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#VintageMac #Mac #MacDev #macOS Today's the 40th anniversary of the first MacWorld Expo. 
It was usually in January, but that first one was the weekend of February 21. (By the way I didn't remember that, had to look it up.) Of course it's a milestone for the entire community, but for me personally it's a big day because ProVUE exhibited there. I found an article in the SF Chronicle with a picture of the show floor, and my booth was in the picture! As far as I can tell I'm not personally in the picture, but I recognize at least one of my employees. I'm pretty proud to have managed to stay in the Mac software business continuously since then, as far as I know the only other company that has done that is Microsoft. Perhaps you've heard of them. (1/2)
Tonight I wrote up a post about this anniversary on the ProVUE forum, with some more detailed thoughts I had about it and about developing native Mac software for 40 years. It also includes the picture I mentioned, and links to the SF Chronicle article and to some of the software that was on display at that original show. I probably should have written this up some time ago instead of at the last minute, but hey, I'm a programmer not a PR expert. I guess that's why hardly anyone these days knows that ProVUE is by far the longest running indie Mac developer. Ooops, I spilled the beans. Anyway, here's the link to that post in case you’re interested:
https://forum.provue.com/t/celebrating-the-40th-anniversary-of-provue-at-macworld-expo/6871
Cheers,
Jim Rea
Founder, ProVUE Development (2/2)
@provuejim what are you doing up at 3am!?! 
@joe What are you doing up at 7 am??? 
@provuejim @joe seriously. that is so wrong.
@provuejim Pictures are not showing in your blog post
@mxmora Thanks for the heads up. What browser/system are you using to view it? The pictures seem to work on my end, so I’m stumpted. It’s just a standard Discourse server.
@provuejim Looks like its working now. Maybe a temporary glitch. Safari/Macos Sequoia
@provuejim Congratulations on the big anniversary, that’s amazing!
@provuejim congratulations Jim! That's a really long time to be working on your app! Definitely a monumental achievement. 
@tapforms Thank you! I think you’ve been working on TapForms for quite a while as well. I bought a copy a couple of years ago when you had a sale, but I haven’t had a chance to really check it out, which I really want to do. I think there are a few customers that use our products together - Panorama on the Mac and TapForms on iOS. I’ve heard good things.
@provuejim wow! Thanks so much! That's very kind of you to say.
Ya it's been a while (16 years) but not 40!
And been working on a whole new version for the past 2 years now. Coming soon!
@tapforms Well, you’ve got to get to 16 years before you can get to 40! One year at a time.
And I know all about the “working on a whole new version for NN years” thing. Seems like the story of my life.
Hope I run into you someday, maybe at WWDC or some online event like iOS Dev Happy Hour. If you see me, be sure to say hi! 
@provuejim will do. It would be my honour. 
@provuejim congratulations, Jim! That’s quite an achievement. Next year will be 20 years since I started development on my Mac app, Aether. But I wasn’t even born when yet when you started.
@armadsen Wow, you’re really young to be involved with amateur radio. I had a copy of the ARRL Handbook when I was a kid (actually I’m pretty sure I *still* have that copy), but I never actually got a license or did anything other than read the book. You had to pass a Morse code test back in those days, I just couldn’t deal with that. Your bio says your are an EE, that is actually my degree as well. But I started ProVUE before I graduated (from Cal Poly), so I never actually worked as an EE. I did wire wrap an 8080 based computer when I was in high school and college though. Used it to write my first commercial program, and I was off to the races.
@provuejim I got my license a few days after my 15th birthday. I got my extra class (the highest class) a few months later. It required a 20 WPM Morse code test at the time. Morse code has always been my favorite operating mode. Ham radio is what led me to EE. I actually focused on analog and RF in college. I did work as a EE for a few years and still do hardware contract engineering reasonably often. But yes, I’ve generally been one of if not the youngest people in the local ham radio club.
@armadsen Rote memorization is my kryptonite. If something is logical in some way, I can learn it. But learning something like Morse code, which is straight memorization, is something I never had patience for. I suppose if it was life or death I would manage it, but otherwise I’ll just find something else to learn- and I did. Interesting that you find it your favorite mode.
I also focused on analog in college. I figured I could teach myself digital, and I did.
@provuejim @armadsen
i’m also terrible at rote memorization. my wife can remember anything.
naturally one of my kids takes after me (in this regard) the other after my wife.
after my poor memory son heard that you could easily get a $2K/yr scholarship for HAM radio enthusiasts he studied for the HAM test.
the test used to require basic morse code, so he (painfully) memorized it.
turns out it was wasn’t required. but just goes to show it **IS** possible.
and he got the scholarship too!
@isaiah @provuejim Wish I had known about that scholarship! Morse code hasn’t been a requirement for any class of ham radio license since 2007. It hasn't been required for the most common first license (technician) since 1990. So, if you have any interest in a license *now* Morse code should not be a concern at all, even though I personally hope people continue to learn and use it.
@provuejim For what it's worth, I wouldn't really characterize learning Morse code as rote memorization. Sure that's true if you memorize a chart that you're reading, but that's not really learning it in any useful way. If you actually want to use it, you learn it by listening to it (and sending it). I don't think in patterns of dots and dashes, each letter just has a distinct sound that my brain automatically translates. Later, entire short words become distinct without "hearing" every letter.
@armadsen That makes sense, but I think you must have started with memorization. Also, in 1970 I’m not sure where I would have come up with a source for listening to Morse code, other than an expensive radio I guess. Maybe there were vinyl records for practice? I don’t remember that, but it seems possible.
@provuejim No, I really did start just by listening (using a course that came as a computer program). You learn to differentiate two letters just by listening to them, then slowly add more.
There were vinyl records with courses like https://www.ebay.com/itm/387529005166! Morse code practice is still also broadcast on HF radio, believe it or not (https://www.arrl.org/code-transmissions).
But of course everyone uses apps to learn these days.
@armadsen I don't think I was aware that Morse code practice was broadcast on the radio. That's cool. The vinyl record you found on eBay was published the year I was born! I definitely didn't see that record at Tower Records or Licorice Pizza.
However, even with all of these fantastic resources, I'm still not planning on learning Morse code anytime soon! But I'm glad other people are keeping it alive.
@provuejim Pretty sure I was there. I went to every MacWorld. And was an early ProVue software user.
@provuejim I think I recall you giving me a heck of a demo of Panorama at Macworld sometime in the early 90’s. I miss that era sometimes.
@bobdel I certainly gave a lot of demos at Macworld over the years. We used to set up a 36” monitor in our booth and made a little theater in the booth (often overflowing into the aisle). This was a CRT monitor that weighed a couple hundred pounds!! Those demos were probably the most effective sales tool for Panorama, people loved them. I would just do demo after demo with no break - if I took a break then the audience would dissipate and it would be hard to get that going again. So it was exhausting but also a lot of fun. Now demos can be recorded and put on the internet which is even better, but not quite the same personal touch.
@provuejim AMAZING! Well done, sir!