weirdr.net is a Fediverse instance that uses the ActivityPub protocol. In other words, users at this host can communicate with people that use software like Mastodon, Pleroma, Friendica, etc. all around the world.

This server runs the snac software and there is no automatic sign-up process.

Site description
This is a dual Pentium Pro running NetBSD.
Check out the floppy museum for hints on how to get in touch. Or, you know, ping me on the fediverse. :)
Admin account
@ltning@weirdr.net

Search results for tag #retrocomputing

[?]SuperIlu »
@dec_hl@mastodon.social

I pushed an update to (the client for MS-DOS):

- Updated README because of login-problems with Mastodon 4.3 or newer
- Uploaded version (works on or newer)

Grab it at github.com/SuperIlu/DOStodon

    [?]mbbrutman »
    @mbbrutman@mastodon.sdf.org

    Everybody needs a paper hex calculator. Make yours today!

    brutman.com/Programmatics_Pape

    (Use a color laser printer, and feed it heavier paper for better results.)

    A paper hexadecimal calculator. The original that I made this template from was copyrighted in 1967.

    Alt...A paper hexadecimal calculator. The original that I made this template from was copyrighted in 1967.

      [?]Walter »
      @glassnerves@mastodon.sdf.org

      Is there a website that lists and catalogs new games for old consoles? Homebrews and similar things.

        [?]mbbrutman »
        @mbbrutman@mastodon.sdf.org

        Event alert! If you are in Seattle on March 22 or March 23 then come hang out with us at the Interim Computer Festival! See sdf.org/icf/ for details.

        I'll be showing off DOS networking with mTCP again, and this time I'll have enough driver disks and extra gear to help people debug their machines or get setup for the first time. Think of it as both an exhibit and a clinic!

          [?]mbbrutman »
          @mbbrutman@mastodon.sdf.org

          MS DOS 3.31 fans (specifically the Compaq OEM version) I have failed you! NetDrive should support FAT16B on that version of DOS but I had a "fixme" comment in the code to actually implement it. I have made amends ...

          (Compaq MS DOS 3.31 was the first version of DOS to support FAT16B. They broke the 32MB drive letter barrier with it.)

          Just another 5 or 6 lines of assembler code did the trick. I'm kicking myself for not doing it earlier.

            [?]SuperIlu »
            @dec_hl@mastodon.social

            Some with (inspired by @hamoid)

            The very same sketch runs unmodified on using and the compatibility layer.

            openprocessing.org/sketch/2544



            a pattern created from connected arcs and lines that are arranged in a grid

            Alt...a pattern created from connected arcs and lines that are arranged in a grid

              Parade du Grotesque 💀 boosted

              [?]SDF.ORG »
              @SDF@mastodon.sdf.org

              Interim Computer Festival SPRING 2025 registration is open at:

              sdf.org/icf

              Come join us March 22nd and 23rd for two days of fun in Seattle

              A clear acrylic etching of the SDF-1 VT52 mecha with a cloudy blue sky illuminating it.

              Alt...A clear acrylic etching of the SDF-1 VT52 mecha with a cloudy blue sky illuminating it.

                Parade du Grotesque 💀 boosted

                [?]SDF.ORG »
                @SDF@mastodon.sdf.org

                Registration is open for the Interim Computer Festival SPRING 2025 March 22nd and 23rd at INTRASPACE in Seattle.

                sdf.org/icf

                Come join us for 2 days of fun and see what is new in the way of old.

                A post for the Interim Computer Festival SPRING 2025 event this march 22nd and 23rd in Seattle

                Alt...A post for the Interim Computer Festival SPRING 2025 event this march 22nd and 23rd in Seattle

                  2 ★ 0 ↺

                  [?]Ltning »
                  @ltning@weirdr.net

                  Well .. that went sideways. Despite many attempts, I have yet to find a 286 - or a 386sx for that matter - that will boot the NetBSD floppies without failing in some way or other. I'm not yet certain (perhaps someone here knows?), but there may be instructions missing from the various 486SLC and 486DLC CPU variants that my ugprade modules have. Or there are other bugs that I have not been able to figure out.

                  Anyway, I've reduced my ambitions ever so slightly, and am now in the process of installing NetBSD (-CURRENT) on what is essentially a 386SX-class machine: 16-bit bus, 24-bit addressing, 16MB RAM, and nearly as unpleasantly slow as the 286 I had planned to use. It is however equipped with an IBM-branded 486SLC, which is from the Blue Lightning series. This one definitely has a full 486 instruction set. More hardware details will follow when I've completed the build (and installation).

                  Meanwhile, the obligatory screenshot from the installer. Note the ETA for simply unpacking base.tgz ..

