Notes

joshua stein via @jcs@social.sdf.org - Mar 08 2023 10:55:27

MacTCP on my Macintosh Plus has non-configurable DNS-lookup and TCP-open timeouts of 45 seconds.

I like imagining that UDP or SYN packet reaching the router on its 10BASE2 ethernet and then getting queued while the router initializes its modem, dials a phone number, waits while it rings, waits for its PPP login credentials to be verified by the RADIUS server, and then finally sends its queued packet out to the internet, where it gets a reply that is routed back to the Mac after 35 seconds.

joshua stein via @jcs@social.sdf.org - Feb 27 2023 12:07:23

Whenever I see my Framework laptop collecting dust in the closet and think "I should use this more", I start typing on it and immediately remember that the obnoxious lid wobble is the biggest reason why I don't use it.

I upgraded the lid to the CNC version but it didn't help any. Framework says the stronger hinges actually make the wobble worse so I'm avoiding those.

I wish they would figure out how to eliminate that like other vendors have.

joshua stein via @jcs@social.sdf.org - Feb 23 2023 18:42:20

I finished cleaning and restoring these blue guys

I like the authenticity and weight of the mediterranean blue 2500 (on the right) but the ringer is so loud even on its quietest setting

The AT&T 100 feels kind of cheap but its digital ringer has a very 80s feel and the blue matches my office nicely

joshua stein via @jcs@social.sdf.org - Feb 23 2023 09:25:37

Dumb things have been written:

- binkp module connects to hub, logs in, and downloads all outstanding files, caching them to disk
- each file in the local cache directory is processed and any pkzip files are parsed, looking for ".pkt" files inside them and inflating them in memory
- each fidonet packet is processed, ready for importing to the BBS's local database

Now I'm just waiting for my application to join fsxNet to be approved

joshua stein via @jcs@social.sdf.org - Feb 17 2023 15:57:12

Dumb things I am having to write today in 2023:

- a Fidonet "bink" protocol parser (https://www.ritlabs.com/binkp/)
- a PKZIP in-memory extractor (https://pkware.cachefly.net/webdocs/casestudies/APPNOTE.TXT)
- a Fidonet packet parser (http://wiki.synchro.net/ref:fidonet_packets)

I get that BBSes are mostly dead and this technology hasn't changed much since the 80s but I wish one of these message networks would throw away all these ancient protocols and just pass around JSON messages for syndication