Syd Bolton
Encyclopedia
Sydney Lorne Bolton is a Canadian software developer, technology broadcaster, video game collector, and author. Bolton continues to live in Brantford.
was first introduced and by the time he was 12, he owned 3 computers. Bolton was one of the first developers to create Bulletin Board System
(BBS) software that was available on multiple platforms (in this case, the Commodore 64
and the Apple II
). At the age of 17, along with his brother and with assistance from his father started a video and software rental store called The Video Garage. When he turned 18, Bolton formed Legendary Design Technologies which went on to be a very successful Amiga
software development and distribution company that at one point was the official Canadian distributor of NewTek
products including the famous Video Toaster
. In 2005, Bolton opened the Personal Computer Museum
. From 1997 to 2009, Bolton was employed at Datasym (a point of sale company) developing products and writing software primarily involving hi-speed credit card transactions. He is currently the IT Manager at ACIC / Methapharm in Brantford.
to the public on September 17, 2005. The museum is Bolton’s largest project to date, with thousands of artifacts and supporting materials related to the history of personal computing. The Personal Computer Museum is a registered Canadian charity
. In February 2010, the museum received international attention when Bolton created a Twitter client for the Commodore VIC-20
, the oldest known computer to communicate on Twitter. The event was featured on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
as well as many other media outlets.. In October 2011, Bolton received the "Tourism Innovator" award from the Shining Stars Tourism Awards for his work at the museum, and the museum itself received the award for "Digital Media: Promotion and Marketing Campaign Awards" for the "Guitar Hero Rocks the Square" event held in the fall of 2010.
, British Columbia
. Both Bolton and the Personal Computer Museum
received a fair amount of attention in the summer of 2009 when Bolton's custom-made Pac-Man table was featured on Destructoid and news of his PS2 collection reaching 1,200 unique games was featured on Kotaku. In October 2009, it was announced that Bolton is the President of the S-3D Gaming Alliance (http://www.s3dga.com) which focuses on supporting stereoscopic 3D gaming. Syd Bolton has since been replaced as President by Alan Price, former CTO of Electronic Arts Canada.
In September 2010 Bolton was declared as having the largest video game collection in Canada , and will appear as a gaming celebrity at the 2011 Fan Expo Canada .
In June 2011, Bolton completed his Xbox game collection being the first in Canada, and possibly North America to do so.
In November 2011, Bolton's PlayStation Network ID, "DirkTheDaring" was featured as part of a marketing campaign in a Kevin Butler
video called "Teamwork".
since March 5, 2005. The piece currently runs in the Weekend section of the Saturday paper and it focuses on technology and its various aspects. Bolton hosts a weekly radio show on Power 93 FM (http://www.power93.ca) called 'Around Town' that brings on community guests to discuss upcoming events and products. Between 2008 and early 2010 he appeared monthly on CKPC (AM)
radio for a segment called ‘Tech Talk’ with 'Mayor of the Morning', Ed McMahon. Currently, he does interviews on local radio when requested.
Bolton has been seen on national Canadian Television several times. He appeared on CTS (Crossroads Television System
) on a show called Always Good News and on two separate episodes of The Circuit
with Natasha Eloi
. In August, 2010 Bolton and his game collection appeared on The Electric Playground
and then as a Cameo Guest on Reviews on the Run
on April 5, 2010. Bolton also appeared in a story about the rise in Canadian video game development on the CTV Television Network
in September, 2010.
called BrantNOW! TV (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/brantnow-tv---brantford-and-brant-county-live-talk) which ran from March 2008 until December 2008. The show is currently on hiatus. A new show that focuses on older computers is currently under development with co-host Jason Gambacort.
Brantford is extensive. After joining in 1998, Bolton got involved in the local Santa Claus Parade and acted as chair in 2002, 2003 and 2010. His use of technology in the logistics planning of the parade has earned him a nomination for the Bell Technology Award presented by the Brantford Brant Chamber of Commerce in January 2011. He is recognized as JCI Senator #67353, which is the highest honor an individual can receive in the organization. He also graduated from the PRIME program in 2002 and has reached a status of CLT (Certified Local Trainer) as of 2007. Bolton also was a co-founder of the Brant FreeNet, which provided low-cost Internet access to residents of Brantford and Brant County for over thirteen years. The Brant FreeNet was one of the longest running Free-net
s in Canada.
