Stephen Usher
@srusher.bsky.social
Retro-computers, model railways, playing Elite: Dangerous...
What else do you need to know? :-)
What else do you need to know? :-)
What’s this?! An Atari TT030 running UNIX as it was meant to.
With some difficulty due to massively out of date install guides and hacky loaders and an installer which isn’t the best I’ve managed to get NetBSD 10.1 installed.
Not quick but at least X and networking work unlike Debian 3.0.
With some difficulty due to massively out of date install guides and hacky loaders and an installer which isn’t the best I’ve managed to get NetBSD 10.1 installed.
Not quick but at least X and networking work unlike Debian 3.0.
December 30, 2025 at 5:34 PM
What’s this?! An Atari TT030 running UNIX as it was meant to.
With some difficulty due to massively out of date install guides and hacky loaders and an installer which isn’t the best I’ve managed to get NetBSD 10.1 installed.
Not quick but at least X and networking work unlike Debian 3.0.
With some difficulty due to massively out of date install guides and hacky loaders and an installer which isn’t the best I’ve managed to get NetBSD 10.1 installed.
Not quick but at least X and networking work unlike Debian 3.0.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Previously (2024) a reminder that whatever you think of the Trump government and its illiberal approach, CCDH is not a friend of online digital rights and free speech:
alecmuffett.com/article/110320
alecmuffett.com/article/110320
Lord, please save us from activists like @CCDHate who wish to equip state regulators with powers of arbitrary censorship
The Center for Countering Digital Hate get a buff in the Times today proposing that Ofcom be granted rather extraordinary powers for supposedly extraordinary times; as Graham Smith puts it: “…
alecmuffett.com
December 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Previously (2024) a reminder that whatever you think of the Trump government and its illiberal approach, CCDH is not a friend of online digital rights and free speech:
alecmuffett.com/article/110320
alecmuffett.com/article/110320
And the 800XL became unstable again. *sigh*
Opened it up and it's the GTIA socket again.
Cleaned the chip pins (again), more Electrolube EML on the socket and bent the pins in a bit. Those single wipe sockets are a pain.
Took the opportunity to do the same for other socketed chips.
Opened it up and it's the GTIA socket again.
Cleaned the chip pins (again), more Electrolube EML on the socket and bent the pins in a bit. Those single wipe sockets are a pain.
Took the opportunity to do the same for other socketed chips.
December 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
And the 800XL became unstable again. *sigh*
Opened it up and it's the GTIA socket again.
Cleaned the chip pins (again), more Electrolube EML on the socket and bent the pins in a bit. Those single wipe sockets are a pain.
Took the opportunity to do the same for other socketed chips.
Opened it up and it's the GTIA socket again.
Cleaned the chip pins (again), more Electrolube EML on the socket and bent the pins in a bit. Those single wipe sockets are a pain.
Took the opportunity to do the same for other socketed chips.
Today my "new" eBay purchase arrived, an Atari 800XL.
After checking the power supply I plugged it in and switched on... Went to self-test and bad RAM.
Decided to piggy-back and the first chip I tried fixed the problem... Then another issue, caused by cruddy GTIA pins.
Now cleaned and working.
After checking the power supply I plugged it in and switched on... Went to self-test and bad RAM.
Decided to piggy-back and the first chip I tried fixed the problem... Then another issue, caused by cruddy GTIA pins.
Now cleaned and working.
December 19, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Today my "new" eBay purchase arrived, an Atari 800XL.
After checking the power supply I plugged it in and switched on... Went to self-test and bad RAM.
Decided to piggy-back and the first chip I tried fixed the problem... Then another issue, caused by cruddy GTIA pins.
Now cleaned and working.
After checking the power supply I plugged it in and switched on... Went to self-test and bad RAM.
Decided to piggy-back and the first chip I tried fixed the problem... Then another issue, caused by cruddy GTIA pins.
