Introduction

Hosts:

MrX

Dave Morriss

We recorded this on Sunday April 24th 2022. This is effectively a continuation of the last show, since we found we had lots more to talk about!

Note on the title: again we spoke about the Scots language on the show, so it seemed like a good idea to include more of it in the notes and so on.

Topics discussed

Dampers (in relation to coal fires), a topic we discussed last time:

MrX found a version of the Damper song on YouTube

PC issues:

Dave’s home-built desktop PC had another disk problem

Running a SMART daemon (under SystemD) gives warnings of imminent disk problems

HP Proliant MicroServer - an AMD-based machine sold in the 2010’s (?) by HP with a substantial discount. (Prices cited in the audio are probably not reliable!)

Regarding the failed PSU mentioned last time, there was speculation about whether turning off at the mains every day is a good idea. MrX is inclined to think that it is not.

Remote-controlled plugs:

Dave used a set of Brennenstuhl plugs for a while until several of them were destroyed!

Now has two Sonoff plugs which can be flashed with firmware and controlled with MQTT as part of a Smart Home

Programming:

MrX has recently been writing a Bash script, and found it difficult to get back into it.

Dave had written in DEC Pascal on a VAXCluster for many years, but can’t remember any of it any more.

Discussion of Delphi, Borland C++

Neither MrX nor Dave has used C very much

Difficulty of producing HPR shows:

Pandemic effects on motivation

Complications of working from home

Happily the rate of contributions to HPR has been increasing in the past few months

Adding pictures to shows still needs documentation

Smart speakers:

MrX already had two Google Home devices and got a free Amazon Echo (with Alexa software) from his ISP.

The Echo didn’t prove to be very useful as a means of listening to BBC radio, and the sign-up was intrusive.

The Google Home devices are preferable; they give easier access to BBC Radio as well as services like Spotify.

Dave is avoiding all such devices!

Old computing equipment:

Dave has an old 132-column Anadex matrix printer with a Centronics interface in his attic - found recently when clearing it out.

MrX remembered removable Diablo disks.

Dave reminisced about writing software in Coral66 on a CTL Modular 1 computer in the 1970s, which also had removable disks.

Being back at work again:

MrX is now in the office twice a week

The Scotland mask mandate has ended but many people are still wearing them

People are catching SARS-CoV-2 at work, and particularly from children who are back at school, but vaccination means the effects tend to be milder.

Hayfever (seasonal allergies):

MrX is taking a 30C remedy (a remedy labeled 30C has been serially diluted 1:100 thirty times, so is extremely dilute)

Dave still suffers from hayfever and takes Cetirizine through spring and summer

Dave thinks he developed hayfever in the hot summer and drought of 1976 on a field course in Gloucestershire. (BBC News story: Could the ladybird plague of 1976 ha