Uploaded December 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Thomas Renbarger worked at Dorsett Educational Systems from 1978 through 1980, where he converted audio and filmstrip based educational programs to computer graphics and text for the TRS-80 and Atari 400 and 800 computers.
This interview took place April 21, 2015.
Teaser quote:
“Smart, nerdy people might be interested in something just because it says it’s educational, but most of the programs and stuff that was written was pretty — not totally remedial — but it was pretty introductary educational stuff.”
Thomas Renbarger worked at Dorsett Educational Systems from 1978 through 1980, where he converted audio and filmstrip based educational programs to computer graphics and text for the TRS-80 and Atari 400 and 800 computers.
This interview took place April 21, 2015.
Teaser quote:
“Smart, nerdy people might be interested in something just because it says it’s educational, but most of the programs and stuff that was written was pretty — not totally remedial — but it was pretty introductary educational stuff.”

![Liza Loop,Technical Writer — Interview
Liza Loop wrote the first users manuals for the Atari 400 and 800
computers. She was a Consultant/Technical Writer for Atari from
June 1979 through April 1980, sometimes writing documentation for
interfaces that had not been designed yet so her description
became the de facto interface specification. Liza also worked
for Personal Software, where she wrote the reference manual for the
original VisiCalc program. And in an interesting
Atari-related note, she and her husband Steve Smith were married by
Atari 400/800 designer Jay Miner she talks about that in the
interview, too.
This interview was conducted January 28, 2015. As of the day Im
recording this in April 2015, Liza hasnt been able to find the
manuals and newsletters that we discuss to scan them but she
says shes still on the lookout. When she finds them and we get
them scanned, theyll be added to the show notes atAtariPodcast.com.
History of Computing for Learning and Education: A Virtual Museum: http://www.hcle.org/
Atari 800 Operators Manual — First Version — 1979: https://archive.org/details/Atari800OperatorsManualFirstVersion1979
Teaser quotes:
There was no way that this machine [the Atari 800] would be
accepted by a touch typist if you had to shift to get lower
case.
I met Steve Wozniak...I was the first person that he had ever met
who was taking computers into schools so he gave me the first
Apple... So we have Apple I number 1 and Apple II number
10.
One of the things very few people know about Jay [Miner] is that
he was interested in nudism. The local nudist group used to have
their parties at his house.
So I would have to go and stand in the accounting office...and say
Its a week after my pay date and I have not received my check...
write me a hand check, and put it in the system later ... And Im
going to stand here until you do it.
The guys who started Activision were at Atari. ... Somebody asked
me how much I was being paid. I told them ... And they said, $40
an hour! Were in the wrong business. And they all quit, and they
said If you want us to work for you, hire us back at consultants
for $40 an hour. Liza Loop,Technical Writer — Interview](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_DhEOjXFOxE/mqdefault.jpg)
![Scott Adams — Adventure International — interview
Scott Adams is probably best known for his line of text adventures
for early personal computers including AdventureLand, Pirate
Adventure, Mystery Fun House, and many others. He was also the
founder of Adventure International, the company that brought Atari
users myraid programs, including Preppie!, Rally Speedway, Whomper
Stomper, and lots of others. The company also released countless
programs for TRS-80, Commodore, Apple ][, and other
platforms.
This interview took place March 16 2015.
Scott Adams web site: http://www.msadams.com/index.htm
Play Scott Adams adventures on the web: http://www.ifiction.org/games/?cat=44
AtariManias list of Adventure International games: http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-400-800-xl-xe-adventure-international-usa_publisher_1061_8_G.html Scott Adams — Adventure International — interview](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aAzJz61liME/mqdefault.jpg)


![Russ Wetmore: Preppie!, Sea Dragon, Homepak — interview
Russ Wetmore started at Adventure International, where he worked with Scott Adams on Savage Island Part II. He then went on to program Preppie!, Preppie! II, and Sea Dragon - all of which were published by Adventure International - and Homepak business software, which was published by Batteries Included.
This interview took place on September 24, 2015, and then a little bit more on January 4, 2016.
After the main interview took place, Russ sent me the source code for Preppie!, Preppie! II, and Sea Dragon, plus an demonstration disk of an unfinished Atari game called Lulu. I successfully archived all of those disks and have posted them to archive.org: check the show notes at AtariPodcast.com for the disk images, plus a link to a YouTube video of the Lulu game.
Links
Game source code: https://archive.org/details/@savetz?and[]=russ%20wetmore
Video of Lulu: https://t.co/SuRqBrRasd
Lulu discussion and ATR download: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/246903-lulu-russ-wetmores-unfinished-game/
AtariMania list of Russ Wetmore software: http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-400-800-xl-xe-wetmore-russ_team_1399_8_G.html
JavaScript version of Preppie! http://www.playmycode.com/play/game/krakatomato/preppie
Teaser quote:
“I actually only spent about 18 months writing those three games, and I probably would have done them in much sooner time, but I was 23 and lazy.” Russ Wetmore: Preppie!, Sea Dragon, Homepak — interview](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bMpikzBYmx4/mqdefault.jpg)




