Robert van Engelen, PhD

@engelen.bsky.social

1298 Followers 789 Following

Possessed by math and coding since the 80s, vintage tech enthusiast, steam engines fanatic, CEO/CTO of Genivia, Professor of Computer Science and Scientific Computing | NYC | 🇺🇸🇳🇱 | defend democracy | support 🇺🇦 | please be kind to animals🙏

Sony Hit Bit 75B startup with Sony MSX productivity software showing up on screen, with wedge-shaped MSX machine in front of it.
Forth MAIN program to print Happy Halloween :-) show unused bytes free and loop 10 times
ForthMSX code with comments. >VDP sets a VDP register. VRAM sets the VRAM address in the VDP. >VRAM writes a block of data to the VRAM. VRAM> (not shown) reads a block of data from VRAM. The star word is an array of 4 bitmapped characters that the second loop cycles through to twinkle stars that were drawn by the first loop of random placements of 250 stars.
MSX emu window showing FORTH loaded with 11K free. then loading "files.fth" to add the FILES word. Executing FILES lists the files on drive A: The ANEW command to load "files.fth" is mine (non standard), which reloads a file with Forth REQUIRE when already loaded and deletes its old definitions. That's useful when updating files to load and test.
Forth coding and testing the screen editor, displayed on a small monitor using an original MSX2 machine, a Sony Hit Bit F1XD with the fantastic MSX Pico+ to receive my assembled Forth binary files over wifi from a file server I set up.
Sony Hit Bit F1XDmk2 MSX2 computer with original box. Mostly black with tan floppy drive unit integrated to the right of the machine.
Stoking the boiler with wood scraps
The Wouda-Gemaal elegant brick building built in 1920 with 8 water intake arched openings down the water level, viewed from the back (inland).
Daffodil flowers as far as the eye can see, granite rock to the left, blossoming tree to the right and in the distance.
Tulips and blossoming tree in Central Park
The inside of the 1983 Sharp MZ-700 computer from Japan. Z80 CPU, 64K RAM, nice keyboard. At the left the printer unit and tape unit. High quality modular design. The computer is very robust and sturdy. The PSU has no notorious RIFA.
Casio AS-L powered up with 355/113 = 3.14159292 shown. Original manual.
"Your Color Computer" colorful cover of the introduction manual with animated-looking waving computer depicted as a human figure
One of the very first portable calculators that runs on an internal rechargeable battery. The 1970 (early nixie models are 1969) Sanyo ICC-82D “mini electronic calculator” isn’t small, it won’t fit in one hand, let alone in your pocket. It’s a 16 digit calculator with 8 digit display that can be switched between two sets of 8 digits.
Stationary steam engine dual-acting cylinders, flywheel, governor, smoke stack and boiler with pressure gauge.
PiDP-11 kit computer with RPi SIMH emulation of the pdp11/70 running 2.11BSD UNIX and blinkenlights to show CPU activity. Tandy 102 portable computer attached via serial.
Ray-traced pixelated image with tiled floor and two mirror spheres floating in air
Snow on walkway path and street, about 2 inches deep
Jaguar E-Type 1964
Philips 14V incandescent Christmas light from the 60s or 70s. Made of glass with off white paint for authentic candle effect. Powered by a 9V AC transformer.
Image credit: Wikipedia P2000T article
Lego 853 technic car
Sharp EL-811, PC-1200 programmable, EL-8118