David L. Farquhar on technology old and new, computer security, and more
Charter Communications is the second largest cable operator in the United States. The history of Charter Communications includes early financial struggles before emerging in recent years as the second largest company of its kind. Here’s a look back at its history.
Is gigabit Internet worth it? I want gigabit Internet. I wanted it for a really long time before I was able to get it. And not everyone can. Here’s why I want gigabit Internet and how I can justify it. If you can get it, it’s worth considering. Here’s why it might make sense for you.
If you’re working from home and have a modern enough home network, gigabit Internet can make a lot of sense. But a lot of home networks aren’t up for it, so you may be wasting money.
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Years ago, I was having lunch with a friend. “You probably don’t save much money by building a PC. I know when I build a mountain bike, I end up spending more.” His logic makes sense. But it’s worth exploring. Is it cheaper to build a PC?
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Sometimes we can see the writing on the wall. Maybe it’s because times are tough. Maybe it’s political. Often it’s a combination of both. And whether you think there’s anything that can change it or not, the way ahead is much the same. Here’s what to do if you think you’ll be laid off.
The Boy Scout motto applies here: be prepared. The sooner you can get your affairs in order, the easier it will be to weather the layoff, or avoid it entirely.
I saw some questions come up on a model railroading forum about soldering, and I guess there’s a lot of confusing information out there about it. I’ve been soldering for 30 years, so hopefully I can clear up the common questions about soldering for model railroaders.
The main reason you find conflicting information about soldering is the application. If you’re soldering wires to the track, the advice for soldering sheet metal together to scratchbuild cars will be very different.
The iconic Nintendo NES controller tends to be fairly reliable, because it’s a simple design. It’s much less prone to breaking than, say, the joysticks that came with an Atari 2600. But the controllers can still wear down over the decades. Fortunately it’s easy to give them a tuneup. Here’s how to fix NES controllers yourself, with simple tools and household cleaners.
Retro seems to be one of those words whose meaning has changed as I’ve gotten older. It’s a vague term that means it’s not old enough to be an antique, and not even old enough to be vintage. But how old is retro?
Retro refers to the recent past. That’s a little vague but generally means it’s old and probably obsolete, but probably less than 20 years old.
What is LVP flooring? LVP stands for luxury vinyl plank, a type of snap-together floating floor that competes with laminate flooring. It combines the durability of vinyl with the convenience and appearance of laminate. It’s an especially good choice in kitchens and bathrooms where moisture may be present.
There’s not much that goes wrong with an Atari 2600. Virtually every problem I’ve ever found with them has to do with the electrical path. That means the power supply, the power switch, or the voltage regulator. Outside of those three parts, I’ve never seen a problem with one. Let’s talk about the Atari 2600 voltage regulator and troubleshooting the rest of the internal electrical path.
American Flyer produced track in a variety of gauges and radii, but if you’re asking about American Flyer track radius, you probably mean its S gauge track.
The standard radius for American Flyer S gauge track, produced from 1946 to 1967, was 20 inches. Other radii were also available from other manufacturers.