Most liked posts in thread: What's new Pussycat too?

I'd deffo say that the grills are the way to go, it's so easy to forget and you can bet the first night you forget there will be a vicious attack on the old speakers. Saying that, dogs especially big puppies in the house is a real risk as you know. Next door has 3 french bulldogs (I think that's their name). I'm not a dog person, some breeds I like but these pug faced little things are whinging horrors. They rarely get taken for walks and tear up the room they are in, constantly. When not doing that, they yelp for hours.

Pictures were fine Matt, I know you are a precision person, but there's no need to redo them, unless you want to.

With hifi I don't want minimalist stuff, I want it big, brassy and covered with lights. Things like the Quad amps just don't impress me lookwise, as an amp, yeah, but as a bit of eye candy, they aint

 

They're good ol working dogs, Matt, and it's heart warming to hear how they've become such an integral part of your family, earning privileges when they're good - that's great reward training.

 

Keep up the great work, guys and I'm lurving the printer memories - good n bad!

 

All I have been doing is housework, we have an inspection and a new inspection's manager who comes across like an idiot. Want the place to look OK, just in case. The worst part of the flat is their own fault for just letting the sewage run down the walls. I am NOT doing the slightest bit of work on that, they knew about it and refused to do anything, so me no gonna break my back for them. Also, can't use a ladder as I fall off them because my balance goes, I start shaking in the legs and crash, I fall down.

Finally going to apply for PIP (it's a higher tier of benefit to cover for the hardship, i'm sure the US has their own version, or it is just still insurance?). The DWP people actually urged me to apply for it, that was kind of odd as they never usually assist in a benefit claim in a positive manner.

Still not using my 8 bits (at all), never thought I'd see that boat sail away, actually can't wait for some of it to go. I keep leaving it to see if I will change my mind but that isn't happening. I'm barely playing anything. Had to give up on the new Zelda game, nothing wrong with the game, it's amazing, I just can't sit playing before the pain really kicks in, even watching Serena play hurts..

Still, life rolls on, I'm sure I'll find a new hobby..

 

That sucks about losing your mojo for the 8bits Paul. Are there any machines you absolutely won't let go of, like your C64 for instance? Can't see me ever letting go of the 800 or 800XL, likewise the ST. Consoles I'm not so fussed about as they can easily be emulated on the pc and a USB saturn or megadrive joypad used. Looking around I've now 'trimmed' down to around 10 machines and 4 handhelds and will probably stay at that as the consoles wouldn't be worth much to sell on (PS2, Megadrive, PS4).

 

You are most welcome, Al.
Looking forward to the pics, mate.
Sounds like they've worked you to the bone for having some annual leave... no rest for the wicked ;-)
Have a top weekend, guys.

 

LOL! Fabtastic, Al.

A great week's retro hunting, hustling and dealing.

I'm liking the old carts storage case with the perpsex plassy top - cracking (hope it isn't, like!).
Yay! I was a fan of North and South too - a kinda arcade strategy war game. Some of the inbetween sequences I found a bit silly - doesn't a horse show its teeth and run off at some point? I liked the wargaming part of the game though and although I didn't know much about the American Civil War before this game, I knew more after - just like when playing Johnny Reb on the Oric - these titles can be educational.
I've just unzipped some ol Amiga titles too... post to follow in a mo and I think the Microprose Football I have too - thanks to a donation from Paul some time ago - cheers, chaps.

As for all that hardware at yer pal's shop, Jeez... my eyes are bleedin!

Heavenly haul

 

BLOODY MARVELLOUS!

Keep standing/farting and enjoying life to the retro max - in a laid back stance, Paul, you king of the micro rock n rollers.

We salute you, buddy - you keep us micro motivated.

 

I'm just glad we can't smell your farts over t'internet Paul

Seriously though, you guys are what keeps me coming back here on a regular basis. Plus, I'd happily have a pint of something non-alcoholic and a natter in person with any of you and you can't say that about everybody you get to know via internet forums!

Keep smiling through Paul. Remember there is always somebody worse off than yourself (usually a Sunderland supporter).

p.s. guys, it's been raining non-stop here today. Think I might need to emigrate to sunny North Yorkshire after all....

 

LOL! You two crack me up.
Paul, his haircut and briefcase with his pack up in (imagined) and Al's reflections on the damp Scottish weather and wanting to "emigrate" down to North / East Yorks... where it's about to persist it down all tonight and tomorrow so really... we're Scotland Mk II, mate!

Anyhow, couple more pics of disks discovered for the Amiga.

You might spot summat that brings back a memory or 3 and I will do a couple of "play test" vidz this week.

