# Lee Felsenstein: The Computer Revolution & Counterculture

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2024-12-10
- Episode: 684
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/684-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture/

## Summary

Lee Felsenstein, a legendary figure in the personal computer and social media industries, discusses his work on the Osborne 1, SOL computer, and the Community Memory system. He details the engineering challenges of the Osborne 1, including the use of the Z80 refresh pin for video generation and the integration of switching power supplies, while explaining how the Homebrew Computer Club served as an early social network. Felsenstein also reflects on his invention of social media concepts in the 1970s and his current efforts to build a modern, privacy-focused social utility.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=0) Introduction: Lee Felsenstein and Silicon Valley Origins
- [2:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=123) Early Electronics Hobbyism and UC Berkeley Counterculture
- [14:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=897) Ampex Special Products Division and Learning Engineering
- [27:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=1624) Community Memory: The First Social Media System
- [45:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=2744) The Pennywhistle Modem and Kit Sales
- [1:03:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=3811) Ampex, Atari, and the Homebrew Computer Club
- [1:34:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=5650) VDM-1 and the Design of the Osborne 1
- [1:52:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=6720) Osborne 1 Hardware Design and Manufacturing Challenges
- [2:17:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=8242) Interval Research and Later Career Ventures
- [2:34:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=9258) The Homebrew Computer Club as Social Media
- [2:43:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=9782) Osborne 1 Mainboard Teardown and Technical Details
- [2:51:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture#t=10285) Definition of Entrepreneurship and Future Projects

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Osborne 1 (product)
- SOL computer (product)
- Pennywhistle modem (product)
- Community Memory (product)
- VDM-1 (product)
- Ampex (company)
- Atari (company)
- Homebrew Computer Club (other)
- Z80 (chip)
- Altair (product)
- Apple I (product)
- Steve Wozniak (other)
- Steve Jobs (other)
- Don Lancaster (other)
- Adam Osborne (other)
- Chuck Peddle (other)
- Marty Spurgale (other)
- John Doerr (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [164: Heatsink in a Shoebox](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-08-09-164-heatsink-in-a-shoebox) (Embedded.fm)
- [Federico Faggin designed the first microprocessor and the capacitive touchscreen. He joins Go/No-Go to argue that AI cannot be conscious, however capable it becomes.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/go-no-go/2026-06-26-federico-faggin-designed-the-first-microprocessor-and-the-capacitive-touchscreen) (Go/No-Go)
- [Ep 222: VCF East Special Edition](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2023-06-09-ep-222-vcf-east-special-edition) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [030 - Supercon 2019](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2019-12-01-030-supercon-2019) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [Ep 322: Fake Hackaday Writers, New Retro Computers, and a Web Rant](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-05-23-ep-322-fake-hackaday-writers-new-retro-computers-and-a-web-rant) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-12-10-lee-felsenstein-the-computer-revolution-counterculture. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.