Computer History with Chris Garcia

About Computer History with Chris Garcia

Chris Garcia spent twenty years studying the history of computers, and now, with time on his hands, he's going back and bringing that knowledge out for all to hear!

Publisher

Chris Garcia

Category

education · history · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Feb 2023

Latest episode

6 May 2026

Latest episodes

16 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 May 2026

   S1E16 - IBM 360

   Episode Notes n this episode of Computer History with Chris Garcia, we look at the IBM System/360, announced on April 7, 1964, and why it became one of the most important computer families in history. The System/360 was not just a new machine. It was IBM’s attempt to unify business, scientific, government, and institutional computing under one compatible architecture. The episode covers Thomas J. Watson Jr.’s massive corporate gamble, Bob Evans’s role in pushing the project through IBM, Gene Amdahl and Gerrit Blaauw’s architectural work, Fred Brooks and the software nightmare of OS/360, Erich Bloch and Solid Logic Technology, and the way System/360 helped define the modern idea of a computer platform. We also discuss the importance of compatibility, the transition from IBM’s older incompatible product lines, the 1964 launch, early models, the Model 67 and time-sharing, the move toward System/370, and the long-term legacy of System/360 in IBM mainframes and software engineering. Sources and links: IBM Archives: System/360 https://www.ibm.com/history/system-360 (https://www.ibm.com/history/system-360) Computer History Museum: IBM System/360 announcement https://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/april/7/ (https://www.computerhistory.org/tdih/april/7/) Computer History Museum: IBM System/360 mainframe history https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/mainframe-computers/7/164 (https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/mainframe-computers/7/164) IEEE Spectrum: Building the System/360 Mainframe Nearly Destroyed IBM https://spectrum.ieee.org/building-the-system360-mainframe-nearly-destroyed-ibm (https://spectrum.ieee.org/building-the-system360-mainframe-nearly-destroyed-ibm) IBM: The 360 Revolution PDF https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/zvm/history/360rev.pdf (https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/zvm/history/360rev.pdf) Britannica: IBM https://www.britannica.com/money/IBM (https://www.britannica.com/money/IBM) Wikipedia: IBM System/360 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/360 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/360) Wikipedia: Gene Amdahl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Amdahl (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Amdahl) Wikipedia: Fred Brooks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Brooks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Brooks) Wikipedia: The Mythical Man-Month https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mythical_Man-Month (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mythical_Man-Month)

2. 

   24 Oct 2025

   S1E15 - The Birth of AI

   Episode Notes https://jmc.stanford.edu/articles/dartmouth/dartmouth.pdf (https://jmc.stanford.edu/articles/dartmouth/dartmouth.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) https://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/mcc59.pdf (https://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/mcc59.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) https://computerhistory.org/playlists/artificial-intelligence-at-chm/ (https://computerhistory.org/playlists/artificial-intelligence-at-chm/) https://computerhistory.org/timeline/ai-robotics/ (https://computerhistory.org/timeline/ai-robotics/) https://computerhistory.org/blog/a-museums-experience-with-ai/ (https://computerhistory.org/blog/a-museums-experience-with-ai/) https://computerhistory.org/stories/chatbots-decoded/ (https://computerhistory.org/stories/chatbots-decoded/) https://computerhistory.org/revolution/artificial-intelligence-robotics/13 (https://computerhistory.org/revolution/artificial-intelligence-robotics/13) https://home.dartmouth.edu/about/artificial-intelligence-ai-coined-dartmouth (https://home.dartmouth.edu/about/artificial-intelligence-ai-coined-dartmouth?utm_source=chatgpt.com) https://web.pdx.edu/~arhodes/AI_history.pdf (https://web.pdx.edu/~arhodes/AI_history.pdf) https://ojs.aaai.org/aimagazine/index.php/aimagazine/article/view/1904 (https://ojs.aaai.org/aimagazine/index.php/aimagazine/article/view/1904?utm_source=chatgpt.com) https://www.ll.mit.edu/sites/default/files/publication/doc/2021-03/Artificial%20Intelligence%20Short%20History%2C%20Present%20Developments%2C%20and%20Future%20Outlook%20-%20Final%20Report%20-%202021-03-16_0.pdf (https://www.ll.mit.edu/sites/default/files/publication/doc/2021-03/Artificial%20Intelligence%20Short%20History%2C%20Present%20Developments%2C%20and%20Future%20Outlook%20-%20Final%20Report%20-%202021-03-16_0.pdf) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220605256_The_Dartmouth_College_Artificial_Intelligence_Conference_The_Next_Fifty_Years (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220605256_The_Dartmouth_College_Artificial_Intelligence_Conference_The_Next_Fifty_Years?utm_source=chatgpt.com) https://www.uio.no/studier/emner/matnat/ifi/IN5620/h24/Groups/Group%206%20%28Team%20HotBots%29/deliveries/individual-assigment-iteration-1-vendele.pdf (https://www.uio.no/studier/emner/matnat/ifi/IN5620/h24/Groups/Group%206%20%28Team%20HotBots%29/deliveries/individual-assigment-iteration-1-vendele.pdf) https://raysolomonoff.com/dartmouth/dartray.pdf (https://raysolomonoff.com/dartmouth/dartray.pdf) https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~arielpro/15381f16/c_slides/781f16-1.pdf (https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~arielpro/15381f16/c_slides/781f16-1.pdf) https://analyticssteps.com/blogs/history-artificial-intelligence-ai (https://analyticssteps.com/blogs/history-artificial-intelligence-ai) https://www.almanacnews.com/technology/2024/11/26/computer-history-museum-unveils-new-ai-exhibit-featuring-chatbots/ (https://www.almanacnews.com/technology/2024/11/26/computer-history-museum-unveils-new-ai-exhibit-featuring-chatbots/) https://techchannel.com/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligence-history/ (https://techchannel.com/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligence-history/) https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2012/10/102658149-05-01-acc.pdf (https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2012/10/102658149-05-01-acc.pdf) https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2020/05/102781122-05-01-acc.pdf (https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2020/05/102781122-05-01-acc.pdf)

