My first real computer job was with a Honeywell-Bull VAR. They had 8 inch

>floppy discs on some of their DPS mini and maimframe computers.. Looked jus
>like a 5.25 inch floppy only bigger.

I've never seen an 8 inch one. Some were probably still around when
I got into computers (1983) but likley those bigger ones were more
corporate than for home use, and it was me who bought and set up
the computers at the company where I was working at the time rather
than me having to adapt to what they were using.

I found some 8" install diskettes, for some long retired software package, while cleaning out a storage area at work. Not even sure what platform... mainframe or PC... they were for. We had no drives in the office for that size, and I have never seen one in the wild.

I hung onto them for a while... I had a shelf or two dedicated as a
"museum" to old tech I had found around the office over the years. At some point during an office move I got rid of them.

Mike

* SLMR 2.1a * If it's Tourist Season, howcum we can't shoot 'em, Pa?

---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

And I've heard there are still some COBOL jobs, mainly in the government for old computer systems.

Part of the reason there are still COBOL jobs is because, so far, any
attempts to replace them with something else usually fail. I started in
state government in 1997. Within a few years, there were several ideas to "modernize" to newer systems... usually fueled by server or software vendors w ith big promises.

Those projects often ended with a single subsystem existing on the new platform, taking over a day to process data that the mainframe/COBOL could process in an hour or two overnight. Those projects were eventually sunset
and the mainframe was still chugging along.

When I left in 2023, they were busy with another such project. About a
month ago I met with a former co-worker for lunch. The project is
continuing to fall several years behind... it was supposed to be mostly
done in 2023... they've managed to get two or three subsystems moved off (well, partially) but things are still not going well. Workers are being forced
to do a lot of things manually.

Part of the issue is that the users always realize that they will have to
give a lot of stuff up that they can do now in order to get a server-based system that has pretty screens.

In short, they can make a lot of pretty screens for users, but most of that tech is just not up to par when it comes to backend proessing of large databases. It takes a lot of expensive server power to replace a mainframe. Bear in mind that I live in a smaller state, too... the fed's databases must
be much larger than ours.

Don't get me started on the time some numbskull decided that replacing
COBOL with JAVA on the mainframe was a good idea.

* SLMR 2.1a * Who is General Failure, and why is he reading my disk?!

---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

What killed me about that job was my boss telling me that in preparation
for my coming, he'd cleaned up the server room and e-wasted "pallets" of
IBM ATs. Those would have been worth a LOT - and I would have taken one
home!

Sounds like a real dumbass. :D

---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

MIKE POWELL wrote to ROB MCCART <=-

I found some 8" install diskettes, for some long retired software
package, while cleaning out a storage area at work. Not even sure what platform... mainframe or PC... they were for. We had no drives in the office for that size, and I have never seen one in the wild.

The oldest thing I ever maintained at work was a Northern Telecom PBX
from the mid-70s, and it took 5 1/4" floppies.

The building it was in had the power shut down for 6 hours, so I needed
to come in and shut the system down. I came back in around 6am to bring
it up. I was warned it might take a while. Inserted the floppy, flipped
the power switch, and NOTHING. Waited. Waited some more. Was about to
call the HQ to figure out what to do, when 14 MINUTES LATER, I heard the
floppy head seek and saw a green light.

Longest 14 minutes of my life.



--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: MIKE POWELL to POINDEXTER FORTRAN on Wed Feb 25 2026 08:23 am

What killed me about that job was my boss telling me that in preparation
for my coming, he'd cleaned up the server room and e-wasted "pallets" of
IBM ATs. Those would have been worth a LOT - and I would have taken one
home!

