Gemini Articles of Interest

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Aug 06, 2023

A Gemini client^* is needed for the following links.

• Technology and Free Software

  • Modern WWW browsing on IRIX

    You know, the SGI IRIX is dead at last from 2006 so there are almost no new apps. Definitely there is no "current" WWW browser (people have been trying hard but it seems to be impossible). The latest one is the Firefox 3.0.19 with ages old SSL suppurt (so almsot no https://).

  • Forgot to replace batteries

    Some devices have very long battery live. So long so I usually forget that they are batteries at all. This time it was the PSION MC600.

    The main battery is just an 8xAA block and there is a backup battery. But the backup can work for days and not for the whole month. These old PSIONs use RAM cards as storage. They are also backed up by batteries (all backup batteries are the CR1620). This time one of them don't survive so I lost the whole G: drive (about 2 MB of data and programs).

  • Speed of computers

    I was in the Prague last week. I had only the GPD Pocket with me (an Item Atom-based machine). I did some light computing here (some FEA) and found that speed on my unoptimised software is still rather acceptable here. After return I tried to do the same on the MNT Reform. As expected the MNT was about 2 times slower (it has an industrial ARM CPU which is wasn't the fastest even when it was new).

  • New SIM, new phone

    My Palm Centro decided to die. So I have had to replace it. Things have not been so easy because my old full-sized SIM (trimmed to the microSIM format anyway) do not fit any modern (or semi-modern) phone.

    Thus I visited my phone provider's shop today. It was a story for itself: the Sturmey-Archer hub on my Brompton bike have started work incorrectly. Then was a heavy rainfall. But I ahve got a new SIM.

  • Living with a 7" laptop

    I'm in the process of renovating my office so as my desktop computer is stashed away, I've been using my travel laptop, i.e. my only laptop, as my main computer for nearly a week now. I've been aware of all of its pitfalls since day one but using that computer for that long, has made them harder to bear.

    I bought a GPD Pocket 2 a few years ago, as a replacement for a slightly bigger netbook, which in turn came in replacement of my beloved first generation eeePC that perished in battle. It's insanely practical, and portable. It will fit into any bag, and probably into cargo pant or spacious coat pockets. It's also much beefier than most currently sold sub-12" laptop on the market. The screen is however 7".

  • Internet/Gemini

    • Bye, Gemini

      This will be my last post on Gemini, as I just don't have a good reason to use it anymore. You can read more about my thoughts in my latest blog post, linked below.

    • Magic: the Gathering’s announcement day, 2023

      So Magic had an announcement day where they laid out their plans for the next three years. I’ve sorted everything that they announced by how much I’m into it, and a short thought on each.

      So this is not the order they’re gonna come out in. Instead, I’ve placed them from “aww yeah” gradually down to “Not into it”. For me personally. And not having seen the sets.

    • Hyperion online music store download helper bookmarklet

      I sometimes buy classical music from Hyperion Records, because they are one of few classical labels to provide downloadable lossless audio files. However, their site is rather outdated and they push you to use a 'downloader' application (for Windows or Mac only) to download your purchases. That doesn't work for me.

      They do provide a webpage with all your purchases to download regularly, but with individual links per track! That quickly gets annoying.

    • I started a literary magazine

      So, it seems that I have started a literary magazine[1]! I have thought about it on and off for a few years, but nothing seemed to really come together. The idea that finally did it as something that came about after reading one of my wife's recent stories. It just felt so comfortable and nice and I felt like I wanted more stories like that in my life. So, Hearth Stories was born.

^* Gemini links can be opened using Gemini software. It’s like the World Wide Web but a lot lighter.