The Silicon Underground - David L. Farquhar, computer security professional, train hobbyist, and landlord

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Advantages and disadvantages of CLI

Dave Farquhar Software June 25, 2019June 9, 2019 0 Comment

Many people regard command line interfaces as old-fashioned. They’re certainly less friendly and much less intuitive than icons and a mouse. Nevertheless, command line interfaces still exist, and even the Macintosh, the computer that introduced the masses to icons and mice, has one. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of CLI?

Command lines can be cryptic but they can be a whole lot faster, and they make automation and dealing with huge data sets possible. Network administrators, system administrators, security professionals, and data scientists may all spend significant time using a CLI for this reason.

Epyx Fast Load commands

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 24, 2019June 9, 2019 0 Comment

Epyx’s Fast Load cartridge did more than just speed up disk access. It also added a fair bit of functionality in the form of utilities and additional commands. Here’s a look at the Epyx Fast Load commands and how to use them.

Most Fast Load commands followed the convention of Commodore’s DOS Wedge, but it only implemented a subset of it. The cartridge also contained some simple disk utilities, including copiers, a disk editor, and simple file utilities. Also keep in mind if you use a Fast Load cartridge with a Pi1541, you need to reconfigure your Pi1541.

What are 1 gauge trains?

Dave Farquhar model railroading June 21, 2019June 9, 2019 0 Comment

What are 1 gauge trains? It’s a fair question, since it’s terminology you don’t see every day. And it’s one, as in the number one, not L gauge or I gauge. It’s not the same as O gauge, and it’s terminology that goes all the way back to the 19th century.

German model railroad maker Marklin introduced 1 Gauge, or Gauge 1, in 1891 as the smallest of five train sizes. Its track measures 1.75 inches across and trains marketed using this terminology are usually 1:32 scale.

What does backported mean?

Dave Farquhar Linux June 20, 2019June 9, 2019 1 Comment

This is the question I just can’t shake in my career. Maybe if I answer it in writing, it’ll save me one conversation. What does backported mean, and do I need to be concerned about it?

Backporting is the process of applying bugfixes, especially security fixes, from new software to older, discontinued versions of the same software. This allows businesses to run older software securely while maintaining compatibility that the newer version may lack. This practice is most common on open-source software on Linux systems, so don’t get any ideas about using backporting to make it safe to run Adobe Acrobat 1.0 on Windows 98. That isn’t happening.

LHA file format

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 19, 2019June 9, 2019 1 Comment

LHA was a compression algorithm popular in the early 1990s, especially on Amiga computers. It was similar in concept to Zip on PCs, but was slightly more efficient. Amiga software was frequently distributed in LHA file format.

Most modern PC file decompressors, such as 7zip and WinRAR, can extract the LHA file format. If you need to extract an LHA file on an Amiga or an emulator, the most popular LHA utility was called LhA, written by Stefan Boberg.

How to lower your toolbox height

Dave Farquhar DIY June 18, 2019May 27, 2019 1 Comment

If you need to lower your toolbox height so it will fit under a shelf or workbench, you can do it as long as you’re willing to empty and disassemble the toolbox.

Most toolboxes don’t have adjustable casters. But you can swap the casters under your toolbox for smaller ones to gain an inch of clearance, or possibly even two inches.

Printers for vintage computers

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 17, 2019May 26, 2019 0 Comment

For many vintage computer enthusiasts, printing is a curiosity. But it can be nice to be able to print from a vintage machine. And there are relatively modern printers that work with vintage computers without the hassle of finding ribbons. The key is to find a laser printer that can emulate older Epson FX-series dot matrix printers. This takes some legwork and some research, but it’s doable.

Some people consider using a modern LCD cheating, but I don’t think using a laser printer is. Laser printers existed in the 1980s. They were just expensive. This means you can team up your vintage computer with a compatible laser printer to build what would have been a dream outfit when your retro computer was new.

What is a narrow gauge railroad?

Dave Farquhar model railroading June 14, 2019June 9, 2019 0 Comment

What is a narrow gauge railroad? If you’re not a train enthusiast, or even if you are, you may be a bit unclear on this term even if you hear it all the time. Let’s talk about narrow gauge, why it exists, and why hobbyists like to model narrow gauge instead of standard gauge trains like the ones you probably see every day.

Narrow gauge railroads are railroads with a narrower track than the standard 4 feet, 8.5 inches. They typically occur in areas where a full-size train is impractical.

Build your own Commodore 64 power supply

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 13, 2019May 25, 2019 0 Comment

Hobbyists have been building their own replacement C-64 power supplies for decades. I first talked to someone about it in the mid 1990s, when I was still in college. But no one, to my knowledge, has ever given a step by step build process for a DIY power supply. So I will. Here’s how to build your own Commodore 64 power supply.

All you need to build a DIY C-64 power supply are the two cables you can make or salvage from an original power supply, a 9V transformer, a 5V switching power supply module, a case to put it in, and possibly some bits of wire and wire nuts. The only tools you need are a screwdriver and a multimeter.

Sears vs Stanley Craftsman tools

Dave Farquhar DIY June 12, 2019May 26, 2019 0 Comment

Did you know there are two lines of Craftsman tools? One is controlled by Sears and the other is controlled by Stanley Black and Decker. When it comes to Sears vs Stanley Craftsman tools, there may be a difference, and it’s certainly confusing. Here’s how this confusion came to be.

In March 2017, Sears sold the Craftsman brand name to Stanley Black and Decker while retaining a license to continue to use the name itself until 2032. This is why you can buy Craftsman tools at Sears, yet find different Craftsman tools at other stores.

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