For now, I can't keep my paws off that pinball... definitely got that "just one more play" effect and me one armed bandit just jammed in the coin slot, so had to take the front off that and sort it - just call me "the attendant" (toilets a speciality).

I'll get me coat...







Ah, PD disks - love em or hate em there were.... thousands of em!

 

You always, without fail, manage to say it how it is, Paul.

All your aches, pains, emotions, thoughts, memories... they all come flooding back and your recollections of that great mate of yours, Bob, before he went right downhill. I know you guys both shared your love of computing together and of course you did your bit by helping him at the bitter end, caring for him and being there and then after he had passed, helping sort out what was left and giving a helping hand with the shifting of all of his "collection" - which as you say must have been boxes and boxes of stuff collected over the decades that he had his computing hobby and interest.

Think we all would have liked to have saved something but again, like you point out, our other halves care little for stacks of old smeggy dusty disks (have never been able to understand the female race?!) and so our intuition and self-preservation kicks in and we leave well alone in case us and the "imports" end up with a size 7 up our arses and sat together outside on top of a skip.

Sorry about the fading sex appeal, mate... I feel it too - not that I ever had much, but what I did have seemed to fade with me receding hairline and as for side-effects from drugs... jeez, you have my full sympathy there, Paul. I aint too bad as yet but I know I've got all that fun to come... bleedin hell... I know they never said that life was gonna be easy but we definitely need some POKEs and a few cheat codes on ere, guys.

 

Aye, Paul.

You once more tell it like it is... warts and all... life is like this... people around us, including us, starting to find the going tough. Propped up by meds and certain organs/senses not as sharp as they were and we have to watch out for stuff like... where's the nearest toilet/plan our days around proximity to "facilities".... god, shoot me NOW!

Know what you mean about the disks.... 1000s to plough through in many retro hordes and like you say.... postage costs going through the roof.

YES - I saw that Beeb story on the guy(s) who have been saving old media formats (tapes) from the late 90s and early noughties as there's so much never seen before material captured on it (ie. Nintendo's US office set-up which has since vamoosed). Deffo watch out for this bloke's media going digital and appearing online sometime soon.

Really feel for Cindy with her mam - heartbreaking when you're doing all you can and yet it aint good enough/she shoots her down due to her ailments.

You;ll guide her through, mate... but go careful with those mega farts as I can't see standard Y-fronts holding out, bud... ;-)

Take it easy, fellas.

 

Hi all,

has anyone heard from Graham Rolle recently, as I've tried to contact him through the site.

Regards

Andy

 

Hi Andy, good to hear from you.

No, fella.

I sent him my best wishes at Christmas and heard nowt.

I do know that his missus wasn't very well last time we did exchange greetings but that would be 12+ months ago.

I'll PM you his contact number if you wanted to maybe try a text?

Cheers, Andy.

 

Cheers, Matt.

You certainly know your onions there, mate, with all that tech spec - an incredible feat of programming to get all those features on an old 8bit utility but it just shows how wonderful the Atari (and Commodore) sound and graphics hardware was in the 1st place and the software was just beginning to appear which could bring this power to the people in an affordable way.

If you ever want this program, Matt, just shout... mind, you've probably got back-up versions a go-go.

Great to hear from you, buddy, and hope you're keeping well as we heard that Oklahoma and many parts of the states have been having it tough, weather-wise, again of late.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-66150778

 

Yep, I'm with Paul and sending you all the very best, Matt.
Glad to hear that you're healthy, getting through the heat (and rain) and making hay, in terms of work, whilst the sun shines as we all know it can soon turn into being a lean spell shortly after a glut.
Take care and we hope to see you back on here when the time allows to once more rejoin us and enjoy your retro, music and gizmo/upgrading hobbies with us, Matt.

 

Like Matt who has had puppies, my next door neighbour has started to breed French Bulldogs. Not only are they the ugliest dog around, but they don't bark so much as squeak very loudly. She has four of them (silly cow) and one has just dropped its litter of pups. So now we have all her dogs screaming at all hours of the night. The Sque-ark they make is really high pitched and drives my tinnitus mad.Gonna have to ask her to move them out of the room directly next to our bedroom as it keeps Cindy up all night.

I don't seem to have a lot of luck with neighbours!

 

Eeeh, if it aint one barking mad "bitch", it's another!

So sorry, Paul.

My mate Mike at work had 2 french bulldogs - Winston and Winnie and Winnie had to go in the end as she would attack anyone - incl Winston - who came anywhere near her at feeding time.

It was hell on in their kitchen and they tried all sorts - incl a dog trainer, to no avail.