Background
Bolton started with computers when he was 10 years old in 1981 when the IBM PCIBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
was first introduced and by the time he was 12, he owned 3 computers. Bolton was one of the first developers to create Bulletin Board System
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
(BBS) software that was available on multiple platforms (in this case, the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and the Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
). At the age of 17, along with his brother and with assistance from his father started a video and software rental store called The Video Garage. When he turned 18, Bolton formed Legendary Design Technologies which went on to be a very successful Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
software development and distribution company that at one point was the official Canadian distributor of NewTek
NewTek
NewTek, Inc. is a San Antonio, Texas-based hardware and software company that produces live and post-production video tools and visual imaging software for personal computers...
products including the famous Video Toaster
Video Toaster
The NewTek Video Toaster is a combination of hardware and software for the editing and production of standard-definition and high-definition video in NTSC, PAL, and resolution independent formats on Commodore Amiga computers and subsequently on computers running the Windows operating system...
. In 2005, Bolton opened the Personal Computer Museum
Personal Computer Museum
The Personal Computer Museum is located in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, located in a former city building that is built from reclaimed bricks from the Brantford Opera House....
. From 1997 to 2009, Bolton was employed at Datasym (a point of sale company) developing products and writing software primarily involving hi-speed credit card transactions. He is currently the IT Manager at ACIC / Methapharm in Brantford.
Personal Computer Museum
Bolton opened the Personal Computer MuseumPersonal Computer Museum
The Personal Computer Museum is located in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, located in a former city building that is built from reclaimed bricks from the Brantford Opera House....
to the public on September 17, 2005. The museum is Bolton’s largest project to date, with thousands of artifacts and supporting materials related to the history of personal computing. The Personal Computer Museum is a registered Canadian charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. In February 2010, the museum received international attention when Bolton created a Twitter client for the Commodore VIC-20
Commodore VIC-20
The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET...
, the oldest known computer to communicate on Twitter. The event was featured on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
as well as many other media outlets.. In October 2011, Bolton received the "Tourism Innovator" award from the Shining Stars Tourism Awards for his work at the museum, and the museum itself received the award for "Digital Media: Promotion and Marketing Campaign Awards" for the "Guitar Hero Rocks the Square" event held in the fall of 2010.
Video games
Bolton has a personal collection of video games that exceeds 11,000. He writes reviews and opinion pieces for both The Armchair Empire (http://www.armchairempire.com) and TorontoThumbs.com (http://www.torontothumbs.com). In 2009, Bolton was selected to be a judge for the video game awards program called The ELANS (http://www.theelans.com), which is based in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Both Bolton and the Personal Computer Museum
Personal Computer Museum
The Personal Computer Museum is located in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, located in a former city building that is built from reclaimed bricks from the Brantford Opera House....
received a fair amount of attention in the summer of 2009 when Bolton's custom-made Pac-Man table was featured on Destructoid and news of his PS2 collection reaching 1,200 unique games was featured on Kotaku. In October 2009, it was announced that Bolton is the President of the S-3D Gaming Alliance (http://www.s3dga.com) which focuses on supporting stereoscopic 3D gaming. Syd Bolton has since been replaced as President by Alan Price, former CTO of Electronic Arts Canada.
In September 2010 Bolton was declared as having the largest video game collection in Canada , and will appear as a gaming celebrity at the 2011 Fan Expo Canada .
In June 2011, Bolton completed his Xbox game collection being the first in Canada, and possibly North America to do so.
In November 2011, Bolton's PlayStation Network ID, "DirkTheDaring" was featured as part of a marketing campaign in a Kevin Butler
Kevin Butler
Kevin Butler may refer to:* Kevin Butler , American football placekicker* Kevin Butler , AKA "Bizness", American streetball player* Kevin Butler , fictional character in Sony's PlayStation 3 marketing campaigns...
video called "Teamwork".
