Letter from Stephen Hawking to Clive Sinclair, Feb. 2 1985

#sinclair #sinclairQL #hawking #retrocomputing

Also note in the above screenshot that the "Award Modular BIOS" screen does not have the normal logo. But there's still SPACE for a logo.

The fact that the #sunpci did not show the Award logo bothered me from the start.

The reason for this is obvious now. The "Fake text mode" that the SunPCi application implements simply doesn't have support for the weird mixed text/graphics mode that the BIOS wants to use!

#retrocomputing

I spend a bit of time dissecting the #sunpci driver in #ghidra. And I can now boot the SunPCi from my own code! Using the #solaris driver still.

Some terrifying conclusions:

The windowed output in the SunPCi userspace application comes from repeatedly read()ing the /dev/sunpcidrv0 node. That just returns some raw video data and mode information.

Userspace contains a VGA emulator itself. Whenever it doesn't understand something it just switches to the external VGA.

#retrocomputing

Can you recommend modern hardware recreations (no software-only emulators) of the ZX Spectrum that are 100% compatible with the BASIC of the original 48K model and don't cost a fortune?

The devices should be fully assembled but kits or boards with no case are an option. They should also provide connections to modern displays and possibly also external keyboards.

I'm aware of these recreations:

ZX Spectrum Next
specnext.com

ESP32 Rainbow
esp32rainbow.com

Recreated Sinclair ZX Spectrum
recreatedzxspectrum.com

Asking for a friend, an actual friend.

#ZXSpectrum #spectrum #retrocomputing

A purple Silicon Graphics workstation cube that's a *lot* bigger than I thought it would be.

Most of Hollywood's '90s CGI special effects were created on SGI machines like this...

On display at acms.org.au/

#SiliconGraphics #SGI #computerhistory #retrocomputing #retrocomputer

Back in 1979 Sharp made this 'RaTeCaPuter' - Radio, Television, Cassette "Boombox" and, most excitingly, comPuter!

Details in Alt Text, or link in Japanese 🇯🇵!
retropc.net/ohishi/museum/rate…

#retrocomputing #sharp

Have you ever wished you could create a StuffIt archive on your modern Unix-based Mac with a native open source tool, so you could more easily transfer files to your retro Macs? Well... have fun.

github.com/thecloudexpanse/sit

#retrocomputing #VintageApple #VintageMac #VintageMacintosh

I miss when software contained stuff like this.

(LaserWriter Pro installer app)

#rsrcSpelunking #retrocomputing

Recently, I visited the Australian Computer Museum in Sydney: acms.org.au/

In the coming days, I'll post photos of some of the old computers on display.

I'll start with the Amiga 500.

#Commodore #Amiga #Amiga500 #retrocomputers #retrocomputing #retrogaming #computer #computers #tech