David L. Farquhar on technology old and new, computer security, and more
I got involved in a pair of conversations in the last week. One person complained that there’s a job shortage in information security but she can’t get one. Another complained there’s a job shortage in information security and he can’t find qualified candidates to fill them. In that spirit, here’s my advice on how to get a job in information security.
Jada Toys, maker of diecast vehicles, recently started releasing diecast figures for various licensed properties, including super heroes, Disney properties, professional wrestling, Harry Potter, and just about everything else imaginable. As a toy train hobbyist, of course my first question was, what scale are they? So let’s work out Nano Metalfigs scale together.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.