He Comes To Bury Segmented Memory, Not To Praise It

Using Flatpak To Run A 1996 Version Of The GIMP On Modern Linux

A developer named balooii has packaged GIMP version 0.54 from 1996 as a Flatpak, making it runnable on modern Linux desktops. This required a series of patches beyond simple recompilation. The release includes original plugins and tutorials, serving as a time capsule of early GIMP. Notably, this is the first GIMP version with fully surviving source code, and it used the Motif widget toolkit before the project switched to GTK. The UI features the classic multi-window approach that was later dropped in favor of a single-window mode.

Bringing Swift To The Apple II

Developer Yeo Kheng Meng built a Swift development environment that targets the Apple II platform, covering the original 1977 model through the IIe. Since the Apple II runs a 1 MHz 6502 CPU, the approach compiles Swift to bytecode executed by a virtual machine running on the 6502. The setup requires a 48 KB RAM upgrade but otherwise targets stock hardware. Claude Code and GPT 4.5 Codex assisted in piecing the project together.

Retro Gear And The Mystery Of Cables Melting Into Cases While In Storage

Plasticizer migration is the real cause behind cable-shaped indents found on retro computer cases. PVC cable insulation contains plasticizers that slowly migrate into adjacent ABS plastic when cables are wrapped tightly around devices during storage. This leaves visible impressions and makes the PVC brittle over time. To prevent damage, avoid wrapping PVC cables around devices, keep them physically separated from ABS plastics, and store in cool environments. The problem is especially common with 1980s gear made before phthalate-free and more stable plasticizer formulations were developed.

Reviving MSN Messenger’s I-Buddy USB Accessory

A look at reviving the i-Buddy, a USB HID accessory originally designed for MSN Messenger that could light up, twist, and flap wings in response to IM notifications. Using a Windows 7 PC, the Escargot service (a community-run MSN Messenger revival), and a patched Windows Live Messenger 2009 client, the i-Buddy is brought back to life after tracking down a compatible version 2.10 of its software from an old forum post.

HamsterOS Crams Complete Graphical Desktop Onto 1.44 MB Floppy

HamsterOS is a new 32-bit multitasking graphical operating system designed to fit on a single 1.44 MB floppy disk, targeting 386 and 486-era hardware. Created by John Swiderski, it includes a suite of native applications, DOS support, and thoughtful features for vintage hardware users such as a CMOS crash counter that forces VGA safe mode after three failed boots. The project also includes HamsterWeazle, a free GUI front-end for the open-source Greaseweazle USB device, making it easier to write floppy disks without legacy hardware already running.

Hackaday Europe 2026 – Building A Retro PC From Scratch

Jeroen Domburg (sprite_tm) presented at Hackaday Europe 2026 how he built a 1995-era MS-DOS gaming PC from bare components. His first attempt used an AMD Elan SC520 SoC paired with an FPGA and ESP32, but BGA soldering difficulties led to a redesign. The second build used a classic i486 DX4-100 or AM486DX5-133 CPU, a C&T F65545 VGA chip, an ECP5 FPGA handling most chipset logic, and an ESP32-S3 for peripherals. Modern SDRAM replaced period-correct memory for easier FPGA integration, and mechanical storage was eliminated. The project eventually booted to a DOS prompt, ran benchmarks and games like Commander Keen, and was packaged into a portable unit called the Vapourdeck.

The Card That Made the Apple II Serious — Wise Owl

Bài viết phân tích sâu về cách mô phỏng thẻ Videx VideoTerm 80-column trên FPGA (dự án A2FPGA), tập trung vào giao diện thanh ghi và vai trò điều khiển thời gian của MC6845 CRT Controller, cũng như cơ chế độc đáo của slot 3 trên Apple II nhờ INTCXROM/SLOTC3ROM. Phần cứng FPGA triển khai VRAM, character ROM và logic kết nối trong khoảng 250 LUTs và 160 thanh ghi, tối ưu bằng cách lưu 128 ký tự và tạo video đảo ngược qua XOR thay vì dùng khối BSRAM thứ hai.

Những kiến thức về cách thiết kế và tối ưu hóa card emulation đặc biệt như Videx VideoTerm trên FPGA sẽ giúp bạn hiểu rõ hơn về cách tối ưu hóa tài nguyên hardware cho các giải pháp emulation phức tạp, đặc biệt khi làm việc với hệ thống cổ điển như Apple II.