Sounds like a real dumbass. :D

Speaking of which, that reminds me of when I was looking for jobs years ago, and I was at an interview where the interviewer seemed to have a dislike for Linux. He said he didn't trust Linux because since it's open-source, he thought that meant there's a high risk of someone putting malware of some kind into Linux.. On the other hand, he felt that since Windows is closed-source and developed by a small team of people who are paid to work on it, Windows should be more trusted. I suppose I can see the reasoning, though I've always heard that Linux being open-source is actually a strength: There are many people looking at the Linux code (moreso than the Windows code), and people who review it to ensure that malware isn't submitted to the codebase and that security issues are fixed soon after they're discovered.

Nightfox

---
þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

poindexter FORTRAN wrote to MIKE POWELL <=-

I found some 8" install diskettes, for some long retired software
package, while cleaning out a storage area at work. Not even sure what platform... mainframe or PC... they were for. We had no drives in the office for that size, and I have never seen one in the wild.

The oldest thing I ever maintained at work was a Northern Telecom PBX
from the mid-70s, and it took 5 1/4" floppies.

The building it was in had the power shut down for 6 hours, so I needed
to come in and shut the system down. I came back in around 6am to bring
it up. I was warned it might take a while. Inserted the floppy, flipped the power switch, and NOTHING. Waited. Waited some more. Was about to
call the HQ to figure out what to do, when 14 MINUTES LATER, I heard
the floppy head seek and saw a green light.

Longest 14 minutes of my life.

Do you use an AI bot to write these stories, or do you just make them up
all by yourself?




... Daddy, what does "now formatting drive C:" mean?
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
þ Synchronet þ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL

I found some 8" install diskettes, for some long retired software package,

>while cleaning out a storage area at work.

I hung onto them for a while... I had a shelf or two dedicated as a

>"museum" to old tech I had found around the office over the years. At some
>point during an office move I got rid of them.

I think I might have had one put in a frame to hang on a wall somewhere
as a rememberanc of the past.. B)

Then again, we usually think of these things later, after it's too late..

---
þ SLMR Rob þ I'm leaving my body to science fiction
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

Do you use an AI bot to write these stories, or do you just make them up
all by yourself?

LOL now I am tempted to ask AI to write me an IT story involving
poindexter FORTRAN and Gamgee to see what it comes up with. :D

---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

Nightfox wrote to MIKE POWELL <=-

Speaking of which, that reminds me of when I was looking for jobs years ago, and I was at an interview where the interviewer seemed to have a dislike for Linux. He said he didn't trust Linux because since it's open-source, he thought that meant there's a high risk of someone
putting malware of some kind into Linux..

That sounds like the old head of IT who wore suits and read DATAMATION
magazine. Read an executive summary about the newest trend and asks
management to look into it.

My old boss had an anti-linux bent, mostly because he paid for support
and wanted someone to blame if/when things broke. We used a paid
virtualization host, which ironically, was based on Linux, kvm and
qemu, just like the F/OSS alternative I brought up.

Gotta say, the support for the commercial product was top notch.




--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

Rob Mccart wrote to MIKE POWELL <=-

>"museum" to old tech I had found around the office over the years. At some
>point during an office move I got rid of them.

I think I might have had one put in a frame to hang on a wall somewhere
as a rememberanc of the past.. B)

It really should be stuck on the fridge - with a magnet.

I was cleaning out my server room last year when I found a 5 1/4" floppy
in my server room with "SECRET LAUNCH CODES" written in bold letters on
the label.



--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: Rob Mccart to MIKE POWELL on Thu Feb 26 2026 08:06:10

I think I might have had one put in a frame to hang on a wall somewhere
as a rememberanc of the past.. B)

I thought of doing something similar. I have samples of pretty much all the off-line data storage formats used with personal computers. I thought I'd turn them into an evolution-type of display, a-la Human Evolution chart.

---
þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com

MIKE POWELL wrote to GAMGEE <=-

Do you use an AI bot to write these stories, or do you just make them up
all by yourself?

LOL now I am tempted to ask AI to write me an IT story involving poindexter FORTRAN and Gamgee to see what it comes up with. :D

Hahahaha, might be interesting!




