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Why are some books so expensive on Amazon?

Dave Farquhar Saving money, scams October 22, 2020October 8, 2020 0 Comment

Books are expensive, but some books are crazy expensive. There are generally three reasons for that. I don’t think I’m giving away any deep, dark secrets, so I’ll explain why some books are so expensive on Amazon. Like, $800 expensive, sometimes. Better yet, I’ll also explain how to know if the book you’re looking at is overpriced, or if it typically does sell for those high prices.

Some books legitimately are extremely valuable and expensive. But sometimes low-demand books get caught up in price wars that drive prices up due to short supply.

What to look for in a surge protector

Dave Farquhar DIY October 21, 2020October 17, 2020 1 Comment

Surge protectors cost a lot less now than they did when I was a kid. That’s probably a good thing. But buying one today is no less confusing than it was in 1985. Here’s what to look for in a surge protector, so you’re getting the protection you think you are, and without sacrificing convenience.

A good surge protector offers an indicator light that tells you it’s working, enough plugs to be useful to you, and at least 1,000 joules of protection. Be sure to look for at least those three things.

Asymmetric attack examples

Dave Farquhar security October 20, 2020October 3, 2020 0 Comment

In security, we talk about asymmetric attacks all the time. If you don’t know what that means, here’s an easy definition and some examples from the real world. We have to be careful not to conduct asymmetric attacks on ourselves, because frequently we inadvertently do just that.

An asymmetric attack is an attack that’s substantially more expensive to protect against than to launch. This makes them a common challenge in security.

Can’t type in PyCharm? Try this first.

Dave Farquhar Software October 19, 2020October 3, 2020 0 Comment

PyCharm is a lifesaver for developing in Python, but it has a glitch. Sometimes, after you run a script, you lose the ability to type in the editor and make changes. Loads of web sites offer elaborate suggestions to fix the problem, but frequently, these complex solutions don’t work. Frequently they cause other problems. Try the easy solutions first.

The two easy solutions are to double-click on another file in your project, then double click on your script again. And if that doesn’t work, just exit PyCharm entirely and relaunch it.

Normal GPU temperature

Dave Farquhar Hardware October 15, 2020September 27, 2020 0 Comment

What’s a normal GPU temperature? That all depends on your GPU and how you use your system, but I can at least give you some guidelines.

Can you paint drywall without texture?

Dave Farquhar DIY October 14, 2020October 6, 2020 0 Comment

Can you paint drywall without texture? Absolutely you can. I think it’s easier to paint without texture, as long as you prime it first. But texture can save you time in the long run.

There’s no reason you have to texture drywall. Texture is for making the wall look more traditional or to cover flaws, not to make the paint work better.

Selling books on Amazon

Dave Farquhar Careers October 13, 2020October 12, 2020 0 Comment

I didn’t talk about it much, but I sold books on Amazon for extra money for a little over a decade. There’s a lot of hyperbole out there about selling on Amazon and online in general. Here’s some straight talk about selling books on Amazon from someone who did it.

Surge protector vs power strip

Dave Farquhar DIY October 12, 2020October 10, 2020 0 Comment

My home office doubles as the home for most of my retro computers. That means at any given time I have up to five computers set up in there. These means I need lots of power strips. Or is it surge protectors I need? Let’s look at the question of surge protector vs power strip, because there really is a difference. And that difference can cost you money. Sometimes a lot of money.

A power strip just extends your outlet so you can plug more stuff into it. A surge protector lets you plug in more stuff, but it also provides protection for what you plug into it, though the amount of protection varies.

Are tenkeyless keyboards good?

Dave Farquhar Hardware October 8, 2020October 6, 2020 0 Comment

I’ll admit it. I’m a keyboard snob. There are two reasons for that. My mind races much faster than most people can type, and on a good keyboard I could type at insane speeds in my prime. Secondly, I’ve had repetitive stress injury, and after a day of typing on cheap keyboards, I can feel it. I’m an extreme case, but if you’re asking about a specific kind of keyboard, that’s probably the opinion you want. So are tenkeyless keyboards good? I thought I’d hate them, but I was wrong.

Tenkeyless keyboards offer at least three advantages over a traditional keyboard. They’re cheaper, they take up less space, and they allow a better position for the mouse. If you’re not an accountant, they’re worth a look.

Composite vs S-Video

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing October 7, 2020October 6, 2020 0 Comment

Vintage computers and video game systems, as well as other consumer devices, often offer more than one video output option. Composite and S-Video are two of the most common options. Let’s look at composite vs S-Video, and why one is better than the other.

S-Video separates the video signal into two components, the chrominance (color) and luminance (brightness), where composite transfers them both on a single wire. Separating the two gives a clearer picture, though the difference depends on how the circuit is implemented.

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