She now lives with one of their friends and can still get arsey at meal times even without a rival hound on the scene.

This breed seems particularly tricky.

Wishing you luck sorting out the neighbours and this additional noise disturbance.

 

Honestly, 100F+ temps is pretty much the norm for Texas and Oklahoma this time of year. If we are setting any records it's only by a degree or two. And I'm well used to it from working in it this time of year with my businesses since I went into business for myself around 2005-6. Honestly what we are getting here weather wise with storms, high winds and tornadoes is perfectly normal so far, and not comparatively drastic like what many parts of the world are getting.

Honestly what I'm more concerned about is the inevitability, IMHO, of WW3 and the super volcano of Yellowstone National Park. Neither of which the seriousness of the reality is being covered at all in the main stream media. I don't know how you guys get your world news, but my sources in the alternative media (which also have to be sifted through for some crazy's) is dire indeed. All being hidden from the public by our governments and media.

For example, if you guys are under the impression that Russia is being ground down by NATO in the Ukraine and in dire trouble, I wish I could say it was true, but the reality is it's a faint and distraction with Russia using only their moth-balled arsenals and mercenaries. They are allowing NATO to use up all their modern arsenals in Ukraine so we have nothing left to use against their real forces in the near future...very near. And it's Russia, China and Iran getting ready to get the U.S. out of the way for their new world order. The U.S. leaders (Elites)are bought and payed for by China and know full well they are weakening the U.S. and Nato for them.

I pray I and my sources are wrong, but the end of western civilization and the U.S. and U.K. in particular are going to fall within the next year. IMHO.

 

I've read some similar stuff, and I've read some headless chicken talk, we can only hope both of these sets of news are wrong for whatever reason. A lot depends on what type of war it would be, if the nuclear option is used then the damage caused all around would make it tactically a poor choice. Ruling over an irradiated area isn't much of a win. I've watched those governments you mentioned and there's a clear overall agreement between them, buddying up is a worrying state. Putin has been very keen to talk up nukes and deploying them in Belarus is indeed not a good sign. I can't imagine Putin going for a conventional war, he's always keen to make a big statement about anything.

Let's imagine it happens, I just can't see the same governments working in tandem afterwards, there's too much of wanting to be the elite power between all of them, the bickering would start quickly and the taste for blood would still be in their mouths.

It really isn't any sort of future, just a slow but steady road to total oblivion. My goodness, if the aliens are watching, I think they would be happy to see us savages gone..

As for Yellowstone, that too is a ticking time bomb, if that blows it's going to put a lot if not all the globe in darkness and damage everything. The US would be a wasteland for the most part and one wonders what would happen to the climate from that moment on. El- nino is already burning up places, mix that in with the chaos Yellowstone would cause is a thought that does strike fear. Whole parts of the eco system would simply cease to be..

 

I don't hate the BBC series, I just never used them, at all. I was a gamer and those machines were PUSHED as totally educational and as you saw from that Johnny Ball bit you posted, kids likes being educated with more of a gaming sense rather than boring old text guessing games. Also, it was all about the disk file system, I have never been a big fan of loads of typing, hence my love of the Amiga, a GUI, that's the ticket. As a machine the Beeb was pretty powerful and when someone bothered to make arcade stuff for it, then it shone more.

It looked the part, but I never took an interest in it...For me, it's a bit later to give it a go, my love affair with the old machines is now at the separation stage, it may even end in a divorce....Who knows..

 

Cheers, Al and Paul... you guys keep my chuckle muscles moving... and by god I can still smell and TASTE that mud from yesterday... ;-)

 

Nice mag, I wish I still felt that urge..I keep trying a bash here and there but I just stop...So weird..

 

Yes, mate, you've got it - much smaller footprint than the Beeb though - I would say maybe a third or even a quarter the size - I'll photograph them side by side or look for an image online. The 600XL is a wee bit smaller than the 800XL but I wouldn't say by any huge margin, no?

 

Anyways, here's a turnip, sorry, turn up for the books.

Been a bit busy of course this past week or so and I've only just been able to check out the Elk and its PSU - Mog had been using a supply with the wrong voltage - it was a 9V 3rd party power supply.

I'm going to try the little devil now with a 12V unit (think they usually have an 18V cream PSU but online forums say 12V should be OK, what do you say, Richie?) and I've had the lid off and there are a few signs of corrosion but mainly around the ribbon keyboard connection:





Anyway, tried a basic clean and check over and will now have a little play test and see how we get on...
gonna try switching her on and loading a game next.

See how we get on and then pack her off to Rich if she locks up with the corrupted graphics... we'll see...