... Gone crazy, be back later, please leave message.
--- MultiMail/Linux v0.52
þ Synchronet þ Palantir BBS * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL

What killed me about that job was my boss telling me that in preparation

>> for my coming, he'd cleaned up the server room and e-wasted "pallets" of
>> IBM ATs. Those would have been worth a LOT - and I would have taken one
>> home!

Sounds like a real dumbass. :D

A long time friend of mine, since highschool, worked in one of Canada's
largest Telecom companies and he used to get nice, not too old,
computers for both of us from the back rooms where they were waiting
to be 'recycled'. Technically they were not to be removed but there
were hundreds of IBM systems 2 or 3 years old and he could sneak out
the odd items.. Saved me a lot of money at a time when an IBM computer
cost about as much as a new economy car..

---
þ SLMR Rob þ Oh my GOD! My computer's caught Windows!
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

The oldest thing I ever maintained at work was a Northern Telecom PBX

>> from the mid-70s, and it took 5 1/4" floppies.

I was going to question if 5 1/4" floppies even existed in the 70's
but apparently the first ones came out in 1976 from a company named
Shugart..

---
þ SLMR Rob þ (A)bort, (R)etry, (S)mack the #@$*~ thing!
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

>> He said he didn't trust Linux because since it's open-source, he
>> thought that meant there's a high risk of someone putting malware of some k
>> into Linux.. On the other hand, he felt that since Windows is closed-sourc
>> and developed by a small team of people who are paid to work on it, Windows
>> should be more trusted.

Now I am not sure it matters as much but, back in time when I used to hear

>people say things like this interviewer did, I would likely be thinking
>that there being malware in the Windows code isn't so much the problem as
>there being malware written to exploit Windows code.

Yes, the biggest threat is going to be to the OS that is most common
and most often used by companies and financial institutions so there
would be more people trying to attack Windows than Linux I'd think.

---
þ SLMR Rob þ I've got a mind like a ... what's that thing called?
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: poindexter FORTRAN to Rob Mccart on Thu Feb 26 2026 07:39 am

year when I found a 5 1/4" floppy
in my server room with "SECRET LAUNC CODES" written in bold letters on

Did you put it in to see what it was? I bet it was Tetris or something.

I need more 5.25" floppies.

---
þ Synchronet þ TIRED of waiting 2 hours for a taco? GO TO TACOPRONTO.bbs.io

Rob Mccart wrote to MIKE POWELL <=-

A long time friend of mine, since highschool, worked in one of Canada's largest Telecom companies and he used to get nice, not too old,
computers for both of us from the back rooms where they were waiting
to be 'recycled'.

At my first job, I decided to nickname my car "the dumpter". Every time
my boss told me to clean out the storage room and toss everything into
the dumpster, I willfully complied.

He used to buy first, research later. This was the place with the
dial-up WAN - he bought all Anchor Signalman non error-correcting
modems, then had to replace them all shortly thereafter with
error-correcting modems. All of the old modems went into a box, which I
tossed into a dumpster. I handed out probably a dozen of them to people
who ended up calling BBSes with them or passed them on to others.

At one of our gettogethers, I heard a new caller talk about someone
giving him an "anchor modem" and discovering BBSes.





--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
þ Synchronet þ .: realitycheckbbs.org :: scientia potentia est :.

I found some 8" install diskettes, for some long retired software package,

>while cleaning out a storage area at work.

I hung onto them for a while... I had a shelf or two dedicated as a

>"museum" to old tech I had found around the office over the years. At som
>point during an office move I got rid of them.

I think I might have had one put in a frame to hang on a wall somewhere
as a rememberanc of the past.. B)

Then again, we usually think of these things later, after it's too late..

If it had been something that I had worked with, or especially worked on ,
I might have thought of that. I had a co-worker back then that used to do something similar with old hard drives that had quit working. He was a woodworker, I guess, and would build a little case, with one side being
glass, take the cover of the drive and display it in the cases.

