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Don's Index and Links
Last updated: 8-Feb-2026, 05:29 PM AEST
Search Home ATL-TAB Don shares his Journey Australia's First PC? All Podcasts Brian Conlon's Info and Videos Simmstick Facebook Videos External Links Don's old ads DocumentsThe History of my early years as a Mechanic, on the old ATL Melbourne Tote (Australia Circa 1976+)
ATL - TAB
HOME - My Early Tote Years - 1976-1999 Bookmark: My Tote Contributions. A few stories and history of my early years as a Mechanic More Stories - Part 2 Bookmark: Efforts to recover part of the electro-mechanical Mornington Tote for historical preservation. Sir George Julius, Australia's Father Of Scientific & Industrial Research. Doubles Betting Comes to Melbourne - 1955 People Profiles - Mechanics People Profiles - Mechanics Part 2 The Staff transfer from ATL to the TAB 1988 TABLOID ATL Staff Photos 1989-1990 Tote ATL Engineering Photos Mobile Tote Vans- Pictures from Graeme Twycross, and the Mobile Totalisator Vans Tote Email Correspondence Tote Win, Place, and Sting Tote Email Log File The World's First Large-Scale, Multi-User, Real Time System - 1928 Tote with 273 Terminals Bookmark: Was George Julius the inspiration for CSIRAC, Australia's first electronic digital computer? A selection of Brian Conlon's ATL Totalisator website photos in Colour.Don shares his Journey
A pioneer in Personal Computers, the Internet, Microcontrollers, and DIY Electronics for decades, Don shares his journey and resources with tech enthusiasts worldwide.
Don, Cheryl, and family - History and News. Don's Adventures with the Rainbow Electricians and Fire Brigade in the 1960s. Meet my friend who Screened the Films at the Rainbow (Vic) Picture Theatre in the 1960s The Last Man Standing: A 56-Year Odyssey from 1970s Melbourne to Israel 2026. Friends and mentors who've inspired me. The Excalibur 64 Computer - 1983 My donations to the Australian Computer Museum Society (ACMS) Octogenarian Geek - Don's Ramblings Bookmark: Australian Photo Copyright and Commercial Misuse. From Gears to Valves: The Line from George Julius to CSIRAC Life Defining Moments by Don McKenzieIs this Australia's First Personal Computer?
Is this Australia's First PC? Part 1: The Beginning Is this Australia's First PC? Part 2: Modifications and Upgrades Is this Australia's First PC? Part 3: Innovations and Community Is this Australia's First PC? Part 4: Legacy and ReflectionsDon's Podcasts
A one hour interview with Riley Perry, curator of the Australian Computer Museum Society, and Adrian Magni Vice-President Co-Processor.
Facebook: Australian Computer Museum Society Australian Computer Museum Society (ACMS) Podcast January 2024. Printer Buffer, First PC, Dontronics, and more. ▶ Australian Computer Museum Society (ACMS) Podcast May-2024 - Excalibur 64 Computer. Riley Perry, Alan Laughton, Mick Gulovsen, and Don McKenzie. Released Feb-2026. ▶Darwin Colourising Yesteryear - Interview on ABC Radio Darwin
I did a live ABC Radio Darwin interview on the 8th of September 2022, however, it was very hard to select my interview within the program on a PC, and almost impossible on a phone. The interview was with James Finlay on the "Afternoon Show", and covered my colourisation of Darwin historical Photographs.
Click on the button to listen to the full interview which runs for 19:25 minutes.
This podcast originated from an April Fool's Day joke image I posted to Facebook groups based in Darwin.
First Port of Darwin (Palmerston) Escalator. Woolworths Smith and Knuckey Street Opened 1st April 1892.
That's the Fresh Food People for you - bringing us the very first free Wi-Fi in the Southern Hemisphere!
The image shown is created from the original photo of the world's first 1893 New York escalator. You will note it even has a Wifi hotspot in 1892, and the current Woolworths Logo. Runs: 8:49 minutes.
Darwin Colourising Yesteryear - April Fools day Joke 2025. Podcast on ABC Radio Darwin ▶Brian Conlon's Information and Videos
A selection of Brian Conlon's ATL Totalisator website photos in Colour. Brian Conlon's web site devoted to Automatic Totalisators Ltd. YouTube Video 1 ▶ YouTube Video 2 ▶ YouTube Video 3 ▶ YouTube Video 4 ▶ YouTube Video 5 ▶ YouTube Video 6 ▶Simmstick
Simmstick Google Simmstick Images Simmstick General Overview Simmstick First Prize Award 1999 Simmstick Listing
Videos
State of Electronics
State of Electronics on YouTube ▶ Video: Don's PDP 11/40 - Z80 Front Panel ▶ Video: Interview Slide Show ▶ Video: Interview ZIP Files State of Electronics WebsiteDavid Jones - EEVblog
EEVblog 1619 - Video Mailbag: Featuring Don McKenzie ▶ EEVblog - David Jones Video 1 ▶ EEVblog - David Jones Video 2 ▶ David Jones - EEVblogExternal Links
I've done my best to collect all relevant external web links on this site, but I may have missed a few. As with all web links, they can change, move, or disappear over time. Please let me know if you spot something that should be added or updated.
Don, Family and friends
Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour. My daughter Sharon is putting her efforts into this site. My daughter Penny is putting her efforts into this site.And a few friends that still retain a web presence
What is Graeme Twycross up to today?When retrenched I was the Operations Manager responsible for Computer operations, network, and Race-day. I came back as a consultant doing a Solutions Architect role, then became permanent once more before taking on an Infrastructure Architect role.
