Author: Dave Farquhar

How much do GFCI outlets cost?

Dave Farquhar DIY
How much do GFCI outlets cost?

Code requires GFCI outlets in areas where water might be present. It’s a safety issue. But how much do GFCI outlets cost? And why are GFCI outlets so expensive relative to regular outlets?

GFCI outlets cost around $16 because they’re more complex than a standard outlet. But you can save money by taking advantage of a GFCI’s ability to protect all outlets downstream of it.

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Are expensive HDMI cables worth it?

Dave Farquhar Saving money
Are expensive HDMI cables worth it?

The markup on cables is huge. The markup on premium cables is even bigger. That’s why the cable you need to connect your device to your TV frequently doesn’t come in the box. Making matters worse, it’s hard to know which cable to buy. Are expensive HDMI cables worth it? Are they worth the extra money?

It’s more complicated than it used to be, since an 8K HDMI cable is different and does cost more to make than a 4K HDMI cable. But all other things being equal, there’s no difference in audio and video quality between two cables with the same specs and a different price.

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Is AT&T Fiber good? Is AT&T Fiber worth it?

Dave Farquhar ISPs
Is AT&T Fiber good? Is AT&T Fiber worth it?

Is AT&T Fiber good? Is AT&T Fiber worth it? As an IT professional who works from home full time and relies on my Internet connection to make a living, I have strong opinions about that. I think it also puts me in a good position to answer those questions.

While AT&T Fiber isn’t perfect, it does have a lot going for it. Depending on what your other choices are, it may be the best option in your area. Here’s how to know.

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How to coupon Harbor Freight

Dave Farquhar DIY, Saving money
How to coupon Harbor Freight

Is Harbor Freight getting rid of coupons? That’s the rumor, but it’s not what’s happening. At any rate, the rules changed in 2021, so let’s talk about the new rules, and how to coupon Harbor Freight in 2023 and beyond.

The rumor is that Harbor Freight doesn’t do coupons anymore. While they do a lot fewer coupons now than they used to, Harbor Freight does still issue coupons. That means there’s still opportunity for savings.

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Amstrad PCs: The PC1512 and PC1640

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Amstrad PCs: The PC1512 and PC1640

The Amstrad PC1512 and PC1640 were inexpensive Korean-made PCs that took Europe by storm in the mid 1980s. Amstrad quickly became the UK’s largest computer maker, and it hoped to replicate that success in the United States as well. Here’s an overview of those machines, and why success in Europe didn’t automatically mean success in the USA.

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FPGA vs retro hardware

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
FPGA vs retro hardware

My roundup of Commodore motherboards turned up on a vintage computer discussion board. A minor aside that I mentioned in passing turned into a major topic of discussion. And then the conversation turned in an entirely different direction. What about going with an FPGA solution, rather than vintage hardware? With an FPGA approach you can be certain you’re getting what you want. But what are the drawbacks of FPGA vs retro hardware, if any?

A purist will object to modern FPGA approaches, usually for more than one reason. But there can be practical advantages to an FPGA solution, and it’s also possible to blend it with a more traditional approach.

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Fix the WordPress critical error on your website

Dave Farquhar Wordpress
Fix the WordPress critical error on your website

I built a shiny new server recently. Then I spent three hours trying to migrate my site to it. So it goes. But even after the site mostly worked right, WordPress gave me a critical error on my website every time I tried to save a post. Here’s how I fixed the problem.

The message there has been a critical error on your website, please check your site admin email for instructions can be scary, especially when you check your e-mail and there’s nothing there. I found the WordPress dashboard can help.

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Monitor for a Commodore VIC-20

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Monitor for a Commodore VIC-20

Someone asked in a vintage computer forum recently what the correct monitor would be to use with a VIC-20. Commodore never sold a white monitor the same color as the VIC. Its first color monitor was the 1701, which matched the C-64. If you want a period correct Commodore VIC-20 monitor, you have a couple of options. If you want a holy grail story, the matching monitor for the VIC-20 is a good one.

Commodore cancelled the VIC-1510 monitor for the VIC-20. But there were some third party monitors from the 1980s that look the part.

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Make a Word hyperlink UNC path

Dave Farquhar Office, Software, Windows , ,

I had an issue in a document with a hyperlink to an existing file. The file existed on a network drive, so the link worked fine… until someone with different drive mappings than me had to look at the document. Then the link didn’t resolve and the person got an error message. A confusing error message. It turns out it’s tricky to make a Word hyperlink UNC path.

Fixing it wasn’t as easy as it should have been. Read more

Late majority in marketing

Dave Farquhar Investing
Late majority in marketing

The late majority is an important concept in marketing and business. This is the phase when an idea goes completely mainstream. If it’s your idea, this is the phase when you’ve made it. If you’re competing against this idea, you’d better be ready to be counter culture. I’ll provide you the definition, and some examples from somewhat recent history.

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