In my country they used to broadcast software for Atari 800 over radio - and it worked...

Here's the ZX Spectrum version: https://www.racunalniski-muzej.si/en/40-years-later-a-game-f...

acka 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

In the Netherlands they used to broadcast software as part of the Hobbyscoop radio show. It was generic BASIC code that could run on a variety of home computers, requiring a small loader program for conversion. The project was named BASICODE[1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASICODE

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binaryturtle 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I still have some old Amiga backups on VHS. Worked too… :)

	▲	ddingus 34 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Nice! Hi-fi VHS audio, or using one of those encoders that would pack the data into pixels?

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beardsciences 6 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Simply Amazing. I'd love to know more about this.

	▲	Sharlin 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Here's a couple of articles: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2019/04/people-once-downloaded... https://interestingengineering.com/science/you-could-downloa...

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yesturi 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

In Poland, in the communist period, the national broadcaster used to do it. For Atari, ZX Spectrum, Commmodore 64.

Haven't heard the audition, though. Well before my era.

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ekropotin 5 hours ago | parent [-]

It’s crazy that you had access to these technologies during communist period.

Growing up in USSR I didn’t know anyone who would own a PC up until early 90s.

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yesturi 4 hours ago | parent [-]

PC-s were only described in hobby magazines, like Bajtek or Młody Technik. Nobody had them, though, except maybe some institutions. The hobbyists used to own ZX Spectrum or Commondore 64, but even that was rare.

I know one programmer in his 50s. He had an access to the ZX Spectrum in his primary school, but that was by effort of his local physics teacher.

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ekropotin 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Yeh, that’s pretty much aligns with what I remember.

But I don’t get it then - why would they broadcast software for devices no one had?

	▲	00N8 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Could it be that the handful of people with computer access were well connected & well regarded, & the people running the radio broadcasts wanted to cater to them especially? I'd imagine there could be some sense of personal & national pride & prestige around supporting these emerging technologies & promoting them to the public. (I'm just guessing though - I wasn't there & haven't studied the topic in depth.)