[X] My Assistant

work

*BLEEP*ING UPDATE OF THUNDERBIRD ALMOST DELETED MY LIFE!!! (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)
New interface was ugly and broke security extensions (and maybe my calendar too, I quitted quickly and didn't pay attention).
So I tried to revert to a previous version.
But then it told me my profile could not be used, and a new had to be created, CAUSING INTERFACE TO BE WEIRD AND ALL MAILS AND CALENDAR DELETED! (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)
I tried the "Import" feature I found in a corner of the mess that are their menus, and miraculously, it restored many things.
BUT THE CALENDAR WAS STILL GONE!!!
Tried to "import the calendar", but the *bleep*ing update of course don't backup things in a way that can be re-imported (namely a .ics file in this case).
But I explored the files of Thunderbird, realized the old profile was still there with .sql (or .sqllite or something) files in a "calendar" folder (or something close to that), and I just copied everything from there, and got it repaired.
Then I just had to fix many interfaces weirdnesses due to resets all over the place.

DO THOSE *BLEEP*ING IDIOTS DEVS REALIZE HOW CRITICAL THE INFORMATION AND DATA THAT CAN BE ENTRUSTED TO SUCH A PROGRAM ARE???!!!
THEY CAN'T CASUALLY NOT BACKUP, CORRUPT AND DESTROY DATA AS THEY PLEASE!!!

Sorry for shouting that much, but I'm mentally handicapped, and need to keep track of my links with those that follow me through mails and the calendar, and that was seriously dangerous to throw such a mess at me (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/cry.gif)

I replaced the wireless card in my thinkpad X61. The old car was screwed in and the screws had somehow bonded slightly to the metal threads they were in so that I was stripping the phillips heads when trying to remove them.

So I took a dremel out and cut a slot into the heads and turned them with a flathead screwdriver. Worked great. Didn't seem to kill anything with metal dust, either.

Also, getting one of these things for a shell so I can change out the connectors and rewire it for adapting an NEC PC-9801 clone computer to use with my VGA monitor.

(IMG:[i.postimg.cc] https://i.postimg.cc/tJ68ZTKt/adapter-01.jpg)
(IMG:[i.postimg.cc] https://i.postimg.cc/50TZ2vR2/adapter-02.jpg)

Going to have to change the genders on both plugs, and change which side the threaded handscrews are on. Hopefully I'll just be able to drill holes for them and that'll be it. Also going to have to rewire it, since this one's meant for adapting old Macs. It just is the right size of shell and looks like I may be able to disassemble it, which is why I bought it. For the housing. Also the hole in the top is somewhere I could put a headphone jack, since some Sharp X68000's apparently also output audio through the same connector.

I'm assuming the connectors are PCB mounted, so I ordered right-angle connectors. I hope I guessed right.

*BLEEP*ING UPDATE OF THUNDERBIRD ALMOST DELETED MY LIFE!!! (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) (IMG:[invalid] style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

This is a problem all mozilla products have when downgrading.

I realize you solved this, but I already had written this all up before realizing it so I'm going to post it anyway, just in case it helps someone. Good job recovering though; you did it exactly the right way.

I have manually recovered and properly downgraded profiles before, but it's a *lot* of work and involves writing sqlite-style SQL commands to export data from databases stored in your profile. And it's not something that I can easily explain over messages here unfortunately. Nowadays I always make a copy of my old profile folder before an upgrade in case I need to go back.

I use Seamonkey as my email client. It's based on old Thunderbird and Mozilla code and has the same UI as a decade or two ago. It's a web browser with a built in email client, technically. Seamonkey is very conservative; I don't think they will change anything on me anytime soon.

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If you go back to newer thunderbird your old profile should still be there with all your email.

If it is, you can launch new thunderbird and maybe there's an option to export all your email. If there is, do that and import it into the older version afterwards.

Might have to start it with the '-P' command line argument to get the profile selector. Alternately, you can edit a file to do it and avoid the command prompt. See below. Or you can edit the shortcut to thunderbird somewhere to add '-P' to the end that way.

Also, if you launch it with command prompt, you can add '--allow-downgrade' to your command line flags in addition to '-P' and it might let you downgrade then. Sometimes this causes issues, though, so don't blame me if it does.
Back up your profile folder first!!!! See below for how to get to your old profile folder.

If you look in %APPDATA%\Mozilla (paste that into the run dialogue, windows + R), you might be able to see your old profile folder there, too. There should be a file in the thunderbird folder called 'profiles.ini.' If you open that in notepad, you'll see something like:

[Install4F96D1932A9F858E]
Default=1r5mpuso.fuck3
Locked=1

[Profile2]
Name=fuck3
IsRelative=1
Path=1r5mpuso.fuck3
Default=1

[Profile1]
Name=default
IsRelative=1
Path=rztgvzdw.default

[Profile0]
Name=default-release
IsRelative=1
Path=q44vylgw.default-release

[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1
Version=2

In my case, the default profile it opens is called 'fuck3', which I call 'fuck3' because it was my third downgrade attempt that ended up being successful, and I was getting really mad by the time it asked me to name my new profile. If I were to cut and paste the 'Default=1' key to be under a different heading, then that profile would become the default.

