Task: Explore the New Atarimania Website Needed: Web Browser Time: 10-15 minutes or more Introduction I recently saw a post on the AtariAge forums about a newly designed Atarimania website. I have previously posted about this site and all it has to offer. I highly
Read moreExplore Old Photos of Atari 8-Bit Computer Setups (5-10 mins)
Task: Explore Old Photos of Atari 8-Bit Computer Setups Needed: Web Browser Time: 5-10 Minutes Introduction Many of us grew up with Atari and have fond memories of our systems and setups. I still have my original Atari 800 and 810 floppy drive from the
Read moreExplore the Golden Rules of Using an Atari 8-Bit Computer (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore the Golden Rules of Using an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Web Browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction The Golden Rules of Using and Atari 8-Bit Computer is another website I was not previously aware of. I love the simplicity of the site and the
Read moreExplore Gury’s Atari 8-bit Forever Portal (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore Gury’s Atari 8-bit Forever Portal Needed: Web Browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction I ran across Gury’s Atari 8-bit Forever Portal recently and was surprised I had not seen it before. The Gury site is a well-organized, no-nonsense catalog of Atari 400/800/XL/XE software, spanning
Read moreExplore the Atari Protos Website to Learn about Unreleased or Rare Software and Games for Atari 8-Bit Computers and Game Consoles (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore the Atari Protos Website to Learn about Unreleased or Rare Software and Games for Atari 8-Bit Computers and Game Consoles Needed: Web Browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction One of the really fun things to do with Atari computers and game consoles is to
Read moreExplore the Atari Basics Website and Sign Up for the Atari Insights Newsletter (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore the Atari Basics Website and Sign Up for the Atari Insights Newsletter Needed: Web Browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction I learned recently about the Atari Basics website produced by Mr. John Zielke that provides really wonderful content about all things Atari 8-bit computing.
Read moreConnect Your Atari 8-Bit Computer to a Live Bulletin Board System or BBS (30-60 mins)
Task: Connect your Atari 8-Bit Computer to a Live Bulletin Board System or BBS Needed: Atari 8-bit computer or modern device, modem / FujiNet / Telnet / Altirra / web browser, internet connection, and terminal software Time: 30-60 minutes Guest Author: Rob Sherman from the
Read moreWatch My YouTube Video on the Diagnosis, Repair, and Modification of Vintage Computers (45 mins)
Task: Watch My YouTube Video on the Diagnosis, Repair, and Modification of Vintage Computers Needed: Web browser Time: 45 minutes Disclosure: Note that as an eBay Partner Network Affiliate, I may earn from qualifying purchases. Introduction I prepared a presentation on the diagnosis, repair, and
Read moreExplore the Atari Online TNFS Server for FujiNet (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore the Atari Online TNFS Server for FujiNet Needed: FujiNet Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction I previously posted about the Public TNFS Server list for booting games and other software over the internet using a FujiNet connected to an Atari 8-bit computer. Of note is
Read moreExplore the FujiNet Public TNFS Server List (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore the FujiNet Public TNFS Server List Needed: Web browser, FujiNet Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction One of the wonderful features of the FujiNet device is the ability to boot files from a remote Trusted Network File System (TNFS) server. Over the last several years
Read moreExplore the Atari FTP Archive (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore the Atari FTP Archive Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 mins or more Introduction Google is my favorite way to find files for my Atari 8-bit computers and consoles. However, there is something to be said for browsing archives of Atari-related material. I always
Read moreExplore ChatGPT for Augmenting Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Hobby (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore ChatGPT for Augmenting Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Hobby Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction Chatbots have been around for a long time as early artificial intelligence (AI) researchers and programmers sought to develop apps that could carry out a conversation. I have
Read moreExplore the Goto 10 RetroComputing Website (1 hour)
Task: Explore the Goto 10 RetroComputing Website Needed: Web browser Time: One hour or more Introduction I always get excited when there is a new Atari podcast, web page, or resource to explore. I highly recommend take some time to explore and read the Goto
Read moreWatch the “Stella at 20” Atari 2600 Retrospective (1-3 hours)
Task: Watch the “Stella at 20” Atari 2600 Retrospective Needed: Web Browser Time: 1-3 hours (or more) Introduction The Atari 2600 was launched in 1977 and enjoyed many years of success. For its 20th anniversary in 1997, a group of former Atari employees got together
Read moreExplore the 8-Bit and More YouTube Channel (30-60 mins)
Task: Explore the 8-Bit and More YouTube Channel Needed: Web Browser Time: 30-60 mins Introduction I love watching YouTube videos when I am learning a new Atari 8-bit programming trick or hardware mod. There are so many awesome YouTube channels out there for the Atari.
Read moreExplore FlashJazzCat’s YouTube Channel for Videos about Atari 8-Bit Computer Hardware and Modifications (1-2 hours)
Task: Explore FlashJazzCat’s YouTube Channel for Videos about Atari 8-Bit Computer Hardware and Modifications Needed: Web Browser Time: 1-2 hours (or more!) Introduction One of the most prolific Atari 8-bit computer YouTubers is Jonathan Halliday (aka FlashJazzCat or FJC) who has produced dozens of videos
Read morePlay MP3 and WAV Files on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Using FujiConvert (10-15 mins)
Task: Play MP3 and WAV Files on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Using FujiConvert Needed: Web Browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I recently ran across the FujiConvert web tool that converts modern sound files (e.g. MP3 and WAV) to executables which can be booted on an
Read moreExplore the Atari 400/800 Home Computer System Technical Reference Notes (1-2 hours)
Task: Explore the Atari 8-Bit Home Computer System Technical Reference Notes Needed: Web Browser Time: 1-2 hours Introduction When the Atari 400 and 800 home computers were released in 1979 they were a closed system. Atari imagined a monopoly on games and software for the
Read moreExplore Atari 8-Bit ATR Disk Images Using a Web Browser (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore Atari 8-Bit ATR Disk Images Using a Web Browser Needed: Web Browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction Original Atari 8-bit computer floppy disks can be imaged and saved to a modern PC for archiving, editing, running on an emulator, or used to write new
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 moreWatch Peter Dell’s Programming the Atari XL/XE YouTube Videos (2-3 hours)
Task: Watch Peter Dell’s Programming the Atari XL/XE YouTube Videos Needed: Web Browser Time: 2-3 hours Introduction Programming is one of my favorite things to do with an Atari 8-bit computer. I have previously posted some of my own tutorials and some resources for learning
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 moreExplore the Atari History Timeline (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore the Atari History Timeline Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction The history of Atari is fascinating. I always learn something new and important every time I dig into it. Michael Current maintains a web page with a timeline of events in the
Read moreExplore Error Codes for Atari 8-Bit Computers (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore Atari Error Codes Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction If you have spent any time programming for the Atari 8-bit computers then you have experienced error codes generated from typos or bad code. There is a nice page on the Atari Wiki
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