Graham is now retired. You will find him at the start and end of this video ▶ on the Macedon Ranges and District Motor Club YouTube Channel ▶
Cliff Ellen
When I met Cliff Ellen, he was an operations "Dividend Calculator" and a part-time actor, and it appears he still is acting. See his Internet listings at:
My friend Cliff Ellen Cliff Ellen Wikipedia page Cliff Ellen IMDb pageDavid Ferrier
An old friend, David Ferrier now operates Race-Tech Australia The Big Screen Company. When I knew David, he was working for his step-father at Provideo. He was 14 when I met him at Sale Racecourse many years ago.
David Ferrier - Provideo The Big Screen CompanyDontronics related
Closing Dontronics Dontronics customer feedback in October 2006
TRS-80 Early PC related
First mention of the TRS-80 in Kilobaud Magazine Oct-1977 First mention of the TRS-80 in Byte Magazine Nov-1977 From Wikipedia, the History of Personal Computers From Wikipedia, the Personal Computer Ira Goldklang's TRS-80 Revived Site Model I Page TRS-80 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Radio Shack TRS Catalog-80 Catalog RSC-3 Tandy Catalog Numbers for Computers, Peripherals, and Software Check Serial Number
A link to the Narkive Newsgroup Archive. I had forgotten I did a 64K and a lower case mod for the Tandy COCO computer. Plus many other TRS-80 and System-80 items.
Narkive Newsgroup ArchiveGeoff Graham's Maximite and The Dontronics "Arduino" Duinomite
Maximite - Duinomite - and Geoff Graham - 2011
Our involvement extended to the Maximite project, which Geoff Graham had ingeniously crafted, blending MM-Basic software with hardware housed in a PIC chip. After my TRS-80 Basic experience, I was captivated with this innovation.
Later on Geoff wrote a version to run on the Duinomite. Thebackshed - Maximite
My friend Mick Gulovsen and I came up with a new hardware design for Maximite, and it was produced with the assistance of Tsvetan Usunov and his team at Olimex in Bulgaria. Still being produced. Mick named it Duinomite, pronounced "Dynamite". I had forgotten how much work myself and Mick Gulovsen put into the Maximite-Duinomite hardware migration.
Olimex Duinomite Open-Source Hardware Olimex Product Listing Olimex DUINOMITE-MAXIMITE PDF Olimex Duinomite Users Manual PDF Olimex Duinomite MEGA Schematic PDF Thebackshed - Maximite and the Dontronics-Olimex Duinomite.Other
Brian Conlon's web site devoted to Automatic Totalisators Ltd. A data network with 30 terminals in 1913, and 273 by 1928! Sir George Julius, Inventor and Australian Nation Builder Powerhouse Museum Automatic totalisator An Unlikely History of Australian Computing: the Reign of the TotalisatorArticle by Bob Doran: The First Automatic Totalisator. The First Automatic Totalisator
CSIRAC Australia's first electronic digital computer Automatic Totalisators 1913Wikipedia
CSIRAC Australia's first electronic digital computer George Julius - Engineering Heritage Australia Wikipedia: George Julius. Wikipedia: CSIRAC.State of Electronics
This is the storey of the "State of Electronics", a documentary about the art and science of electronics and how it coincided with the modern formation of our society. Karl Von Moller and Bronte Howell.
State of Electronics Website State of Electronics on YouTube ▶David Jones - EEVblog
The EEVblog is the world's largest and most popular Youtube Engineering channel with over 450,000 subscribers, and hosts one of the most popular engineering community forums. The EEVblog is hosted by David L. Jones, an electronics design engineer based in Sydney Australia. In each episode he shares some of his 25+ years experience in the electronics design industry in his unique non-scripted naturally enthusiastic and passionate style.
David Jones - EEVblog EEVblog 1619 - Video Mailbag: Featuring Don McKenzie ▶ EEVblog - David Jones Video 1 ▶ EEVblog - David Jones Video 2 ▶Don's old ads.
My advertising before the Internet and Dontronics.
20-Apr-2024 Another magic moment
I managed to recreate the Dontronics Website shopping cart from 1999. This allows users to experience what the shopping cart looked like during that period. Many links and images aren't working. If you click on the large B&W Logo, it will take you to Dontronics.com, which will give you a destination selection.
Dontronics Shopping Cart 1999 - Recreated.Shopping Carts from the Way-Back Machine
Subsequently after the HTML cart and years apart, I procured two off-the-shelf shopping carts. Although the initial one escaped capture by the Way-back Machine, in 2011, I overhauled my shopping cart for the fourth and final time. To facilitate the transition, I temporarily operated parallel carts by acquiring dontronics-shop.com. However, I later allowed the registration to lapse, along with its associated database. Once again, the Way-back Machine proved invaluable, preserving most of the pages.
Off the shelf and final version of the Cart Mar-2016. Heavily discounted prices, as I was shutting shop.
Dontronics Catalog 1999 (Archive) Dontronics Catalog 2005 (Archive) Dontronics Catalog 2012 (Archive) Dontronics Catalog 2016 (Archive)Documents
PBUFF DRAM read-write routines to 4Mb memory size. You can access all the old "Don McKenzie" files available for download at:
Don-McKenzie-files-1978-1995.zip ▼Sorcerer and CPM Users of Australia Newsletter #21
Excalibur 64 Users Group June 1985 Vol 86-121
Digressing with Don by Don McKenzie.
SUBJECT..... Printer buffer software and hardware updates.
My Z80 HTML page. Includes PBUFF and other downloads
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