I type. Text appears on the screen. Useful. Don't overthink it.

Yeah same here. I'm alive, I read vogons, I have other things I do.

Although I've built my computers from the 1990s until the last year or so, I limit my scope for the sake of sanity. I don't pay much attention to anything beyond dx8 or windows 2000. From there I jump to Windows 11 these days, on a mini-PC.

keenmaster486 wrote on 2026-07-17, 17:56:

I type. Text appears on the screen. Useful. Don't overthink it.

I concur.

I just lurk on Milliways, maybe complain about life and people sucking every once in a while.

I'm tired. Hobbies? What's that?

UCyborg wrote on 2026-07-17, 21:31:

I just lurk on Milliways, maybe complain about life and people sucking every once in a while.

I'm tired. Hobbies? What's that?

That's what I usually do, too.
Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy, but that's also my interests evolving... not just the "tech" part of technology interests me now but also thinking about the future and what kind of impact technology will make on it. Sadly, the direction right now is definitely NOT good: Capitalism seems to be crumbling and it's hard to be optimistic about the future at the moment. Although I don't believe in that "people are bad" argument too much, things are far more complicated than that and I think it has more to do with the environment we live in.
I've also got more interested in politics in the last decade or so and being in a forum with people from everywhere in the World sometimes brings interesting points of view and discussions, even considering this is a delicate subject that tends to bring some attrition I tend to jump right into it when it happens (and milliways is the place where it usually goes). Sorry moderators, I know you guys hate it but I think it fascinating 😁

I've done some projects and contributed on Vogons.
The top problem I have with peoples posts is people will ask for help with their stuff but don't give specifications when asking and then come back saying they fixed the problem
without even explaining what went on its a waste of my time and feels like a troll.
I've had help with retro from Vogons users in the past it is appreciated.
I hate when people say "this is the best hardware" because in retro there really isn't.
I frown upon overclocking posts retro is rare savour it don't burn it up.
I look at everyone’s posts on Vogons everyday looking for some fun I haven't had yet, better ways to use things and sometimes I am rewarded for my interest.
Sometimes I chip in on threads as I lived the day.
Personally I don't touch anything older than pentium 4 anymore people try to sell junk I don't want the problems and I think 2000's PC's are just about retro now
Anyone who lived the 80's and 90's would agree what the heck is Linux?

The context of what is retro is changing in my circles retro can now coin Windows XP and 7 era systems. We run a series of LAN parties around just that. While to me Windows 9X has a special place that is moving further back as a relic of the past.

With Windows 9X, peoples expectations are different these days. In the past you could be playing Syberia at 640x480 with all the 3D models grey blobs because the textures didn't properly load in on your SiS onboard graphics.

It wasn't pretty but you had got the game working! You can play it, maybe you would need a better GPU to have it work properly but it was still playable. Nowadays if you can't run a game at maximum details with a silky smooth 60fps+ then its not performing well and is "wrong".

I enjoy a silky smooth gaming experience but back in the day it wasn't uncommon to have games that chugged, were just slow by design or had some quirks you couldn't easily figure out. Everyone expects so much you then have people ignoring a ton of mid tier hardware aiming for high end parts driving demand on that end of the market as mid tier parts are slowly recycled overtime and lost.

If we are in a position long term where low end office PCs can be used for retro operating systems we can mitigate those loses but without access to the code for any of these I won't be holding my breath. The achievements made to get 98 and older NT running on current gen hardware is awesome though.

I have a few things I should write up a thread about but I'll have to sit down and put aside some time to write it up. Sometimes modern life makes it feel like a waste. But maybe that's just my reaction to how fast paced everyday life is nowadays.

How is current state of late 90s Windows emulation? It used to be terrible. That's what originally got me involved in this hobby.

Living wrote on 2026-07-17, 12:38:

Nobody will convince me that a Commodore 64 or even a 486 its still useful today...

Hi there! I think both are "useful" within other hobbies, at very least.
For example, there's quite some software for hobby electronic, astronomy or ham radio.

