kaymccampbell
Well-known member
It's why I do Linux or Unix. Under the covers, everything we do, except Windblows, is some POSIX compliant-ish OS.
Dennis, I held onto them for a long time. Working for myself starting in 1993, I had to have quite a few computers, including older style machines with those 5.25" floppies. I managed to migrate the software and data to 3.5" disks but it was a real mess for quite a few years. When I went to work for America Online (AOL) I had to add a Mac and its peripherals to the collection.Bob, all your missing is a old 5 1/4” “sloppy floppy” drive.

Emil, that sounds like a fair trade but I suspect you're a lot better tree trimmer than I am a security camera installer.Hi Bob
Good job on the computer rebuild. Too bad we aren’t closer I would trade you some of my tree trimming prowess for some of your security camera prowess.
Good taste in Skill Saws I have one exactly like it.
And the 6” floppys
@shortykorte and @Wiz02, none of the projects I worked on at IBM used 8-inch floppies so I missed out on those. I did get to work on IBM's DiscoVision Associates project. We partnered with MCA to bring movies into homes stored on a 12" LaserDisc. The partnership didn't last but Magnavox and a few others made players for those giant discs.FIFY
Rian, I hear you and agree. I'm not a big fan of Apple, IBM or Microsoft. All three companies did and do things to help their bottom line at the expense of their customers. When the PC turned out to be a hit, they put a guy in charge who decided to make its successor (the PS/2) proprietary. Microsoft created the buggiest operating system on the planet and made sure it was part of OS/2. In the process of integrating Windows into OS/2 IBM fixed thousands of bugs for Microsoft but Microsoft didn't include the fixes in their version. Instead, they gave all their software partners workarounds. The partners' software wouldn't work on the Windows included with OS/2 and everyone blamed IBM. Apple produces great products but make sure you NEED the newest one.All this clever stuff, way above my level.
I have a Windows 10 laptop I bought 2015 and never used as I hated windows 10 plus the company iPad was enough for me. Also still have my old computer from 10-12 years ago that I have not turned on in7 plus years.
Corporate laptops etc become too convenient to use.
And my use is limited to internet and forums really.

Funny you mention that. We were doing some cleaning the other day and I came across a ton of 5-1/4" floppies.Bob, all your missing is a old 5 1/4” “sloppy floppy” drive.
That sounds like one 'spensive printer! I actually remember shopping for IBM laser printers in the 90s and they were too expensive for my boss to approve. Very nice printers though.Had to buy a fancy HP scanner and laser printer to do the job. Actually, the IBM laser printer was in lieu of my first "Fairway" paycheck.
I really like that laptop -- never seen one like that before.The laptop exception that I really loved was the IBM 701C. It was small enough to use on an airplane, even in coach and it had a full-size real keyboard that folded into the case when you closed the screen.
Only thing I hate about laptops is their keyboards. IBM worked for decades developing ergonomic keyboards for their typewriters (remember them?) and even put them on their PCs. To save space, laptop manufacturers flattened their keys and hid their edges.
You can still buy positive detent keyboards with the semi-viscous damping, just like a selectric, or 3270. They also make ones that make that same noise, without the feeling. One of these days, I'm going to buy myself a lighted one.I agree, Bob, except you narrowed it to "laptops", when it's "basically everything in the last 20 years, if not more."
I had a few years as teen on an IBM typewriter with the hopping, twirling ball, and the white ribbon for removing errors. Awesome! Then I got to occasionally used a friend's IBM PC in the late 80's. As far as I'm concerned, that was The Keyboard, and it has all be devolution since then.
I'm usually surprised a how used to inferior designs I can get over time, but that doesn't mean that the better design isn't the better design. I will admit it woudl be a noisier world if we were all still clacking away with positive detent noises for each keystroke.
(Triva: clacking away on my Mac in college one day, I noticed just how loud the keyboard was. I looked at it, unscrewed the bottom half, cut up some old cotton tube socks and put them in there. Noise was notably reduced.
Scott, it's been a slippery slope since DOS 2.0.Everything after Windows 7 Pro has been downhill....
Nick, I am planning to put this system in the workshop where I have my Halot One resin 3D printer. It's yet to print anything but with this system I expect to have all I need to get it working (Ethernet cable from house to shop, wifi and a good enough graphics card).@Bob Heine nice job with the old computer! I hadn’t seen one of those NVMe disks yet, that is indeed very compact. Any particular plans for it? With those specs you could run a lot of different stuff!
