Ipso Facto was the bimonthly newsletter of the Association of Computer Experimenters, an organization of computer enthusiasts founded in Hamilton, Ontario in 1977. The primary interest of the group was RCA's CMOS microprocessor, the CDP1802. Within 3 years ACE had attracted nearly 600 members worldwide, and issues of Ipso Facto swelled from 12 pages to 50, 60, and even 70 pages. Articles ranged from the trivial to the complex, covering both hardware and software subjects, and were typically photocopied from the authors' typewritten or dot-matrix originals. The binding was a single staple in the upper-left corner, the cover a single page listing the contents. The group peaked in the early 1980s, but by 1985 interest was shifting to new, more powerful microprocessors. Ipso Facto thinned noticeably, and ACE published the final issue of Ipso Facto, number 46, in February of 1986.
Members contributed articles to Ipso Facto voluntarily, motivated only by the desire to share their experiences and help one another master this new hobby. In that respect, ACE and countless computer clubs like it were precursors to today's open source software community, which continues to challenge the world's largest commercial software companies to improve and secure their products. In doing so, such communities benefit everyone.
The Ipso Facto articles shared freely at cosmacelf.com continue the spirit of the original contributors. I hope you find their enthusiasm and love of technology contagious.
Enjoy,
Dave Ruske
