Author: Dave Farquhar

Commodore 16 vs 64

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Commodore 16 vs 64

The Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 certainly look a lot alike, but there were a lot of differences inside between the two models. And when it came to success, the two machines couldn’t be more different. The technical differences had a lot to do with that. Here’s a look at the Commodore 16 vs 64.

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How a light socket works

Dave Farquhar DIY
How a light socket works

A light socket is a simple device that holds a light bulb and provides electricity. When the bulb burns out, you can easily replace it. Here’s how a light socket works.

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Nomura tin cars

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Nomura tin cars

I like to use Nomura tin cars, and other similar postwar Japanese toys, on my train layout. The cars are simple and have attractive tin lithography on them. I think they fit in well with tin lithographed trains, and my tin downtown that my trains run around and through in circles.

People who like Japanese tin like it a lot. But there’s not a ton of information about it out there, although this all-Japanese layout does have a nice mix of information (in English) and pictures. And he talks about different Japanese trains than I do, though there’s nothing at all wrong with Mito and Mizuno.

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Fix bent plug prongs

Dave Farquhar DIY
Fix bent plug prongs

If the prongs on one of your electrical gizmos is bent and you can’t plug it in, there’s hope. Here’s how to fix bent plug prongs.

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American Flyer track terminal

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
American Flyer track terminal

The American Flyer track terminal, part# 690, is easy to install as long as it isn’t too bent up. Here’s how to install it properly, and how to fix it if you’re having trouble connecting it.

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Types of computer memory chips

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Types of computer memory chips

It’s easy to confuse the different types of computer memory, but they aren’t completely interchangeable. Here’s a look at the various different types of computer memory chips.

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Baking SSDs: The SSD oven trick

Dave Farquhar data recovery, Hardware
Baking SSDs: The SSD oven trick

This sounds crazy, but sometimes baking SSDs fixes them if they break. This process causes the solder to reflow. So here’s how to do the SSD oven trick.

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Do I need gigabit Ethernet?

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Do I need gigabit Ethernet?

Ever since I first saw gigabit Ethernet, sometime around 1999 or 2000, I wanted it for my home network. Of course it was crazy expensive then. But today it’s not very expensive, and I want it. But do I need gigabit Ethernet? Do I need a gigabit router? Do you?

It depends on the speed of your Internet connection. If your Internet connection is 100 megabits or lower, a gigabit router or gigabit Ethernet won’t make your Internet faster. On the other hand, if you have a 200 megabit Internet connection and only a 100 megabit router, you’re wasting half your Internet speed. So even though gigabit sounds like overkill for a 200-megabit connection, you need it.

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Most popular computer brands

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Most popular computer brands

There aren’t a lot of big computer brands left today, unlike the 1990s. Here’s a look at the most popular computer brands of today and what you might need to know about each.

Personally, I don’t worry a lot about brand anymore. Most popular computer brands actually use the same suppliers these days, so there isn’t a lot that differentiates them besides styling. All of them have outsourced their tech support. And all of them run the same computer software, at least if you buy a PC. But let’s run through the most popular computer brands and then I’ll tell you what I look for in a computer beyond brand name.

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Why my house didn’t pass inspection

Dave Farquhar Landlording
Why my house didn’t pass inspection

While getting a rental house ready for a new tenant, we had to get it reinspected. It failed, on several minor issues. Most failures are due to minor issues. Here’s why our house didn’t pass inspection, and what we did to fix it.

None of these issues ought to be showstoppers. If you’re not comfortable fixing it yourself, a competent handyman can fix these types of issues, and it probably won’t take more than a couple of hours.

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