Via Boing Boing

In the early personal computer days, recording artists included hidden computer programs on vinyl records -- you recorded the LP to tape, then put the tape in your computer's cassette drive. Here's a nice history of the practice, with screenshots of the programs in action and links to emulated versions.

Now, I remember all the buzz about subliminal messages hidden in rock music, as well as playing music backwards. I think I was in high school the first time I had heard about the big "Paul is dead" conspiracy surrounding the Beatles... which fascinated me to no end.

Also, when I was in high school, my family couldn't afford the coveted Apple // computer system I wanted sooo bad, but they did the best they could... so I had a Radio Shack TRS-80. It wasn't much, but it did keep me entertained and taught me the basics of computer programming.

Who would have guessed the day would come that I wish I didn't know half of what I do about that... but I digress.

Anyway, my computer was hooked up to a standard tape-recorder... actually a pretty fancy one made by RCA... and all of the programs were then stored on the tape. To load a program, I had to play the tape and wait for the program I wanted to come up on the screen.

This is the same technology described in the article, however, unlike today's "enhanced CDs," there were many different platforms, all which read data and interpreted programs differently. The Apple // wouldn't read a program intended for a Tandy, or a Commodore 64, or a Amiga.

These were intended for the Sinclair Spectrum, which until today I'd never heard of... so it's a safe bet that my TRS-80 or Apple // (which I do now have a IIgs I picked up on eBay for $25) wouldn't be able to see nor interpret this vinyl easter egg.

Too bad.

What i'm listening to:

I'll Wait
Van Halen
1984