He had one or two there in the office.

Mike
---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

Do you use an AI bot to write these stories, or do you just make them up all by yourself?

LOL now I am tempted to ask AI to write me an IT story involving poindexter FORTRAN and Gamgee to see what it comes up with. :D

Hahahaha, might be interesting!

I'd have never thought of that but, seeing as how a couple of folks in
recent past have posted things allegedly from AI that seem to know who
some of us are, it just might be interesting. ;)
---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

I was cleaning out my server room last year when I found a 5 1/4" floppy

>in my server room with "SECRET LAUNCH CODES" written in bold letters on
>the label.

And here you didn't think old software had much value.. B)

---
þ SLMR Rob þ I'd give you a piece of my mind but I'm on the last one
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

I think I might have had one put in a frame to hang on a wall somewhere

> > as a rememberanc of the past.. B)

I thought of doing something similar. I have samples of pretty much all the

>-line data storage formats used with personal computers. I thought I'd turn
>m into an evolution-type of display, a-la Human Evolution chart.

I went nuts a couple of years ago and finally tossed out a huge amount
of old hardware and disks and such that were taking up too much space,
so I'm not one for wall displays, but I probably still have samples
of just about everything I ever used for offline storage, including
(I think) install disks for 30+ year old Windows versions..

---
þ SLMR Rob þ So little to say and so much time to say it!
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

The oldest thing I ever maintained at work was a Northern Telecom PBX

>> from the mid-70s, and it took 5 1/4" floppies.

I was going to question if 5 1/4" floppies even existed in the 70's
but apparently the first ones came out in 1976 from a company named
Shugart..

Interesting. I had no clue when they came out.

Mike
---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

Now I am not sure it matters as much but, back in time when I used to hear

>people say things like this interviewer did, I would likely be thinking
>that there being malware in the Windows code isn't so much the problem as
>there being malware written to exploit Windows code.

Yes, the biggest threat is going to be to the OS that is most common
and most often used by companies and financial institutions so there
would be more people trying to attack Windows than Linux I'd think.

I think that used to be correct. Now with a lot of the public facing
servers running linux, that is starting to change some. I am seeing more articles about fraudsters targeting linux systems.

---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

I found some 8" install diskettes, for some long retired software package,

>while cleaning out a storage area at work.

I think I might have had one put in a frame to hang on a wall somewhere

>> as a rememberanc of the past.. B)

If it had been something that I had worked with, or especially worked on ,

>I might have thought of that. I had a co-worker back then that used to do
>something similar with old hard drives that had quit working. He was a
>woodworker, I guess, and would build a little case, with one side being
>glass, take the cover of the drive and display it in the cases.

I once had an old Aquarium converted into a glass display case in which
I had a set of custom heads from a 1946 Harley. I guess we all have
those things that interest us at the time.

BTW.. the first Harley I bought (Built) in about 1977 was a 1946,
somewhat suped up as the original was about 40 HP and mine was
about 65 HP. The 1941, 46 and 47 engines were called Knuckleheads
since the odd rocker covers on the heads sort of resembled a clenched
fist and were very popular to restore and as show bike engines.

They were single carb V-Twin engines and the special heads I'd found
and put on display had a carb on each head.

---
þ SLMR Rob þ It beeped and said "Countdown initiated".. Is that bad?
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

I'd have never thought of that but, seeing as how a couple of folks in

>recent past have posted things allegedly from AI that seem to know who
>some of us are, it just might be interesting. ;)

I'm not sure AI knowing us is a good thing or not.
It may decide to Nuke us first.. B)

---
þ SLMR Rob þ Nothing messes up a good story like an eye witness
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

All of the old modems went into a box, which I

> tossed into a dumpster. I handed out probably a dozen of them to people
> who ended up calling BBSes with them or passed them on to others.

At one of our gettogethers, I heard a new caller talk about someone

> giving him an "anchor modem" and discovering BBSes.

