Fr. Robert Ballecer (Dumpster Diving, Vatican tech, TI-99/4A) // Techsploder Podcast #10

Father Robert Ballecer, aka The Digital Jesuit, lives two lives: One as a dedicated Jesuit priest working at the Vatican in Rome, and the other as a lifelong tech nerd. Here he explains why those seemingly different aspects of his life are actually one and the same.
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• Father Robert's experience living in Rome and contrasts with more tech-centric cities
• Father Robert's role in the church and how it relates to his technology work
• Father Robert's childhood interest in technology and parental support
• Early experiences with dumpster diving for computer parts
• Fixing and selling TRS-80 computers
• Running a Bulletin Board System (BBS) as a youth
• Selling refurbished floppy disks through a BBS
• Early experiences with TH-cam and content creation
• Monetization of TH-cam content and optimization techniques
• Discussion of pre-iPod MP3 players and early consumer tech
• Father Robert's experiences with hacking school computer systems
• Phone phreaking and early hacking experiences
• Father Robert's interest in The Expanse sci-fi series and its realistic technology
• Discussion of fusion technology and energy conversion as potential future developments
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[@RickTashma]

Yay, Fr. Robert! Great to see you two together for an in-person chat!

[@Techsploder]

It was a real treat!

[@JamesR2015]

I really enjoyed this episode and the other episodes of the Tech Sploder podcast.

[@Techsploder]

Sweet, so do I! Haha

[@DigitalJesuit]

It was so good to see Jason again. 🥰

[@Techsploder]

A million thank you's to you, sir. Memories we will never forget, thanks to you. You the man!!!

[@hazardousblock]

What a wonderful interview! Both of you are great!❤❤

[@Techsploder]

Thank you for watching!

[@skyvzneldaddy9218]

Loved this episode. Awesome to see Father Robert Ballecer after hearing him many times on TWiT!

[@Techsploder]

Thank you for watching! Padre is the best.

[@GottaGeek]

❤the content and you two together again

[@Techsploder]

Much appreciated 👍

[@BrianFromArizona]

Amazing episode!

[@Techsploder]

Thank you!

[@blerten]

how interesting, enlightening and fun!

[@Techsploder]

Right on!!

[@JKHutch_VT]

Fr. Robert is the best! I miss his show Know How!!

[@Techsploder]

He is the best!

[@webgenius937]

Thanks Jason, thanks Father Robert

[@Techsploder]

Absolutely! More to come!

[@fparent]

Great interview!

[@Techsploder]

Thank you!

[@abcabc-m1q]

Cool episode! My first computer was the TI-99/4A too. :) Did you have the cutting-edge voice synthesizer add-on? This brought back lotsa memories, thanks!

[@Techsploder]

Thanks for Watching! Padre is the best.

[@bamabob99]

Great stuff ❤

[@Techsploder]

Thanks ✌️

[@tommyontrip]

Great interview and a look back to the eighties.

[@Techsploder]

That's my decade!

[@tommyontrip]

@@Techsploder That's my decade also. I just love re-discovering details about the tech and also the music from that time.