Some examples:
Commodore 817 for C64 (allows controlling an FT-817/857 transceiver, like FT-817 Commander):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrIpqUI3kHI

Making contact with ISS via C64/TNC (ISS space station has APRS station):
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Q-wySX9m1ik

JV-Fax for vintage PCs (decode weather fax or slow scan television):
https://hackaday.com/2025/08/28/receiving-rad … -like-its-1994/

-I've built quite some simple interfaces for that purpose, btw. It's fun and relaxing, I think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mTIqzrgwwI

There are other classic ham radio applications on DOS, of course.:
https://web.archive.org/web/20190925063502/ht … ft/HamSoft.html

STS Orbit Plus for vintage PCs (orbit prediction, was on MIR space station; useful to see where ISS is now; in order to make radio contact)
Re: Anything else besides games on your retro PC? How old are You?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXGWvsKmJ0k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Qwq5xf0g8

IC Database, check vintage ICs on your PC/XT or higher:
Re: What to do with an old computer ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMZK64LaUn0

Sky Globe, one of the most popular planetarium/astro software.
Can do 800x600 SVGA with -S parameter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLRk1AK9XdA

But why not use modern hardware/software?
Because it's boring or stressful. Vintage tech is nice for a change, it's relaxing.
It also is kinda cool! Using DOS these days has that little sci-fi vibe. 😎

Another reason is electronic music! 🎧
The C64 makes for a good SID player, a 486 PC is nice for running AdLib Tracker or a MOD player/tracker etc.
Using all the crazy hardware of the DOS days! Though a faster PC doesn't hurt, either.
Some FM or Amiga Tracker songs are quite complex. An Pentium/Pentium II doesn't hurt.

Edit: I almost forgot. This guy is running a vintage BBS on a C64. 😎👍
2 Years, One Mission: Rebuilding a 40-Year-Old Commodore 64 BBS. Full Video.

The C64 has PETSCII graphics and makes for a good terminal.
It thus is useful to participate in internet/BBS sub culture.

The positive thing about C64 is its community, I think.
There are so many projects going on these days.

Edit: Some writers do use an DOS environment because it's distraction free.
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-mov … omputer-230217/

Personally, that's why I've often used Norton Commander to read text files.
Especially those files of classic software.. It was so soothing to read something in VGA textmode, with NC's colour scheme.
I also liked being able to have Code Page 437. Many PC text files used it.

Oh yeah!

"Vogons" may officially stands for "Very Old Games On New Systems"
... but it many cases it could be: "very old GAMERs ..."

Sadly, "young pups" just don't seem to be all that interested in "Commodore 64 or even 486"s - todays systems are much more capable in processing and graphic rendition than those we "grew up with". Games have followed along - stuff coming out today can look VERY realistic.

If I happen to be dabbling with a game I really enjoyed "back in the day", and someone younger (or with kids) happen to be visiting us, I will usually get some comment like "why y do you still play with such old crap - (some new title) is so much better!"

And we "old guys" ARE slowing down - since I came !$#@*! close to *actually* dying in 2019 (not like in a game when you can "just restart") , I'm much slower and more careful when doing most things, and vision/dexterity degradation since that event has made it even worse when trying to do any sort of gaming.

But - every year is a gift! - never forget that!

DaveDDS wrote on 2026-07-18, 11:39:

Sadly, "young pups" just don't seem to be all that interested in "Commodore 64 or even 486"s - todays systems are much more capable in processing and graphic rendition than those we "grew up with". Games have followed along - stuff coming out today can look VERY realistic.

Not exactly true. Young pups just don't have much chances to play old games. If given most popular Sega or Nintendo games on say RetroArch, they play them with same passion.

god dayum! i touched a lot of butts with that Commodore comment

Gen Z and Alpha seem a bit interested in 80s and 90s, but they're priced out of a lot of genuine stuff.

DaveDDS wrote on 2026-07-18, 11:39:

And we "old guys" ARE slowing down - since I came !$#@*! close to *actually* dying in 2019 (not like in a game when you can "just restart") , I'm much slower and more careful when doing most things, and vision/dexterity degradation since that event has made it even worse when trying to do any sort of gaming.

Yup, done that three times. Medical events with only hours on the clock, and three times they're all "I can't believe you walked in here." well what else was I gonna do, you didn't believe me a few days ago/last week there was some shit happening. Add that to a few "but for a millisecond slower, millimeter closer" near misses through the years and I probably gotta figure I'm on my 9th life. So yah, slower and more careful with a lot of stuff now. Eyes are holding up apart from focus range has made stuff a PITA, though some better glasses will help. OTOH I only feel like I am dying when my back springs out, and that often makes me too shaky to do shit for a spell.

