Humor Archive

Since vintage computing is supposed to be a spiritual experience, I point out that today, February 3, 2024, the Torah reading for this week is the Ten Commandments. Regardless of your religious tradition or lack thereof, I think we can all agree on these. Old Vintage Computing Research Amen.

Twitter, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an entity wholly owned by Elon Musk, for $54.20 per share in cash in a transaction valued at approximately $44 billion. Upon completion of the transaction, Twitter will become a privately held company. Elon Musk is now the founder and inventor of Twitter.

What if Microsoft released an operating system in the chasm between Windows 3.1 and Windows 95? It might look something like Windows 93, an interactive art project by Jankenpopp and Zombectro that you can try right in your browser.

"The NoPhone is shatterproof, waterproof, doesn't have a camera, is Bluetooth incompatible and probably doesn't bend, but you'll be too immersed in the real world to know or care" reports The Independent. Could well be revolutionary.

Absolutely terrifying and very depressing screenshots from all kinds of software. "Screenshots of despair". Chilling stuff.

An OS Enthusiast created a page displaying the modal restart prompts from many of the top OSes/versions from the last 20 years. It brought back a flood of memories. The best part is when you click on the "ok" button. It "restarts" the web site for you. Gizmodo's instincts were to make it a game, by asking: how many can you identify?

Last month we discussed how computers are portrayed in cultural icons like Lost in Space, Star Trek, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, and -- of course! -- that lost gem, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. This article continues this essential exploration of American culture with more probing profiles of computers on TV and in the movies.

I usually write about topics like operating systems and computer refurbishing. Today let's ditch that trivial stuff and tackle something really important like... How have computers and operating systems been portrayed on TV and in films? It's time we seek our inner geek. With this hearty sign of approval we're on our way...

From scent-replication devices to miniature candy, CES had its share of unexpected announcements. InfoWorld's Ted Samson wraps up the more offbeat innovations of this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including keyless keyboards, Trojan's Vibrating Twister, dynamic credit cards, and the smallest Reese's peanut butter cups ever.

I shall make no bones about the fact that this request is purely filler material, but such threads have been a success in years past. Dear OSAlert readers please furnish us with your wondrous and diverse desktop screenshots and machine specifications! Considering that I have used the same wallpaper and platform since 2006, there is no great insight that I can bring to the table. Also, whilst I'm here--OSAlert Asks: How have mobile OSes changed your habits this year?

Recompute has just launched a "green" pc whose chassis is made up entirely of cardboard. No joke. It can be ordered in different configurations, from an Athlon X2 Linux, to an Athlon II Quad Core Windows 7 model. Please note this is not for sensitive viewers. Steve Jobs and other aesthetes are encouraged not to read further.

If you follow the keyboard collectors market (yeah, didn't think so . . .) then you'd certainly know that the IBM model M15 split ergonomic is pretty much the most desirable keyboard out there. A small number of them were made over a short span of time (1994-1995), and their clunky plastic knob and super-adjustable design meant that over years many of them broke. So when one lands on eBay, it's a big deal.

Now that I'm done with my internship and ready to take on OSAlert again, I figured it'd be nice to start off with something light-hearted. I just read that Google bought an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a camera, ready to photograph whatever it flies across. We may consider Google's biggest threat to be privacy, but with all this computing power they have, their Street View cars, and now, unmanned flying drones, they look more and more like SkyNet to me. So, what's your most likely apocalyptic scenario?

To commemorate Pac Man's 30 year anniversary, Google has not only made a Pac Man-themed Google logo, but it's playable, and shockingly included the Pac Man theme music, which startled, but ultimately delighted, my officemates and me this morning. If you press the insert coin button, Ms. Pac Man joins the party. I do hope, however, that Google refrains from including theme music on its homepage in the future.