Sort of makes me think of when I first moved up here, I was offered
a 14.4k modem quite cheap since 33k ones had come out, and that was
how I first got into BBSing as well around 1987..

I got my first computer in 1983 but didn't know much about getting
'online' for a while..

---
þ SLMR Rob þ Keyboard not found... THINK F1 to Continue
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: Rob Mccart to MIKE POWELL on Sun Mar 01 2026 08:53 am

I'd have never thought of that but, seeing as how a couple of folks in
>recent past have posted things allegedly from AI that seem to know who

>some of us are, it just might be interesting. ;)

I'm not sure AI knowing us is a good thing or not.
It may decide to Nuke us first.. B)

I think these guys are really feeding the bots extra info before
Getting the results they post. i'm trying gemini right now and it says this when it posted a video
"This video provides an interview with the creator of Synchronet, offering deep historical context on how the software and its community of developers Evolved."

It's showing some aviation week video.

--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: Rob Mccart to POINDEXTER FORTRAN on Sun Mar 01 2026 08:53 am

Sort of makes me think of when I first moved up here, I was offered
a 14.4k modem quite cheap since 33k ones had come out, and that was
how I first got into BBSing as well around 1987..

They had 33k modems in 87?

I was still getting 14.4's at bestbuy in the mid 90s.
I got a 33.6 in 97-98 i think.

--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
---
þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::

I would likely be thinking that there being malware in the Windows

>>code isn't so much the problem as there being malware written to
>>exploit Windows code.

Yes, the biggest threat is going to be to the OS that is most common

>> and most often used by companies and financial institutions so there
>> would be more people trying to attack Windows than Linux I'd think.

I think that used to be correct. Now with a lot of the public facing

>servers running linux, that is starting to change some. I am seeing more
>articles about fraudsters targeting linux systems.

That sort of goes along with what I said though.. If more and more
companies are using Linux based servers then that would be the popular
one to be going after with attacks..

I was thinking more of home users whan I said the original though.
I'm sure there are still a lot more stand alone computers running
Windows than Linux..

---
þ SLMR Rob þ Why is everyone else so confused???
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

I'd have never thought of that but, seeing as how a couple of folks in

>recent past have posted things allegedly from AI that seem to know who
>some of us are, it just might be interesting. ;)

I'm not sure AI knowing us is a good thing or not.
It may decide to Nuke us first.. B)

I had not thought of it that way but, upon evaluating our posts, it could decide that it is in humanity's best interest to remove us from the gene
pool.

Guess it is time to retreat to my tin foil lined room. :D

Mike
---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: Rob Mccart to MIKE POWELL on Mon Mar 02 2026 07:57:16

If more and more companies are using Linux based servers then that would be the popular one to be going after with attacks..

*nix-based servers have been the favorite of business/industry for well over a decade. Even Windows-based setups often use *nix on their servers.

I'm sure there are still a lot more stand alone computers running
Windows than Linux..

By a wide margin, and unless Microsoft goes out of business or does something horrendously bad, it will continue to be that way. Microsoft is like the Deathstar. To paraphrase Governor Tarkin, Fear will keep the Windows users in line, fear of this company. OK, a bit melodramatic perhaps, but not entirely wrong. Fear of change, of the unknown will keep the majority of users siding with Windows, even if they're not particularly happy with it. Why? because it's easier and most people will choose "easy" over "better" any day.

---
þ Synchronet þ End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: Mortar to Rob Mccart on Mon Mar 02 2026 12:21 pm

By a wide margin, and unless Microsoft goes out of business or does something horrendously bad, it will continue to be that way. Microsoft is like the Deathstar. To paraphrase Governor Tarkin, Fear will keep the Windows users in line, fear of this company. OK, a bit melodramatic perhaps, but not entirely wrong. Fear of change, of the unknown will keep the majority of users siding with Windows, even if they're not particularly happy with it. Why? because it's easier and most people will choose "easy" over "better" any day.

