One Scan Per Week for Ten Years

February 1st, 2016 by Benj Edwards

Benj Edwards Vintage Computing Retro Scan of the Week Turns 10 Years Old - 10th Anniversary

On January 30th, 2006, I posted my first entry in the Retro Scan of the Week column: “When to Use Low Speed Modems.” Below that first scanned image, I wrote:

I found this amusing, so I thought I’d share it. More to come.

I was right about that last sentence. Since then, I’ve shared weekly scans on my blog 522 times — every Monday for 10 years.

Yep, Retro Scan of the Week just turned 10.

While it is not an achievement on-par with, say, building the pyramids, working at the same company for 50 years, or hosting a late-night talk show for decades, I am slightly overwhelmed when I try to consider the scope of this anniversary and what it actually means to me personally.

Get Somma That Tinney Action What I think it means is that I have been dedicated to preserving computer and video game history for an officially long time now (this blog itself turned ten last year). And I have always wanted to share it with others. Retro Scan of the Week has been a regular and effective way to achieve both goals.

For years, I have used the column as an opportunity to provide more than just images. When I could, I have attached personal commentary about the scans I’m showcasing because I hope it will give valuable context to future historians (assuming copies of my blog survive that long). Also, reader comments have been equally important in capturing the firsthand reactions to products and events over time.

Without that extra something that gives RSOTW its unique quality, I probably would have quit posting them years ago. But NOPE. 10 years.

The End of an Era?

On the occasion of this colulmn’s fifth anniversary, I wrote a retrospective that is worth reading if you are interested in learning some historical background on my Retro Scan of the Week column. (There’s also more about RSOTW in this interview from last year.)

Retro Scan of the Week Scanner That earlier anniversary — coming in a different era where blogs and scans were slightly more relevant — felt more meaningful somehow. At that point, I had done something for a long time (in blog years). Now I’ve done it twice as long. And honestly, not much has changed in five years, other than the fact that I finally upgraded to an 11″x17″ large format scanner last year — and that there are twice as many scans on this blog.

But now that I have reached this milestone, I think I might be winding down the column some time soon. While it wouldn’t be too hard to keep going for years on end, I think ten years is a nice emotional and philosophical cap to this project.

For now, I’ll mull it over. It’s a hard considering pulling the plug on something you’ve spent every Monday for ten years doing. But whatever happens, there will be a legacy left behind. At some point I plan to put all my high-res scans on the Internet Archive, for example. And RSOTW images still haunt Google Image Searches like nobody’s business. I keep running in to my own work when I’m trying to research something else.

Whatever happens, it has been a fun 10 years. Thanks for reading along with me as we have rediscovered the past together.

——

Retro Scan of the Week Anthology

Below you’ll find a list of links to every single Retro Scan of the Week column posted on VC&G up to this point (523 total). If I were feeling brave, I would turn this into a graphical gallery with thumbnails. Perhaps some day. Until then, enjoy links ahoy!

2006:

2007:

2008:

2009:

2010:

2011:

2012:

2013:

2014:

2015:

2016:

This entry was posted on Monday, February 1st, 2016 at 11:44 am and is filed under Computer Games, Computer History, News & Current Events, Regular Features, Retro Scan of the Week, Retrogaming, VC&G Announcements, Vintage Computing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

14 Responses to “One Scan Per Week for Ten Years”

Eric G Says:
February 1st, 2016 at 7:12 pm
I just wanted to drop a line and say ‘thank you’. I had the pleasure of bumping into this blog (probably via a Google Image Search) about a year ago. I quickly added it to my Feedly reader and have been enjoying the posts weekly.

I fondly remember looking though old computer magazine catalogs, reading Nintendo Power Magazine, and typing BASIC programs on a TRS-80. Thank you for posting this index, as I now will spend hours perusing the content I missed for the past 9+ years. There’s something quite nostalgic and, believe it or not, relaxing about seeing these old ads and articles. It brings me back to a simpler time in life that I really enjoyed.

