theLogBook.com – The Home of What Tomorrow Looked Like Yesterday

theLogBook.com is a chronicle of how we used to imagine the future – an ever-expanding
logbook of what our entertainment, our culture, and even our brightest minds thought would happen.
It’s nostalgia – and some real history – that gives factual context to the fiction, cultural
context to the factual, and always looks to the future.

You can manually look up any date or any year, or go through the whole timeline.
Scroll down for today’s events in history.

The ongoing remodel of the site, the ongoing video series, and more are powered by your support!
Join our Patreon, get access to our Discord, and help the site grow!

Follow our socials or contact us:

Support us or buy stuff:

Featured Articles

https://feeds.libsyn.com/499568/rss

Phosphor Dot Fossils: Pipe Dream (Apple II, 1990)

So your local water grid can't keep up with the demands of AI? Believe it or not, that was a problem even back in the early '90s. Phosphor Dot Fossils has a wrenching experience with Pipe Dream on the #AppleII. #retrogaming

Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/

Check out my other projects and podcasts:
Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/
Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/
And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc

And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com

Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours!

The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.

Phosphor Dot Fossils: Pipe Dream (Apple II, 1990)

The Mouse Police are back on the case! We give Mappy for the Colecovision (with Super Game Module) the Phosphor Dot Fossils test run to see if he can still stay ahead of felonious felines. #retrogaming

Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/

Check out my other projects and podcasts:
Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/
Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/
And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc

And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com

Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours!

The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.

Phosphor Dot Fossils: Mappy (Colecovision, 2016)

With the various home versions of the game in the rear-view mirror, it's time to put the coin-op original to the Phosphor Dot Fossils test with Pleiades (or Pleaids - it's a bit confusing). #retrogaming

Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/

Check out my other projects and podcasts:
Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/
Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/
And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc

And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com

Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours!

The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.

Phosphor Dot Fossils: Pleiades (arcade, 1981)

Everyone is the hero of their own story, but Activision's H.E.R.O. is the hero of every gamer's story (of a certain age). Phosphor Dot Fossils test flies H.E.R.O. on the #AppleII computer. #retrogaming

Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/

Check out my other projects and podcasts:
Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/
Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/
And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc

And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com

Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours!

The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.

Phosphor Dot Fossils: HERO (Apple II, 1984)

Those recent close-ups of the moon didn't show everything - such as those brave souls with their Tandy Color Computers fending off intergalactic demons. Find out what worked and what didn't in this Phosphor Dot Fossils look at the CoCo's more graphically elaborate port of Imagic's Demon Attack. #retrograming

Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/

Check out my other projects and podcasts:
Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/
Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/
And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc

And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com

Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours!

The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.

Phosphor Dot Fossils: Demon Attack (Tandy CoCo, 1984)

How far underground can our search for ports of Dig Dug go? On this edition of Phosphor Dot Fossils, it's time to look at the Commodore VIC-20 version, to see if it faithfully upholds the game play or if something else is taking root. #retrogaming

Phosphor Dot Fossils at theLogBook.com is one of the web's oldest archives of vintage console, computer, and arcade games; there was also a 2-DVD documentary of the same name, covering the early history of video games, produced in 2008 and 2009. And these days? PDF aims to bring a more laid-back, less-caffeinated, less-profanity-spewing experience to the retro video game longplay video. There's a complete updated list of videos at https://www.thelogbook.com/pdf-on-youtube/

Check out my other projects and podcasts:
Select Game: Expanded Memories of the Odyssey2 podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/selectgame/
Retrogram podcast - http://www.thelogbook.com/retrogram/
And you can also find me at Roddenberry Podcasts co-hosting Mission Log: Gene-ology - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjXp3_SMi9LSg2rcgIayf30A0bVUb2yGc

And, of course, the site that started it all, combining sci-fi, retro video games, book, music and toy reviews, and all sorts of retro-futurist fun: https://www.thelogbook.com

Help support the site, the videos, and the podcasts at https://www.patreon.com/thelogbook/ or https://www.ko-fi.com/thelogbook/ - many many thanks to everyone who has supported theLogBook.com's podcasting and videocasting endeavours!

The theme music is the "Phosphor Dot Fossils Theme" by Earl Green.

Phosphor Dot Fossils: Dig Dug (VIC-20, 1983)

Explore theLogBook

It happened on this date…

(You can also manually look up any other date, browse a year, or go through the whole timeline.)