I think that's basically how Microsoft Windows basically became the default OS for most PCs, despite there being arguably better options (such as OS/2, etc.). Most PC vendors were installing Windows on their PCs by default (and I've heard Microsoft was charging vendors for a Windows license for each of their PCs, even if they didn't install Windows on all their PCs). Most people would just use Windows since it came with the computer, and there were relatively fewer people using alternatives such as OS/2.

Nightfox

---
þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com

I was thinking more of home users whan I said the original though.
I'm sure there are still a lot more stand alone computers running
Windows than Linux..

I am not a security expert, so take this for what it is worth, but from
things I have read it sounds like most hackers are moving away from
targeting individuals and focusing on corporate and government sites.
There is a *lot* more data all in one place.

Mike
---
þ BgNet 1.0á12 ÷ moe's tavern * 1-502-875-8938 * moetiki.ddns.net:27

I'm not sure AI knowing us is a good thing or not.

>> It may decide to Nuke us first.. B)

I had not thought of it that way but, upon evaluating our posts, it could

>decide that it is in humanity's best interest to remove us from the gene
>pool.

Didn't The Terminator start out this way ?? B)

---
þ SLMR Rob þ Reality is for those that can't handle computers
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

I'm sure there are still a lot more stand alone computers running

> > Windows than Linux..

By a wide margin, and unless Microsoft goes out of business or does something

>rrendously bad, it will continue to be that way. Microsoft is like the Death
>r. To paraphrase Governor Tarkin, Fear will keep the Windows users in line,
>r of this company. OK, a bit melodramatic perhaps, but not entirely wrong.
>r of change, of the unknown will keep the majority of users siding with Windo
> even if they're not particularly happy with it. Why? because it's easier a
>most people will choose "easy" over "better" any day.

I may not be the best to give an opinion on that since, even though I've
used Windows since it started, I hate changing to a newer version of Windows.

My main computer is running Windows 7, which I like well enough, although
my 'late' upgrade to that from Windows 98 took some getting used to, and
a little help from DosBOX.. B)

I do have a Windows 11 ready Laptop currently running Windows 10 but,
until too many sites stop working with Windows 7 since the browsers
can not be updated anymore on it, about all I do with the Windows 10
Laptop is keep it up to date.. as in start it up one day a month to
do the updates..

But, that said, Windows tends to work for a lot of years when
compared to Chrome systems. I'm sure Linux could be made to work
on a lot of systems that are too old for newer Windows versions
but there's a lot more learning involved to run Linux.

I have run it briefly a few times to try it out so I figure I could
manage with it if I had to but.. 'easy' over 'better' ? B)

---
þ SLMR Rob þ I don't care if I am a Lemming, I'm not going!
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

the majority of users siding with Windows, even if they're not
particularly happy with it. Why? because it's easier and most people
will choose "easy" over "better" any day.

I think that's basically how Microsoft Windows basically became the default O

>or most PCs, despite there being arguably better options (such as OS/2, etc.)
>ost PC vendors were installing Windows on their PCs by default (and I've hear
>icrosoft was charging vendors for a Windows license for each of their PCs, ev
>if they didn't install Windows on all their PCs). Most people would just use
>ndows since it came with the computer, and there were relatively fewer people
>ing alternatives such as OS/2.

Yes, if it's on almost all systems sold then most people will get it
on their first system and you tend to stick with what you know.

You can buy ChromeBooks quite a bit cheaper that work easily enough
that Windows users can generally switch to them relatively painlessly,
and you save about $75 by avoiding the Windows License..

---
þ SLMR Rob þ Grandchildren--God's reward for not killing your kids
þ Synchronet þ CAPCITY2 * Capitol City Online

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: Rob Mccart to NIGHTFOX on Wed Mar 04 2026 07:43 am

You can buy ChromeBooks quite a bit cheaper that work easily enough that Windows users can generally switch to them relatively painlessly, and you save about $75 by avoiding the Windows License..

