Tech Tangents

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nprofile1qqsfanzneer5q6v2sa7e4lptt5hq22lfd4xytrdcnsjd49jjlmd4dfgpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerfw36x7tnsw43qqmsjn4

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Last Notes

2026-06-29 15:04:15 GMT

Gee I sure love how AI gives the power back to the people. The people who use it to constantly flood my public email with garbage. It's so bad that real emails that aren't this nonsense are more likely to be marked as spam and filtered out now.
I'm becoming increasingly tempted to just nuke this email address and move to a new one that isn't listed on the channel about page anymore.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/833/966/939/402/371/original/97f37fb7d898af8c.png

2026-06-25 15:18:36 GMT

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@nprofile…fr89
I swear it's like there's this whole other world of software developers who want to do anything but develop software. So many libraries, niche languages, layers of abstraction, all culminating in maximally inefficient software that writes itself using all of the terrible practices they've built.
I feel like "AI Software Developers" would next up on the Golgafrinchan Ark ship in HHGTTG with the telephone cleaners.

2026-06-12 14:48:58 GMT

I just solved this programming problem I've been gnawing at for a week by using this fantastic tool called my brain.
Seriously though, I am so happy right now because the solution is one of those things that seems so obvious after the fact and just required coming back with a fresh perspective.

2026-06-08 14:43:31 GMT

I put out a video that was critical of AI without AI being mentioned in title, thumbnail, or description. And it was dogpiled with pro-AI comments almost instantly.
This video has almost 2.5X as many comments per view as my most recent "controversial" video, and 4.5 the average.
I don't want to say that AI bots are being used to astrorturf videos after scraping scripts, but I have a hard time believing this is real based on experience.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/714/957/010/928/856/original/dec78200bc51a58e.png
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/714/957/427/757/622/original/f30776f71d84ee46.png
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/714/958/348/245/165/original/98a1353901d7e2d3.png

2026-05-24 00:18:56 GMT

Turns out the trick to getting Google Classic sans-AI is to just browse the web on a 3DS!
I can't see any possible down sides to this!
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/626/663/373/588/490/original/8b274ddc85346279.png

2026-05-13 15:04:16 GMT

Welcome to our future. My grandmother bought a book on Amazon a few days ago and this is what arrived. My BS radar went off like crazy as soon as I saw it.
This is an almost completely AI generated book, printed on demand, and sold as a physical product.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/567/684/210/372/701/original/d12e3d1324e63b4a.png
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/567/696/327/060/174/original/82556d9318f65b2e.png

2026-05-09 23:19:04 GMT

Pretty cool thing I was able to do on stream today that should be a video coming up soon, I was able to do dual monitor AutoCAD R11 using the IBM 8514 on my PS/2!
But I'm curious if anyone knows of any other programs that specifically support this config of 8514+VGA dual monitors? It's different from VGA+MDA which is a lot more common.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/547/161/507/414/433/original/75573e65348175e2.png

2026-04-04 13:36:53 GMT

You cannot escape the truth about AI, even in 1988.
(okay, this is actually about IBM being Absolute Idiots rather than eliza++. But it was too fun to pass up. Source: https://dn721602.ca.archive.org/0/items/bitsavers_ComputerDe27N1619880901_59733618/Computer_Design_V27_N16_19880901.pdf#page=36 )
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/346/689/439/115/856/original/e1b6bfb84351e806.png

2026-03-28 23:23:04 GMT

This might be one of the greatest error messages of all time.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/309/369/402/337/885/original/642463c70e6c8fdb.png

2026-02-21 23:56:31 GMT

Well I had a fun day today!
These are unaltered direct photos (other than mirroring) of a CED and a Laserdisc where using diffraction grating I was able to VISIBLY SEE video physically encoded on the disc!
I will be editing a video about this process but also did a quick write up about it on my wiki here with the direct sample images:
https://wiki.techtangents.net/wiki/Seeing_Media
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/111/298/520/120/474/original/9e9555be789d7e10.png
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/116/111/299/182/696/773/original/79838918a4d96ca2.png

2026-01-02 23:50:52 GMT

I was asked by a family member why it was taking so long to paste something large into a new Microsoft Word document on their computer, I sarcastically replied it was because it takes a while to upload it all to the copilot AI nonense first. And then I realized accidentally I might be right...I disabled copilot in Word and it went back to being instant again
So that's cool that Microsoft seems uploading everything you paste into a new Word doc to their servers now.

