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ANTIC The Atari 8-bit PodcastAuthor: Randy Kindig, Kay Savetz, Brad Arnold
We cover Atari news, reviews, and a special feature each show for the Atari 8-bit line of computers (400/800/XL/XE/XEGS) Language: en Genres: News, Tech News, Technology Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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ANTIC Interview 465 - Vince Wu, The Learning Phone (Atari PLATO Terminal)
Tuesday, 29 September, 2026
Vince Wu, The Learning Phone (Atari PLATO Terminal) Vince Wu worked at Atari for about two and a half years. He was the programmer of The Learning Phone, the PLATO terminal for Atari 8-bit computers. Before that, he worked with PLATO at the University of Illinois, then in California for Control Data Corporation. PLATO was the first generalized computer-assisted instruction system, a groundbreaking graphical client-server computer system aimed at education. To assist in this interview, I was joined by Thomas Cherryhomes and Michael Sternberg, who were on a road trip to a Vintage Computer Festival conference. In 2018, Tom Cherryhomes created IRATA.ONLINE, a modern working version of the PLATO server and terminals. Michael Sternberg helped reverse engineer the Atari PLATO cartridge for that project. This interview took place on September 10, 2026. Video version of this interview 1984 "PLATO Rising" article in Antic magazine The Learning Phone review in ANALOG Computing magazine The Friendly Orange Glow: The Untold Story of the PLATO System and the Dawn of Cyberculture Computer History Museum PLATO@50: PLATO Computer Learning System 50th Anniversary IRATA.ONLINE, a modern PLATO server and terminals ATARI PLATO Users Guide version 3.1 (1983) ANTIC Episode 49 – Thomas Cherryhomes and PLATO ANTIC Interview 10 – Mark Rustad ANTIC Interview 117 – Landon Dyer ANTIC Interview 183 – Lane Winner Early versions of Atari PLATO released PLATO on Wikipedia Vince Wu – Follow the Arc of Justice Vincent Wu's birthday memories—jailed at Selma in 1965, worked security for MLK at the March finale
