Dan Cogliano
@cogliano.bsky.social
Engineer, maker, geek and magician, in no particular order.
As a college co-op student, I worked on a barge in the middle of the Baltimore Harbor, performing calculations with my HP 41 CV calculator to determine the sand bed elevation where the tube was to be placed, also got to ride a crew or tug boat every day to work!
[November 23rd, 1985] The $750 million Fort McHenry Tunnel was dedicated with fanfare, despite a drunk driver being arrested hours earlier. The tunnel, named after Gen. Sam Smith, is the final link of I-95 and expected to handle up to 100,000 vehicles daily.
November 25, 2025 at 1:44 AM
As a college co-op student, I worked on a barge in the middle of the Baltimore Harbor, performing calculations with my HP 41 CV calculator to determine the sand bed elevation where the tube was to be placed, also got to ride a crew or tug boat every day to work!
Every month is #Shacktober month. Here is something I found at the bottom of my cable box: a #RadioShack cigarette lighter splitter.
November 18, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Every month is #Shacktober month. Here is something I found at the bottom of my cable box: a #RadioShack cigarette lighter splitter.
Reposted by Dan Cogliano
Fruit Jam, Zork and the Z Machine in CircuitPython #Gaming #AdafruitLearningSystem @adafruit.com
blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/30/f...
blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/30/f...
October 30, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Fruit Jam, Zork and the Z Machine in CircuitPython #Gaming #AdafruitLearningSystem @adafruit.com
blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/30/f...
blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/30/f...
My Learn Guide about #Zork and my CPZ Machine running on the #FruitJam has just been released at the @adafruit.com site.
learn.adafruit.com/zork-and-the...
learn.adafruit.com/zork-and-the...
Fruit Jam, Zork and the Z Machine
In the 80's before ChatGPT, gamers had another way to have conversations with their computers: Zork and Z Machine games.
learn.adafruit.com
October 30, 2025 at 10:36 PM
My Learn Guide about #Zork and my CPZ Machine running on the #FruitJam has just been released at the @adafruit.com site.
learn.adafruit.com/zork-and-the...
learn.adafruit.com/zork-and-the...
Seeing the @adafruit.com #FruitJam Mac emulator, I am reminded of that time I won 2nd place at the MacPaint Olympics in college. The prize was an Apple mug, which I still have. From the June 4, 1984 issue of InfoWorld. books.google.com.fj/books?id=vi4...
October 29, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Seeing the @adafruit.com #FruitJam Mac emulator, I am reminded of that time I won 2nd place at the MacPaint Olympics in college. The prize was an Apple mug, which I still have. From the June 4, 1984 issue of InfoWorld. books.google.com.fj/books?id=vi4...
We put a man on the moon 50 years ago, but we can’t design a foolproof power strip.
October 28, 2025 at 10:55 PM
We put a man on the moon 50 years ago, but we can’t design a foolproof power strip.
Diversion for the week: from some spare and repurposed parts, 3d printing, #Arduino programming and a bit of @adafruit.com magic, I made this remote controlled wagging raccoon tail in a lunch box.
October 24, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Diversion for the week: from some spare and repurposed parts, 3d printing, #Arduino programming and a bit of @adafruit.com magic, I made this remote controlled wagging raccoon tail in a lunch box.
Lots of progress on my @circuitpython.org game for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. Premise is you mine for minerals on different moons. Have a title screen, mechanics working, multiple page game working and a few animations. Next up is to fix bugs, add additional levels and animations.
October 20, 2025 at 3:59 AM
Lots of progress on my @circuitpython.org game for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. Premise is you mine for minerals on different moons. Have a title screen, mechanics working, multiple page game working and a few animations. Next up is to fix bugs, add additional levels and animations.
One of my early @circuitpython.org projects and still one of my favs. The EZ Make Oven is a reflow oven for soldering surface mount components to PCBs built from @adafruit.com parts with no high voltage wiring. I've been using it for over 5 years. Learn guide here: learn.adafruit.com/ez-make-oven
October 16, 2025 at 12:53 PM
One of my early @circuitpython.org projects and still one of my favs. The EZ Make Oven is a reflow oven for soldering surface mount components to PCBs built from @adafruit.com parts with no high voltage wiring. I've been using it for over 5 years. Learn guide here: learn.adafruit.com/ez-make-oven
Fun fact: The first #shareware program I wrote was a blackjack game for the #Amiga. It was distributed using Fred Fish disks in computer clubs and BBS’s and people would send me money in the mail for the deluxe version and I would mail the game to them. Pre-Internet times seem like a lifetime ago.
October 11, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Fun fact: The first #shareware program I wrote was a blackjack game for the #Amiga. It was distributed using Fred Fish disks in computer clubs and BBS’s and people would send me money in the mail for the deluxe version and I would mail the game to them. Pre-Internet times seem like a lifetime ago.
WIP: This week for my @circuitpython.org game running on the @adafruit.com #FruitJam, I worked on some physics, created a ship graphic, added text to the display and updated the screen graphics. I think it is coming along nicely.
October 7, 2025 at 12:34 PM
WIP: This week for my @circuitpython.org game running on the @adafruit.com #FruitJam, I worked on some physics, created a ship graphic, added text to the display and updated the screen graphics. I think it is coming along nicely.
