Author: Dave Farquhar

A retro style mechanical keyboard

Dave Farquhar Hardware
A retro style mechanical keyboard

The resurgence in popularity of mechanical keyboards makes me happy. Today, you can get an affordable keyboard whose quality rivals those of the late 1980s and early 1990s but in a variety of sizes and styles and with a USB connection for a modern computer. But if you find the styling a bit over the top, you can retroize these newer keyboards. Here’s how I turned mine into a retro style mechanical keyboard.

Read more

IBM 5170 TEMPEST variant

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing, security
IBM 5170 TEMPEST variant

I had an inquiry recently regarding the Tempest version of the IBM 5170, also known as the IBM 4459. The IBM 5170 Tempest variant was a version of the conventional IBM PC/AT designed for sensitive environments. It is more of a curiosity today, and there are good reasons why it is rare.

Having spent part of my career in the type of environment where this machine would have been used, I can elaborate on some of its design, and why it was built the way that it was. I may also be able to give some insight into why not many of these devices survive today.

Read more

What a shake-the-box kit is

Dave Farquhar Model Building, Toy trains
What a shake-the-box kit is

You will sometimes hear the phrase shake-the-box model kit on a modeling forum or a train forum. But what does the phrase shake the box kit mean? What does it refer to? Hint: It doesn’t refer to the noise it makes when you shake the box.

Read more

Notepad++ wrap text

Dave Farquhar Windows
Notepad++ wrap text

Wrapping text is an essential feature in any text editor, but the feature may be hiding somewhere you aren’t looking for it. Here’s how to wrap text in Notepad++.

Read more

Why did people like Atari?

Dave Farquhar Retro Gaming
Why did people like Atari?

I don’t know who needs to know, but I’m wearing my Atari t-shirt as I write this. I’m not sure if it was Steve Fulton or Jeff Fulton who said this and a podcast, or they may have said it in unison. But they said anyone much younger than them sums up Atari in one word: sucks. Yet their best selling console sold more than 20 million units, so somebody must have liked it. In this blog post, I’ll explore why people liked Atari.

Read more

Why Lou Whitaker isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball
Why Lou Whitaker isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Lou Whitaker is frequently cited as a 1980s second baseman who isn’t in the Hall of Fame but should be. I have no reason to disagree. Here’s why Lou Whitaker isn’t in the Hall of Fame but should be.

Read more

Marx Allstate train set 9816

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Marx Allstate train set 9816

The Marx Allstate 9816 train set was a midrange train set Sears sold in the mid-late 1960s. It featured a basic plastic steam locomotive and a generous assortment of freight cars. It must have been a tempting value for consumers at the time.

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more