Agree, but Vista was so bad I would almost even cap it at XP![]()
Kay, I have Ubuntu on four systems, all of them dual boot.It's why I do Linux or Unix. Under the covers, everything we do, except Windblows, is some POSIX compliant-ish OS.
Drives, I really liked the Mac but everything was proprietary ($$$$) and you had to have a virtual Windows system running under it to use the majority of software out there.Thanks for the history of your career and of technology that has exploded in our area since the mid 80’s.
I still think Microsoft owes us all a rebate cause whatever they call their operating system it has alway had issues before they upgrade to make us buy their new one. Personally I loved windows XP but of course I don’t have even a sniff of your computer skills so when MS quit supporting it I had to upgrade and windows 7 crashed that old PC and another upgrade to Windows 10 crashed my old laptop.
I agree I do like Apple products and always wanted a Mac but none of our work programs would work on a Mac hence the MS struggles. Yep I’m on the iPhone upgrade train to keep a cell phone that I can use.
I haven’t seen any doctor type posts for a while so crossing my fingers and toes those issues you mentioned are doing better and you’re feeling ok.
Stay cool cause I know if it’s 80’s here you and most of the south are cooking.
Oh yea by the way I kept a pristine IBM selectric typewriter here for years after they quit making them and I thought when they made that correction key it was one of the best improvements on any piece of office equipment.
Also thanks for doing all you do and did and still amazed that you were able to write all those manuals one handed.
Roger, I copied all the 5.25" floppies over to 3.5" diskettes when I had the dual-disk drive. I do have one of those USB drives for the 3.5" diskettes, along with one built-in drive in the computer I just salvaged.Funny you mention that. We were doing some cleaning the other day and I came across a ton of 5-1/4" floppies.
Somewhere, I have a USB drive for them. It's mostly old code from way back in the day when I was doing a lot of C and some dBase stuff on PC's.
I also have a USB 3-1/2" drive and a dual-slot 3-1/2" & 5-1/4" that I kept from an old PC. That one is likely IDE. I haven't looked but I'm sure someone has an interface to get to USB for it. That would be a Frankenstein.
Rick, it was in the Chevette price range (IBM discount was $2,400) but it was worth it when I was printing our 800-page manuals at home and FedExing them to AOL in Virginia. Being able to work from home every other week was a great benefit.That sounds like one 'spensive printer! I actually remember shopping for IBM laser printers in the 90s and they were too expensive for my boss to approve. Very nice printers though.
I really like that laptop -- never seen one like that before.
I do remember those 12" LaserDiscs - a co-worker continued renting movies on them for about ten years longer than I thought possible. He swore they were much better quality than anything else available at the time.

@Squankum, my parents acquired a used IBM electric typewriter in 1948 and my mother typed up the drafts of my father's book. She was a business/accounting major before getting her teaching license and taught typing and shorthand in Bayside high school. She didn't set records but accurately typed 90 words a minute (I shoot for 30). That thing was about as loud as a Crosley motorcar with no mufflers. The key spacing was great but the keys were round. lots of paper and carbon (she did 3 carbon copies with each sheet she typed) would fall through and leave an interesting pattern on the desk.I agree, Bob, except you narrowed it to "laptops", when it's "basically everything in the last 20 years, if not more."
I had a few years as teen on an IBM typewriter with the hopping, twirling ball, and the white ribbon for removing errors. Awesome! Then I got to occasionally used a friend's IBM PC in the late 80's. As far as I'm concerned, that was The Keyboard, and it has all be devolution since then.
I'm usually surprised a how used to inferior designs I can get over time, but that doesn't mean that the better design isn't the better design. I will admit it woudl be a noisier world if we were all still clacking away with positive detent noises for each keystroke.
(Triva: clacking away on my Mac in college one day, I noticed just how loud the keyboard was. I looked at it, unscrewed the bottom half, cut up some old cotton tube socks and put them in there. Noise was notably reduced.
Kay, my latest refurbished Dell came with a keyboard that has nothing but the keys on it. There's no wrist rest and no frame above the function keys, not even between the alpha and numeric keypads. If the keys were lighted and it was wireless, it would be my perfect keyboard.You can still buy positive detent keyboards with the semi-viscous damping, just like a selectric, or 3270. They also make ones that make that same noise, without the feeling. One of these days, I'm going to buy myself a lighted one.



