Task: Display a Digital Photo on an Atari 2600 Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I am always amazed at the modern software tools people have created to expand the capabilities of the Atari 8-bit computers and consoles. I recently posted about the coding
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 moreExplore Atari Computer Sales Brochures and Catalogs (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore Atari Computer Sales Brochures and Catalogs Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction One of my favorite things to is to explore sales brochures and catalogs for the Atari 8-bit line of computers. Fortunately, my packrat father saved a number of these so
Read moreExplore Homesoft’s Collection of Games for the Atari 8-Bit Computers (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore Homesoft’s Collection of Games for the Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction The Internet Archive and Atari Mania are awesome source of Atari software and games. These are certainly good places to start if you are looking for something.
Read moreExplore Atari Software and Games on Atari Mania (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore Atari Software and Games on Atari Mania Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction It can be challenging to find comprehensive and safe sources of Atari software and games online. The Internet Archive is certainly one of my favorites. Another go-to source is
Read moreExplore the Page 6 Public Domain Software Library for Atari 8-Bit Computers (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore the Page 6 Public Domain Software Library for Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction Page 6 was an Atari 8-bit computer magazine started by members of a Birmingham, England Atari users group. The story of how this magazine got
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 the Atari 8-bit Software Preservation Initiative (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore the Atari 8-bit Software Preservation Initiative Needed: A web browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction One of the great aspects of the Atari hobby is that there is tons of archived software online and freely available for download for use on an emulator or
Read moreJoin the Atari 8-Bit Computers Facebook Page (5-10 mins)
Task: Join the Atari 8-Bit Computers Facebook Page Needed: A web browser or Facebook app Time: 5-10 mins Introduction If you use Facebook then you must join the Atari 8-Bit Computers Facebook page. This is a public group with a ton of activity including daily
Read moreExplore Atari XL BASIC Listings (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore Atari XL BASIC Listings Needed: A web browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction I recall several friends remembering when they got their first Atari 8-bit computer. They brought it home, took it out of the box, and quickly discovered they had no software to
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 moreExplore AtariWiki (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore AtariWiki Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction One of the best web resources for Atari 8-bit computers and programming is AtariWiki. The following description is taken from their manifesto: “The AtariWiki is a collection of Information about the Atari 8-Bit computer line
Read moreExplore the Antic Software Archive (30-60 mins)
Task: Explore the Antic Software Archive Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction As I mentioned in my last post about Antic Magazine, one of the great features of Antic was the software that came in each and every issue. Most of these were software
Read moreExplore Antic Magazine (30-60 mins)
Task: Explore Antic Magazine Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction I very much looked forward to each and every issue of Antic Magazine after we got our Atari 400 and then 800 in the early 1980s. These were the days before the internet, and
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 moreExplore KSquiggle’s Atari 8-bit Programming Shrine (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore KSquiggle’s Atari 8-bit Programming Shrine Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction Bill Lange pointed me to this awesome Atari 8-bit programming resource developed and maintained by Kevin Chase (aka KSquiggle). I had seen this before but it was great to get it on
Read moreExplore the Serious Computerist Web Page (15-30 mins)
Task: Explore the Serious Computerist Web Page Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction I recently came across The Serious Computerist web page that is full of useful documents on Atari 8-bit computers. It is well worth exploring to see what is there. The page is
Read moreUpload Atari Files to the Internet Archive (15-30 mins)
Task: Upload Atari Files to the Internet Archive Needed: Web browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction The internet has expanded our Atari hobby in near limitless ways. Not only can we connect our Atari home computers to the internet but we can access tons of software,
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
Read moreRead the Atari 8-bit FAQ (15-60 mins)
Task: Read the Atari 8-bit FAQ Needed: Web Browser Time: 15-60 minutes Introduction If you were “online” in the 1980s you probably accessed Usenet newsgroups for posting on discussion threads about various topics including Atari. There was (is) a comp.sys.atari.8bit newsgroup that was quite active
Read moreExplore Best Electronics Website (10-15 mins)
Task: Explore the Best Electronics Website Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction Inevitably, you will need to purchase one of more pieces of hardware to support your Atari 8-bit computer hobby. eBay is of course a great source but can be expensive and you
Read moreJoin Atari Age (5-10 mins)
Task: Join Atari Age Needed: Web browser Time: 5-10 mins Introduction As I have rediscovered my love for Atari home computers and video game systems I have found Atari Age to be a great place to participate in and learn from the community of enthusiasts
Read morePurchase an Atari 8-Bit Computer (1-2 hours)
Task: Purchase an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: $ Time: 1-2 hours (or longer) Introduction If you are reading this website, it is very likely that you already have one or more Atari 8-bit computers. However, if you don’t own an Atari, and would like to,
Read more