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Advent of Computing

Advent of Computing

By: Sean Haas
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 Welcome to Advent of Computing, the show that talks about the shocking, intriguing, and all too often relevant history of computing. A lot of little things we take for granted today have rich stories behind their creation, in each episode we will learn how older tech has lead to our modern world.Sean Haas 2019 World
Episodes
  • Episode 179 - Programming Block by Block

    Episode 179 - Programming Block by Block
    Apr 4 2026

    In which we discuss GPSS: the General Purpose Simulation Language. As for as languages go, this is a unique one. It's designed for certain types of simulations. It's code is just a handy way to feed a flowchart into a computer. It's design is closer to an analog computer than it is to a programming language. Yet GPSS is Turing Complete. Step inside and prepare to be... confused!

    The big source of the show:

    https://dl.acm.org/doi/epdf/10.1145/960118.808382 - The Development of GPSS

    Like Advent of Computing? Then check out the after show! Adjunct of Computing is now LIVE: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Episode 178 - The Programma 101

    Episode 178 - The Programma 101
    Mar 22 2026

    The Olivetti Programma 101 isn't quite like any other machine. On first glance it looks like a big desktop calculator. Inside, it's a purebred computer... but strange one. It uses twisted spring steel for memory, has no addresses, and it's machine code looks more like a spell than a program. It's existence is due, in no small part, to a man being very mean to GE engineers.

    Like Advent of Computing? Then check out the after show! Adjunct of Computing is now LIVE: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcasts
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Dan Temkin - Forty-Four Esolangs

    Dan Temkin - Forty-Four Esolangs
    Mar 9 2026

    Dan Temkin has been a long time friend of the show. I finally got the chance to sit down and talk with him about one of his latest projects. Forty-Four Esolangs is a "The first artist's monograph of programming languages". During this interview we keep circling around one very crucial question: what really is a programming language?

    Get the book and learn more about esolangs here:

    https://danieltemkin.com/Esolangs
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    52 mins
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