Now cleaned and working.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Whistleblowers raise ‘extreme’ concern about security of government’s Digital ID | ITV News
https://alecmuffett.com/article/136503
#DigitalId #IdCards #OneLogin
https://alecmuffett.com/article/136503
#DigitalId #IdCards #OneLogin
Whistleblowers raise ‘extreme’ concern about security of government’s Digital ID | ITV News
My understanding from friends is One Login is a glorified bastion host that reliant services & parties are obligated to blindly trust, making it a giant SPOF; that alone would be terrifying at …
alecmuffett.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Whistleblowers raise ‘extreme’ concern about security of government’s Digital ID | ITV News
https://alecmuffett.com/article/136503
#DigitalId #IdCards #OneLogin
https://alecmuffett.com/article/136503
#DigitalId #IdCards #OneLogin
Reposted by Stephen Usher
I am both a network & software engineer, and speaking as someone who did this for Facebook:
Beyond IP-address & AS-number reputation databases, automated identification of VPN & proxy users is a subjective black art that frequently risks disconnecting millions of users via false positives.
Beyond IP-address & AS-number reputation databases, automated identification of VPN & proxy users is a subjective black art that frequently risks disconnecting millions of users via false positives.
a man wearing headphones is smiling in front of a microphone with the words this is like so hard above him .
ALT: a man wearing headphones is smiling in front of a microphone with the words this is like so hard above him .
media.tenor.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:43 PM
I am both a network & software engineer, and speaking as someone who did this for Facebook:
Beyond IP-address & AS-number reputation databases, automated identification of VPN & proxy users is a subjective black art that frequently risks disconnecting millions of users via false positives.
Beyond IP-address & AS-number reputation databases, automated identification of VPN & proxy users is a subjective black art that frequently risks disconnecting millions of users via false positives.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
I think the fundamental gap here is that non-creative people think that creative people make things for the end product, when in fact it’s the act of creation and not the end point that makes it worthwhile.
I have grown to believe that excessive wealth does something to your brain that is analogous to a serious head injury
December 15, 2025 at 6:26 AM
I think the fundamental gap here is that non-creative people think that creative people make things for the end product, when in fact it’s the act of creation and not the end point that makes it worthwhile.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
With the latest MiNT kernel and n2kenec.xif driver I’ve now, somehow got a working NetUSB-lite network interface on the TT.
So my filter card has got everything working on the cartridge port.
So my filter card has got everything working on the cartridge port.
December 12, 2025 at 5:04 PM
With the latest MiNT kernel and n2kenec.xif driver I’ve now, somehow got a working NetUSB-lite network interface on the TT.
So my filter card has got everything working on the cartridge port.
So my filter card has got everything working on the cartridge port.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Today has been a bumper day for the UK turning into Orwell's nightmare:
U16 Ban from Social Media
bsky.app/profile/alec...
ID & Age Verification & U16 Ban from VPNs
bsky.app/profile/alec...
Client-Side Scanning of all Content
bsky.app/profile/alec...
U16 Ban from Social Media
bsky.app/profile/alec...
ID & Age Verification & U16 Ban from VPNs
bsky.app/profile/alec...
Client-Side Scanning of all Content
bsky.app/profile/alec...
BREAKING: UK House of Lords Draft Amendment to Ban Social Media for Under-16s in the UK
https://alecmuffett.com/article/134876
#OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #bluey #censorship #ofcom #surveillance
https://alecmuffett.com/article/134876
#OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #bluey #censorship #ofcom #surveillance
BREAKING: UK House of Lords Draft Amendment to Ban Social Media for Under-16s in the UK
Baronesses Cass & Benjamin, and Lord Nash, propose to turn the UK into The Leather-Wrapped Village: “This new clause would require the Secretary of State to take action to promote childre…
alecmuffett.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Today has been a bumper day for the UK turning into Orwell's nightmare:
U16 Ban from Social Media
bsky.app/profile/alec...
ID & Age Verification & U16 Ban from VPNs
bsky.app/profile/alec...
Client-Side Scanning of all Content
bsky.app/profile/alec...
U16 Ban from Social Media
bsky.app/profile/alec...
ID & Age Verification & U16 Ban from VPNs
bsky.app/profile/alec...
Client-Side Scanning of all Content
bsky.app/profile/alec...
My Atari TT has never been able to use "smart" cartridges in the cartridge port, they've never worked.
I've now got around to trying to diagnose and fix this. I've made a filter/breakout PCB which isolates the bus and adds pull-ups to stop the ringing.
