Location: Computer room at home, Ostrava city, Czech Republic
Computer: IRIX indigo 5.3 11091810 IP12 mips
Visual: messy desk and EIZO screen connected to the Indigo
I'm running my IRIS Indigo and reading Gopher pages (and some WWW ones,
too) in the Netscape Navigator 3.0.1. At the moment I have some 30
Netscape windows opened (the browser tabs have been invented long after
the Netscape became moribund). I have also some other applications
running: the vCal (a simple but nice calendar program), a bunch of SGI
terminals, the gVim (I'm writing this text in in) and so. MP3 playback
(there is the mpg123) is feasible only for low bitrates, of course.
Also spelling in gVim should be turned off if the mpg123 is running :-(
There is a all-country quarantine in the Czech Republic. So most
of shops are closed, schools and universities are closed for
pupils/students (universities are not fully closed but most of
university workers and researchers were told to work from home, if
possible). So I'm at home from March 12. My wife works at different
university so she is at home too. Fortunately, we have enough computers
and computers desks for both of us. ;-)
Yesterday we were on a short trip in a remote area. It was in the area
between two water reservoirs where is virtually no infrastructure. The
area is not totally forbidden (one can move here if he/she does not
leave the road or marked track) but there are pubs or other things
which can attract people. So we saw 10 people in 5 hours (I expected
less people here). Almost all of them had covered face (it is mandatory
here during this pandemic situation). It looked strange but it's
probably better (local authorities assume that any face cover can limit
spreading of corona virus to some extend so it is better than nothing).
Today afternoon I plan to continue my works on building of a 3D printer.
I'm still trying to assemble the electronic (add all the cables which
control drives and so - and I'm so bad in soldering!). I don't think
that it will be finished today but I will try to do at least something.
Yesterday I have played with my latest toy - a CYCLONE floppy drive for
the PSION Series 3. I actually don't like the Purple Software File
Manager (the Purple Software is seller of the floppy - I assume that
the device was designed mainly to promote their software). I have
followed installation instructions but the File Manager always hangs and
says something about incorrect system drive. So I removed it and use the
standard system facilities to copy and manage files. It works as
expected (the Purple Software did excellent work in making the floppy
drive to behave as a normal PSION SSD disk).
I also have tried to set u a standing desk with a PSION Series 3a with
a metal stand, a CYCLONE and the PS/2 keyboard. It looks cool (I tried
to sent a picture on Mastodon but black stuff on a black desk looked
too black on the picture...). It is cool and it works. Of course, only
one device can be attached to 3a at once. So I can work (write texts,
make spreadsheets, make OPL programs and so) and save it to an internal
memory. Then I have to dis-connect the keyboard and connect the floppy
drive to copy stuff to a floppy. In theory, I can also connect a
parallel printer but it uses the same PSION connector. So I use printer
the other devices must be dis-connected. But it's just a theory as I
don't have any such printer... The other problem is that the IKEA
notebook desk is not stable so I don't leave so valuable things on it
(I already lost one PSION 3a by dropping it and I do not repeat this
experience). So it can work but I will not probably use it as such.
