Jumping to 1994 3dfx voodoo cards

 I was researching NVIDIA, and it seems so long ago that 3dfx was the king of 3D accelerator video cards.  It was the bomb, and I'm glad NVIDIA grabbed them up and pushed forward.   Not NVIDIA was started in 1993, and 3dfx in 1994.   

NVIDIA history:

NVIDIA Corporation, founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang, Chris Malachowsky, and Curtis Priem, is a leading American technology company known for its graphics processing units (GPUs) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Here's a brief history of NVIDIA:

Early Years and Founding (1993-1999)

• 1993: NVIDIA was founded in Santa Clara, California, with a focus on developing graphics processing technology.
• 1995: The company launched its first product, the NV1, a multimedia accelerator that integrated 2D and 3D graphics, audio, and I/O functions.
• 1999: NVIDIA introduced the GeForce 256, considered the world's first GPU, revolutionizing computer graphics by offloading intensive graphics processing tasks from the CPU.

Growth and Expansion (2000-2010)

• 2000: NVIDIA went public, trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol NVDA.
• 2002: The company acquired 3dfx, a pioneer in 3D graphics technology.
• 2006: NVIDIA released the CUDA parallel computing platform, enabling developers to use GPUs for general-purpose processing tasks.
• 2007: The Tesla product line was introduced, aimed at high-performance computing and scientific calculations.

AI and Autonomous Vehicles (2010-2020)

• 2012: NVIDIA unveiled the Kepler GPU architecture, which offered significant performance and energy efficiency improvements.
• 2014: The company launched the Maxwell GPU architecture, further enhancing efficiency and performance.
• 2016: NVIDIA announced the Pascal architecture and the Tesla P100 GPU, targeting deep learning and AI workloads.
• 2018: The company introduced the Turing architecture, featuring real-time ray tracing capabilities and AI-driven enhancements.

Recent Developments (2020-Present)

• 2020: NVIDIA announced plans to acquire Arm Holdings from SoftBank for $40 billion, aiming to expand its reach into the CPU market and strengthen its AI capabilities.
• 2021: The company launched the Ampere architecture and the GeForce RTX 30 series, setting new benchmarks in gaming and AI performance.
• 2022: NVIDIA continued to innovate in AI and data center technologies, with advancements in its A100 and H100 Tensor Core GPUs.

Contributions and Impact

• NVIDIA has been a key player in the development of modern graphics technology, contributing to advancements in gaming, professional visualization, data centers, and AI.
• The company's GPUs are widely used in various industries, including automotive, healthcare, finance, and scientific research, for tasks ranging from autonomous driving to deep learning.

Summary

NVIDIA's history is marked by continuous innovation and leadership in GPU technology, with significant contributions to AI and high-performance computing. From its early days in multimedia accelerators to its current role in powering AI and autonomous systems, NVIDIA has consistently pushed the boundaries of what is possible in technology

OkiMate 10 color printer for the C64, just amazing for the price back then

 My first color printer was an Okimate 10 thermal color printer for the Commodore 64. My father thought it was great because it didn't require ink or toner due to its thermal printing technology. Those were the days of faded documents on thermal paper, which used hole-feed ream paper. Despite that, it was affordable and worked very well.

Here are some technical facts about the Okimate 10 color printer for the Commodore 64:

1. Model: Okimate 10
2. Printing Technology: Thermal transfer printing, which uses heat to transfer color from a ribbon onto paper.
3. Color Capabilities: It was capable of printing in multiple colors, which was a notable feature at the time.
4. Resolution: The resolution was around 240 dots per inch (DPI), offering decent print quality for its era.
5. Paper Type: The printer used continuous hole-feed paper, a common paper type for printers of that period.
6. Connectivity: Connected to the Commodore 64 via the standard serial port.
7. Speed: The printing speed was relatively slow, often taking a few minutes to print a single page.
8. Maintenance: Required thermal transfer ribbons, eliminating the need for traditional ink or toner.
9. Software Compatibility: Worked with various software programs on the Commodore 64, including word processors and graphics applications.
10. Durability: Known for its robust and reliable performance, making it a popular choice among Commodore 64 users.