For the first time I can boot Spectre GCR.
I've now got around to trying to diagnose and fix this. I've made a filter/breakout PCB which isolates the bus and adds pull-ups to stop the ringing.
For the first time I can boot Spectre GCR.
December 10, 2025 at 9:13 AM
My Atari TT has never been able to use "smart" cartridges in the cartridge port, they've never worked.
I've now got around to trying to diagnose and fix this. I've made a filter/breakout PCB which isolates the bus and adds pull-ups to stop the ringing.
For the first time I can boot Spectre GCR.
I've now got around to trying to diagnose and fix this. I've made a filter/breakout PCB which isolates the bus and adds pull-ups to stop the ringing.
For the first time I can boot Spectre GCR.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
EU’s Top Court Just Made It Literally Impossible To Run A User-Generated Content Platform Legally
The Court of Justice of the EU—likely without realizing it—just completely shit the bed and made it effectively impossible to run any website in the entirety of the EU that hosts user-generated…
The Court of Justice of the EU—likely without realizing it—just completely shit the bed and made it effectively impossible to run any website in the entirety of the EU that hosts user-generated…
EU’s Top Court Just Made It Literally Impossible To Run A User-Generated Content Platform Legally
The Court of Justice of the EU—likely without realizing it—just completely shit the bed and made it effectively impossible to run any website in the entirety of the EU that hosts user-generated content. Obviously, for decades now, we’ve been talking about issues related to intermediary liability, and what standards are appropriate there. I am an unabashed supporter of the US’s approach with Section 230, as it was initially interpreted, which said that any liability should land on the party who contributed the actual violative behavior—in nearly all cases…
www.techdirt.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:46 PM
EU’s Top Court Just Made It Literally Impossible To Run A User-Generated Content Platform Legally
The Court of Justice of the EU—likely without realizing it—just completely shit the bed and made it effectively impossible to run any website in the entirety of the EU that hosts user-generated…
The Court of Justice of the EU—likely without realizing it—just completely shit the bed and made it effectively impossible to run any website in the entirety of the EU that hosts user-generated…
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Is welfare spending ''out of control''?
It's estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP this financial year.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️ buff.ly/s5mz97u
It's estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP this financial year.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️ buff.ly/s5mz97u
November 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Is welfare spending ''out of control''?
It's estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP this financial year.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️ buff.ly/s5mz97u
It's estimated to be 10.8 per cent of GDP this financial year.
That's just 0.8 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen fallen by 1.2 per cent of GDP since 2012-13⤵️ buff.ly/s5mz97u
Reposted by Stephen Usher
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Reposted by Stephen Usher
If Ofcom want to stop UK people visiting a non-UK website, they need to stop the UK people, not tell the non-UK website to work to prevent the UK hordes
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
If Ofcom want to stop UK people visiting a non-UK website, they need to stop the UK people, not tell the non-UK website to work to prevent the UK hordes
This should be obvious, no? It’s how we deal with football hooligans: Football (Offences and Disorder) Act 1999 (Notes) …The measures proposed would provide recourse to the law to prevent a r…
alecmuffett.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:05 PM
If Ofcom want to stop UK people visiting a non-UK website, they need to stop the UK people, not tell the non-UK website to work to prevent the UK hordes
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
https://alecmuffett.com/article/128354
Reposted by Stephen Usher
The BBC’s own “impartiality briefing” for freelancers included not doing anything to annoy the DM. So - not impartial! Also not great for freedom of speech.
November 25, 2025 at 10:25 AM
The BBC’s own “impartiality briefing” for freelancers included not doing anything to annoy the DM. So - not impartial! Also not great for freedom of speech.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Conservative ministers as well as the government should apologise to the thousands of carers treated disgracefully under a failing, broken Carer’s Allowance system.
As things stand, carers may face many more months of being hounded by the DWP.
As things stand, carers may face many more months of being hounded by the DWP.
November 25, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Conservative ministers as well as the government should apologise to the thousands of carers treated disgracefully under a failing, broken Carer’s Allowance system.
As things stand, carers may face many more months of being hounded by the DWP.