Thanks for the memories. If this is the end of the road . . . what a trip! If not, I look forward to see what’s ahead! In any event, thank you for all the hard work scanning and posting! It is very appreciated!
Multimedia Mike Says:
February 1st, 2016 at 8:28 pm
Thanks for the memories! I’ve been following for nearly the entire 10 years. I remember which post brought me to this blog in 2006 and I’m sure I put it in my RSS reader immediately.
Chris Says:
February 2nd, 2016 at 11:27 am
You’ve brought out the memories man! I wouldn’t have found this website if I didn’t search for the ‘It’s Alive! â€” Floppy Disk Robots’ image.

I had to find it, because I wanted to see the robots again(in 2010) decades after I’d seen the ad in a mid 80’s Car&Driver mag.

Change happens over time, and as a result, good things come to a pass. Thank you for your diligent work and making me come back day after day for new updates during my lunch.
V Says:
February 2nd, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Nooooo, please keep scanning, some of this stuff may never see the light of the internet otherwise. Once something’s on the internet, it’s likely preserved forever, otherwise it might end up lost to the ages. On the other hand, given how much you’ve contributed to preserving computer history, you’ve more than earned the moral imperative to end this column on whatever terms you like. I’ve enjoyed it immensely!
Geoff V. Says:
February 3rd, 2016 at 8:44 am
One more chime in the chorus of thanks and well-wishes for it to continue.

RSOTW is one of the highlights of my online week and I regularly share it with like-minded friends.

Either way, thanks for the memories!
tortimer Says:
February 3rd, 2016 at 11:56 am
Retro Scan of the Week. A great resource in its own right, made all the better for opening up the Discussion Topic of the Week. Always fun to share and listen to others’ memories. Thanks for all the hard work Benj.
Jonesy Says:
February 4th, 2016 at 2:43 pm
Please don’t quit! I love this blog and what it represents. You have done a fantastic job of posting marvelous things from the not so distant past, and I hope you keep doing it for many more years. “50” is a nice number, not “10”.

If this is indeed the end, best wishes & THANK YOU!

Jonesy
Age 50
luke kurtis Says:
February 4th, 2016 at 9:58 pm
I’ve been a visitor to your site for probably almost the full 10 years. I have always particularly enjoyed the Retro Scan posts. Would be sad to see them stop… but I definitely understand how sometimes one has to bring such projects to a close. Thanks for everything you’ve done and for whatever you decide to do in the future!
Lorfarius Says:
February 5th, 2016 at 3:42 pm
Don’t give up! This blog has been a joy to go through each week and I’ve been visiting without fail for years. Won’t be the same.
Justin Says:
February 11th, 2016 at 3:46 pm
Ok, see ya.
Moondog Says:
February 11th, 2016 at 7:38 pm
There’s much more out there worth scanning. Keep scanning away!
Mat Says:
February 13th, 2016 at 2:31 pm
I’d personally love to see the feature continue but understand if you bring it to a close, of course.

Thanks for all the effort you’ve put in over the last 10 years, Benj. It’s greatly appreciated.
Danforth Vista Says:
February 16th, 2016 at 9:51 am
You know Benj, I’m a fan of anything retro. I tend to read almost all books that my mother used when she was in High School; I’m fond of everything retro, so I can say that this is my kind of place.

I feel happy reading, or even having a glimpse of the techs I never had a chance to use. I started using a computer in 2003, when I was in High School as well.

Just don’t close this one yet. Feel free to scan whenever you want. It feels so nice looking back in the past, where everything is waaayyy cooler.
Benj Edwards Says:
February 16th, 2016 at 10:58 am
Thanks for all the feedback, guys. I really appreciate it.

I’ve decided to keep posting scans every once and a while when the mood strikes me. From now on, the column will simply be called “Retro Scan.”

Here is the full announcement:
http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/1190/the-future-of-retro-scan-of-the-week