2025-12-17 20:05:20 GMT

Typical day in RS-232 land
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/115/736/698/688/105/106/original/5a0262edc97d6e40.jpg

2025-11-11 18:20:03 GMT

What every self respecting software engineer is thinking inside as they watch AI wreck everything.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/115/532/433/564/180/118/original/f56c0126049933a1.png

2025-11-06 13:51:56 GMT

Dear technology history writers, stop including inflation adjusted prices in your work.
The original price is always relevant, but your "modern day" price ages fast as inflation continues. If you want to add context for a price, use a different product that's still sold. If the audience must know what the "real" price is, they have to look it up themselves.
This annoyance brought to you by reading a wikipedia article with multiple "inflation adjusted" prices for different "current day" years.

2025-10-09 18:15:17 GMT

Totally normal Data General related things happening over here...
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/115/345/497/778/910/945/original/38e14c435cbe036e.png

2025-07-14 22:18:54 GMT

I was just able to archive the lost Cauzin Softstrip drivers for Macintosh!
https://archive.org/details/cauzin-softstrip-macintosh
I believe that means we now have all driver platforms preserved for that wonderfully odd piece of hardware!
@nprofile…lpyw You might appreciate this
I don't do a lot of Mac stuff so it's ripped as flux and then decoded using gw's `mac.400` format in a DSK because it looked single sided. If anyone tests if it loads I would love to know if it's a good rip.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/853/871/676/071/925/original/3d26786ca6fbf308.jpg

2025-06-07 22:53:23 GMT

*Does video where I checked the PSU first, but it was the solder that was bad*
Comments: Obviously you should have checked all of the solder. You should just reflow every PCB you ever see.
*Does video where I checked the solder first, but it was the PSU that was bad*
Comments: Why didn't you check the PSU first? I've never seen bad solder before.

2025-05-18 16:07:23 GMT

I'm too excited not to share this before next week's because I still doesn't feel real.
That is my Data General microNOVA fully put back together and running flawlessly!
Seeing this working after just having it "around" for so long is wild. A lot of help and luck made this happen. I'm so happy and appreciative that this has been able to come together to this point.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/529/670/479/777/230/original/3faf2c68cc11f3e4.png

2025-03-25 15:14:17 GMT

I realized the other day that normal people probably don't have giant bins full of SCSI cables in 2025.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/223/715/430/912/076/original/bf17f60128736289.png

2025-03-20 13:28:14 GMT

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@nprofile…5ek2 When I recapped a Mac Classic II I didn't do a very good job cleaning up the leaked electrolyte the first time. It worked, but then the next day it did the jailbars again. I then cleaned it much more aggressively and it has worked every time since then.
It may be worth trying a more rigorous cleaning of the PCB.

2025-03-03 01:27:30 GMT

That is a Data General microNOVA booted off of a floppy!
It's not doing anything useful yet and it turns out my one boot disk is just to initialize an HDD or something. But hey it's a start!
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/095/741/594/468/015/original/0ed4389f381e793f.png

2025-02-27 20:59:33 GMT

Does anyone know anything about this possible Apple II plus desk? I couldn't find any info but bought it anyway because I love period stuff like this.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/077/852/755/952/385/original/3f13b99800ec1774.jpg
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/077/855/795/281/106/original/6acb87a1eaa1ccf5.jpg

2025-02-25 15:20:33 GMT

Individually wrapped transistors for maximum freshness!
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/065/183/720/857/963/original/9427e2919a3ed130.jpg
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/065/199/112/648/260/original/a58175f5d7f28c8a.jpg

2025-02-19 14:02:57 GMT

I woke up this morning and remembered something crazy, I have a functional Data General!
Yesterday was a ton of fun with Usagi Electric working on this thing!
There are still some quirks to iron out, but man what a relief to have made so much progress!
(Oh yeah, the video out on the terminal works!)
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/114/030/804/847/950/072/original/aad2eabc2b60fc23.png

2025-02-04 16:48:10 GMT

It's pretty rare that I see a giant old computer case I don't like, but this one from 1988 provoked and immediate "ewww" from me.
It might be the only PC case I've ever seen that uses the weird taller 3.5in FDD drives though.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/113/946/621/641/414/861/original/1342e8f8d2b1566d.png

2024-12-21 04:15:33 GMT

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@nprofile…cgs9
My NexDock keyboard is not amazing, so I can't vouch for it on that merit.