As things stand, carers may face many more months of being hounded by the DWP.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Which version of national security is more important:
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
Well this is misconceived and is going to end badly, if it goes anywhere at all. Perhaps the British people ought to be able to sue members of parliament for losses caused by legislation?
alecmuffett.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Which version of national security is more important:
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
The one that would mandate secure software by law with the threat of fines for failing adhere the rules, or the current one requiring software be made insecure by order of the Home Secretary with the threat of prison for failing to comply?
Reposted by Stephen Usher
Proposal: British people should be able to sue any MP or former-MP who made promises in support of #Brexit which were later found to be either inaccurate or not delivered.
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
https://alecmuffett.com/article/127856
#BrokenRecord #liability #software
Software companies must be held liable for British economic security, say MPs | The Record
Well this is misconceived and is going to end badly, if it goes anywhere at all. Perhaps the British people ought to be able to sue members of parliament for losses caused by legislation?
alecmuffett.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Proposal: British people should be able to sue any MP or former-MP who made promises in support of #Brexit which were later found to be either inaccurate or not delivered.
I've just posted a video on how to replace, relatively safely, the battery in a Dallas Semiconductor NVRAM/Clock chip with a CR2032 socket with the assistance of hot air. No Dremelling involved.
(Excuse the echo in the middle of the video, Final Cut Pro messed up.)
youtu.be/sqhAvTRjNHc?...
(Excuse the echo in the middle of the video, Final Cut Pro messed up.)
youtu.be/sqhAvTRjNHc?...
Dallas NVRAM Battery Replacement
YouTube video by Stephen Usher
youtu.be
November 22, 2025 at 9:15 AM
I've just posted a video on how to replace, relatively safely, the battery in a Dallas Semiconductor NVRAM/Clock chip with a CR2032 socket with the assistance of hot air. No Dremelling involved.
(Excuse the echo in the middle of the video, Final Cut Pro messed up.)
youtu.be/sqhAvTRjNHc?...
(Excuse the echo in the middle of the video, Final Cut Pro messed up.)
youtu.be/sqhAvTRjNHc?...
Reposted by Stephen Usher
In Case You Missed It This Week: Ofcom, pursuing its lawful duties, is about to drive the UK over a cliff and into online censorship; here’s how…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
In Case You Missed It This Week: Ofcom, pursuing its lawful duties, is about to drive the UK over a cliff and into online censorship; here’s how…
Here’s how Ofcom will bring about censorship in the UK; it will… 1/ declare itself (truthfully) to be acting on behalf of the UK sovereign government… Ofcom has claimed it has “sovereign immu…
alecmuffett.com
November 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
In Case You Missed It This Week: Ofcom, pursuing its lawful duties, is about to drive the UK over a cliff and into online censorship; here’s how…
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
https://alecmuffett.com/article/125827
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #ofcom #surveillance #vpn
I picked up a Sun SPARCstation 2 at the weekend from another exhibitor at the Retro Computer Festival.
Over the last day and a half I’ve been cleaning it, getting the power supply fan working and generally doing a bit of restoration.
Passes all the diagnostics too.
Looks a lot better.
Over the last day and a half I’ve been cleaning it, getting the power supply fan working and generally doing a bit of restoration.
Passes all the diagnostics too.
Looks a lot better.
November 18, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I picked up a Sun SPARCstation 2 at the weekend from another exhibitor at the Retro Computer Festival.
Over the last day and a half I’ve been cleaning it, getting the power supply fan working and generally doing a bit of restoration.
Passes all the diagnostics too.
Looks a lot better.
Over the last day and a half I’ve been cleaning it, getting the power supply fan working and generally doing a bit of restoration.
Passes all the diagnostics too.
Looks a lot better.
Reposted by Stephen Usher
I work for University of Warwick publishing higher education jobs. Not just academic but support staff as well. We've seen a drop off in the number of jobs being advertised since the restrictions on foreign students came into force. Foreign students provide jobs, help the balance of payments.
November 17, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I work for University of Warwick publishing higher education jobs. Not just academic but support staff as well. We've seen a drop off in the number of jobs being advertised since the restrictions on foreign students came into force. Foreign students provide jobs, help the balance of payments.