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What is a game cartridge?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 13, 2017April 30, 20241980s, 1990s, atari, atari 2600, cloak and dagger, colecovision, NES, nintendo, pennies on the dollar, radio shack, Top Secret, VCR, video game

What is a game cartridge? If you’re asking, you must not have grown up in the 1980s. But that’s OK. We’re happy to share our generation’s fun with you.

A game cartridge is a plastic case containing a circuit board, a connector, and a ROM chip. CDs and DVDs ultimately displaced them because they offered higher capacity at a lower cost. But in the 1970s and 1980s, the only lasers our game consoles had were the ones they drew on the screens in games about aliens. We liked our cartridges, even if we called them tapes sometimes.

Commodore 64 models

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 12, 2017June 1, 20261541, 1980s, Aldi, amiga, apple, apple ii, atari, Australia, CES, commodore, commodore 64, compaq, IBM, infoworld, intel, Japan, MOS, nintendo, Personal Computer, public domain

Over the course of its 12 years on the market, Commodore released a number of Commodore 64 models. The computer’s capability changed very little over time, but the technology did. The world changed a lot between 1982 and 1994, and that gave Commodore some opportunities to lower costs, chase other market segments, or both.

Here’s an overview of the various Commodore 64 models that hit the market over the machine’s long life.

IBM PS/2 vs PC

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 9, 2017May 7, 20241980s, 1990s, apple, apple ii, asus, compaq, IBM, intel, VGA, x86, XT

The IBM PS/2 line was a fairly radical departure from the older IBM PC line. This was deliberate, as IBM wanted to disrupt the clone industry, which it saw as a threat to its business. Here’s a look back at the IBM PS/2 vs PC, the line it replaced.

IBM succeeded with the PC because it created an ecosystem, not just a PC. IBM’s misstep was creating an open architecture and then trying to close it back up after the fact with the PS/2. In IBM’s defense, it’s not clear whether they knew this at the time. If nothing else, in the case of the IBM PS/2 vs PC, IBM created a classic case study of open architecture vs closed.

What is a 3D SSD?

Dave Farquhar Hardware June 8, 2017August 1, 20171990s, hp, intel, micron, toshiba, Western Digital

Some SSDs, particularly Western Digital and Sandisk-branded drives, have the words “3D SSD” on the label. This isn’t purely a marketing term. But what is a 3D SSD, exactly?

Compaq Deskpro 386

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing June 7, 2017January 28, 2025

The Compaq Deskpro 386, announced in September 1986, was a landmark IBM PC compatible computer. The first fully 32-bit PC based on the Intel 386, its release took the leadership of the PC ecosystem away from IBM, and Compaq became the leader.

Compaq was no upstart by 1986. Its Compaq Portable was a runaway success earlier in the decade, and Compaq was a darling of the industry. The Deskpro 386 solidified Compaq’s position as an industry innovator.

Connect a 2 wire light fixture to a 3 wire ceiling box

Dave Farquhar DIY June 6, 2017September 1, 2017led bulbs, red wire

If you’re changing out a light fixture and find two wires on the fixture and three wires in the box, you’re not out of luck. Here’s how to connect a 2 wire light fixture to a 3 wire ceiling box.

Chip won’t work on your credit card? Try this.

Dave Farquhar security June 5, 2017September 6, 2023

If you’re standing at a checkout and the chip won’t work on your credit card, don’t give up right away. Here’s what to do when you swipe but can’t complete your purchase because of a debit or credit card chip not working. I’ll also tell you how to clean the chip on your credit card so it’s less likely to give you a problem again.

Your options include swiping, then inserting the chip and repeating three times. Some merchants allow this. Another option is cleaning the chip on the spot, which you can do by rubbing the chip with a dollar bill. If the chip is just dirty, which is the most common problem, this will usually clean it enough that it will work, even if it gets you funny looks.

Chips are a new security feature to reduce fraud, but it’s hard to appreciate them when a broken chip keeps you from completing your purchase. It happened to a longtime friend, and another friend of his provided a solution. I had to share it, because I know it will happen to others.

What went wrong with Windows Vista

Dave Farquhar Windows June 4, 2017December 3, 2018vista, windows 7, windows 98, Windows Vista, Windows XP

What went wrong with Windows Vista? If you were around when it launched, you probably wouldn’t argue with me if I said the things that went right were easier to count than the things that went wrong. Windows XP lived nearly forever because Vista was so bad.

Wiring a Lionel LW transformer

Dave Farquhar Toy trains June 2, 2017August 1, 2017american flyer, amps, KW, lionel, LW, marx, red wire

When it comes to wiring a Lionel LW transformer, there’s more to consider than just which posts to use. The size of the wires also matters. If you derail a train, 5.5 amps of power can run through the wire for 10-15 seconds before the circuit breaker kicks in. An LW has enough power to melt wire and make it smoke or even catch fire.

Proper wiring for the LW transformer is a bit of a safety issue. It’s not just about preventing voltage drop to keep your train running smoothly. A smooth running train is nice, but safety is a must.

Still using Windows XP? Let’s talk options.

Dave Farquhar Windows June 1, 2017February 4, 2022

If you’re still using Windows XP, I wish you’d stop. Seriously, for your safety and the safety of others, I wish you’d stop. The good news is you have some options, and you’ll probably be happier with one of them.

I advised a Fortune 25 company on how, when, and why to migrate off Windows XP in a professional capacity. So hopefully I can help you like I helped them. The reasons for doing it are the same. The only difference is scale.