Hi I am Bruce Banks and I fix PCs for free

Bruce Banks

Bruce Banks

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I am a retired Mainframe programmer (COBOL, IMS, DB2 etc.). and I prefer frugal to the "C" word.
My first PC, purchased with company assistance, was an i8086 e/w DOS4.1, floppy & 9600 baud modem with Dial Up internet .
Since then I began building my own PCs using used stuff from other members of the local computer club. I have lived from Windows 3.11 thru 10 and read everything I could lay my hands on starting with Peter Norton's "Inside The IBM PC"
Yes, after a while the techie stuff went over my head so I focused on the practical stuff, I became a beta tester for Windows 7 & 8 and, trust me, I made every mistake a newbie could possibly do, so I got invited into Windows 10 Insider Program
Along the way I was able to help out the neighborhood, keep myself occupied, and find out a few thing along the way
 
Regedit32

Regedit32

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Hi and Welcome to the Forum Bruce.

Those were the days sitting and waiting for the baud modem to transfer data. Do you recall all those tweaks to get a little more pace out of your modem - some worked and some frankly were a waste of time.

I started with DOS myself and a ZX-81, which led to a Commodore-64 where I toiled many hours typing in all those special characters on the keys to create basic programs - only to discover the poorly printed magazines from the UK I had subscribed to often had mistakes *lol*

I switched to an Apple IIe for a while but purchased my first desktop IBM computer soon after which I installed Windows 3.1 onto, later 3.11, then 95, 98, 98se and so on. It took me a while to get used to the GUI interface as I had always preferred working in DOS.

I've programmed mainly in C, C#, VB, JavaScript, Java, and more recently in PowerShell although that began with Monad of course. I never really explored Cobol or Frugal much as at the time it was not too relevant to what I was working on.

Look forward to seeing your posts here as there are many members needing help and plenty who just want to swap ideas on projects etcetera.

Regards,

Regedit32
 
Bruce Banks

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Hi -Nebie here - I still have Hp EN series Win98 PC full of 3Drealm game just waiting for GOG.Com to catch up. Brother in law had a MAC - I was not impressed even though it showed USB beginnings. Currently I have an extensive library of software that I share with Drivers Guide. Is it safe to give you my phone # (collect is ok)
 
Bruce Banks

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Oh - I started with Timex Sinclair ZX-86 thru TI-44a and DOS 4.01 . Along the way I learned Basic, VB, C++ (Which I hated), BSD,Java,COBOL for internet - I Know , Easytrieve Plus - for Mainframe - etc,etc,etc..
I was also one of the first Lindows / Linspire users ( where did you think Apple got it's APPS idea from ??)
I played with LINUX a bit BUT I am a "2 finger" typist so command line "SUCKS BIG TIME"
How Can I help ?
 
davehc

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" I am a "2 finger" typist so command line "SUCKS BIG TIME"

After years of using a typewriter and computers, I have the same problem, combined with a lack of accurate aim!!!!
 
Tim Locke

Tim Locke

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Two finger typing for the win! I managed 40 years in the industry without ever having to prostitute my art or dirty my fingers with Cobol. Assorted assemblers and even some machine code from the '60s on through.
 
davehc

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All us old guys getting together again in yet another thread - LOL:D
 
Regedit32

Regedit32

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Tim Locke said:
Two finger typing for the win! I managed 40 years in the industry without ever having to prostitute my art or dirty my fingers with Cobol.
Click to expand...

LoL - Guess I won't be able to sell you my spare badge then . . .

badge.jpg
 
Bruce Banks

Bruce Banks

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Regedit32 said:
Hi and Welcome to the Forum Bruce.


I've programmed mainly in C, C#, VB, JavaScript, Java, and more recently in PowerShell although that began with Monad of course. I never really explored Cobol or Frugal much as at the time it was not too relevant to what I was working on.


Regedit32
Click to expand...
Sorry - Inside joke. I got teased about re-using PC stuff. When someone said I was cheap I said "no, I'm frugal - Scottish ancestry you know"
 
Regedit32

Regedit32

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Speaking of literal

Programmers are often accused of mixing up Halloween and Christmas

But is it really our fault given OCT 31 == DEC 25

Blame the Pagans for creating this conditional truth of sorts through their traditions :D


For the fatigued or those who simply are not into coding > http://www.rapidtables.com/convert/number/octal-to-decimal.htm ought to help you understand ;)
 
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Bruce Banks

Bruce Banks

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Regedit32 said:
Speaking of literal

Programmers are often accused of mixing up Halloween and Christmas

But is it really our fault given OCT 31 == DEC 25

Blame the Pagans for creating this conditional truth of sorts through their traditions :D


For the fatigued or those who simply are not into coding > http://www.rapidtables.com/convert/number/octal-to-decimal.htm ought to help you understand ;)
Click to expand...
Please Please stop hurting my head - The only Hex I like is Jonah Hex from the movies
 
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