Notices by Ian Scott :apple_inc: 🐙 (polpo@bitbang.social), page 2

@MishaVanMollusq @foone oh yes I sure am!

@foone I’m so lucky this set is complete, they were just sitting loose in the front flap of the bag this laptop came in

Alright, who’s gonna dare me to install Windows 95 from 22 floppies?

TIL that the case badge on the IBM PC/AT 5170 can be rotated for when it’s sitting vertically!

Gee I wonder who originally owned this computer

Some 5170s shipped with this gray plastic panel so you wouldn’t offend anyone who would have happened to see the naked metal back of your computer. This panel is the only thing left from the AT I used when I was a kid; it mounts with Velcro and this 5170 I just got doesn’t have the matching side so I’m holding it up.

IBM made this massive vertical case that enclosed the whole system: https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/vertical-ibm-at-286.1217153/

When your sound card is bigger than your computer

@ActionRetro love me some oddball x86 compatible CPUs!

#PicoGUS 2.0 is officially released! It's an ISA card that can emulate Gravis Ultrasound, Adlib, CMS, Tandy 3-voice, MPU-401 w/ Intelligent Mode, and gameport joysticks!
This new version is 100% factory assembled and ready to just plug and play.
And it's open hardware: all design files are available under CERN OHL v2 Permissive license, so if you want to make (or improve) your own you can!
Available at my Tindie Store: https://www.tindie.com/products/polpo/picogus-sound-card-emulator-for-isa-retro-pcs/

@ActionRetro creepy!!!

- Ok, fine, I'll just put that one chip on myself, it's an SOIC-8 and easy to solder. I continue on with an assembly order without that part and then...
- I get notification that the volume thumbwheel I am using has been discontinued, and they're $3+ each if I buy them myself and put them on.
- Augh. Ok. I guess I'll buy those and solder them myself as well.
- I decide this is the last batch I make of this type... they require a lot of labor on my side to assemble and now it needs even more.

Here's an update on #PicoGUS:
- I sold out of the 20 "Femto" PicoGUSes I made for VCFMW in the middle of the first day. Lots of people asked if I had them after! Yay!
- Due to the interest, I decide to make another batch. I promptly ordered more parts at JLCPCB to make another batch. The PSRAM chips have to ship from Mouser.
- Almost two weeks later, I got a notice saying the parts order was held up due to an "export audit" and a day later it was canceled completely with a vague explanation.

So the PSRAM story hasn't resolved itself yet but I'm also making a prototype of the next version of PicoGUS:
- Pro: Will be 99% assembled by JLCPCB with the exception of the dang PSRAM chip
- Pro: Has a USB-A port so you can use USB joysticks, mice, etc. from DOS
- Pro: Will be even cheaper and you don't need to buy a Pico along with it
- Con: no possibility of WiFi. I'm thinking of another version that uses a Pico or maybe an ESP module for WiFi. TBD...
Anyway here's what it looks like:

#VCFMW update: I'm already overwhelmed and I've only set up my table and talked to other people here on setup day. Bracing for tomorrow when the hordes arrive!

@stux reminds me of when the app I was using on on of these crashed to desktop and didn’t restart, so of course I dug in the start menu and started Minecraft