                  Screenshot from installer. Shows base.txz being extracted, at a speed of 110 KB/s. ETA given is about 30 minutes, which turned out to be relatively accurate.

                  Alt...Screenshot from installer. Shows base.txz being extracted, at a speed of 110 KB/s. ETA given is about 30 minutes, which turned out to be relatively accurate.

                    3 ★ 1 ↺
                    Network == Abstraction Layer boosted

                    [?]Ltning »
                    @ltning@weirdr.net

                    And it lives! Apparently I'm officially operating a Motherboard Bakery! :)
                    Now I need to get it properly configured and tested with DOS, then I can move on to the next steps - which involve the CPU upgrade, and assuming that works, creating actual, physical floppies.

                    (In other news, the instance on this poor Pentium Pro server is sweating hard whenever I post something. So let me know at @ltning@anduin.net if you have problems receiving/reading my posts. I've made some tweaks but it will be unavoidably detained for a while following each post, my apologies for that..)


                    Picture of BIOS during boot. It's a 1990 American Megatrends BIOS, for the TD60C board, BIOS version 2.42B. It shows a 20MHz CPU clock and 15872 KB RAM tested OK.

                    Alt...Picture of BIOS during boot. It's a 1990 American Megatrends BIOS, for the TD60C board, BIOS version 2.42B. It shows a 20MHz CPU clock and 15872 KB RAM tested OK.

                      ltning boosted

                      [?]mbbrutman »
                      @mbbrutman@mastodon.sdf.org

                      The latest mTCP for DOS is available!

                      This version includes some changes to improve TCP reliability on long running (but idle) connections, black & white Sixel graphics in Telnet, a Telnet emulation bug fix, and other small fixes sprinkled around.

                      The source code to NetDrive (network attached storage) is also published now - enjoy reading an unholy mix of x86 assembly code talking to Golang over UDP!

                      Spread the word! Friends don't let friends run old code ...

                        30 ★ 9 ↺

                        [?]Ltning »
                        @ltning@weirdr.net

                        And here we are. is simply amazing.


                        Console screenshot. Plaintext 80x50 mode, with screen(1) running htop(1) and neofetch(1), split horizontally.

                        Alt...Console screenshot. Plaintext 80x50 mode, with screen(1) running htop(1) and neofetch(1), split horizontally.

                          7 ★ 3 ↺

                          [?]Ltning »
                          @ltning@weirdr.net

                          Attempting to install #NetBSD on this 486.. gonna need some more work before that works I'm afraid.

                          (Read the alt text for more info)
                          #retrocomputing #moreram

                          Kernel messages from NetBSD 10.1 on an AMD 486. Panics due to low memory after showing interesting sound cards detected. No correlation I'm sure - only including to brag.

                          Alt...Kernel messages from NetBSD 10.1 on an AMD 486. Panics due to low memory after showing interesting sound cards detected. No correlation I'm sure - only including to brag.

                            3 ★ 3 ↺
                            Anders Gulden Olstad boosted

                            [?]Ltning »
                            @ltning@weirdr.net

                            Since nobody asked, here are a couple of pictures of the rig. It's not posing for the picture (I didn't tell it what was going on), so it's as messy as usual.

                            I'll post each picture as a reply to this post, as snac doesn't like multiple attachments..

                            Enjoy. And wish the poor box luck serving this.


                              7 ★ 5 ↺

                              [?]Ltning »
                              @ltning@weirdr.net

                              Damn I like the whole css-or-bust approach to styling that has. I mean I know many (most?) others do a bit of the same but this is just delightful.

                              So..TLS aside, what is the most lightweight reverse proxy I can use instead of nginx in front of this thing? You know, in case I would like to move the instance from this beefy PPro to, say, a or a Wii running ? :)


                                1 ★ 1 ↺

                                [?]Ltning »
                                @ltning@weirdr.net

                                TIL today: secp* curves are orders of magnitude slower than X25519 and prime256v1. At least on a Pentium Pro/Pentium II-class CPU.

                                  29 ★ 11 ↺

                                  [?]Ltning »
                                  @ltning@weirdr.net

                                  After a fair bit of fiddling, this instance is now .. operational, I think? And this is officially my first post here.

                                  See also my main fediverse presence: @ltning@anduin.net

                                  About this instance, at the time of writing:
                                  - OS: 10
                                  - Reverse proxy: nginx
                                  - CPU: Dual Pentium Pro Overdrive, 333MHz
                                  - RAM: 512MB EDO
                                  - NIC: 3Com 100Mbit PCI NIC
                                  - Storage: SATA 1.0 (CF and SSD)


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