ANTIC the Atari 8bit Podcast is now available

[Irgendwer]

For those who like to hear something about the creation of "Rescue on Fractalus":

 

You can find in the current episode of the german "Spieleveteranen-Podcast" (http://www.spieleveteranen.de/)

an interview in english with David Fox, mentioning also the A8.

 

[FifthPlayer]

I just started listening to the William Volk interview, and I gave up on it about ten minutes in.

 

I realize that audio issues are often unavoidable, but having to listen to the interviewee talk over top morning breakfast was a bit too much for me.

 

I'm leaving my feedback here rather than in the unified interview thread, because this is a meta-issue that doesn't have to do with the content of the interview itself.

[tschak909]

Kevin, Randy:

 

Some points:

 

* Do some research on these guys. There are tons of bits of data that can be pulled together in a few hours of solid research.

* Take said research, put it on a "one" sheet, to provide talking points for the interview, if things drop dead.

* Your audience consists of technical people. Try to probe deeper, find questions on AtariAge (again, part of research), or bring up points to bootstrap further conversation.

* Do not eat over an interview.

* Make sure your equipment works.

 

This is one of the bibles of radio announcing, READ IT.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/announcing-carl-hausman/1101416422?ean=9780534563103

[Fletch]

Kevin, Randy:

 

Some points:

 

* Do some research on these guys. There are tons of bits of data that can be pulled together in a few hours of solid research.

* Take said research, put it on a "one" sheet, to provide talking points for the interview, if things drop dead.

* Your audience consists of technical people. Try to probe deeper, find questions on AtariAge (again, part of research), or bring up points to bootstrap further conversation.

* Do not eat over an interview.

* Make sure your equipment works.

 

This is one of the bibles of radio announcing, READ IT.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/announcing-carl-hausman/1101416422?ean=9780534563103

You do realize these guys aren't getting paid to podcast? The "This is one of the bibles of radio announcing, READ IT." seems a bit harsh as these guys are doing this as a hobby.

 

Have these podcasts been perfect? No. But have many of us enjoyed listening even though there are hiccups? Yes.

 

Advice is a good thing. Maybe that is what you were angling, but it reads like annoyance and disapproval.

 

In advance, if I've read this incorrectly I apologize.

 

-Pete

[flashjazzcat]

I think we need a bible of link posting... URL doesn't work for me.

 

Edit: Oh right: book must be out of stock.

Edited April 17, 2015 by flashjazzcat

[Savetz]

@tschak909 —

 

We do all sorts of research on these guys when we can. Sometimes there is no research to be done: some secretary at Atari, or some dude who was on the bench fixing 800s? There's nothing to research. For CEOs and things, of course Randy and I invest our time preparing.

 

Regarding "your audience consists of technical people": yes, the audience consists of technical people who think about Atari things often. The interviewees, however, do not. Hundreds of times I have had to edit out a question followed by the answer "I don't remember, that was 30 years ago." It is infinitely easier to get people to remember stories about events and people than it is to get them to remember tech specifics. (I edit that stuff out to save you, the listener, time; to keep it lively; and to make the interviewee sound good.)

 

These people are giving us a gift by taking the time to be interviewed. Volk is a busy businessman, and though I was surprised when he Skyped me from a restaurant, if I had asked him to reschedule the interview because it wasn't perfectly quiet, I might not have gotten the interview at all.

 

And, these interviews are a gift from us to the Atari community. Take them in the spirit in which they are intended.

 

—Kevin (who has three interviews scheduled today, all of which require time to find the subjects, communication time, research, interview time, and editing afterwards)

[tcv]

I have enjoyed everything that ANTIC has published and will continue to. Cheers.

[+Ripdubski]

Antic is doing a fantastic job of interviews! I enjoy them all. Keep it up!

[FifthPlayer]

Volk is a busy businessman, and though I was surprised when he Skyped me from a restaurant, if I had asked him to reschedule the interview because it wasn't perfectly quiet, I might not have gotten the interview at all.

 

I should clarify my earlier comments. I wasn't upset at the background noise from him being a restaurant. Instead, I was grossed out by listening to him talk while digesting his food.

 

I know that everything you guys offer is a gift. I've been so grateful at having the opportunity to listen to your interviews, which together is an oral history of the platform. I'm not expecting perfection. But if you produce interviews that cross the line into unlistenable for your audience, you have to realize that in some sense you're wasting your time.

[snicklin]

I think that the throughput currently is phenomenal.

 

I accept the odd little hiccup as:

1) I couldn't do any better.

2) The amount of information coming out is immense.

3) The majority of the broadcasts are great.

 

Yes, there's the odd one I struggle to hear or the interviewee sounds a bit boring, but often enough if you listen through the interview, they open up more, get more confident and you can magically hear them!

 

I tend to listen to them while programming but sometimes it puts me off. I also let the dishes build up and then when washing up and I've got the house to myself, I'll listen to some Antic.

 

If I listen to Antic when my 3 year old daughter is in the house, she'll hear the tune at the start and will come running in saying, "Daddy, daddy, what is that? Can I listen?".

[atari_400]

Kevin, Randy and Brad,

Keep up the great work !!

I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast and you guys are pulling stories and facts out of people that occurred over 30 years ago !!

Cheers !

[RevEng]

I've been enjoying the podcast greatly. When there's new material - which is often, with all of the interview episodes - you guys make my dreary morning commute a thing of joy.

 

Sincerely, thank-you!

[adamchevy]

Great Job on the podcast! I am relatively new to the 8bit Atari's , perfect timing I guess. I have really enjoyed the interview episodes. What a treasure of knowledge! Thanks for the hard work and dedication! I really wish I could have experienced the early era of computers , but through your podcast it feels like I am to some extent .

