fergycool

Gardening, liberal, Linux, (retro) Mac, canoes, boats, molecular biology, beer, anti-brexit, European, comics, atheist. Work at MacVector. Live just outside of Cambridge, UK.

blog: https://scotgate.org
#globaltalk zone: scotgate

Public Key

npub1pr9wkzsk3hrfg4r8s5x8h4mu6w8sf88qwc3tfctxywj2yha4ecnsfqz7hs

NIP-05 Address

fergycool_at_mastodon.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsq3jhtpgtgm35523nc2rrm6a7d8rcynns8vg45u9nz8f9zt76uufcpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsp580h5

Publishing to

nostr-pub.wellorder.net

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1pr9wkzsk3hrfg4r8s5x8h4mu6w8sf88qwc3tfctxywj2yha4ecnsfqz7hs

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Last Notes

2026-03-07 09:42:51 UTC

Loving Jrouter's banner this #MARCHintosh ! Well done @npub1y5w…hdve
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/187/238/765/736/899/original/ec41091fcfe45e9a.png

2026-03-05 13:14:18 UTC

My Dropbox is feeling very lonely. Anybody able to drop something in it? (zone:scotgate - share:ScotgateDropbox) #globaltalk

2026-03-05 11:07:59 UTC

Another little #MARCHintosh upgrade. Upgraded the Pismo to 1GB! I've a few more upgrades planned for it, but I really must also give it a good clean! Just look at that dust!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/176/248/867/277/521/original/719f3e2f8c10ac00.jpeg

2026-03-02 22:01:43 UTC

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So it was not as good a cable as I thought! The miniDIN 3 connectors I bought were a little large. They fitted fine into the LocalTalk couplers I was testing it with. But I've had to be a little creative with a scalpel to get them into the LocalTalk dongles. The pins appear not to be long enough and the plastic shrouding is too wide. Fine now though! #MARCHintosh

2026-03-02 14:16:59 UTC

It’s pretty minor compared to the amazing #MARCHintosh projects so many clever people have been announcing over the past two days but I’m pleased with my long LocalTalk cable I’ve just made. It will allow me to move printers and Macs to a separate shed so making my office shed a much more pleasant place to work in!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/160/005/124/778/295/original/2d3777c0a53ccb2b.jpeg

2025-06-19 12:52:02 UTC

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They're a really great read! Hope you enjoy!

2025-06-19 11:26:13 UTC

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I've just started a reread of the series (currently on Caliban's War). It never occurred to me to read in a separate order as originally I read as they were all published inc. novellas. But even though the novellas take part during the main story arc I still think they are better read afterwards. They add to the background but do not really add to the plot. I do wish there would be some more though!

2025-03-31 12:13:38 UTC

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I'll be keeping my zone scotgate up for the year (although probably down for a few weeks in April as I would like to give jrouter a spin!

2025-03-18 21:21:59 UTC

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Just left a greet on your Mac SE! Funnily enough on the Quadra I only see that share, but on the Mac OS9 G4 I see three now (MackyMac, Mac SE and Poodle Palace).

2025-03-18 18:34:28 UTC

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I'm afraid I do not see a share from the Quadra running 7.5. I do not know anywhere near enough about this to even suggest why that is! Unless the issue is at my end. I will restart AIR and see if anything changes!

2025-03-18 18:22:32 UTC

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Just tried. This is from a G4 Mac Mini running Mac OS 9. It's connected via ethernet, but Appletalk (over ethertalk) is working. When I connect to Poodle Palace it says “Switching to TCP/IP” then "verifying" then I get the login dialogue. When I click GUEST I see “An Appleshare system error occurred”. I will try now using a Quadra on 7.5. that is only connected via a LocalTalk cable.

2025-03-18 18:16:51 UTC

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I'll check shortly! I did see your shares later on Mac OS 9 (still not on 7.5). But everytime I tried to connect I saw an “appletalk" error.

2025-03-18 15:18:08 UTC

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Just tried to visit but I'm afraid I cannot see any AppleShare in Chooser.

2025-03-13 16:56:43 UTC

@npub1pfp…x9j0 @npub10ml…h8v7 Thanks a bundle for today's #MARCHintosh Daily News! Finally I can read it. But sorry this printer is so slow! It takes 10 mins per page to print! I can see the light flashing and the network activity on AIR. Wonder if it's the printer (which only has the standard 2MB) or the network?
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/156/174/881/403/540/original/927100aa8033e882.jpeg

2025-03-13 11:48:46 UTC

Thanks to @npub1qfy…wnn8 @npub1fhh…wkj6 @npub1jun…dw5p for sending the first prints with the “new" toner cartridge on the Laserwriter! #MARCHintosh
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/154/963/827/281/858/original/31bbe69360073f54.jpeg

2025-03-11 21:22:36 UTC

Been a bit too busy for #MARCHintosh but managed to sneak in 30 mins of recapping the SE/30 board. I'd previously removed the caps and cleaned the board. It's my third board to recap. I was nervous when I did my first one, but now I have a routine it's enjoyable. Of course this is nothing compared to the battery bombed damage that faces me later but for now it's satisfying :-)

2025-03-05 19:49:35 UTC

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It's on my #globaltalk zone as “Laserwriter 4/600 PS”. Please do print to it! #MARCHintosh

2025-03-05 19:43:08 UTC

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I should point out that the toner cartridge for that print is not the one I rebuilt. That one is much nicer! I dismantled the cartridge, removed the wiper blade. immersed in very hot water, then placed it in a jig to rebend the silicon and immersed in cold water over night. Worked nicely! #MARCHintosh

2025-03-05 19:41:32 UTC

My first #MARCHintosh “win”. After about six rebuilds of my Laserwriter 4/600 I've fixed both the print quality (well nearly!) and the misfeed. Apparently a common misfeed issue is two solenoids that have pads that become sticky. So cleaning these off and reassembling fixes the misfeed. But what is not that commonly known is that leaving bare metal can cause a pause in the release as the solenoid magnetises the lever. By adding some insulation tape it stops this and feeds perfectly!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/111/524/940/327/209/original/a3a63759f44b04d8.jpeg

2025-03-02 15:17:36 UTC

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Any recommendations for the trace repair pen, or are they all about the same.

2025-03-01 15:39:01 UTC

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Thanks for the vote of confidence! I have time and patience (unless it's a sunny day!). I've only recapped one board so far (Quadra 610), but when I got the chimes for that one (also needed a trace repair) the feeling of satisfaction was pretty dammed good! Perhaps I should properly clean then recap the board. Then go from there….!

2025-03-01 14:44:32 UTC

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Here's what it looked like pre cleanup!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/087/707/878/661/150/original/0c3208a9fac46363.jpeg

2025-03-01 14:43:16 UTC

So my #marchintosh plans are changing already! I took a gamble on a cheap and very local SE/30. Unfortunately it had been battery bombed! During the vinegar bath and light scrub two chips (UJ2/3) fell off. After a cleanup looks like they took the pads with them. I think this is beyond my limited skills to get working again. So I guess I'll pull off the rest of the caps, another scrub, then into storage it will go.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/087/705/089/567/928/original/032cf216e6735564.jpeg

2024-08-16 08:09:32 UTC

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apologies. Wrong account - @npub1my7…ef6x

2024-08-16 06:47:49 UTC

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Perhaps [@qsf](https://statusq.org/archives/author/qsf/ ) may have more tidbits to add.