How I got into enterprise IT. Trying to transcribe a bit then using AI to clean it up. It kind of worked. Test Run

 I want to share how I got into Enterprise IT. It all started when I sold my previous business as a memory wholesale distributor in the Portland, Oregon, catering to many computer stores. Unfortunately, my business partner had really bad credit, and we had to close the business, leaving me without a job.

At that point, I was trying to figure out my next move when a buddy called and offered me a position at Nike's help desk in 1999. I was looking to return to school, and he mentioned they were paying $20 an hour to handle Windows 95 questions. I thought that would be the easiest $20 an hour I’d ever make part time. When I got there, I realized the job was indeed simple, so I approached management and told them I had no interest in climbing the help desk ranks. Instead, I aimed to become an enterprise IT server admin.

They gave me three key performance statistics that were crucial to them. I achieved and maintained all three metrics for several months. Eventually, an opportunity arose in the server team, and I was offered the position. Taking this step made some of my help desk colleagues unhappy, but I transitioned into the IT department successfully.

There, I found a brilliant coworker, engaged with him, and learned a lot. I found another knowledgeable coworker and did the same. From that point forward, I was fully immersed in IT. This period also marked my first encounter with VMware Workstation 1.0 and programming with Delphi 5 and Visual Basic.

I'll continue my story later on, about how I became a Windows domain admin for server environments serving over 60,000 people, but that's a tale for another time.

ne2000 drivers and network cards

 In the 1990s, setting up a DOS-based system for IPX/SPX and TCP/IP networks was straightforward, thanks to the NE2000 drivers and network cards. These were popular because of their ease of use and reliability. Back then, we used coaxial cables for network connections, and I still have my crimpers for those cables.

I had a standard floppy disk with an easy DOS boot setup that included these generic NE2000 drivers. This setup was incredibly useful; for years, I could resolve and fix most desktop network connection issues. The process was simple:

1. Boot from the floppy disk: The disk contained the necessary DOS boot files and NE2000 drivers.
2. Load the NE2000 driver: The autoexec.bat file on the floppy would load the NE2000 driver automatically.
3. Configure network settings: Once the driver was loaded, configuring IPX/SPX or TCP/IP settings was straightforward.

This method was almost universally effective until Intel disrupted the industry by no longer supporting the NE2000 generic drivers. This change marked the end of an era, but it also ushered in significant improvements in network speed and performance.

Another crucial aspect of network troubleshooting was examining ARP tables. Understanding and managing ARP tables allowed for efficient resolution of many networking issues. This skill set, combined with the NE2000 setup, made networking a breeze in those days.

Fast forward to the 2020s, and the principles remain similar, though the technology has evolved significantly. We now have advanced tools and faster networks, but the foundational knowledge from the 1990s still applies. Understanding ARP tables, driver configurations, and network protocols remains essential for modern network troubleshooting and setup.

A World Locally oh my did it change my direction in tech

When I kicked off my journey with AWL, the internet was often referred to as the information superhighway, a term that only the most tech-savvy folks understood. In just a short span, my tech landscape evolved rapidly: from being an Amiga enthusiast to embracing my first x386 machine running Windows/DOS, and then setting up a modest 4-line BBS (which was quite the feat back then, considering most BBSs only had a single line).

Then came the leap to installing Linux 1.0, a process that required a whopping 72 floppy disks, bridging the gap from a DOS-based BBS to a Novell server NLM, and finally to Linux, connecting through a local "internet provider" that typically catered to T1 telecom customers. Initially, my BBS offered basic services like Gopher, FTP, and Usenet, but soon evolved to support PPP connections with the Mosaic web browser. It's worth noting that Internet Explorer wouldn't make its debut until a year later, packaged on just a single floppy disk.

At its zenith, my setup boasted a whopping 10 phone lines, each running on 33.6 modems.

I was self-taught on all of the above with no internet help in those days.  

