Author: Dave Farquhar

Use an IBM 5170 without a battery

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Use an IBM 5170 without a battery

I got tired of my IBM 5170 PC/AT draining batteries every few months. And unlike newer PCs, operating an IBM 5170 without a battery isn’t just a matter of taking the battery out, leaving it out, and relying on the BIOS to auto configure with sensible defaults. The BIOS in the 5170 wasn’t that advanced. But if you are willing to compromise on one thing, you can use a 5170 without a battery while retaining the IBM BIOS and ROM Basic so it still feels like using an IBM.

Read more

Is CISSP worth it in 2024? How to know

Dave Farquhar security
Is CISSP worth it in 2024? How to know

I’ve had two different people ask me in the last month if CISSP is still worth it in 2024. I have mixed feelings, so in this blog post, I’ll explore this complicated question so you can decide if CISSP is still worth it for you.

Read more

Marx steam freight train set 50875

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Marx steam freight train set 50875

Marx train set 50875 is very similar to some variants of another set, 52875, and set 50885. But it has a distinct number on the box, so let’s walk through set 50875, which featured a 2-4-2 steam locomotive with a slopeback tender pulling three freight cars and a caboose.

Read more

Why we like retro

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Why we like retro

Why do we like retro? The question comes up from time to time on forums and podcasts and discussion groups. I think there is more than one answer, but none of them are terribly complicated. In this blog post, I’ll explore retro’s appeal.

Read more

SvarDOS: FreeDOS for XT-class systems

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
SvarDOS: FreeDOS for XT-class systems

YouTuber Tech Tangents recorded a video about the difficulty he encountered installing FreeDOS on an IBM 5150. A similar problem will exist on any XT class system. He ended up essentially having to make his own distribution to get around the limitations. I’m sure he wishes he’d known about a FreeDOS derivative that already existed to solve his problem. That derivative is called SvarDOS.

Read more

Wireshark security risk and how to manage it

Dave Farquhar security
Wireshark security risk and how to manage it

A couple of social media influencers got into an argument over banning Wireshark in corporate environments because Wireshark is a security risk. While I don’t like getting involved in this type of drama, the argument does raise an important point in information security and vulnerability management. It’s very important as a security professional not to overplay the hand you’re dealt.

Read more

Marx Happi-Time 9624 train set from 1953

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Marx Happi-Time 9624 train set from 1953

Marx train set 9624 was an electric train set Marx that Sears sold in 1953. But you may also hear collectors refer to it as Happi-Time train set 9624, because that’s what Marx printed on the box. It was something of a transition set, mixing new plastic diesel engines with tin lithographed freight cars.

Marx reused this set number a few times. This blog post covers the variation Sears sold in 1953.

Read more

Drill bits keep breaking? Try this!

Dave Farquhar DIY
Drill bits keep breaking? Try this!

If your drill bits keep breaking, I can sympathize. It happens to me too. But I also know how to prevent, or at least reduce, how often this happens. In this blog post, I’ll tell you why your drill bits keep breaking, and that knowledge will help keep it from happening as frequently in the future.

Read more

Scratchy the Micron

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Scratchy the Micron

Have you heard of Crusty the Mac, the indestructable Macintosh SE? Let me tell you the story of Scratchy the Micron. Scratchy was a Micron Transport Trek 2 laptop, one of the best laptops money could buy in 1998. And you needed a lot of money to buy one. It cost $2,999 when it was new in 1998, the equivalent of $5,600 in today’s money.

Read more

Why Gateway computers failed in the enterprise

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Why Gateway computers failed in the enterprise

YouTuber Mike Tech was attempting to refurbish a couple of Gateway 2000 desktops recently, and he observed that one of them had features you normally only see in business class PCs. And he expressed surprise, because Gateway is a brand we typically associate with consumer PCs. But I can confirm Gateway did attempt to compete in the business/enterprise PC market. Here’s why that didn’t go so well for them.

Read more