WIP: New project. Starting simple, I'm working on the mechanics/physics of a re-imagined #retro game from the past. @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
October 5, 2025 at 12:29 AM
WIP: New project. Starting simple, I'm working on the mechanics/physics of a re-imagined #retro game from the past. @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
Fun fact: text stored in a story file for a #ZMachine game (i.e. #Zork) is encoded as 5 bits, so 3 characters could be stored in 2 bytes(16 bits). Every byte counted back in the day. Didn't know there was a history using 5 bits for text. Thanks @anneb.bsky.social !
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/30/s...
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/30/s...
blog.adafruit.com
September 30, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Fun fact: text stored in a story file for a #ZMachine game (i.e. #Zork) is encoded as 5 bits, so 3 characters could be stored in 2 bytes(16 bits). Every byte counted back in the day. Didn't know there was a history using 5 bits for text. Thanks @anneb.bsky.social !
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/30/s...
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/30/s...
My college years saw big changes in computer technology. As a freshman we used punch cards for computer assignments. Later years we switched to terminals and in my senior year the Apple Macintosh 128K arrived on campus.
September 30, 2025 at 2:39 PM
My college years saw big changes in computer technology. As a freshman we used punch cards for computer assignments. Later years we switched to terminals and in my senior year the Apple Macintosh 128K arrived on campus.
I wrote a brief history of the making of the CPZ Machine. #Zork #ZMachine @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #fruitjam.
danthegeek.com/2025/09/29/c...
danthegeek.com/2025/09/29/c...
Using CircuitPython For Running a Z Machine? Yes!
For several years I have been thinking about how cool it would be to have a CircuitPython-based Z Machine for running Zork and similar adventure games. Unfortunately, no one had written one that I kno...
danthegeek.com
September 29, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I wrote a brief history of the making of the CPZ Machine. #Zork #ZMachine @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #fruitjam.
danthegeek.com/2025/09/29/c...
danthegeek.com/2025/09/29/c...
I have fixed all the known bugs to date and I have all the initial features I want so I have released the first production (i.e. non-beta) version of the CPZ Machine. #Zork #ZMachine @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
September 29, 2025 at 12:19 PM
I have fixed all the known bugs to date and I have all the initial features I want so I have released the first production (i.e. non-beta) version of the CPZ Machine. #Zork #ZMachine @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
Finally I have a video captured screen shot of my CPZ Machine playing #Zork. The font can be changed in the program. The included fonts allow screen sizes from 64x22 (this screen shot) to 106x40 characters.
September 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Finally I have a video captured screen shot of my CPZ Machine playing #Zork. The font can be changed in the program. The included fonts allow screen sizes from 64x22 (this screen shot) to 106x40 characters.
Lots of updates and fixes recently for the CPZ Machine, the #ZMachine emulator for #CircuitPython and the
@adafruit.com #FruitJam. Latest version is 1.0.5. If you have had trouble running it, download the latest version here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
@adafruit.com #FruitJam. Latest version is 1.0.5. If you have had trouble running it, download the latest version here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
Releases · ZContent/CPZ_Machine
A native Z Machine for the Adafruit Fruit Jam running Circuit Python for playing Zork and similar games - ZContent/CPZ_Machine
github.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Lots of updates and fixes recently for the CPZ Machine, the #ZMachine emulator for #CircuitPython and the
@adafruit.com #FruitJam. Latest version is 1.0.5. If you have had trouble running it, download the latest version here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
@adafruit.com #FruitJam. Latest version is 1.0.5. If you have had trouble running it, download the latest version here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
A blinking cursor adds a retro look to my #Zork #ZMachine running on #CircuitPython and the @adafruit.com #FruitJam
September 22, 2025 at 3:59 AM
A blinking cursor adds a retro look to my #Zork #ZMachine running on #CircuitPython and the @adafruit.com #FruitJam
Version 1.0.1 of my CPZ Machine project was just released to fix a bug where the program would no longer listen to you after entering a blank line (how rude!).Recommended update. @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam #Zork #ZMachine
(edit: link now shows all versions)
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
(edit: link now shows all versions)
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
September 19, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Version 1.0.1 of my CPZ Machine project was just released to fix a bug where the program would no longer listen to you after entering a blank line (how rude!).Recommended update. @circuitpython.org @adafruit.com #FruitJam #Zork #ZMachine
(edit: link now shows all versions)
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
(edit: link now shows all versions)
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
Did you know that the CPZ Machine has 5 retro color themes to choose from for your #ZMachine #Zork adventures? This one is called “Amiga”. @adafruit.com @circuitpython.org
September 19, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Did you know that the CPZ Machine has 5 retro color themes to choose from for your #ZMachine #Zork adventures? This one is called “Amiga”. @adafruit.com @circuitpython.org
I just published the first release of my @circuitpython.org Z Machine emulator for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. It can run #Zork and other version 3 #zmachine games. Works with Fruit Jam OS too. Download the release here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
September 18, 2025 at 5:49 PM
I just published the first release of my @circuitpython.org Z Machine emulator for the @adafruit.com Fruit Jam. It can run #Zork and other version 3 #zmachine games. Works with Fruit Jam OS too. Download the release here:
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
github.com/ZContent/CPZ...
My epaper weather station project from a few years ago was mentioned today in the @adafruit blog.
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/12/w...
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/12/w...
blog.adafruit.com
September 15, 2025 at 11:15 PM
My epaper weather station project from a few years ago was mentioned today in the @adafruit blog.
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/12/w...
blog.adafruit.com/2025/09/12/w...