Rob\Viewdata UK

Random thoughts and comments. Most interested in retro computing, pre-web viewdata/Prestel services. Also likes Sci-Fi, Roads, Geekery of many kinds. Liberal leaning, watcher of UK politics & world news.
Moving from twitter @irrelevant_com / @viewdataUK

#Prestel #Micronet #Viewdata #Videotex #BBCMicro #BBS
🫶🏻🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

#noai

Website: https://www.viewdata.org.uk
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ViewdataUK
Other website: https://www.irrelevant.com
Stuff for sale: https://marketplace.socl.uk/~robert

Last Notes

2026-01-19 02:21:14 UTC

- reply

damn. That's a shame.

2026-01-18 19:56:21 UTC

- reply

There's this - https://archive.org/details/dynix_202303
Looks like it's got source code in it that might help...
(I know @foone was looking for Dynix some time back, I assume they've seen this..)

2025-12-25 19:59:47 UTC

Seeing up a Chromebook for my elderly MIL. Bloody thing pops up a captcha. With the submit button hiding off the edge of the iframe.
How are non-technical, first users, supposed to work this?
https://irrelevant.me.uk/system/media_attachments/files/115/781/972/758/001/108/original/f9b3eb8979feab82.jpg

2025-05-15 15:05:49 UTC

- reply

This was yesterday evening in my local co-op store (close to central Manchester.) Still lots of empty spaces on the shelves.
https://irrelevant.me.uk/system/media_attachments/files/114/512/454/343/866/463/original/764a5ef880b1450d.jpg
https://irrelevant.me.uk/system/media_attachments/files/114/512/455/381/787/600/original/a1bc595ee3dbcbcb.jpg
https://irrelevant.me.uk/system/media_attachments/files/114/512/455/380/856/202/original/8950754d9072f731.jpg

2025-05-05 09:20:24 UTC

- reply

Ah.. Hope it's nothing serious.. :(

2025-04-29 21:26:41 UTC

- reply

It can be slim pickings on a weekday night.. I hope it was quicker getting back!

2025-04-29 19:53:03 UTC

- reply

Might be more expensive than you'd like, but Samsi on Whitworth St could be worth a look. It's been a while since we were last there, but was always good food. https://www.samsi.co.uk/menu/

2025-04-23 16:55:38 UTC

- reply

Nah, just run it as a standalone cli application you can telnet into..

2024-10-25 09:08:18 UTC

- reply

I spent most of my time in the 1980s on Prestel. 1200bps down (75bps up - plenty fast enough for typing) I could certainly read fast enough to be reading-along as the page displayed, and as any given page, colours and graphics included, was only 960 bytes max, so no real need for faster.

2024-10-25 09:00:10 UTC

- reply

I didn't get either of the first two images, nor either voice clip. The SVG loaded, and built up slowly.
(DDG browser on Android 13.)

2024-09-24 12:07:06 UTC

- reply

I'm a "spread things about" person. Domains+DNS are mostly held by namecheap, which allows me to set dynamic dns on individual hostnames or fasthosts, but moving off them for cost reasons. Hosting I have a VPS with freethought.uk, whom I definitely recommend, and servers in my attic for less critical stuff. Phones are all VoIP via @npub1sv0…rq9x, whom I'd love to use for broadband, but can't afford with our level of usage. BB is FTTC BT social tariff.

2024-08-20 11:41:23 UTC

Bloody #evri #hermes... Had a "your parcel was delivered" email. The "proof of delivery" was a picture taken inside a car. No sign of the parcel... But they did leave one on the doorstep with a neighbours (five doors down) address on it..! I'm assuming the neighbour has ours, but there's no answer at their door (and no parcel on their doorstep.)
This was a rare treat for myself, a t-shirt from @npub1dml…x796, so I'll be especially annoyed if it's gone missing.

2024-08-16 22:40:42 UTC

- reply

I was on NYNEX's cable modem trial, ~1996, Manchester. We were given a shoebox sized box that connected to the coax (to the TV box) via a simple splitter. Ethernet port on the other side. Absolutely no configuration.. PC appeared to get its (public) IP address via DHCP. And Network Neighborhood showed other users' machines!! Eeks..

2024-08-11 19:36:53 UTC

- reply

My commiserations.. After a particularly long session of nozel cleaning that used up a set of special epson cleaning cartridges AND a set of inks, and still didn't fix the blocked noodles, we switched almost exclusively to laser printers..

2024-08-11 16:34:47 UTC

- reply

Indeed! I've still got a box of floppies from my off-site work backups.. 30 years ago..

2024-08-11 16:21:34 UTC

- reply

Also..
Backups on the same physical drive *do not count!*

2024-08-07 20:26:32 UTC

- reply

Same oop north..
Mostly counter-protestors, no Muppets..
(Edit: photo from https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/greater-manchester-protests-live-mosques-29693242 which has a run-down of all the not-happenings)
https://irrelevant.me.uk/system/media_attachments/files/112/922/614/649/238/106/original/770206850f586911.jpg

2024-08-06 15:46:37 UTC

First time I've been directly affected by the disorder going on in various places around the country. Tried to go to the post office to return an ebay item, found everything all closed up because of online posts telling the idiots to riot there today.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/salford-precinct-live-shops-closed-29686971