Kenny Baker, actor, dies

Published On: August 13, 2016

British actor Kenny Baker, whose long career as a circus performer and comedian took a sharp right turn when he first stepped into the “costume” of R2-D2 in 1977’s Star Wars, dies at the age of 81 due to complications from a respiratory ailment he had suffered for several years. Even though the continuing march of technology meant that Artoo was increasingly played on screen by real remote-control robots, Baker did at least some work inside the droid costume in all seven Star Wars movies that had been released at the time of his death, one of a very few performers to span all three trilogies. He had also appeared in Time Bandits, Flash Gordon, and The Elephant Man, among other TV and film appearances.

More about Star Wars in the LogBook

Eureka: Monstrosity

Published On: August 13, 2010

Eureka Syfy airs the 49th episode of the science fiction series Eureka, starring Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, and Joe Morton. James Callis (Battlestar Galactica) and Tembi Locke (Sliders) guest star.

More about Eureka in the LogBook and theLogBook.com Store

Stargate Atlantis: Childhood’s End

Published On: August 13, 2004

Sci-Fi Channel airs the fifth episode of Stargate Atlantis.

Stargate SG-1: Avatar

Published On: August 13, 2004

The 159th episode of Stargate SG-1 airs on the Sci-Fi Channel, starring Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, and Christopher Judge.

Farscape: Durka Returns

Published On: August 13, 1999

Sci-Fi Channel premieres the 15th episode of Farscape. This episode introduces Gigi Edgley as Chiana, though she won’t become a series regular until the second season.

Stargate SG-1: Demons

Published On: August 13, 1999

Pay cable channel Showtime premieres the 51st episode of Stargate SG-1.

Sliders: The Return Of Maggie Beckett

Published On: August 13, 1999

Sliders Sci-Fi Channel airs the 78th episode of the science fiction series Sliders, starring Cleavant Derricks, Kari Wuhrer, Robert Floyd, and Tembi Locke.

This series is not fully chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.

The Outer Limits: Starcrossed

Published On: August 13, 1999

Showtime airs the 106th episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of the 1960s science fiction anthology series. Louis Ferreira (Stargate Universe) and Nathan Fillion (Firefly) guest star.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.

Soyuz TM-28

Published On: August 13, 1998

Russia launches Soyuz TM-28 on a mission to the Mir space station, with cosmonauts Gennady Padalka, Sergei Avdeyev and Yuri Baturin aboard. Padalka spends 198 days aboard Mir, conducting further repairs to the station damaged by a 1997 collision with a Progress cargo vehicle, while former politician Baturin remains aboard for 11 days before returning to Earth aboard Soyuz TM-27 with Mir’s previous crew. Avdeyev is aboard Mir for the long haul, spending just over a year in space and not returning to Earth until August 1999.

Twister (soundtrack)

Published On: August 13, 1996

Twister Atlantic Records releases Mark Mancina’s soundtrack from the movie Twister (a separate CD contains the songs from the movie; this release is the score only).

The Outer Limits: Birthright

Published On: August 13, 1995

Premium cable channel Showtime airs the 20th episode of The Outer Limits, a revival of Leslie Stevens’ 1960s science fiction anthology series. Perry King (Riptide, NPR’s Star Wars radio adaptation) and Mimi Kuzyk (Hill Street Blues) guest star.

This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.

10cc: Deceptive Bends

Published On: August 13, 1977

Mercury Records releases 10cc‘s fifth album, Deceptive Bends, the first to be recorded after the departure of founding members Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The singles “The Things We Do For Love” and “Good Morning Judge” originate from this album.

Science Fiction Theatre: The Lost Heartbeat

Published On: August 13, 1955

The 17th episode of the syndicated science fiction Science Fiction Theatre airs on stations across the U.S. Hosted by Truman Bradley, the episode stars Zachary Scott.

This series is not fully chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.

You can manually look up any date or any year, or go through the whole timeline.Scroll down for today’s events in history.

Featured Articles

Explore theLogBook

It happened on this date…

(You can also manually look up any other date, browse a year, or go through the whole timeline.)

Absolutely no generative AI was used in the creation of the content on this website.It’s mostly just some guy named Earl.

You can manually look up any date or any year, or go through the whole timeline.
Scroll down for today’s events in history.

_{Absolutely no generative AI was used in the creation of the content on this website.}
_{It’s mostly just some guy named Earl.}