Notices by John Bull (garius@mastodon.me.uk)

In the 15th century, guns were often seen as the devil’s weapon. Unchivalrous and “unmanly”. Within a hundred years, this had changed.

Dr Catherine Fletcher joins me on Untitled History Podcast to discuss firearms in Renaissance Italy.

Available below or on your pod platform of choice! #history https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOZWa3AuwB4

My piece on the Up Front about Lufthansa's uniform partnership with Hugo Boss, and why it's important companies (and PR teams) know their corporate history.

If you don't engage with your corporate history, then it WILL engage with you.

#history #aviation https://theupfront.media/optical-delusions-lufthansas-uniform-fashion-collaboration-creates-unintended-associations-with-its-past/

Bit of a call out to fellow historians!

Anyone with suitable interest/expertise available on Monday and up for recording a podcast with me on "Rat Lines" - the post-war efforts to help Nazi's escape to South America and elsewhere?

Unfortunately my planned guest had to drop out #history

As an older tech person, it's legit heartwarming watching the TikTok generation discover why we all hate Oracle.

In 1988, IBM tried to seize the whole PC market back and make it proprietary again.

This seemed to be the end for the PC open platform. Consensus was that you couldn't win against IBM.

Luckily for history, Compaq, and founding CEO Rod Canion, decided to try.

Read my latest #history longform on the fight for the soul of the PC. And how Compaq won. #technology

https://every.to/the-crazy-ones/the-man-who-beat-ibm

STREAM TIME!

Well Crusader Kings 3 just crashed so hard it bricked itself and will need a complete reinstall, so come join the stream early and help me decide what we'll play today instead!

Maybe some Star Wars: Old Republic, with our Lightside Sith Warrior. But we'll seeeee... https://buff.ly/3YWy3OI

11:30am so time for the annual tradition of my dad deciding he's put up with communal TV choices long enough.

So happy "Alaska: Homestead Rescue" day to all who celebrate.

The womenfolk are off to do crafting in the kitchen. My brother and I are rolling new SWTOR jedi in his gaming shed.

Every asked me about how real world events can screw with top level internet domains.

Come for the story of how a bunch of Slovenian academics allegedly stole control of the .yu domain. Stay for why the entire .io TLD might be about to disappear due to a minor treaty between Britain and Mauritius. https://buff.ly/3zTcZyt #tech

From the hilltop, they watched the two groups of dragon-hunters fight over who got to attack first.

"I have a theory about humans." The cat said.

"What is it?" The dragon asked.

"They don't nap enough." The cat said. "It would explain why they get like this."

The dragon nodded. "That it would."

FRIDAY FACT: There is an entire episode of Steptoe and Son based on Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai.

In it, Steptoe and his elderly friends successfully defend the scrapyard from East London mobsters.

It even features an extended climactic martial arts battle (link below)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N2BBD94faU&t=286s

Happy #caturday

Rebranding myself as an eco-friendly alternative to ChatGPT.

Ask me a question and I'll mansplain an answer to you, while consuming much less water and energy.

Last week this wikipedia page was a single paragraph.

Now it isn't.

The proudest you can ever be as a writer is knowing you made someone deserving more visible than they were before.

I am delighted to see her finally get a small measure of the attention and recognition she deserves.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lore_Harp_McGovern

DELIGHTED to say that my latest tech history column is live on Every and they've made this one free-to-read.

Because it covers one of the most overlooked founders of the golden age of computing: Lore Harp McGovern, founder of Vector Graphic who pioneered small/medium business computing.

She deserves to be better known. Certainly deserves more than a single paragraph on Wikipedia. Read and spread the word #computing #history https://every.to/the-crazy-ones/the-woman-that-tech-history-forgot

"someone ate your yoghurt while you were answering the door. They ran away before I could catch them." #cats

Daily Tortie. #cats

So apparently:

"I thought they opened themselves, these days"

Isn't what you're meant to say when the stewardess asks you if you are familiar with the procedure for the emergency exit door.

I love this place to bits but JESUS CHRIST do a lot of people in the fediverse need to remember how to chill.

This is the most zero-chill social media platform ever. Performatively so. And it's the biggest barrier to user retention. Far more so than the perceived difficulty of sign up.

No stream today as I'm a bit under the weather.

Also there's a cat on me.

Delighted Every commissioned me to write this.

More Ron Swanson than Elon Musk, Altair inventor Ed Roberts created the PC industry. Then, at the height of his wealth and influence, decided to walk away.

This is his story.

If you enjoy it, share it and let Every know!

https://every.to/p/the-secret-father-of-modern-computing #computing #history #technology #retrocomputing