Episodes of “Computer Chronicles” TV Show (1-2 hours)
Task: Watch Atari Episodes of “Computer Chronicles” TV Show Needed: Web Browser Time: 1-2 hours Introduction The “Computer Chronicles” TV show launched in 1983 at a local PBS station in California and quickly took off as word spread across the USA and people called up
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