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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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C64 OS 1.09 has a full networking stack, virtual desktops, and an online Software Center. For Commodore 64. That's 44 year old hardware. Awesome.

Oregon Trail, Keen, & Leisure Suit Larry Lifetime Walls:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/8088259/oregon-trail-keen-leisure-suit-larry-lifetime-walls

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Only One Person is Tracking GNOME Security Issues... & He Just Quit

"Nobody else is tracking GNOME security issues," says Red Hat employee.

Oregon Trail, Keen, & Leisure Suit Larry Lifetime Walls:
https://lunduke.locals.com/post/8088259/oregon-trail-keen-leisure-suit-larry-lifetime-walls

Get on The Wall with a Massively Discounted Lifetime Sub:
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00:11:58
"Linux is NOT a Social Warrior Project," Torvalds Says Incorrectly

A strange statement, considering Linus, himself, regularly uses the Linux Kernel (as a weapon) to promote Leftist, Social Warrior political activism.

Get on The Wall with a Massively Discounted Lifetime Sub:
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00:12:27
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! 🤣

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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
17 hours ago

I Love it When a Plan Comes Together - A Team

Since I’m doing so much work in Linux, long running coding sessions, I began using Zellij a tmux type app.

I haven’t used the tiling but I do name my sessions. It’s Saturday and I’m trying to take a break from working all day so I’m watching Tv and have my iPad.

Inspiration hits and I use the Termius iPad app to SSH into my Linux box. Then I list my active zellij sessions and attach to the one I wish to continue working in - from my iPad.

It’s a Claude code session that has finished a long task. Claude and I talk about next actions and then I tell Claude what I want him to accomplish.

Off he goes to work on my behalf while I resume watching tv. Life is good.

Btw, the project I’m working on is to build a set of commercial quality agents to speed up RFP processes. It will be used by consulting firms of all kinds. The result will be far more rapid turn around times and far less cost.

I have teamed up with a domain expert who knows the...

16 hours ago

Preppy Punctuations!!

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Oregon Trail, Keen, & Leisure Suit Larry Lifetime Walls

Holy frijoles! There are now 20 (twenty!) Lifetime Subscriber Walls, filled with the names of roughly one bazillion Lunduke Journal supporters.

Just amazing.

Two super quick updates:

  1. The “Desqview/X”, “NeXTSetp”, & “TRS-80 Model 100” Walls are now full! (Check them out on Lunduke.com and at the end of new shows.)

  2. There are 3 new Walls available to put your John Hancock on… and, just for kicks, these ones aren’t from Classic Operating Systems… they’re Classic Games:

    1. Oregon Trail

    2. Commander Keen 4

    3. Leisure Suit Larry

 

I don’t expect space on these Walls to last long. First come first served.

A huge thank you to all of The Lunduke Journal subscribers. Your support is deeply appreciated. You make this possible.

-Lunduke

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TRS-80 Model 100 joins The Lunduke Journal Lifetime Wall party!

Buckle up, Buttercup. Because The Lunduke Journal is about to blow your mind.

  1. The “BeOS” Wall Lifetime Subscriber Wall is now full (see all of them on Lunduke.com)!

  2. We’ve added a new “TRS-80 Model 100” Wall (because we can)! That’s the 19th Lifetime Subscriber Wall! 19!

  3. The discounted Lifetime Lunduke Journal Subscriptions are still available through to the end of this month (July).

Which means there are, as of this exact moment, 4 Walls with space available (see Lunduke.com for the full list of Walls). But these fill up wicked fast.

  1. Emacs (only a few spots left)

  2. Desqview/X (a little less than 2/3rd’s full)

  3. NeXTStep (still plenty of space)

  4. TRS-80 Model 100 (just launched)

 

Nice, right?

Worth noting: The “TRS-80 Model 100” has very limited screen resolution (240 x 64), which means only a small number of names can fit on that wall. If you want on it, I’d let me know right away.

Grab a discounted Lifetime Subscription (if you don’t already have one), then let me know (email “bryan at lunduke.com”) which Wall you’d like to see your name on.

Huge high five to everyone who has already added their name to a Wall. At the current rate, we’ll have over 20 retro computer themed walls, filled with all of your names, by the end of the month.

And, doggone it, that’s amazing.

-Lunduke

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Vim beats Emacs!

Well, we’ve done it.

We’ve answered the eternal question: “Which Lunduke Journal Lifetime Subscriber Wall would fill with names quicker? Emacs or Vim?”

The answer, it turns out, is “Vim”. And it takes just 8 days.

 

A hearty “Thank You” to everyone who supports The Lunduke Journal by getting Lifetime Subscriptions (massively discounted throughout July) and getting on these walls! You make all of this possible!

Now. How long will it take for Emacs to fill up (matching the same number of names as the Vim Wall)?

Well, right now the Emacs Wall is a hair over 2/3rds of the way full. So we’ll find out!

Welcome NeXTStep Wall!

With the closing of the “Vim” Wall (and the BeOS Wall only having the space for 1 name left), now seemed like a good time to add a new retro computer wall: The NeXTStep 1.0 Wall.

Right now, there are 4 Walls available to add your name to (*cough* massive discount *cough*).

  • NeXTStep (just opened)

  • Emacs (about 2/3rds full)

  • BeOS R5 (1 spot left)

  • Desqview/X (1/2 full)

 

Once again, huge thanks to everyone who supports The Lunduke Journal!

-Lunduke

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