Only evidence I could find of my old ISP

 Hah, the only evidence I could find of my old ISP https://egov.sos.state.or.us/br/pkg_web_name_srch_inq.show_detl?p_be_rsn=455436&p_srce=BR_INQ&p_print=FALSE

Take me way back to the late 80s and create a color 64 bbs emulator with door games. With fake users and sysop mode as well in python

 

ChatGPT

Creating a nostalgic BBS (Bulletin Board System) emulator in Python with colorful text, fake users, sysop mode, and door games is a fun project! Below is a simple Python script that demonstrates a basic BBS emulator with these features. We'll use colorama for color text support and random to generate fake users.

First, ensure you have colorama installed:

sh
pip install colorama

Here's the Python script:

python
import random
import time
from colorama import init, Fore, Back, Style

# Initialize colorama
init(autoreset=True)

# Fake users data
fake_users = [
    {"username": "RetroGamer", "status": "online"},
    {"username": "SysopMaster", "status": "offline"},
    {"username": "TechGuru", "status": "online"},
    {"username": "BBSFan", "status": "online"},
    {"username": "NetSurfer", "status": "offline"}
]

def display_welcome_message():
    print(Fore.CYAN + "Welcome to the Retro BBS!")
    print(Fore.CYAN + "Connecting to the BBS..." + Fore.GREEN + " Connected")
    print(Fore.CYAN + "====================================")

def list_users():
    print(Fore.YELLOW + "User List:")
    for user in fake_users:
        status_color = Fore.GREEN if user["status"] == "online" else Fore.RED
        print(f"{user['username']}: {status_color}{user['status']}")

def door_games():
    print(Fore.MAGENTA + "Available Door Games:")
    print(Fore.MAGENTA + "1. Tradewars 2002")
    print(Fore.MAGENTA + "2. Legend of the Red Dragon")
    print(Fore.MAGENTA + "3. Barren Realms Elite")
    print(Fore.MAGENTA + "4. Exit")

def sysop_mode():
    print(Fore.BLUE + "Entering Sysop Mode...")
    print(Fore.BLUE + "1. View System Logs")
    print(Fore.BLUE + "2. Manage Users")
    print(Fore.BLUE + "3. Exit Sysop Mode")

def view_system_logs():
    print(Fore.BLUE + "System Logs:")
    logs = [
        "User RetroGamer logged in.",
        "User BBSFan started a game of Tradewars 2002.",
        "User TechGuru logged out."
    ]
    for log in logs:
        print(Fore.BLUE + log)

def manage_users():
    print(Fore.BLUE + "Managing Users:")
    for user in fake_users:
        print(Fore.BLUE + f"{user['username']} is {user['status']}")

def main_menu():
    while True:
        print(Fore.CYAN + "\nMain Menu:")
        print(Fore.CYAN + "1. List Users")
        print(Fore.CYAN + "2. Play Door Games")
        print(Fore.CYAN + "3. Enter Sysop Mode")
        print(Fore.CYAN + "4. Exit")

        choice = input(Fore.CYAN + "Choose an option: ")

        if choice == "1":
            list_users()
        elif choice == "2":
            door_games()
            game_choice = input(Fore.MAGENTA + "Choose a game: ")
            if game_choice == "4":
                continue
            else:
                print(Fore.MAGENTA + "Launching game...")
                time.sleep(2)
                print(Fore.MAGENTA + "Enjoy your game!")
        elif choice == "3":
            sysop_mode()
            sysop_choice = input(Fore.BLUE + "Choose an option: ")
            if sysop_choice == "1":
                view_system_logs()
            elif sysop_choice == "2":
                manage_users()
            elif sysop_choice == "3":
                continue
        elif choice == "4":
            print(Fore.CYAN + "Goodbye!")
            break
        else:
            print(Fore.RED + "Invalid option, please try again.")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    display_welcome_message()
    main_menu()

This script sets up a simple BBS emulator with the following features:

1. Welcome Message: Displays a welcome message and simulates connecting to the BBS.
2. List Users: Lists fake users with their online/offline status.
3. Door Games: Displays a list of door games.
4. Sysop Mode: Allows entering sysop mode to view system logs and manage users.
5. Main Menu: Provides a main menu to navigate through the options.

Run this script, and it will give you a nostalgic feel of a late 80s BBS system. You can expand this by adding more functionality and interactive elements as needed.