David L. Farquhar on technology old and new, computer security, and more
About 20 years ago, I posed a question. What did train enthusiasts use on their train layouts before World War II, when they didn’t have Plasticville? There’s no single answer to that question, but one of the things they might have used was a Milton Bradley product called Bumpalow.
Unless they are something you use everyday, or at least every weekend, it can be difficult to know when to use silicone grease versus lithium grease. Here are their strengths and weaknesses compared to one another. So let’s take a look at lithium grease vs silicone grease.
Although they are sometimes interchangeable, the important thing to remember is that lithium grease is not for plastics but it’s better for metals. Silicone grease is compatible with plastics.
In 1982, Coleco dropped a bomb on the game console industry. Atari led the industry in sales, with Mattel, the toy maker, taking the number two spot with a slightly more advanced console called the Intellivision that enjoyed reasonable if modest success. Then Coleco came along with its own high-end console. One of Coleco’s gimmicks was an expansion module to make its console compatible with the Atari console, immediately making it have more cartridges than anyone else. Mattel decided to counter.
The Mattel System Changer was essentially the equivalent of the Coleco Expansion Module 1, just for a different console. The function is the same, but the outcome was a bit different.
October is security awareness month. So before you go spend the remaining 11 months of the year blissfully less aware of what security types like me do, let’s talk about what a security champion is, and the role a security champion plays in the IT organization.
Because Marx trains were much less expensive than their competitors, they didn’t always get treated with the same respect as their contemporaries. And sometimes that means when you find them, they are filthy. Dirty, scratched, and even rusty Marx 6 and 7-in tin trains respond well to basic cleaning. Here’s how to clean Marx tin lithographed trains Read more
What is a sprite? Sprites are a concept in computer programming, primarily gaming, or at least primarily thought of as gaming related. But if you are reading this on a desktop or laptop computer, you just used a sprite to click on this link.
A Mac stuck on the lock screen can be perplexing and infuriating. When you enter your password, the computer is supposed to unlock. When faced with a Mac stuck on lock screen, here’s how I fix it.
The problem looks like this: Your screen saver kicks on because you’ve been idle for too long. You come back to your computer, hit a key or move the mouse and it prompts you for your password. You enter your password, and it kicks you right back to your lock screen.
The Coleco Vision launched in July 1982, and made a relatively big splash, selling about 2 million units, largely on the strength of its launch titles. Here’s a list of Colecovision launch titles along with notes about each game.
The strategy behind the Colecovision launch titles is pretty clear. Noting that the most popular Atari 2600 titles were ports of arcade hits, Coleco aggressively licensed arcade titles, starting with acquiring a license for Donkey Kong before it was even released in the United States. Of the remaining launch titles, only Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel’s Castle was not an arcade port.
There’s a saying that the only rare Marx train is a broken one. But when it comes to Marx train accessories, that’s not true. One rarity is the Marx 2150 Hollywood Bungalow, also known as the Marx Modern Bungalow. And it’s a shame it’s rare and expensive because it’s a beaut. But it’s fun to talk and learn about at least.
The Marx Marx 2150 Hollywood Bungalow, also known as the Marx Modern Bungalow, was a Sears exclusive in 1938. It cost 98 cents and was only available one year, making it rare and valuable today.
The Commodore 64 is the best selling computer of all time. Depending on who you ask, it sold 17 million, 20 million, or 12 million units. And the generally accepted sales figure for the Commodore 128 is 4.5 million units. Who is correct? How many Commodore 64s and Commodore 128s sold?
The commonly repeated figures of 17 million Commodore 64s and 4.5 million Commodore 128s don’t line up with Commodore’s own annual reports and other internal sales documents. The primary sources indicate Commodore sold about 12.3 million Commodore 64s and 128s between 1982 and 1993.