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Comment Re:This is a real loss (Score 1) 131

I've looked at the photos, and there was a Commodore SX64, that isn't that common. But in another photo there are some ZX Spectrum, together with some soviet-era clones that are quite rare. Not to mention the original Soviet computers like the Mikroska and the BK-01.
Also some beige box computer were actually red box computers and were made in East Germany or Czechoslovakia.

Comment Re:Hasn't this already been debunked? (Score 1) 204

Basically they have resumed to '80s hard drive style setup, where the hard drive was dumb and a controller card did most of the work. I remember that the Apple // had an optional hard drive unit, but was impossible to swap the hard disc mechanic with a similar hard drive designed for IBM and compatible PC. And even on IBM and compatibles changing the hard drive meant low level formatting, with the need to insert drive types and bad sector maps.

Comment Re:How'd y'all think it works? (Score 1) 41

What happen is also that car dealers, to sell new car are accepting old bangers ten or more years old. Because antipollution laws especially old diesels can't be driven in some areas or hours, so decent vans and cars haven't very much market, but they have more value if sold overseas.
These car are loaded on ships and sold in bulk, without plates, in third world countries and then could be resold againg without any control from the original owner or dealer.

Comment Reinventing the trolleybus (Score 1) 145

A battery powered bus has the advantage compared to a trolleybus that doesn't need infrastructure on the road. But if one has to use a new infrastructure to recharge them, explain why putting the proven ad effective overhead wire solution it's a bad idea.
If you want some hi tech idea, you could use a computer vision system to reseat the trolley on the wires if the bus got detached from the line, instead of rely on the driver.

Comment Re:Workaround? (Score 1) 195

There's delivery confirmation with SMS since the introducion of GSM phones, actually. For sending an receiving audio message with GSM network (and also for PSTN) there's always the voice mail. Problem is that these services aren't normally free.
Standard protocols insure interoperability: I could receive an SMS on every GSM-capable cellphone, and I could use Telegram and Messenger with a desktop computer.

Comment Re:Where to begin? (Score 2) 320

I think the problem is that, after seeing that the sockets were problematic in the USA they weren't phased out. In Italy the plugs and sockets had similar problems. This was single phase with earth pin and this was a three phase with neutral one.
Nowadays the plugs and sockets have a safer design with insulated prongs and shutters in the socket like this for single phase or like these for three phase with neutral and earth
The phasing out of old style plugs and sockets started in the 70s and was a long process, aided by the fact that new style plugs and sockets for single phase were compatible, and for three phase, because was mainly used in workplaces, regulation was more strict.

Comment Re:Vinly records do not contain the same signal (Score 1) 190

Another important factory is the player. Hi fi record players even considering the same brad costs normally more than hi fi CD players, and to work at performance there's stylus maintenance, and arm and cartridge set up to make a good sound response.CD players are plug and play, don't require almost maintenance and the sound quality it's constant.
With the "Bitstream" or equivalent technology of the 1990 the problem with first generation DACs were solved, and to make a CD player sound bad required effort like using bad power supplies or omitting and using cheap components on the analog path.
unfortunately nowadays digital master are made to be played not on a hi-fi system, with adequate loudspeakers and amplification, but on the tiny speakers of smartphones, or with wireless earbuds and in a bit-compressed format. So the loudness war and weird equalization damages the listening experience on hi-fi gear.

Comment Electric 230V leaf blowers are a problem? (Score 1) 362

My parents have an electric blower and vacuum, that is 2 kW@230V and a long extension cord. Big advantage it's that the electric motor doesn't require maintenance and not having a battery doesn't need to be recharged. The extesnsion cord it' a nuisance, but I can live with that.

Comment Re:Facebook should flag it but it cant be forced t (Score 1) 151

The equivalent of a bublic square isn't facebook. It's the good old Internet, like an hosted forum or even the old USENET. There's a service provider that is paid for the electricity, network and rack space, or CPU time, or even for forum software maintenace, but doesn't enter into the content itself, and the content is written and selected by the users.
Facebook it's a crappy newspaper where most journalist aren't paid and some are paying to write content, and advertisers are paying for their infomercials.

Comment Re:Stop it (Score 2) 189

The maximum productivity working from home is achieved having a room used as an office. where all work related stuff is, and it's reasonably separated from other people activities.I know some people working from home before pandemic and they have this arrangement.
Some people have an office all from them and this could work well also because people can concentrate. But on most of office situation there was a badly designed open space possibly with badly regulated HVAC, bad quality furniture and so on.
Problem is working from home is that hoses weren't designed to have an office room or the like. People were without a landline, so neither ADSL nor fiber, so their cellphone data plan was insufficient for work rempotely. People didn't have office chairs at home or desks, and so on.
For these people working from home is a problem.

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