David L. Farquhar on technology old and new, computer security, and more
October 27, 1982 is the date on the IBM 5150 Revision B BIOS, making this week as good of a time as any to look over the differences between the Revision A and Revision B IBM PC 5150. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Revision A vs Revision B IBM PC 5150? Maybe more importantly, is one of them more rare than the other?
Fourteen years ago this week, on October 26, 2012, Microsoft released Windows 8. Let’s just say Windows 8 was not their finest moment. It was their most significant UI redesign since Windows 95, and it flopped. Oddly, two of the most beloved Windows versions ever, Windows 7 and Windows XP, were also released in the same week, several years apart. But that late October magic couldn’t save Windows 8.
How much you can make in an entry level cyber security job is a good question. We’ve all heard there is a shortage of people in cyber security, and while the money is good, there are certain limits. In this blog post, I’ll talk about the limits of the entry level cyber security job, and some possible career paths.
In 1982, computers seemed like a thing in the future for the majority of people. But Commodore was doing what they could to make them affordable. After creating the first color computer that would sell for less than $300, the first 64k computer to sell for less than $600, and the first disk drive for less than $300, Commodore wanted a sub-$100 modem to go with all of that. They outsourced the design to Anchor Automation, and the VICmodem, model 1600, was what they came up with. Introduced January 7, 1982 at the Winter Consumer Electronics Show, it reached the market in March 1982.
It was 25 years ago this week, on October 25, 2001, that Microsoft released Windows XP. I find it interesting that Microsoft released two of the most beloved Windows versions in the same week, 8 years apart, and another one of the worst Windows versions, Windows 8, in the same week, but after these two.
On October 22, 2009, Windows 7 was released. It went on to become one of the most popular Windows versions of all time, providing a much needed bounce back after Windows Vista. Two of the most beloved Windows versions ever, Windows 7 and Windows XP, were both released in the same week, 8 years apart.
It was 52 years ago this month, in October 1974, that Creative Computing, one of the greatest computer magazines of the 1970s and 1980s, made its debut.
Epyx was one of the most celebrated and prolific software publishers for 8-bit home computers, especially Atari and Commodore, and, to a lesser degree, Apple. But they struggled to transition to newer platforms and that ultimately led to bankruptcy, on October 19, 1989.
There are two ways to look at the question of who bought Gateway computers. Who bought the company, and who bought the computers. Gateway’s computers didn’t have the best reputation, but people loved the company until they didn’t. Gateway fell hard and fast, and various turnaround efforts failed. What happened to Gateway 2000 was Acer bought them on October 17, 2007.
Gateway was originally known as Gateway 2000, but changed its name as the millennium approached so as not to sound dated.
When researching the 1600 VICmodem, I found an assertion that the 1600 was the first modem to sell a million units. And I’ve repeated that claim myself at least once. But I never felt quite right about that. I am a classically trained journalist, and if you have the ability to double check a claim, you are supposed to do that. In this blog post, I try to get a good estimate of how many VICmodems Commodore sold.