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  • [LINK] Reverse Engineering Prodigy, Part 1

    From Computer Nerd Kev@21:1/5 to All on Sat Aug 7 04:29:34 2021
    Reverse Engineering Prodigy, Part 1
    January 15th, 2021 by Phillip Heller
    - http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/2921/reverse-engineering-prodigy-part-1

    "Beginning in the mid 1980s, there were a number of online walled
    gardens. Among them were CompuServe, Genie, Delphi, Quantum Link
    (later PC-Link, AOL, etc), and Prodigy. The latter two were
    interesting in that they relied on specific client software to
    access the service.

    Quantum Link was certainly novel for the fact that it furnished a
    graphical online experience for the Commodore 64, and Prodigy was
    novel for its use of the NAPLPS graphics standard, client-side
    P-Code virtual-machine, and hierarchical caching. In the early
    2000s, some folks nostalgic for Q-Link set out to reverse engineer
    it, which was a success with Q-Link Reloaded launching sometime in
    2005.

    Itd be interesting to do a similar thing with Prodigy: To reverse
    engineer the client and rebuild a mock server with enough
    functionality to enable those interested to relive another one of
    the experiences of the early commercial online world. This is the
    first in a many part series about doing just that." ...

    Background info: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/07/where-online-services-go-when-they-die/374099/

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  • From Grant Taylor@21:1/5 to Computer Nerd Kev on Fri Aug 6 23:09:57 2021
    On 8/6/21 10:29 PM, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
    Reverse Engineering Prodigy, Part 1

    Based on the subject I wondered if that was going to be about Phil's work.

    January 15th, 2021 by Phillip Heller

    Then I read that, and the article.

    I know Phil and he and I have talked both in person and via video chat
    about his efforts to reclaim Prodigy.

    Without spoiling his thunder or giving anything away, I'll say that he's
    got some interesting plans and I look forward to seeing more of his
    plans come to life. :-)



    --
    Grant. . . .
    unix || die

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  • From Ant@21:1/5 to Grant Taylor on Sat Aug 7 17:40:21 2021
    Grant Taylor <gtaylor@tnetconsulting.net> wrote:
    On 8/6/21 10:29 PM, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
    Reverse Engineering Prodigy, Part 1

    Based on the subject I wondered if that was going to be about Phil's work.

    January 15th, 2021 by Phillip Heller

    Then I read that, and the article.

    I know Phil and he and I have talked both in person and via video chat
    about his efforts to reclaim Prodigy.

    Without spoiling his thunder or giving anything away, I'll say that he's
    got some interesting plans and I look forward to seeing more of his
    plans come to life. :-)

    I hope we can use it soon!!
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