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December 08, 2022

#PDAweek
TI - Graphing Calculators

If you went to school in the US during the 1990s, and in to the early 2000s, you probably owned, or at least used, a Texas Instruments 80s Series calculator.

The TI-81 was released in 1990 and immediately gained ground in schools across America. This z80 based hand-held computer was able to do anything a scientific calculator could do. It even included TI Basic, a Basic language which allowed users to write in programs to solve very complex problems. None of this was really new. Programmable calculators had been out for years. But the new trick up this calculator's sleeve, was the ability to draw graphics; specifically graphs.
This was obviously something that was typically reserved for more capable computers at the time.
For less than $150, you could own a hand held computer.
School districts across the country began purchasing class sets. TI made it easy by bundling sets with a teacher's edition of the calculator. The teacher's edition was specially modified so it could connect to an external lcd screen and be projected on the wall. (More on those another day.)

But the TI-81 had one fatal flaw. Something that really kept it from becoming the defacto standard.
Every single person had to manually enter in thier own programs. This meant that if you came up with something amazing, you couldn't share it. Worse, changing the batteries wiped the full memory.

This limitation didn't last long as Texas Imstruments released the TI-85 in 1992.
This new model used the same z80 processor, bit was somehow now many times faster.
This new calculator corrected many issues with the TI-81 including adding a backup/coin-cell battery (they added this to the TI-81 around the same time. But it wasn't there originally.) And the greatest improvement of all...
TI-Link
This new, little cable, meant that programs could be shared between students and teachers. The cable, which was simply a 3-wire cord with a 2.5mm jack on each end, changed the world for students.
Very soon after the release of the calculator, Texas Instruments released the TI-Graph Link cable, a serial cable allowing users to connect the TI-85 to a windows 3.11 or Mac OS computer, copy files and even write programs on the computer.

This new calculator came at a much higher price, preventing it from gaining mass adoption.

To be continued....

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Win2K & Mac System 1 Walls!

Supporters of The Lunduke Journal have now filled up 8 retro computer themed walls!

Grab a discounted Lifetime Sub & get on the Wall:
https://lunduke.substack.com/p/behold-the-win-2k-and-mac-system

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:10:02
Linux App Store Bans Software Touched by AI in Any Way

Flathub Team: "Applications containing Al-generated or Al-assisted code, documentation, or other content are not allowed."

Massively Discounted Lifetime Subs Through June:
https://lunduke.substack.com/p/50-off-yearly-and-massively-discounted

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:14:04
Microsoft to Brick Office 2019 for Mac

On July 13th, Microsoft plans to intentionally disable all purchased copies of Office 2019 for Mac. Even though these were "permanent" licenses.

Massively Discounted Lifetime Subs Through June:
https://lunduke.substack.com/p/50-off-yearly-and-massively-discounted

More from The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.com/

00:14:14
November 22, 2023
The futility of Ad-Blockers

Ads are filling the entirety of the Web -- websites, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. -- at an increasing rate. Prices for those ad placements are plummeting. Consumers are desperate to use ad-blockers to make the web palatable. Google (and others) are desperate to break and block ad-blockers. All of which results in... more ads and lower pay for creators.

It's a fascinatingly annoying cycle. And there's only one viable way out of it.

Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links? Check here:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal

The futility of Ad-Blockers
November 21, 2023
openSUSE says "No Lunduke allowed!"

Those in power with openSUSE make it clear they will not allow me anywhere near anything related to the openSUSE project. Ever. For any reason.

Well, that settles that, then! Guess I won't be contributing to openSUSE! 🤣

Looking for the Podcast RSS feed or other links?
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4619051/lunduke-journal-link-central-tm

Give the gift of The Lunduke Journal:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/4898317/give-the-gift-of-the-lunduke-journal

openSUSE says "No Lunduke allowed!"
September 13, 2023
"Andreas Kling creator of Serenity OS & Ladybird Web Browser" - Lunduke’s Big Tech Show - September 13th, 2023 - Ep 044

This episode is free for all to enjoy and share.

Be sure to subscribe here at Lunduke.Locals.com to get all shows & articles (including interviews with other amazing nerds).

"Andreas Kling creator of Serenity OS & Ladybird Web Browser" - Lunduke’s Big Tech Show - September 13th, 2023 - Ep 044

Heads up: Locals is having some trouble processing videos this morning.

The latest show is up on all other platforms, and it will appear here on Locals as soon as it works again. (Should be quick, the Locals team is usually pretty on top of this stuff.)

June 05, 2026

I would say I should have taken up capentry. But I know I was never good at it.