So to change it to the profile named 'default-release', I'd change the file to look like this:

[Install4F96D1932A9F858E]
Default=1r5mpuso.fuck3
Locked=1

[Profile2]
Name=fuck3
IsRelative=1
Path=1r5mpuso.fuck3

[Profile1]
Name=default
IsRelative=1
Path=rztgvzdw.default

[Profile0]
Name=default-release
IsRelative=1
Path=q44vylgw.default-release
Default=1

[General]
StartWithLastProfile=1
Version=2

You may also have to edit the top section to read (in my case):

[Install4F96D1932A9F858E]
Default=q44vylgw.default-release
Locked=1

The thing in red there is the name of the folder that contains the old profile information I want to use.
By the way, you can also do all the above stuff I talked about with Firefox profiles to try to downgrade them.


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My variable framerate encodes for my laserdiscs are nearly done. Figured out a consistent process for the whole thing, from comb filtering through to inverse telecine and VFR file creation. Some supervision still required, but I know what to do now. Three episodes left.

Kind of glad VFR isn't as much of an issue anymore now that fewer titles have character generators for the credits and such.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 7 2023, 08:19

Helping someone fix code generated by chatGPT and jesus fucking hell, people who think it can replace programmers, even those at junior level, are delusional.

Really want to sleep for like 24 hours straight non stop lol

Really want to sleep for like 24 hours straight non stop lol

I feel that, although I am not sure if it's tech related or not. Probably is, just because of the glow of screens.

Firefox sound broke on Linux again (with Alsa, no pulseaudio). Had to set 'security.sandbox.content.syscall_whitelist=16,220' to fix it. Just 16 wasn't enough anymore.

220 is sys_semtimedop(), i believe, on x86_64. And 16 is ioctl().

sys_semtimedop isn't a syscall on i386, but sys_semtimedop_time64 is call # 420. So maybe you'll need that number in i386.
so my guess for i386 (32 bit x86) it is going to need either "54,420" or just 54.

System call table here. [marcin.juszkiewicz.com.pl] https://marcin.juszkiewicz.com.pl/download/...s/syscalls.html

Of course, unless your distro builds with '--enable-alsa,' this won't get you anywhere. Official FF builds haven't supported pure Alsa for something like 60 version numbers now.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 9 2023, 06:51

My PC-98 clone is finally on the way from Japan.

Paid $120 in shipping fees on it. :(

Hope it works or is repairable (doesn't have tons of battery leakage).

--

Bought a step-down transformer, but unsure if it was really necessary. Might be annoying to earth ground because I'm not sure this one was meant for permanent installations. Feels like a travel one, although it can push ~350 watts.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 10 2023, 10:25

Seems my PC-98 that's on the way may use a non-standard floppy pinout. So I'm preparing some adapters to use a floppy drive emulator.

Ugh.

I knew I'd end up having to spend a ton on this shit. Happens every time I get an old computer. Still cheaper than an Amiga, though, even after the step down transformer.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 11 2023, 02:42

Seems my PC-98 that's on the way may use a non-standard floppy pinout. So I'm preparing some adapters to use a floppy drive emulator.

Ugh.

I knew I'd end up having to spend a ton on this shit. Happens every time I get an old computer. Still cheaper than an Amiga, though, even after the step down transformer.

PC-98 emulation has gotten fairly good?

I say that knowing I was annoyed with my last emulation box. Though that was because Megadrive on a non-crt looks weird and master system only emulates 97% properly. Master system upscales really well, just that many games made use of sprite bugs to increase the perceived number of sprites on screen, and correcting that bug without per game fixes means elements are missing on screen in some games.

It was funny playing a master system game that I could in the distant past perfect clear with ease. It took me a while to realize that input lag made it incredibly hard to pull off the maneuvers that I used to do. Even though the muscle memory for dodge patterns was still working, even with a low input latency tv it was still too high.

Some of the arcade ports with 'fuck you' level of difficulty are a lot harder now.

This post has been edited by EsotericSatire: Oct 11 2023, 03:25

PC-98 emulation has gotten fairly good?

I say that knowing I was annoyed with my last emulation box. Though that was because Megadrive on a non-crt looks weird and master system only emulates 97% properly. Master system upscales really well, just that many games made use of sprite bugs to increase the perceived number of sprites on screen, and correcting that bug without per game fixes means elements are missing on screen in some games.

Are you asking if it's gotten good?
Because it's okay.