3. 

   17 Oct 2025

   S1E14 - CDC up to the 6600

4. 

   21 Apr 2025

   S1E13 - DEC: 1958 to 1965

5. 

   14 Apr 2025

   S1E12 - A Bunch of Dwarves

6. 

   7 Apr 2025

   S1E11 - The Path Out of Lincoln Lab - TX-0/2, LINC, and the PDP-1

   Episode Notes TX-0 (Transistorized Experimental Computer Zero): Wikipedia: TX-0 A comprehensive overview of the TX-0, highlighting its development, architecture, and significance in computing history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TX-0 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TX-0) Tom's Hardware+3gunkies.org+3Encyclopedia Britannica+3 (https://gunkies.org/wiki/TX-0?utm_source=chatgpt.com) MIT's RLE Technical Report 627: TX-0 Computer History An in-depth historical account of the TX-0's design and construction at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory in 1956. https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/4132/RLE-TR-627-42827671.pdf (https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/4132/RLE-TR-627-42827671.pdf) TX-2 Project+16DSpace+16Encyclopedia Britannica+16 (https://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/4132/RLE-TR-627-42827671.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Computer History Museum: MIT TX-0 Computer Details about the TX-0's role as a test bed for large-scale transistorized computing and its influence on subsequent computer designs. https://www.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/2e1b209cb40237b91228cdf26a60e3f8/ (https://www.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/2e1b209cb40237b91228cdf26a60e3f8/) Wikipedia – Die freie Enzyklopädie+2CHM+2CHM+2 (https://www.computerhistory.org/pdp-1/2e1b209cb40237b91228cdf26a60e3f8/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The Computer Pioneers: The TX-0 An archival article discussing the TX-0's construction, operational history, and its significance in the evolution of computing. https://ethw.org/Archives:The_Computer_Pioneers:_The_TX-0 (https://ethw.org/Archives:The_Computer_Pioneers:_The_TX-0) TX-2: Britannica: TX-2 An overview of the TX-2 computer, emphasizing its programmable capabilities and contributions to early computing developments. https://www.britannica.com/technology/TX-2 (https://www.britannica.com/technology/TX-2) CHM+11Encyclopedia Britannica+11gunkies.org+11 (https://www.britannica.com/technology/TX-2?utm_source=chatgpt.com) The Lincoln TX-2 Computer Development A detailed paper on the development of the TX-2 at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, discussing its design and technological advancements. https://cs.furman.edu/~tallen/csc475/materials/clarkTX-2.pdf (https://cs.furman.edu/~tallen/csc475/materials/clarkTX-2.pdf) TX-2 Project+14Encyclopedia Britannica+14History of Information+14 (https://www.britannica.com/technology/TX-2?utm_source=chatgpt.com) MIT Lincoln Laboratory: The TX-2 Computer and Sketchpad Explores the TX-2's role in the creation of Sketchpad, a pioneering computer-aided design program, and its impact on interactive computing. https://www.ll.mit.edu/media/6536 (https://www.ll.mit.edu/media/6536) CHM (https://www.computerhistory.org/internethistory/1960s/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) TX-2 Project A resource dedicated to re-creating and documenting the TX-2 computer, including technical manuals and historical insights. https://tx-2.github.io/ (https://tx-2.github.io/) TX-2 Project (https://tx-2.github.io/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) LINC (Laboratory Instrument Computer): Office of NIH History: Laboratory Instrument Computer (LINC) A narrative on the development of the LINC, detailing its conception at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and its influence on biomedical research computing. https://history.nih.gov/display/history/Laboratory+Instrument+Computer (https://history.nih.gov/display/history/Laboratory+Instrument+Computer) hnf.de+18The Henry Ford+18NIH History Office+18 (https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/blog/new-acquisition-linc-computer-console?utm_source=chatgpt.com) DigiBarn Computer Museum: LINC History, Restoration and 45 Year Retrospective An extensive retrospective on the LINC, covering its history, restoration efforts, and its place as a precursor to personal computing. https://www.digibarn.com/stories/linc/ (https://www.digibarn.com/stories/linc/) digibarn.com (https://www.digibarn.com/stories/linc/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Computer History Museum: LINC Computer Highlights the LINC's design tailored for scientific laboratories, featuring built-in analog-to-digital converters and an oscilloscope for data display. https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/minicomputers/11/334/1920 (https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/minicomputers/11/334/1920) ETHW+9CHM+9The Henry Ford+9 (https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/minicomputers/11/334/1920?utm_source=chatgpt.com) National Museum of American History: Minicomputer, Classic LINC Computer (DEC) Provides insights into the LINC's introduction as a small computer with a 12-bit word length, intended for individual researchers. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_334861 (https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_334861) gunkies.org+2 (https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/nmah_334861?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