Kay, in 1990 Australia PS/2 machines were allocated to sales reps first, managers second and the people who really needed them last. I was given the job of switching that up and was rewarded one of the unobtainable P75 portables for my success. No big deal today but 16 MB memory, a 486 DX-33 processor and 400 MB hard drive was a superstar back then. As soon as it arrived on my desk I gifted it to a new guy who knew how to edit and produce videos. We justified a movie camera and a bunch of equipment based on his work. I had to wait a few years to get my own personal one in 1993 when they had a fire sale on P75 machines.One of my work Dells came with that, or similar, keyboard. It had a pretty good feel to it. I swapped the high end PC that I received for one of my programmers' shitboxes, but kept the keyboard. Why do managers get the best hardware, and the folks who need it, get dumpster rejects?
Dan, it's not bad. Biting down on the new bridge isn't pleasant but it shouldn't keep me from sleeping tonight.Bob, I can't imagine the pain you must be in now. Geezuz!! Mouth pain and back pain ****!
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Drives, at 1:00 this afternoon the oral surgeon got to work and at 2:00 I drove the 0.7 miles home to relax and put ice packs on my face. At 2:45 I drove the 2.1 miles to my dentist and he fitted the new denture so I have a 14-tooth bridge fitted to my upper jaw. Home again at 3:30. It isn't the fancy implants and porcelain bridge the surgeon and dentist offered for $30,000 but the acrylic teeth should have me gagging down food soon. By soon, I mean for three days no hot food or drink (lukewarm is OK) and no carbonated or acidic beverages. For the first week, only soft food (chicken, pasta, eggs, fish, Jell-o, yogurt, applesauce, baked or mashed potatoes, etc.). For two weeks, no crunchy or spicy food (nuts, chips, oatmeal, crunchy cereal, seeds, salad, etc.). Tonight was homemade pureed split pea soup (with carrots, onions and smoked pork knuckle. I made a batch a couple of months ago (Monday after Mother's Day), knowing I would be going through this.You seem to be smiling albeit with less teeth but hopefully the final result will be worth the pain and effort. Best wishes and of course good luck too!!
John, I settled on a Logitech MK270 wireless keyboard and mouse two years ago for less than $22. It's compact but has a separate row of function keys on the top so I don't have to hold down a Fn key and the labeled key in the F-key row to mute or adjust volume and best of all it has a Calculator key at the end of the row -- I use it all the time. When it crapped out a few months ago I was pissed and bought an Amazon Basics Lovaky keyboard and mouse for about $26. I missed the extra keys and bought another Logitech MK270 set for $26.Hi Bob, reading about your teeth, makes me cringe. Hope all works for you.
I been looking for what you described in a keyboard as well, there are few close options that met the needs but I can't bring myself to pay those prices.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LK2Q3HL?ref=emc_p_m_5_i&th=1

Dental Tourism is big business in Mexico. Many of the Dentists are US trained, with Diplomas prominently displayed.Damn Bob, seems like you can’t catch a break with health stuff.
I remember my grandparents telling the story of getting their teeth pulled in Mexico and getting their false teeth there later. They saved a pretty penny by going to Mexico for the dentist work.
Are the letters illuminated?Bob,
Man , you're a machine. I hope everything settles down a bit for you. Always glad to see you that your up and about.
This is my keyboard.
I really like it. I was a fan of the bigger standard keyboards. I used to wire up my own back when Jamco was a thing.
But this is wireless and backlit. The cool thing about the back light is, it comes on when your using it or pass your hand over it. It's got some weight to it too.
YesAre the letters illuminated?
Gotta link?
Hello Kay,Gotta link?
Same here.Hello Kay,
That was one I have been looking at but the price keeps me away.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0768LTVCQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Sorry Bob for taking over your thread.
Don't feel bad. I damn near succeeded cutting the tip of my right index finger off. Most of it has healed, but the new patch of skin is still tender and the feeling isn't 100% yet. Try typing without your rt index finger. I've never had a cramp in my middle finger before this experience.I guess that I am a caveman when it comes to keyboards. Despite using one all day long every work day, if I press a key and a letter appears on the screen and it's the one that I am expecting, I am a happy camper.
However, trying to use a mouse with the "wrong" hand when my dominant hand was in a cast, was an exercise in frustration. Now that I am wearing a splint, I can use the mouse but I still can't touch type with both hands yet. My typing is pitifully slow and error prone.
Hats off to you Bob, I marvel at your drive and perseverance to overcome any and all challenges.
Gotta link?
However, trying to use a mouse with the "wrong" hand when my dominant hand was in a cast, was an exercise in frustration. Now that I am wearing a splint, I can use the mouse but I still can't touch type with both hands yet. My typing is pitifully slow and error prone.