I recently decided to use Linux as my main OS on my main PC at home. I've been using it for a bit over a month now, and I can't say I miss Windows. I've even been able to use some of my favorite Windows software on Linux (until I find Linux-native alternatives that I like); it seems that Windows support with Wine & such keeps getting better. Even one of my favorite PC games, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, runs very well in Linux with Proton (and installed from Steam). And similarly to Chromebook, I can avoid paying for a Windows license next time I build a new PC for myself.

Nightfox

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I was thinking more of home users whan I said the original though.

>> I'm sure there are still a lot more stand alone computers running
>> Windows than Linux..

I am not a security expert, so take this for what it is worth, but from

>things I have read it sounds like most hackers are moving away from
>targeting individuals and focusing on corporate and government sites.
>There is a *lot* more data all in one place.

Yes, that does seem to be the trend. They seem to go after individuals
more using eMail and Text scams than attacking their computers.

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þ SLMR Rob þ Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make ye freak
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I'm not sure AI knowing us is a good thing or not.

>> It may decide to Nuke us first.. B)

I had not thought of it that way but, upon evaluating our posts, it could

>decide that it is in humanity's best interest to remove us from the gene
>pool.

Didn't The Terminator start out this way ?? B)

Now that you mention it.... :O :D

Mike
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You can buy ChromeBooks quite a bit cheaper that work easily enough that Windows users can generally switch to them relatively painlessly, and you save about $75 by avoiding the Windows License..

I recently decided to use Linux as my main OS on my main PC at home.

>I've been using it for a bit over a month now, and I can't say I miss
>Windows. I've even been able to use some of my favorite Windows
>software on Linux (until I find Linux-native alternatives that I like);
>it seems that Windows support with Wine & such keeps getting better.

My brief trials with Linux were pretty good as well, although I was
using the simple to install and more Windows-Like versions of it
like Puppy Linux, and not trying to keep it running for very long
or trying to do all of the things I'd like to do if I were using
it full time.

That was a few years ago though so I'm not right up to date on that..

But when you see the notes on what is required, finding and installing Libraries (or?) to fix or upgrade the more serious versions of Linux
it sounds like there's a lot to learn to get the most out of it.

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Yes, that does seem to be the trend. They seem to go after individuals
more using eMail and Text scams than attacking their computers.

Yeah, gone are the days where some kid wrote a program that made your
screen go blank or to change your DOS prompt to include some message about
your computer being stoned. ;D

Mike
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Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: MIKE POWELL to ROB MCCART on Fri Mar 06 2026 10:35 am

Yes, that does seem to be the trend. They seem to go after individuals
more using eMail and Text scams than attacking their computers.

Yeah, gone are the days where some kid wrote a program that made your
screen go blank or to change your DOS prompt to include some message about your computer being stoned. ;D

Mike

if people used banancom you could force them to download files and you could take out their download directory. you could also bomb their computer with an Ansi music file and they'd basically have to reboot.

i had a bad user who would attack my system and my users and he used banacom because i recommended it. he lost my phone number after i nuked his dialing Dir file.

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Yes, that does seem to be the trend. They seem to go after individuals

>> more using eMail and Text scams than attacking their computers.

Yeah, gone are the days where some kid wrote a program that made your

>screen go blank or to change your DOS prompt to include some message about
>your computer being stoned. ;D

Ha.. I try to be relatively careful but I don't go overboard or get
any sort of protection that costs extra and yet, after over 40 years
using computers, I've only been hit with one virus and that was one
I gave to myself by viewing an eMail attachment with a virus attached
back in 1999 before I knew better. B)

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Rob Mccart wrote to NIGHTFOX <=-

My brief trials with Linux were pretty good as well, although I was
using the simple to install and more Windows-Like versions of it
like Puppy Linux, and not trying to keep it running for very long
or trying to do all of the things I'd like to do if I were using
it full time.