But I am getting an actual physical PC-98 compatible ([www.pc-9800.net] Epson PC-486GR2). Hopefully it works on arrival, or just needs an RTC battery replaced. Praying it has a coin cell and not a nicad barrel to leak and ruin everything. Seller said it worked when it was stored. So I'm hoping I didn't just pay $110 in shipping for dead weight.
I got an actual PC-98, not because emulation was *bad*, but because I have a hankering for physical hardware.
Also, even though I warned my friend (who also is getting one, a different model) that you basically think you're getting the computer cheap, and then you realize all the other shit you need to get your hands on, all the adapters that need making, etc.., I still ended up doing it myself again. Probably $3-400 in on this now. Maybe even $500.
If it doesn't work I'll still have gotten a keyboard and some C-bus cards for it for whenever I decide to try again. Plus a stepdown transformer and a 486SX CPU that I can try to pop in my 486-era IBM compatible and see if it just had a bad CPU.

It was funny playing a master system game that I could in the distant past perfect clear with ease. It took me a while to realize that input lag made it incredibly hard to pull off the maneuvers that I used to do. Even though the muscle memory for dodge patterns was still working, even with a low input latency tv it was still too high.

Some of the arcade ports with 'fuck you' level of difficulty are a lot harder now.

I have a real master system and mega drive, although I'd love to get a JP master system with the FM sound some day.

I experienced the lag issue with Super Metroid on the Switch to an absurd degree.

People say dedicated scalers help a lot for playing these games on LCD's. Not tried them because I have CRT's still. But I'd believe it.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 11 2023, 11:13

Got my PC-98 today. Seems to work. At least mostly. Had to wire up an adapter to use it with my VGA monitor.

Can't get it to read from a floppy disk, but i wonder if I just need to read up on what the dip switches do. Last owner seemed to have a SCSI controller card in it, so i am guessing it was set up to boot from a hard disk.

[postimg.cc] (IMG:[i.postimg.cc] https://i.postimg.cc/8k4BxhQ8/IMG-20231014-004322-sm.jpg)
[postimg.cc] (IMG:[i.postimg.cc] https://i.postimg.cc/brpgkT7g/IMG-20231014-004257-sm.jpg)

Guess I picked hard mode by going with the Epson clone instead of an NEC-made one. But I like some of the compatibility modes this seems to have - like options to slow down the CPU ("386 mode").

Edit: turns out my monitor supports 31KHz and 15KHz horizontal sync rates, but not 24KHz. So I am about to burn even more money on a monitor from japan.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 14 2023, 09:55

Tried exporting my entire youtube history the other day and everything before 2018 is gone for some reason.

Bought a Japanese CRT that's tested to power on but nothing else. We'll see if I'm wasting my shipping money. And also if they actually package it safely.

Also despite that sticker saying 486DX2 50MHz, it seems to have a 486SX 25MHz on its processor card daughterboard thingy.
I wasn't counting on the DX2 anyway, but that's still a little disappointing.
Also disappointing: the 486 is the SQFP variant, not the socketed PGA variant, so I can't pop it out and use it to test if my IBM compatible 486 just needs a new CPU.

Guess it could also be that ODPR thing, where some intel computers came with a second CPU socket and you'd install a chip there. Could be that's what's on the other side of the CPU daughterboard under the shielding/heat sink.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 14 2023, 16:25

broke down and bought a scsi2sd-style converter (zuluscsi) so that I wouldn't have to figure out how to lie about C/H/S (cylinders/heads/sectors) on my PC98 in order to use a much more modern 70-ish GB SCSI HDD with it.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 15 2023, 20:18

Toasted a floppy drive emulator today. Hopefully the FDC inside the computer's okay. We''ll find out, I guess.

If not, I hope it's just some uPD765 derivative and is discrete. But my hopes aren't too high that that'll be the case, given the period it's from.



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Just discovered I still have an old build of Seamonkey lying around that can use the flash plugin. Been going on a flash binge on swfchan.

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 19 2023, 08:26

If Win12 is a service model, and the terms exclude pron? Does that mean if you download porn you account may be disabled?


edit: Also cloud connected EV's are a service based model... four Chinese EV makers went broke recently and their cars bricked.



This post has been edited by EsotericSatire: Oct 22 2023, 23:09

My favorite program to download from Pixiv (Cultured Downloader) went to hell, it doesn't load the token properly and refuses to change or delete it
I would use Hydrus but no one programmed a downloader capable of reading full pages

IT
FUCKING
LIIIVES

[postimg.cc] (IMG:[i.postimg.cc] https://i.postimg.cc/tgwjpDwQ/IMG-20231023-022457-sm.jpg)

My favorite program to download from Pixiv (Cultured Downloader) went to hell, it doesn't load the token properly and refuses to change or delete it
I would use Hydrus but no one programmed a downloader capable of reading full pages

Try PixivUtil2 ever?

This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Oct 23 2023, 08:50

IT
FUCKING
LIIIVES

very nice collection of stuff in general, and congrats

about the whole win12 as service thing, isnt 11 and just about every microsoft thing a service based anyway? all licenses at work are service based and tied to users instead of per install per system. including for windows, office, everything. its nearly illegal to get licenses that just tie to systems and work for all users on that machine

got a small air purifier. hopefully it can make my lungs live a bit better, and if i can clean my pc less frequently, that would be a nice extra.