I started mousing with my left hand. The first week was rough. It got better fairly quickly. And my right wrist got better. About once every couple of years since I grab a mouse with my right hand and find out that now it has no mouse skills!
John, I have had a lot of keyboards **** out on me so I stopped paying big bucks for them.Thanks Bob, I use that keyboard that you linked to out in the garage. Actually co-worker bought it for me when they brought back that pc I loaned them when that thing started up in March 2020. They figured I didn't want a crumb filled keyboard returned with the pc. They were right, I didn't.
Leonard, my jaw hurt for a while yesterday afternoon but I had a couple of Tylenol 3 pills left from dental work done three years ago. This morning it only hurt if I bit down hard -- so I stopped biting down. I wear a chin strap with my CPAP so it puts light pressure on my chin and seemed to help with the swelling (a few ice packs helped as well).Bob,
Man , you're a machine. I hope everything settles down a bit for you. Always glad to see you that your up and about.
This is my keyboard.
I really like it. I was a fan of the bigger standard keyboards. I used to wire up my own back when Jamco was a thing.
But this is wireless and backlit. The cool thing about the back light is, it comes on when your using it or pass your hand over it. It's got some weight to it too.
Cody, it's all just patch patch patch.Damn Bob, seems like you can’t catch a break with health stuff.
I remember my grandparents telling the story of getting their teeth pulled in Mexico and getting their false teeth there later. They saved a pretty penny by going to Mexico for the dentist work.
Scott, if I lived closer to the border I'd be having it done in Mexico in a heartbeat.Dental Tourism is big business in Mexico. Many of the Dentists are US trained, with Diplomas prominently displayed.
Algodones is the most popular go-to destination.
I've had several friends who are very happy with the quality of the work, and especially the prices-a fraction of what they were quoted for the same procedures in the US.
Not condoning or recommending it, but seems to work for a lot of people.
Steve, I recall reading about movie actors and actresses in the 1940-50s having all their teeth pulled to improve their smile.Bob, morning fella
I hope you’re feeling a little better, I don’t know anything about the computers but I do know that my Nan, born in 1901, when she was eighteen had all her teeth taken out, and false teeth made. It appears a lot of people did.
The state of dentistry at the time wasn’t great and this got rid of the possibility of problems in one fell swoop.
In our house if you’re feeling a little poorly, we get served with jelly and ice cream, works every time.
Take care my friend
Steve![]()
@Wiz02, over the years I've been spoiled by ergonomic keyboards. When I have to use a keyboard on a phone or tablet it's frustrating. Almost as frustrating as keying in searches on the TV with the remote. Some services have the keys in alphabetic order and others use QWERTY. I wish they'd make up their minds.I guess that I am a caveman when it comes to keyboards. Despite using one all day long every work day, if I press a key and a letter appears on the screen and it's the one that I am expecting, I am a happy camper.
However, trying to use a mouse with the "wrong" hand when my dominant hand was in a cast, was an exercise in frustration. Now that I am wearing a splint, I can use the mouse but I still can't touch type with both hands yet. My typing is pitifully slow and error prone.
Hats off to you Bob, I marvel at your drive and perseverance to overcome any and all challenges.
John, anything over $100 gives me pause.Hello Kay,
That was one I have been looking at but the price keeps me away.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0768LTVCQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Sorry Bob for taking over your thread.
Back atcha.Same here.
@ctandc72, if I go out and work in the yard and forget to hydrate drink enough water I get cramps in my hand and they tend to linger If I don't take potassium citrate (or gluconate) tablets right away.Don't feel bad. I damn near succeeded cutting the tip of my right index finger off. Most of it has healed, but the new patch of skin is still tender and the feeling isn't 100% yet. Try typing without your rt index finger. I've never had a cramp in my middle finger before this experience.
Dennis, it's one of those do it now or pay later things. I'm close to recovered and just have to follow the instructions so I continue to progress.Bob sorry about the dental woes. I hate going myself. Try something different and take it easy for a few days!!![]()
Leonard, I used to pay premium prices for keyboards, mice and trackballs but they didn't last much longer than the cheap ones. I can see the value in the input dial but much of what I do is keyboard-driven.![]()
Logitech Craft Wireless Keyboard for Advanced Creativity & Productivity
Logitech Craft wireless keyboard delivers a new level of control to power users with a creative input dial, contextual controls, and a clean, thoughtful design.www.logitech.com
This is the best deal direct from the Logitech. It's a nice solid keyboard. But it's not cheap.
