Author: Dave Farquhar

Windows XP on SSD

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Windows XP on SSD

A perception exists that you can’t use an SSD with Windows XP. Although it is true that Windows XP was not designed for SSDs and did not specifically support them, that doesn’t mean you can’t use them together. In this blog post, I will talk about the pros and cons of using an SSD with Windows XP.

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Are IBM and Lenovo the same company?

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Are IBM and Lenovo the same company?

Are IBM and Lenovo the same company? It’s complicated. They aren’t the same company, but it’s easy to see why someone might think they are at least related. For a while at least, they wanted it that way. So let’s untangle the relationship.

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Lionel 1011 transformer repair

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Lionel 1011 transformer repair

The Lionel 1011 transformer was a small starter set transformer from the post-war era. It only had a 25 watt capacity, but small transformers like this can still be useful on the bench or for powering accessories. Here’s how I fixed one.

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Packard Bell Corner PC

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Packard Bell Corner PC

The Packard Bell Corner PC is an oddball PC from the 1995 to 1996 time frame. It was Packard Bell’s attempt to make something that looked a little different from the traditional boxy desktop or tower PC. The exact model number varied between retailers but I know it was sold as the Axcel 459CD or as the PB 2000. But if you just call it the Packard Bell Corner Computer or Corner PC, almost anyone familiar with that era knows what you’re talking about.

The Packard Bell Corner PC sold for $1,299 without a monitor. The least expensive monitors Packard Bell offered sold for around $250, but you could get as much as a 20-inch display for it, which added $1,700 to the price. Yes, the top of the line monitor cost considerably more than the computer.

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Why Jack Clark isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball
Why Jack Clark isn’t in the Hall of Fame

For a brief time in the mid-1980s, Jack Clark was the most feared power hitter in the National League. But he got very little Hall of Fame consideration after he retired. So why isn’t Jack Clark in the Hall of Fame?

Jack Clark presents an interesting Hall of Fame case. He hit for power, but he didn’t have the kind of power someone like Reggie Jackson had. But he hit for higher average than Reggie Jackson and got on base a lot. When you look at his career adjusted OPS, it’s an impressive 137. That suggests he was 37% better than the average player of his time. He has peers in the Hall of Fame who were merely 19% better than average. Read more

Marx Western Pacific train set 7215

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Marx Western Pacific train set 7215

In the early 1970s, Marx sold a diesel electric train set lettered for the Western Pacific, catalog number 7215, that featured a 25 watt transformer and a distinctive green and gold color scheme. If you have one today, it’s worth more than its original retail price, even adjusted for inflation. Read more

Why Fred Lynn isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball

Fred Lynn was one of the brightest stars of the 1970s and ’80s. He was a five tool player and a perennial All-Star who led the Boston Red Sox to the World Series in his rookie year and was the hero of the 1983 All-Star game, hitting the first Grand slam ever hit in that game, and helping the American League win its first All Star game since 1971. And yet, he was eliminated from Hall of Fame consideration after just 2 years of voting and receives minimal support from the veterans committee. So why isn’t Fred Lynn in the Hall of Fame?

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What does OLE stand for

Dave Farquhar Windows
What does OLE stand for

Sometimes, when dealing with Windows programming or Windows applications, you will find the acronym OLE. But what does OLE stand for, and what does it do? And this blog post, I will explain OLE and why it was important and still is, even though Microsoft doesn’t promote it any longer.

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Is St Louis known for flooding?

Dave Farquhar St. Louis
Is St Louis known for flooding?

St Louis is nicknamed The River City. The reason for that is very simple. It sits approximately at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, the two biggest rivers in North America. But besides those, other, much lesser known rivers also flow through the area. One thing rivers do is flood. So that means yes, St Louis is known for flooding.

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Marx train set 4965

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Marx train set 4965

The Marx 4965 train set spent its life a bit of an awkward place in Marx’s lineup. It was a low end 4-wheel plastic set but had a 490 locomotive with a chug chug unit, reverse, and a headlight, raising the price beyond what may have seemed competitive. Marx sold it in 1970 and 1971 and it may have had two variations.

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