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rob74 56 minutes ago [-]
> Elsewhere in the world, phones were modular. Handsets connected to their bases via small RJ-9 jacks, allowing devices like the VICModem to intercept the line between the handset and the base. Easy. But not in Canada.
I would beg to differ. Maybe in some places in the world, but definitely not "everywhere else but in Canada". That's why the acoustic coupler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_coupler) was invented: a device where you placed your phone's handset, so you could connect your computer to it without having to physically tamper with the phone company's sacred device.
anonymousiam 5 hours ago [-]
Around the same time, I purchased a Novation D-CAT which worked the same way as the one described (plugging in between the phone base and the handset). It was my first modem, and I primarily used it with my Lear Siegler ADM1A terminal (an upper case only terminal made entirely from discrete logic, and no internal CPU).
The late 70's and early 80's was an era of rapid evolution in modem technology. Within a year or two I had purchased a Hayes Smartmodem 1200, and had that connected to one of my CP/M computers.
I purchased several other modems over the years from US Robotics and Hayes. I think I purchased my last one in 1996, which was the year I got ISDN (2BRI).
As an aside, the em-dash density of this article is one of the highest I've ever seen.
ttul 8 hours ago [-]
My first year English teacher would be impressed. The lack of em dash characters in a paper would get you a failing grade back in 1995.
Stratoscope 7 hours ago [-]
I love the em dash–and I didn't even notice them in this article.
userbinator 6 hours ago [-]
It's not just the em-dash—it's the style of writing. The short paragraphs. The Consistent Titled Sections. Classic LLMese at its finest.
netsharc 15 minutes ago [-]
And the clanker doesn't even explain what changes for compatibility changes that Commodore and Bell agreed to and Bell didn't deliver...
Such a horrible piece of writing.
Towaway69 1 hours ago [-]
LLMs being based on probabilities and these are based on averages, hence whatever the LLM produces must be an average of what its been trained on.
So doesn't the LLM just regurgitating the average writing style of the internet and isn't the author just an average writer and hence the em-dashes.
dokyun 3 hours ago [-]
There's only two in the whole article, what are you smoking?
Towaway69 1 hours ago [-]
What? A quick scan and I counted 10. There are two in the opening paragraph.
inigyou 6 hours ago [-]
That was a brilliant move by the telecom company to sell a huge batch of useless extra phones to poor suckers Commodore.
They are useless because they're identical to the customer's own phone except for the fact they say Commodore.
classichasclass 9 hours ago [-]
Commodore made all kinds of wacky stuff back in the day before they concentrated entirely on computers and peripherals. I have a Commodore AM radio and a couple of Commodore wristwatches, chickenhead logos and all, not to mention the calculators and typewriters which were their original bread and butter.
They announced it, they haven't released anything yet. There is not a single real photograph of an actual device on the site. There's a wait list where you can sign up for eventual pre-orders, with an offer that they'll ask you for slightly less money.
Also, it's not Commodore but someone playing "Weekend at Bernie's" with what's left of the brand. The real Commodore went through bankruptcy and liquidation in 1994.
9 hours ago [-]
DennisL123 4 hours ago [-]
Now, that’s a Commodore phone I can get behind.
wolvoleo 8 hours ago [-]
We had similar idiotic regulations in Holland. Most people rented their phone though they did have a plug (albeit a special one we called the pigs nose).
But in the 80s nobody gave a crap anymore and we just connected whatever we wanted. Aftermarket and technically illegal phones were sold everywhere.
I would beg to differ. Maybe in some places in the world, but definitely not "everywhere else but in Canada". That's why the acoustic coupler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_coupler) was invented: a device where you placed your phone's handset, so you could connect your computer to it without having to physically tamper with the phone company's sacred device.
The late 70's and early 80's was an era of rapid evolution in modem technology. Within a year or two I had purchased a Hayes Smartmodem 1200, and had that connected to one of my CP/M computers.
I purchased several other modems over the years from US Robotics and Hayes. I think I purchased my last one in 1996, which was the year I got ISDN (2BRI).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novation_CAT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lear_Siegler
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayes_Microcomputer_Products
As an aside, the em-dash density of this article is one of the highest I've ever seen.
Such a horrible piece of writing.
So doesn't the LLM just regurgitating the average writing style of the internet and isn't the author just an average writer and hence the em-dashes.
They are useless because they're identical to the customer's own phone except for the fact they say Commodore.
Also, it's not Commodore but someone playing "Weekend at Bernie's" with what's left of the brand. The real Commodore went through bankruptcy and liquidation in 1994.
But in the 80s nobody gave a crap anymore and we just connected whatever we wanted. Aftermarket and technically illegal phones were sold everywhere.