I see that @casmurbax has linked a better price.
Travis, I don't understand the extra 1 - 2 - 3 keys above the Insert - Delete - Home - End - Page Up - Page Down keys. The other thing is the Fn key. I can't hold down the Fn key and reach all those top row keys with one hand. I'm back to a callous on my nose trying to reach the Alt-Ctrl-Del keys when they were on opposite sides of the keyboards.![]()
Buy MX Keys S Keyboard | Logitech
Shop MX Keys S Keyboard. Features backlighting, custom shortcut keys, spherically-dished keys, smarter Fn keys, emoji key, multi-device, smart actions, and morewww.logitech.com
That's the Craft keyboard without the knob. I love it.
Drives, I lost nine front teeth as a result of the accident. Five uppers were snapped off at the gum line in the accident. Four lowers were cracked below the gum line by something that went through my chin. For 20 years I upper and lower removable partials. About the time I turned 40 my dentist suggested permanent bridges. Spent around $2,000 for the lower bridge, which involved grinding down four teeth to points to support six porcelain crowns. For another $5,000 the dentist made the upper bridge, which involved 13 crowns connected together. Like the lower one, eight teeth were ground down to points to support the bridge. Twenty five years later one of those 8 teeth went south so the whole bridge had to be cut out, the bad tooth extracted and another upper bridge made and cemented in place but with only seven teeth holding it. That new bridge cost $22,000 and came loose after 12 years. The dentist and another specialist suggested removing all seven teeth, putting in six implants and attach a new bridge to the implants. All for a measly $35,000. The process, unlike what they claim on TV, takes more a year or two (bone grafts anchor the implants and the implants hold temporary bridges). I'm too old for this so I chose to have the 7 ground down teeth extracted and a removable bridge made that we all recognize (mine don't wind up and it's only the upper teeth).Did you have your teeth pulled because of gum issues or were your old teeth just not good enough to fix?
In any case I hope you’re feeling great again soon.

@Squankum, I was fortunate that most of my computer time involved the keyboard rather than the mouse so I never got the sore wrist. Luckily never got carpal tunnel either. The year I spent with a cracked elbow (105° extension instead of 135°) everything was really annoying. Breaking it again fixed the problem but I can tell when the weather is changing. Actually, a lot of my joints give me the heads up.Teaching a new limb or hand a skill you never asked of it is like starting over! Back in my autocross days I decided to try left foot braking. Not the crazy rally kind where you are pressing both gas and brake at the same time and getting a certain kind of drift out of it, my VW didn't have that kind of power! Just to save on transition time.
What I quickly discovered was that my left foot was 15 years old when it came to knowing how to brake gracefully. I also learned what it feels like when you stab at the clutch pedal with your left foot but actually stab the brake pedal. Yikes! Luckily, nobody was behind me.
Now, mousing:
A few decades ago, I noticed my right wrist getting sore at work. My right hand was typing letters, doing numeric keypad, and mousing! My left hand just did half of the letters. Also, I would go home and do more stuff on the computer, and there was another interest of mine that involved my right hand.
So at work, I started mousing with my left hand. The first week was rough. It got better fairly quickly. And my right wrist got better. About once every couple of years since I grab a mouse with my right hand and find out that now it has no mouse skills!
Leonard, my brother was ambidextrous with a left tendency. My left hand was a useful target for sharp and thumpy things. I got rid of a lot of little scars (replaced by one big one).At work I had two different computers I used. I kept a mouse on each side of the keyboard. I had no issue using either. But I am left handed.
Although, my doctor said I am ambidextrous with a left tendency.
Fun fact. Japanese Kanji is done with the right hand. Chinese Calligraphy is done with the left. Same characters.
@Wiz02, no shame. I am truly blessed to have a mind too stubborn and too clueless to notice stuff that should bother me. If someone wants me to wear a brace for a wrist sprain, I wear it while they are watching. Same thing with bandages and stitches. If blood isn't flowing, what good are they?Right hand in splint, post tendon repair of middle finger. Left hand no grip due to no cartilage in thumb joint. Can’t complain though, I would be ashamed to do so, especially in this thread.
Linux?@Bob Heine , you got lines through all your ****.
Chellspeck morphed text into ****. Teach me to trust software.Linux?
Thanks Kay, I know I did a strikethru for one word but Wingers or Farfox fixed it for me. Lets me know I should post shorter responses.@Bob Heine , you got lines through all your text.
Scott, maybe Ubuntu? Or Mebuntu.Linux?