Colin Hoad
@colinhoad.com
Senior Data Engineer at cfc.com
"Vintage computing enthusiast" -- The Register
I run a YouTube channel and blog dedicated to the Beeb and all things Acorn, Psion and more:
https://www.colinhoad.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/zjvSBjG7rw
Art: VectorinID
"Vintage computing enthusiast" -- The Register
I run a YouTube channel and blog dedicated to the Beeb and all things Acorn, Psion and more:
https://www.colinhoad.com
Discord: https://discord.gg/zjvSBjG7rw
Art: VectorinID
Haha! I'd love to but sadly I can't make it to RetroFest this time around as I'm on a train to Cornwall... hope the weekend goes really well!
November 14, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Haha! I'd love to but sadly I can't make it to RetroFest this time around as I'm on a train to Cornwall... hope the weekend goes really well!
I played Chuckie Egg on a Tatung Einstein for the first time at the last ABUG South, it's a really nice version! Beeb one still my favourite, of course.
November 14, 2025 at 7:06 PM
I played Chuckie Egg on a Tatung Einstein for the first time at the last ABUG South, it's a really nice version! Beeb one still my favourite, of course.
Hadn't thought of that, but yes, I bet you're right!
November 14, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Hadn't thought of that, but yes, I bet you're right!
Reposted by Colin Hoad
Note that not only was it really quite fast, its 40 bit reals were unusually accurate and even its random number generation was pretty neutral. (The RNG was revised between Basics 2 and 4 so I'll have to check if it improved further).
November 14, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Note that not only was it really quite fast, its 40 bit reals were unusually accurate and even its random number generation was pretty neutral. (The RNG was revised between Basics 2 and 4 so I'll have to check if it improved further).
Proof, if any were needed, that the Beeb was the best home micro of the period 🦉
November 14, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Proof, if any were needed, that the Beeb was the best home micro of the period 🦉
Is that Chuckie Egg... on an Acorn Atom?
November 13, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Is that Chuckie Egg... on an Acorn Atom?
The 2000s was all about Civlization II, III and IV for me - endless hours spent playing those games! #justonemoreturn
November 13, 2025 at 10:13 PM
The 2000s was all about Civlization II, III and IV for me - endless hours spent playing those games! #justonemoreturn
Well that was an instant follow, thank you for sharing!
November 13, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Well that was an instant follow, thank you for sharing!
Yeah, the PC speaker was unquestionably a backwards step compared to the dedicated sound chips of the home micros era. At the same time, for something only intended to provide simple system alerts, it's incredible what some developers forced it to do!
November 12, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Yeah, the PC speaker was unquestionably a backwards step compared to the dedicated sound chips of the home micros era. At the same time, for something only intended to provide simple system alerts, it's incredible what some developers forced it to do!
Life becomes much easier when you learn to embrace saying "no", in my experience!
November 12, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Life becomes much easier when you learn to embrace saying "no", in my experience!
Reposted by Colin Hoad
I hate this constant "Do you like this program". I did until I got a modal dialogue to stop me using the program to ask me whether I like it.
Stop it. No one cares about app reviews or notifications and stop using sodding cookies to track people, just assume "reject" and let people opt in.
Stop it. No one cares about app reviews or notifications and stop using sodding cookies to track people, just assume "reject" and let people opt in.
November 12, 2025 at 10:17 AM
I hate this constant "Do you like this program". I did until I got a modal dialogue to stop me using the program to ask me whether I like it.
Stop it. No one cares about app reviews or notifications and stop using sodding cookies to track people, just assume "reject" and let people opt in.
Stop it. No one cares about app reviews or notifications and stop using sodding cookies to track people, just assume "reject" and let people opt in.
Tremendous cover, too!
November 11, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Tremendous cover, too!
Joe was mine and my wife's favourite part of the whole show. He was the heart and soul of it, totally gutted he didn't win.
November 11, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Joe was mine and my wife's favourite part of the whole show. He was the heart and soul of it, totally gutted he didn't win.
THE ID TEAM: *cracks knuckles*
November 11, 2025 at 3:34 PM
THE ID TEAM: *cracks knuckles*
They really did, yes! I think it probably stems from the early id days of doing sound for games like Commander Keen (which *only* has PC speaker sound in the early games). They knew how to torture that poor little speaker into doing their bidding!
November 11, 2025 at 3:24 PM
They really did, yes! I think it probably stems from the early id days of doing sound for games like Commander Keen (which *only* has PC speaker sound in the early games). They knew how to torture that poor little speaker into doing their bidding!
*waves*
My PC was a hand-me-down "business" 386 from my Dad and he'd had no need for a sound card... so I played a lot of DOS games with just a PC speaker for sound 😅
My PC was a hand-me-down "business" 386 from my Dad and he'd had no need for a sound card... so I played a lot of DOS games with just a PC speaker for sound 😅
November 11, 2025 at 3:08 PM
*waves*
My PC was a hand-me-down "business" 386 from my Dad and he'd had no need for a sound card... so I played a lot of DOS games with just a PC speaker for sound 😅
My PC was a hand-me-down "business" 386 from my Dad and he'd had no need for a sound card... so I played a lot of DOS games with just a PC speaker for sound 😅
Vivid memories of playing Doom with the PC speaker, as I had to save up Christmas and birthday money to afford a proper SoundBlaster card! Played a *lot* of Doom (and other games) to the soundtrack of SQUUUUEEEEALLLL BEEP BIP BIP BEEEEP 😆
November 11, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Vivid memories of playing Doom with the PC speaker, as I had to save up Christmas and birthday money to afford a proper SoundBlaster card! Played a *lot* of Doom (and other games) to the soundtrack of SQUUUUEEEEALLLL BEEP BIP BIP BEEEEP 😆
I used to go to a regular quiz where one of the teams was called "Smartphones, Smart People" - so blatant! Quizmaster didn't seem to care, though :(
November 11, 2025 at 11:02 AM
I used to go to a regular quiz where one of the teams was called "Smartphones, Smart People" - so blatant! Quizmaster didn't seem to care, though :(
I really don't understand the mentality of people going to a pub quiz and cheating. It happens a lot, but it makes no sense to me. Why is that fun? Where's the sense of achievement in winning by cheating? It's a quiz...
November 11, 2025 at 10:14 AM
I really don't understand the mentality of people going to a pub quiz and cheating. It happens a lot, but it makes no sense to me. Why is that fun? Where's the sense of achievement in winning by cheating? It's a quiz...