7. 

   31 Mar 2025

   S1E10 - UK Computers Go Commercial

   Episode Notes Support our Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/c/3MinModernist (https://www.patreon.com/c/3MinModernist)

8. 

   27 Mar 2025

   S1E8 - SAGE

   Episode Notes https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/real-time-computing/6/120 (https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/real-time-computing/6/120) In Your Defense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06drBN8nlWg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06drBN8nlWg)

9. 

   24 Mar 2025

   S1E9 - IBM Computers - 1960 to 1965

   Episode Notes https://www.computerhistory.org/brochures/1960s/ (https://www.computerhistory.org/brochures/1960s/) - Computer History Museum on the 1960s https://www.ibm.com/history/stretch (https://www.ibm.com/history/stretch) - IBM page on STRETCH

10. 

    17 Mar 2025

    S1E7 - The End of the Vacuum Tube Era: US Computers 1955-1960

    Episode Notes 1961 BRL Report on Computing (https://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL61.html)

11. 

    29 Mar 2024

    S1E6 - The IAS Machines

    Additional Resources Books: "A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century" by Michael R. Williams "The Dream Machine: J.C.R. Licklider and the Revolution That Made Computing Personal" by M. Mitchell Waldrop "John von Neumann and the Origins of Modern Computing" by William Aspray "The Computer and the Brain" by John von Neumann "Turing's Cathedral: The Origins of the Digital Universe" by George Dyson Websites: Computer History Museum - Provides information on various historical computing machines including IAS machines. - Website: Computer History Museum (https://computerhistory.org/) Virtual Museum of Computing - Offers detailed information on historical computing devices including IAS machines. - Website: Virtual Museum of Computing Princeton University - Provides historical documentation and resources on the IAS Machine. - Website: Princeton University Archives Podcasts: The History of Computing Podcast - Offers episodes covering various aspects of computing history, including episodes dedicated to early computers like IAS machines. - Website: The History of Computing Podcast Additional Resources: IEEE Annals of the History of Computing - A scholarly journal that might contain articles related to IAS machines and their history. - Website: IEEE Annals of the History of Computing This podcast is powered by Pinecast (https://pinecast.com).

12. 

    16 Mar 2023

    S1E5 - UK Computers - 1946 to 1952

    Episode Notes Come support our patreon! (https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist)

13. 

    9 Mar 2023

    S1E4 - The Computer in the US - 1942 to 1951

    Episode Notes The computer in the US rode a wave out of World War II, and involved folks like Pres Eckert, John von Neumann, and John Mauchley, Harry Huskey, and many more. We talk about BINAC, Whirlwind, EDVAC, SEAC, SWAC, and more! You can help keep the episodes comin' by supporting our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist (https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist)

14. 

    2 Mar 2023

    S1E3 - World War II

    Episode Notes You can help keep the episodes comin' by supporting our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist (https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist) This episode looks at World War II, the computers needed to solve the problems war presents, and how it all helped lead us to the world of computers we know today!

15. 

    23 Feb 2023

    S1E2 - The Electro-Mechanical Age

    This episode, we cover the period before World War II with an emphasis on Claude Shannon, George Stibbitz, Konrad Zuse, and Differential Analyzers. We also show how ideas spread, and what a new device means as far as influence. Also, significant mentions of MIT. Help us keep going by supporting our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist)

16. 

    16 Feb 2023

    S1E1 - Episode 1 - Before the Computer

    Episode Notes You can help keep the episodes comin' by supporting our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist (https://www.patreon.com/3MinModernist) Triumph of the Nerds: An excellent doc (https://www.pbs.org/nerds/timeline/pre.html) This episode looks at the path the series will take, who think like tally sticks, the abacus, jetons, and other early mathematical technologies came to us. There's a look at early mechanical calculators by the likes of Blaise Pascal, Hans Egli, William Seward Burroughs, and more. Plus, an extended look at Charles Babbage (not the father of computing) and Ada Lovelace (Not the mother of software)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

4.3 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 20 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

17

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.