41–50 of 92 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is a reason to read Wikipedia via https: ISP can otherwise inject ads or even change the page. This has actually happened.
That's not a good reason to take away my choice, and rob me of the opportunity to access this information on an older device if I wanted to.
https://github.com/atauenis/webone
I use it for a solaris install.
https://smackeyacky.blogspot.com/2021/10/hacker-news-in-hotj...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I have a TRS-80 from 1984 and it still works fine, that's pushing 40 years and I have zero doubt I'll still be able to use it in another ~10.
What can it do?
With full access to the serial and joystick ports, it's essentially able to function as a microcontroller, though I'll admit I mostly just use mine for writing, drawing, and games.
> For most typewriters, restoration is only a matter of taking the time to do it. There’s no complex skills or tools involved. Even the most difficult operations could be learned alone, by simple trial and error. What. Let's say an internal piece failed because of mechanical stress caused by lack of lubrication or a jammed foreign object. How do you figure out "by simple trial and error" which piece failed, why it fa…
The major problem I see with this is that while the computer itself might still boot, the world around it will have changed so radically it will effectively be useless. You can see this with machines much younger than 50 years, they can't support the encryption required by most modern websites, interfaces age out of regular use: used a 24 pin parallel port lately? How about a modem? Even software with long support fo…
Transferring data off the computers won't be a problem in the future, if people are still interested there will be adapters and interface modules available, or you can make your own because of the open-source hardware, software and documentation. The software won't need to be updated because it won't need to run the latest version of everything.
There will be some advantages to using simpler and less capable computers for certain tasks, but most people will still need a modern computer for doing things like paying taxes and viewing advertisements.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is a reason to read Wikipedia via https: ISP can otherwise inject ads or even change the page. This has actually happened.
That's not a good reason to take away my choice, and rob me of the opportunity to access this information on an older device if I wanted to.
> For most typewriters, restoration is only a matter of taking the time to do it. There’s no complex skills or tools involved. Even the most difficult operations could be learned alone, by simple trial and error. What. Let's say an internal piece failed because of mechanical stress caused by lack of lubrication or a jammed foreign object. How do you figure out "by simple trial and error" which piece failed, why it fa…
In the introduction, OP says: "Well, given how we use the resources of our planet, the question is not if we could or not. We need to do it, no matter what." I tend to believe he is right about that.
Can electrical circuits last 50 years?
Right now, I don’t see how a general purpose computer could last 50 years. The article refers to it being modular, but you’d have to replace so many parts… would it still be the same computer?
The MNT Reform [1] is an attempt at this. All parts replaceable and upgradable, with full schematics and design docs available when possible. I can’t find the exact quote, but the SoC and batteries were chosen because they are expected to still be manufactured 30 years out. Obvious drawbacks are compared to other laptops it’s under powered, bulky, and expensive, but as one review pointed out, “This is the laptop you'…
I would not expect the SoC to be available in 30 years, but it's impossible to say for sure. Of course, for the SoM you need other parts as well (LPDDR4).
> For most typewriters, restoration is only a matter of taking the time to do it. There’s no complex skills or tools involved. Even the most difficult operations could be learned alone, by simple trial and error. What. Let's say an internal piece failed because of mechanical stress caused by lack of lubrication or a jammed foreign object. How do you figure out "by simple trial and error" which piece failed, why it fa…
For a typewriter? It's not even a challenge, 14 year olds have done bigger projects in their garages. And not even particularly bright 14 year olds - and not even today, with fast access to all kinds of information, schematics and such.
Typewriters? Teenagers have been fixing electronic devices, building custom radios, amplifiers, circuits, and such for over 60 years - with "look at the shelves at Radio Shack" level of availability (and much worse in developing countries).
I've fixed MIDI equipment on my own when I was 14, and I was hardly that bright or familiar with electronics and soldering guns, or had access to the (then non-existing) web. And to be frank, I've never bothered to delve into electronics even later (though I did had some engineering classes at uni).
>At a wild guess I'd expect it'd take me a few years to do this reliably
You overblow what should be a couple of weeks or a month at most, and that's for someone mechanics-inept.