2024-12-18 20:50:57 GMT

Gmail's automatic spam filter knocked this one out of the park.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/113/675/796/757/620/702/original/b969fd72171b9bc5.png

2024-12-02 18:41:11 GMT

Don't forget to install your LOCALHOST card in your next computer build.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/113/584/684/368/113/701/original/3e38a749963f0efd.png

2024-11-10 14:18:26 GMT

Cool, I'm being called a "libcuck feminist" in comments because I bemoaned the advertising of the product I was covering using sexually suggestive terms on my always family friendly vintage computer videos that I know for a fact kids do watch with their parents.
I'm sure they totally weren't emboldened to share their misogynistic views in new places after any recent events.

2024-07-01 23:07:16 GMT

UI design is my pa...
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/112/713/729/827/283/778/original/312ce0b32fff291e.png

2024-06-07 15:03:52 GMT

I feel like I'm going a little bit crazy.
I'm messing around with video capture at home and I SWEAR the CRT is showing a higher framerate in pod than 60Hz.
Of course when I film it with my phone at 60FPS though, they seem identical.
BUT the CRT seems to be in sync? There is no rolling shutter issue, so if the refresh rate was different it would have to be some multiple of 60.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/112/575/876/976/410/163/original/9e3f04cb3639b577.mp4

2024-05-28 23:08:04 GMT

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Alright, yeah. The future is absolutely going to be horrible.
I cannot launch this game, that I have previously played on this console, THAT IS ON A DISC, because I'm not signed in.
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/112/521/218/159/066/369/original/eeecc9ac3004788a.mp4

2024-05-28 22:54:31 GMT

Wow this is lame, on a PS5 it's possible to update the system firmware without updating the controller in a way that makes them incompatible.
Sure, I can update my controller to fix this now. What about 20 years from now though?
I wonder if this is one way, and this controller won't be able to work with older firmwares after updating? The future is terrible.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/112/521/157/713/318/893/original/eb31fcea40532e25.png

2024-05-08 15:15:24 GMT

moo
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/112/406/122/779/265/021/original/5d5a161cada444cf.png

2024-04-23 22:24:10 GMT

After my recent video I realized I wanted to have a local copy of all of my games now.
Steam just went down while I'm still downloading everything from them. I'm feeling more justified in my concerns now.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/112/322/851/881/059/542/original/3a39da5ea6aa6a95.png
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/112/322/868/410/530/693/original/7a87849f072ccc57.png

2024-02-19 23:26:08 GMT

I was just blindly staring at my computer and had the following thought:
"tar.gz archives are just a compressed tar file. That means tar's are kind of like a filesystem. I wonder if I could just write a tar to a flashdrive like an img file and use tar commands to move files on and off of it."
And then I remembered tape drives exist and that is literally how they work.

2024-01-17 00:10:54 GMT

More machines need a button labeled "DON'T CARE"
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/111/768/385/340/664/978/original/97eda7797c303c0c.png

2023-11-22 21:23:57 GMT

Finally I found people who get as excited about weird old printers as I do!
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/111/456/300/318/970/003/original/3f5b6532fb53469c.png

2023-10-01 02:29:00 GMT

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@npub1j4p…z0qp These early Sony 3.5" drives don't use a standard interface layout. I think it may be Shugart compatible but will require custom wiring an adapter cable. So this is not an easy thing to test. It does have a giant 50 pin floppy connector on the back I'm going to try with some 8in drives I have later though.
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/111/157/395/566/188/538/original/966b37e51703ba1b.png

2023-10-01 02:25:09 GMT

This computer is not booting from disks and is stumping me a bit more than I thought. This is a Jonos Escort, a *very* early 3.5" portable CP/M Z80 system, and from my understanding is not common. I've also never used a CP/M system, so I'm not quite sure if I'm at fault or it is just having an issue.
This has Sony OA-D32V drives in it, I roughly serviced the top drive and can see the disk moving. The system also trys to load disks but never finishes. Are there any gotchas for booting CP/M?
https://dialup.space/system/media_attachments/files/111/157/358/292/825/231/original/238cca15eebf8a2d.png