Oh crap, we're transitioning the hobby to Ham radio mode, complaining about ailments 🤣

BitWrangler wrote on 2026-07-18, 12:29:

... Oh crap, we're transitioning the hobby to Ham radio mode, complaining about ailments 🤣

Kinda funny - I've got a pretty good sized shelf full of radio gear in the corner of my workshop that I've not looked at much in several years (other than to do the usual yearly power-up and keep everything functional) ... but just a couple months ago I dug some of it out and was working out how I could get get "on air" again...

Which I might still do ... my longwires are long gone so I'd have to put up some new ones, VHF beam is stored flat against the ceiling of my garage ... I'd have to put up a pole and rotator.
Prob. more work than I care for at the moment give that I have no idea how active the bands are these days - might just do some listening first to see where it is.

But it would open up a good new(old) venue to discuss aging 😀

Dave (VE3DRD)

BitWrangler wrote on 2026-07-18, 12:29:

... Medical events with only hours on the clock, and three times they're all "I can't believe you walked in here." ...

I really mean it when I say: "Every years is a gift"

It my case there was no "walking in" ... I was helecopter airlifted because there were concerns that I might not survive and ambulance.
Now I'm up to 7 doctors than said "you are a medical miracle we can't explain"

Some things really change your perception of whats truly important!

Don't want to hijack thread to "Ham radio" like 😀 ... Anyone that cares can read my story: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com/2019.htm

badmojo wrote on 2026-07-17, 13:06:

There seems to be an increase in old men yelling at clouds around here lately too which doesn't interest me.

Yeah, that's me. I actually type out a lot of rants and then delete them before posting.

I've lost interest in gaming, I don't have any old software that I need to run, and I'm not smart enough to be a demoscene coder. That means that my old computers are just collecting dust, and I never had the space or the willingness to pay for hardware that actually runs the games that I was interested in. I'm more interested in less common hardware and seeing what performance I can get out of it (in real software and games, not benchmarks) than building the "ultimate" for a certain year or platform (except that I'd like to finally get an Aureal sound card some day).

gaffa2002 wrote on 2026-07-17, 22:37:

That's what I usually do, too. Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy, but that's also my interests evolving... not just the "tec […]
Show full quote

UCyborg wrote on 2026-07-17, 21:31:

I just lurk on Milliways, maybe complain about life and people sucking every once in a while.

I'm tired. Hobbies? What's that?

That's what I usually do, too.
Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy, but that's also my interests evolving... not just the "tech" part of technology interests me now but also thinking about the future and what kind of impact technology will make on it. Sadly, the direction right now is definitely NOT good: Capitalism seems to be crumbling and it's hard to be optimistic about the future at the moment. Although I don't believe in that "people are bad" argument too much, things are far more complicated than that and I think it has more to do with the environment we live in.
I've also got more interested in politics in the last decade or so and being in a forum with people from everywhere in the World sometimes brings interesting points of view and discussions, even considering this is a delicate subject that tends to bring some attrition I tend to jump right into it when it happens (and milliways is the place where it usually goes). Sorry moderators, I know you guys hate it but I think it fascinating 😁

Maybe you're giving people too much credit or you were lucky and encountered less idiocracy. And it goes from believing newer is always better to not using the damn sidewalk.

Dan9550 wrote on 2026-07-18, 00:33:

I have a few things I should write up a thread about but I'll have to sit down and put aside some time to write it up. Sometimes modern life makes it feel like a waste. But maybe that's just my reaction to how fast paced everyday life is nowadays.