Bots Surpass Humans in Global Web Traffic for the First Time in Internet History
https://cybersecuritynews.com/bots-surpass-humans-in-web-traffic/

"...
The United States paints an even starker picture, with bot traffic commanding a staggering 71.5% share of domestic web requests, underscoring how deeply AI-driven automation has penetrated the world’s most connected markets.
..."

From X.com post with video one year ago ... link-to-link-to-X-to-search-to-found:

[June 2025?] Brendan Eich Interview: The Internet Has Changed. Privacy Was Left Behind. - Naomi Brockwell TV (YouTube)

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Behold! The "Win 2K" & "Mac System 1" Lifetime Sub Walls!

Woah! The 8th Lifetime Subscriber Wall of The Lunduke Journal (aka “The Windows 1.0 Wall”) is already full! After only one week! That’s nuts!

So I’m opening up two new, retro computer walls!

  • Wall 9 - “The Macintosh System 1 Wall”

  • Wall 10 - “The Windows 2000 Wall”

 

Show your support for The Lunduke Journal, and be immortalized in a retro computer screenshot. Win-win!

If the past is any indicator, these will fill up crazy fast. First come, first served.

Plus: For the entire month of June, Lifetime Subscriptions are discounted down to $125 (regularly $300).

  1. Scroll down and grab a new Lifetime Subscription (at that bonkers discount).

  2. Choose which of the two new Walls you’d like to be on (Mac System 1 or Windows 2000). Totally optional.

How to Grab a Discounted Lifetime Subscription:

There are 3 different ways to pick up a Lunduke Journal Lifetime sub. All of them work great and include the same perks. Choose whichever works best for you!

Get a Lifetime Subscription via Locals:

  1. Go to Lunduke.Locals.com/support.

  2. Select “Give Once“.

  3. Enter “125“ into the amount field.

  4. After checking out, Lunduke will toss you an email once your account is set to full lifetime status. (This usually happens within a few hours.)

Get a Lifetime Subscription via Substack:

  1. Go to Lunduke.Substack.com/subscribe.

  2. Select the “Lifetime Subscription” option.

  3. After checking out, Lunduke will toss you an email once your account is set to full lifetime status. (This usually happens within a few hours.)

If you would also like full, Lifetime access to Lunduke.Locals.com (which is included):

  1. Make a free account on Lunduke.Locals.com.

  2. Email “bryan at lunduke.com” with the email address you use on both Substack and Locals (can be different email addresses).

  3. Lunduke will toss you an email once your account is set to full lifetime status on Locals.

Get a Lifetime Subscription with Bitcoin:

Bonus: Save an extra $10 with the Bitcoin option, as Bitcoin processing has fewer fees associated with it.

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  • Email “bryan at lunduke.com” with the following information: What time you made the transaction, how much was sent (in Bitcoin), and the email address you use (or plan to use) on Locals.com or Substack.com.

-Lunduke

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Windows 1.0 Wall almost full! Last call!

Holy Guacamole, Batman!

The 8th Lifetime Subscriber Wall (“The Windows 1.0 Wall”) of The Lunduke Journal launched exactly one week ago… and it’s already almost full! Bonkers!

 

At the current rate, the “Windows 1.0 Wall” will be full sometime tomorrow (Saturday).

Want your name immortalized in that glorious 1985 styled goodness, proclaiming to the world your support of The Lunduke Journal?

Don’t have a Lifetime Subscription?

  1. Grab one for $125 (normally $300).

  2. You’ll get a confirmation email (within just a few hours). Reply to that email with how you would like your name displayed on a Lifetime Wall.

  3. Then enjoy the other perks of being Lunduke Journal subscriber. Forum access, MP4 downloads, and PDF eBooks.

Already have a Lifetime Subscription?

  1. Just toss an email to bryan [at] lunduke.com with how you would like your name displayed on a Lifetime Wall.

Easy peasy.

First come, first served. Once the “Windows 1.0 Wall” is full, the final version will be added to Lunduke.com and the 9th Lifetime Wall will debut!

-Lunduke

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The "Windows 1.0" Lunduke Lifetime Wall is here!

Two awesome tidbits:

  1. The 7th Lifetime Subscriber Wall (aka “The Solaris Wall”) is full! No room for any more names! You can see the final version on the bottom of Lunduke.com (and at the end of new shows).

  2. The 8th Lifetime Wall will make its debut on Monday! The retro computing platform chosen for Wall number 8 will be… Windows 1.0!

If you would like to see your name immortalized in a screenshot of the very first version of Windows, from 1985, displayed on both Lunduke.com & at the end of all Lunduke Journal shows (you know you do):

Support the Lunduke Journal… and, at the same time, have your name immortalized in a screenshot of the operating system with (arguably) the worst color scheme in human history.

It’s a win-win.

 

-Lunduke

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