I went the other direction and took a Lenovo Chromebook, installed
SeaBIOS on it, and set it up with a Windows install. It was an odd one -
had a 16GB SSD in it and space for a SATA drive. When I loaded Windows
on the SATA drive, the 16GB SSD showed up as an intel cache for the
SATA. I'd played with this technology before, something called "Intel
Smart Response Technology"). Back in the day you could use it to get
faster speeds out of spinning SATA drives. I suppose it predated hybrid
SATA drives, which included the cache on the drive.

I still have a 500gb hybrid SATA drive. I wonder what it would feel like nowadays - I haven't had a system with a spinning drive since I don't
know how long -- 2014?



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Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: poindexter FORTRAN to Rob Mccart on Sun Mar 08 2026 08:56 am

I still have a 500gb hybrid SATA drive. I wonder what it would feel
like nowadays - I haven't had a system with a spinning drive since
I don't know how long -- 2014?

i thought you were the main IT guy at some place. atleast in one of your stories recently. they still use non ssd drives in servers.

i still use sata drives in my drobo clone and everything's fine. i just have ssd for my system drive.


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looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
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On 08 Mar 2026, MRO said the following...

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: poindexter FORTRAN to Rob Mccart on Sun Mar 08 2026 08:56 am

I still have a 500gb hybrid SATA drive. I wonder what it would feel like nowadays - I haven't had a system with a spinning drive since
I don't know how long -- 2014?

i thought you were the main IT guy at some place. atleast in one of
your stories recently. they still use non ssd drives in servers.

i still use sata drives in my drobo clone and everything's fine. i just have ssd for my system drive.

yeah you'd have to be insane to have bulk storage on an SSD (heaven forbid an NVMe drive).. 8TB is at least $1400 from a lazy look on amazon..

how do you like the drobo clone? which one? i still just do the "jbod" thing in a pc with a ton of sata ports..

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Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: fusion to MRO on Mon Mar 09 2026 03:49 am

fine. i just have ssd for my system drive.

yeah you'd have to be insane to have bulk storage on an SSD (heaven
forbid an NVMe drive).. 8TB is at least $1400 from a lazy look on
amazon..

how do you like the drobo clone? which one? i still just do the
"jbod" thing in a pc with a ton of sata ports..

They're freaking awesome. I tell everyone to get one.
There's various models but this is the one i have. (i have 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WPPJHSS

Their support is also great.

i think i got my first one 11 years ago.
the old ones still work. time for me to upgrade in a bit. i'll
get new storage drives and get the latest. right now i just have a bunch of
8 tb drives.


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"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
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Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: MRO to fusion on Mon Mar 09 2026 04:14 am

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: fusion to MRO on Mon Mar 09 2026 03:49 am

fine. i just have ssd for my system drive.

yeah you'd have to be insane to have bulk storage on an SSD (heaven forbid an NVMe drive).. 8TB is at least $1400 from a lazy look on amazon..

how do you like the drobo clone? which one? i still just do the
"jbod" thing in a pc with a ton of sata ports..

They're freaking awesome. I tell everyone to get one. There's various
models but this is the one i have. (i have 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WPPJHSS

Their support is also great.

i think i got my first one 11 years ago. the old ones still work.
time for me to upgrade in a bit. i'll get new storage drives

another thing is this drobo company is now defunct.
they say it was supply chain probs during covid. i saw it happening so it's possible.


--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
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MRO wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

Re: Re: 3.5 Floppies
By: poindexter FORTRAN to Rob Mccart on Sun Mar 08 2026 08:56 am

I still have a 500gb hybrid SATA drive. I wonder what it would feel
like nowadays - I haven't had a system with a spinning drive since
I don't know how long -- 2014?

i thought you were the main IT guy at some place. atleast in one of
your stories recently. they still use non ssd drives in servers.

I am - our storage is all SAS, and my home NAS is running SATA drives.
I was referring to a desktop/laptop running a user OS that hasn't had a
spinning drive since then.




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