I know what you mean, or at least i think i do! there are times when everything feels like a waste. Its like preparing pots for next seasons harvest living near a volcano you somehow sense is going to go , no point as its all going to swept away soon! Maybe that's just a bit of misery but it seems like that at times!

gaffa2002 wrote on 2026-07-17, 22:37:

Maybe I'm just getting old and grumpy, but that's also my interests evolving... not just the "tech" part of technology interests me now but also thinking about the future and what kind of impact technology will make on it.

i like that area too, we underestimate the influence of tech as part of the environment that shapes everything we think of as "normal" or "culture", such discussions tend to peter out quickly because someone happens to mention some experience with a driver or something and then it becomes yet another hyper detailed specific tech topic, or it gets a bit political or heated and has to end.

still, i cant blame people for wanting to tune out the heavy going stuff too - there's a lot of it about and nice to escape it now and then

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2026-07-17, 16:27:

I don't engage with retro hardware threads as much anymore. Many topics that pop up nowadays have been discussed extensively in the past, and a simple forum search would often provide the answer.

At the moment, the gaming threads here are more fun for me. Reading about other people's experiences with certain titles has led me to broaden my horizons, and try a few games that I had neglected before.

Yes i like to follow what people are playing - it interesting because unlike the "mass media" out there this is a way of getting viewpoints from fellow vintage/retro people, an angle that sometimes gives a different angle.

much as i recognise the appeal of very tech discussions about minutiae, and sometimes i'll drop into a thread on that, i also don't find them that interesting now - its the software, the OS and the basic specs i like to consider, the experience not if a particular variant of tnt2 card is 1% better or worse with windows 95 or 98 or something (but still, i totally get the interest in that too)

I go through phases with old hardware. Usually I mess with this stuff during the winter.

UCyborg wrote on 2026-07-19, 06:36:

Maybe you're giving people too much credit or you were lucky and encountered less idiocracy. And it goes from believing newer is always better to not using the damn sidewalk.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I do agree that people in general are getting much more obnoxious and dumb each day. Just pointed out that I think this isn't just human nature but something caused mostly by the system we are living in now. It's a complicated subject, but long story short is, if it in our nature to be jerks/annoying/corrupt/selfish, then why do people feel so miserable lately? Your complaints about people being insufferable is not an exception, most people are feeling the same way as you (myself included) so...does that mean we are all a bunch of jerks complaining about others being jerks?
My personal theory is that I'm sick of people because the only situations I'm interacting with other people nowadays are negative ones: Stupid posts on social networks, seeing people in obnoxious ads, in annoying videos trying to ape one another or celebrities with their perfect lives being shoved up my face, etc. Even personal interactions are mostly due to some business need or out of interest (work related, some salesmen trying to push some product or beggars asking for money). We kind of dehumanized each other similar to the phenomenon of when we drive cars (people stops being people and become annoying obstacles in your way 🤣). Now our smartphones and PCs are like our cars for driving the internet.

gerry wrote on 2026-07-20, 12:17:

i like that area too, we underestimate the influence of tech as part of the environment that shapes everything we think of as "normal" or "culture", such discussions tend to peter out quickly because someone happens to mention some experience with a driver or something and then it becomes yet another hyper detailed specific tech topic, or it gets a bit political or heated and has to end.

still, i cant blame people for wanting to tune out the heavy going stuff too - there's a lot of it about and nice to escape it now and then

Yes, it's a whole different direction from more standard tech discussions. In regular tech discussions things are most of the times binary: Either something is or isn't while in "political tech" there are a lot more nuances and variables. Not for everyone SPECIALLY if the intention is to escape reality (it's the opposite, you get reality being stripped down your face and stare at it 😁). Not to mention the stress of being extra careful not to offend anyone because some subjects can be really delicate to discuss.

DaveDDS wrote on 2026-07-18, 14:13:

I really mean it when I say: "Every years is a gift" […]
Show full quote

BitWrangler wrote on 2026-07-18, 12:29:

... Medical events with only hours on the clock, and three times they're all "I can't believe you walked in here." ...

I really mean it when I say: "Every years is a gift"

It my case there was no "walking in" ... I was helecopter airlifted because there were concerns that I might not survive and ambulance.
Now I'm up to 7 doctors than said "you are a medical miracle we can't explain"

Some things really change your perception of whats truly important!

Don't want to hijack thread to "Ham radio" like 😀 ... Anyone that cares can read my story: https://dunfield.themindfactory.com/2019.htm

Thanks for sharing your story and new perception in life. It seems the real hero here (besides the medical staff, of course) was the crappy lift computer that brought you back from the dead out of pure hatred 🤣. Hope you are able to recover as much as medically possible (maybe even a bit more considering your records).