Newspaper and Radio
Bolton has been writing the weekly ‘LOGGED ON’ column for the Brantford ExpositorBrantford Expositor
The Brantford Expositor is an English language newspaper based in Brantford, Ontario and owned by Osprey Media Group Inc. a subsidiary of Sun Media...
since March 5, 2005. The piece currently runs in the Weekend section of the Saturday paper and it focuses on technology and its various aspects. Bolton hosts a weekly radio show on Power 93 FM (http://www.power93.ca) called 'Around Town' that brings on community guests to discuss upcoming events and products. Between 2008 and early 2010 he appeared monthly on CKPC (AM)
CKPC (AM)
CKPC is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 1380 kHz in Brantford, Ontario. Owned and operated by Evanov Communications, the station airs a country music format branded as AM 1380.- History :...
radio for a segment called ‘Tech Talk’ with 'Mayor of the Morning', Ed McMahon. Currently, he does interviews on local radio when requested.
Television
Bolton announced his return to Rogers Television in September 2009 with the first appearance on September 16, 2009. He is featured live in studio on the show Inside Brant every Wednesday. Bolton has appeared on Rogers Television somewhat irregularly over the years, more recently yearly since 2005 as a co-host covering the JCI Brantford Santa Claus parade that happens during the last Saturday of November. Since January 2011, Bolton has hosted a monthly show called "Brantford Live! With Mayor Chris Friel".Bolton has been seen on national Canadian Television several times. He appeared on CTS (Crossroads Television System
Crossroads Television System
Crossroads Television System, or CTS, is a privately held Canadian television system.CTS airs predominantly Christian-based religious programming, most notably 100 Huntley Street, The Michael Coren Show and LIFE Today with James & Betty Robison, as well as other religious and faith based...
) on a show called Always Good News and on two separate episodes of The Circuit
The Circuit
The Circuit could refer to:*The Circuit , an Australian drama television series*The Circuit , an internet radio show produced by Card Player magazine...
with Natasha Eloi
Natasha Eloi
Natasha Eloi is a Canadian television personality and videographer. She is most often seen on the Space channel as a space, science and technology reporter and on The Circuit as the resident toy expert. She also hosts a show called It Came From The Basement! where she takes a look at people's...
. In August, 2010 Bolton and his game collection appeared on The Electric Playground
The Electric Playground
The Electric Playground is a daily news television show on the cable TV network G4 that covers movies, TV shows, comic books, collectibles and gadgets...
and then as a Cameo Guest on Reviews on the Run
Reviews on the Run
Reviews on the Run and "Reviews on the Rock" in the earlier seasons of the Electric Playground is a video game review TV show hosted by Victor Lucas and Scott C. Jones . The show is produced by Lucas' company Greedy Productions...
on April 5, 2010. Bolton also appeared in a story about the rise in Canadian video game development on the CTV Television Network
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
in September, 2010.
Live Video Podcasts
Bolton, along with Jamie Stephens created Brantford’s first live community video podcastVideo podcast
Video podcast is a term used for the online delivery of video on demand video clip content via Atom or RSS enclosures...
called BrantNOW! TV (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/brantnow-tv---brantford-and-brant-county-live-talk) which ran from March 2008 until December 2008. The show is currently on hiatus. A new show that focuses on older computers is currently under development with co-host Jason Gambacort.
Community
Bolton is very involved in his local community. As President of the Kelly Foundation (http://www.kellyfoundation.com), Bolton helps contribute thousands of dollars locally to charitable groups within Brantford and Brant County. His involvement with Junior Chamber InternationalJunior Chamber International
Junior Chamber International is the only worldwide non-political and non-sectarian youth service organization. It is an international community of citizens between the ages of to with the aim and purpose of creating positive changes in the world...
Brantford is extensive. After joining in 1998, Bolton got involved in the local Santa Claus Parade and acted as chair in 2002, 2003 and 2010. His use of technology in the logistics planning of the parade has earned him a nomination for the Bell Technology Award presented by the Brantford Brant Chamber of Commerce in January 2011. He is recognized as JCI Senator #67353, which is the highest honor an individual can receive in the organization. He also graduated from the PRIME program in 2002 and has reached a status of CLT (Certified Local Trainer) as of 2007. Bolton also was a co-founder of the Brant FreeNet, which provided low-cost Internet access to residents of Brantford and Brant County for over thirteen years. The Brant FreeNet was one of the longest running Free-net
Free-Net
A free-net was originally meant to mean a computer system which provides public access to a large number of resources including community information through text-based dialup...
s in Canada.