[popmilo]

Thanks guys for all the great work and effort you invest into producing podcast!

Chuck Peavey interview is great! Lot's of technical details and stuff about relationship between coders, employers and fans.... Pure gold... Thanks!

[Albert]

ANTIC Episode 23 - Dorsett, Veronica, BASIC XL

http://ataripodcast....ronica-basic-xl

On this episode of ANTIC the atari 8-bit podcast:

• We discuss new Atari archive sites.

• Randy tells us all about BASIC XL

• Kevin delves into the sordid history of Dorsett Educational Systems

• Bill Kendrick fills us in on a panoply of stuff, including a brain transplant for your 8-bit called Veronica.

ANTIC, The Atari 8-bit Podcast focuses on Atari 8-bit computers (800, XL, XE), and is hosted by Randy Kindig, Kevin Savetz, and Brad Arnold. You can find the current and past episodes of ANTIC on iTunes, the Apple Podcast App, and at www.AtariPodcast.com.

[ilaskey]

Whilst I am enjoying these and they are going to be a valuable oral history, especially as many of these people are getting quite old, I do find myself inwardly groaning when follow up questions aren't made when someone comes out with a fascinating bit of information or mentions a particularly rare item. Also, why wasn't much more inquiry made about Project Sierra on the Jess Jessop interview?

[Savetz]

@ilaskey — Remember that what you find fascinating and what the interviewer finds fascinating can and will differ. Also, please remember that you are listening to an edited conversation, and there are probably many times in each interview where a salient question was asked, and the answer was "Uhhh, I don't remember" or uninteresting, or rehashing the same information.

[snicklin]

I agree that the interviewer cannot know what is fascinating to everyone.

 

However it would be nice if people could interact more with the interviewees.

 

Would it be possible to know about upcoming interviews? Then questions could be posted here.

 

Also, could the interviewees be asked if they'd cone onto AA for follow up questions if they feel comfortable with this?

[rkindig]

Hi, Snicklin. Thanks for the feedback. My personal outlook on this, as one of the interviewers, is that I'm constantly working on trying to get interviews with people. I don't know when or if I will get one for sure, usually not until just before the interview, in which case I will then do some research and prepare questions. I wouldn't want to commit to taking the time to post a call for questions prior to the interview. I like to think (and perhaps it's hubris) that I am able to ask reasonable questions during the interview and then do follow-up based on responses. If I'm falling flat there, Antic should dock my pay as co-host. Anyway, I would be willing to consider doing this for future interviews. Kevin will have his own thoughts, I'm sure.

 

I do agree that it's reasonable to ask whether the interviewee would be willing to monitor a thread on AtariAge for follow-up questions by the community. I will tell you that some of the interviewees I've talked to are not likely to do so, while others certainly would be willing.

 

Besides, isn't it fun for you guys to be surprised by the interviews when we post them to the feed?

 

Randy

[+Ripdubski]

Good points. I like being surprised by the interviews. At the same time, I was hugely grateful that Kevin was able to get many of my questions asked when he interviewed the Marcuse's. (apostrophe in right place?) That wouldn't have been possible except that I knew the interview was coming, and in fact prompted the idea in the first place.

 

I do like the idea of follow up questions in a forum thread. I would imagine though many may not be receptive to being further tasked, even though they volunteered to be interviewed.

[snicklin]

Besides, isn't it fun for you guys to be surprised by the interviews when we post them to the feed?

 

 

Yes, it is nice! I only mentioned what I said above as I don't want you as interviewers to feel that people are turning on you for not asking the very question that they would like to have asked.

 

We as listeners need to be aware that not all questions can be asked and not from all angles. Each person has their own viewpoint on everything and no one individual interviewer can know all of the questions to ask.

 

I think that you can split people here up into groups and some (most?) people belong to more than one group. Some like hardware things, some like the real life stories, some like programming and some like gaming (and probably lots more groups). We'll all have different question types.

 

You're all doing a fine job and we all appreciate what you do. Without yourselves, we wouldn't have the knowledge which is now available.

 

And you make my train journeys brighter every day!

 

As for asking if they'll answer follow up questions, perhaps keep that bit out of the podcast as it might embarrass them if they're not willing to do it and are saying so "on-air".

[Savetz]

@rkindig makes great points. Logistically and from a time management perspective, asking the community at large for question suggestions beforehand is not feasible. (Though I did do it once for a particularly important interview.) Although casting a wide net for community questions isn't going to happen in general, I have asked individuals like @Ripdubski for input prior to an interview (of the Marcuses, which will be published very soon), and even brought in a guest interviewer who is an topic expert (Thomas Cherryhomes for the upcoming Dorsett employee interview).

 

I will make a point to ask future interviewees to join us on AtariAge, or at least to be accessible via twitter or email. Some aren't interested in the least.

 

—Kevin

[ilaskey]

@ilaskey — Remember that what you find fascinating and what the interviewer finds fascinating can and will differ. Also, please remember that you are listening to an edited conversation, and there are probably many times in each interview where a salient question was asked, and the answer was "Uhhh, I don't remember" or uninteresting, or rehashing the same information.

Fair point in many cases but the Sierra project?

[Master Phruby]

I enjoyed that latest interview episode 60 with our own Albert Yarusso. It's pretty cool to hear the behind the scenes stories of the site from Albert.

[rkindig]

ANTIC Episode 29 - Turtle-y Goodness
http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-episode-29-turtle-y-goodness

On this episode of ANTIC the atari 8-bit podcast: We explore the possibilities of new Atari software and hardware mods (yea faster Star Raiders explosions); and Randy delves into the turtle-y goodness of Atari Logo. Trigger warning: there may be some Amiga lust and gentle Apple // bashing in this episode.