Here we have a slightly different episode of The Computer Chronicles. While normally the show takes a look at the more personal end of the computer revolution – how individuals and small businesses use various machines, sometimes breaking into big business where it seems relevant, the show tends to not focus on the upper end …
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Tag:Computer Technology
Coming Soon: An American Look At The BBC Computer Literacy Project
The 1980’s was an amazing time for computer technology – this was the time frame the concept of the microcomputer came into its own, bringing the ability to own a fully functional computer system into the average home. Computers however are strange machines, compared to what we normally have around our houses. Everything else we …
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Bits And Bytes – Series Review
Over the past year I took some time to cover every episode of the 1983 Canadian TV series “Bits and Bytes.” This was a television program designed to give its viewers some insight into the then-new home computer scene, covering basic principles of computing, showing some things you can do with various computers of the …
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The Computer Chronicles – Portable Computers (1985)
Computers first and foremost are tools to do work. Sometimes, you need to do work “on the go” and if your work involves a computer, you would need a computer that can be just as “on the go” as your work needs – a “portable computer.” Most of the computers in the world today are …
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Bits And Bytes – Program 12: What Next?
This is it – the final episode of the 1983 TV Ontario series “Bits and Bytes.” It’s been 11 episodes introducing the basic concepts of computer usage in 1983. This is an interesting one – it focuses on the future of computing, both logistically and practically. Things like people sitting for far too long at …
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Windows 95 – A First Look (1996 VHS Tape)
Windows 95 was a big change to how many people used their computers. Beyond introducing the Start Menu, it was in some ways so different that it could prove difficult for many users to adapt to. To that end, many companies produced VHS tapes designed to help ease people into the new, but very capable, …
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The Great GIF Debate Redux
Long time readers will recall sometime in early 2016 I wrote an article titled “The Great GIF Debate” where I laid down my thoughts and points on the pronunciation of the “GIF” file format. Last night I had a friend share a joke image regarding this pronunciation, and when another person chimed in on how …
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The Computer Chronicles – Printers (1983)
Have you ever seen the movie “Office Space”? If you have, then you will certainly remember a certain antagonist in the film that wasn’t a human – it was a machine. In this case, the office Printer. They are funny things, really, the typical printer – it seems since their inception, people have had a …
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Memories Of AIM
In the event you’ve somehow missed it the AOL Instant Messenger service, commonly known as AIM, will shut down at the end of 2017, after being operational for 20 years. https://aimemories.tumblr.com/ https://help.aol.com/articles/aim-discontinued While Facebook Messenger is considered the primary messaging system in the world today, there are many many options available – Skype, ICQ, Discord, …
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So, I’m Using Windows XP Again… – Part 1
I know what you’re thinking when you read the title – WHY? It’s 2017, XP hasn’t been supported for years, and it’s reached a point where most software just doesn’t work for it anymore. Why would you at all use it again? One simple reason – my old netbook, an ASUS eeePC 1000. I got …
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Bits And Bytes – Program 5: Communication Between Computers
Alright, finally we’re getting to something that will feel familiar to everyone: networking! More correctly, the pre-internet computer networking methodology known as BBS’s, via literally dialing a number and putting a phone on the modulator-demodulator – a modem, if you are old enough to remember those kinds of things! This episode shows our friend Billy …
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Terminal Madness – 1980 Personal Computer Documentary
I stumbled across this gem of a video yesterday and thought it worth sharing – a 1980 documentary from Madison, Wisconsin, about the then-new personal computer scene. The video is a little dry in some regards but it proves to be oddly perfect in its predictions for computers in the future – as a kid …
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The Computer Chronicles – Intel 386 – The Fast Lane (1987)
Back in 1987, computer processors were going through somewhat of a major evolution. While software was still stuck in the land of 16-bit, the Intel x86 series processors were reaching 32bit performance. In the case of the Intel 386, there wasn’t even any software for it – the raw speed alone was enough for people …
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The Goodwill Store “Data Policy” Is Absolute Crap
Being the kind of person I am, when I go thrifting, I’m on the hunt for electronics. Hell, today I found a clock from the 60’s, an 80’s tape player AM/FM radio (that needs a new belt but otherwise has a perfect look to it for me) and a VHS rewinder (because who doesn’t need …
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A Quick Tech Support Scam Video – Windows 8 With 480MB Of Ram!
Lewis’s Tech is somewhat of a legend among the anti-scammer community, and this video can quickly show you some reasons why. I’m sharing it not just for how fun this one is, but how quick it is to watch, at only 10 minutes, it goes over quite a bit. We have the usual remote support …
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