Today is my first day running my offline first kit in public since I rebuilt it.
The plan was for my offline first kit to include:
- HP Omnibook 300/425
- MP3 player
- chargers/adapters/batteries
- Still camera
- Video camera
- Playdate
- Headphones
- Folding Keyboard
- eBook reader
But when I put the bag together, I left my mp3 player out of it. That was a mistake, and I'm not sure where I left it.
So I'll have to figure that out.
But I'm typing this post right now on the omnibook. I've written a very simple utility that runs in termux on my phone that will take any text files in the "toots" folder on the omnibook CF card and post them to retro.
I haven't tried it yet, as of writing this post (I will have tried it as of you reading thispost, and I will respond to this post with feedback.)
I don't yet have my folding keyboard, either. The idea is that the folding keyboard will serve as a backup for if I end up needing to do network connected work while away from my real laptop.
I had a folding keyboard, but it's busted and I didn't realize. I've ordered a replacement.
I'm also strongly considering getting SSH2 working on this machine over serial, or getting an SSH2 client implemented for an ESP32 that I can hang off the back of the serial port on this box.
That wouldn't solve my network problem in *every* case, but it'd get me like 75% of the way there.
I did, with all my adaptors, manage to grab my USB-C to Headphone adapter, so I am listening to music as I type this.
I also grabbed my ebook reader, which I was excited about. It's a very cheap pocket sized doodad that I've only used a little bit.
But it's microUSB A, not USB C. And I did not grab any micro USB A cables in my quest to cable up this bag.
I have a book though, and a paper notebook, and I'm generally feeling pretty good about this setup.
Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •This shouldn't be surprising, but I wrote that little python script in notepad on a win31 machine.
I had to correct one syntax error, but otherwise it ... Worked?
I mean, it's the most naive possible implementation, and all the important bits are hard coded.
But it worked.
Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • •Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe • • •@me play.date/
It's a little open source Gameboy.
Playdate. Order now!
play.dateJonathan Lamothe likes this.
Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • •Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe • • •Jonathan Lamothe likes this.
Dave Slusher - Hacker/Maker
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •One of my listeners pointed me to this: elecrow.com/crowview-note-all-… basically a laptop body that you plug your phone or tablet into. I really like such things but the truth is without a day job I seldom spend much time outside the house. Occasionally I'll kill time at a car dealership or a hotel room but more often than not I'm right here. Turns out I'm pretty good with that.
I do have some folding bluetooth keyboards that I like to throw in my cargo pants pocket when killing time.
CrowView Note Portable Monitor | Full USB-C for Phone/Laptop
elecrow.openhardwareAndrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Dave Slusher - Hacker/Maker • • •Dave Slusher - Hacker/Maker
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •Basically a laptop screen, keyboard and battery minus all processor. Considering almost everyone already has a $1000 computer in their pocket, why fart around with two unless you really need it?
Back when I had a day job and spent my lunch hour in coffee shops and restaurants writing novels and blog posts I always carried my personal laptop to work. I morphed that down to a folding keyboard but that was 15 years ago. Now the Elecrow makes sense for my aging eyes to read the screen.
Andrew (Television Executive)
Unknown parent • • •Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •I want a little box that plugs into my serial port and exposes itself as if it is a serial connection to another computer. And, in many ways I guess it would be a serial connection to another computer, but that other computer would be an appliance.
And then, I want that other computer to handle my ssh sessions, and maybe have some local file storage.
I guess a USB port on the little fella wouldn't hurt? Some basic shell commands? Gimme that file please.
If there was also a way to turn that into TCP all the better (and there is! Or at least there was.)
I guess I need to build a thing.
kelbot ◖⎚∠⎚◗
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to kelbot ◖⎚∠⎚◗ • • •@kelbot It was dirt cheap when I got mine too. Like, under $50.
But the tariffs happened and so it's $120 now.
But yeah, it works reasonably well.
Andrew (Television Executive)
Unknown parent • • •@Kye An ssh2/wifi modem, yeah.
I want it to handle all the encryption.
Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • •Andrew (Television Executive)
in reply to Jonathan Lamothe • • •@me @Kye
I've seen devices like this for getting old computers on the internet, but I haven't seen any that specifically navigate/strip SSL. If you're aware of one, I'd love to see it.
Jonathan Lamothe
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • •@Andrew (Television Executive) @Kye Fox I could be mistaken about that, though there's no reason I can see that such a device couldn't exist.
I don't have the budget to do retrocomputing properly. I have to make do with emulators and the stuff that SDF puts online.
DHeadshot's Alt
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •DHeadshot's Alt
in reply to Andrew (Television Executive) • • •@Kye
Andrew (Television Executive)
Unknown parent • • •@rowens I've built more or less that a few times with pis and esp32s and even an 8266.
I'm homing to find one someone else has built with a software package that's less ugly than what I've done myself.