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Christopher Drum

@christopherdrum.bsky.social

140 followers 210 following 310 posts

A nerd doing nerdy things that sometimes delight other nerds, most of which are at: christopherdrum.itch.io Fediverse (Mastodon, et al): @[email protected]

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 4d

New post just went live. I examine the first #spreadsheet, #VisiCalc, and learn a lesson about the benefits of mundanity in software. Guest appearance by your favorite grain: sorghum! #retrocomputing

Stone Tools @stonetoolsblog.bsky.social · 4d

🪨🛠️ VisiCalc on the Apple 2

Happy #SpreadsheetDay! This time, I examine how much DNA from the first spreadsheet remains in today's software by calculating protein levels of ration formulation for swine, as you do.

stonetools.ghost.io/visicalc-app...

#RetroComputing #visicalc #spreadsheet #apple2

VisiCalc on the Apple II

In 1978, Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston took out a loan to fund development of "Calcu-ledger," the very tool that could project if taking out a loan were fiscally prudent. In 2025, VisiCalc still has ...

stonetools.ghost.io

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 2d

I'm not sure what all could be accessed/controlled by the remote, but the Macintosh TV predates that Tulip by a couple of years. It shipped with an IR remote and had a built-in cable tuner. IR ports were included on some Performas as well in that time frame, IIRC.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macinto...

Macintosh TV - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Reposted by Christopher Drum

NPR @npr.org · 3d

Shohei Ohtani propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a two-way performance for the ages. n.pr/43hFotw

Shohei Ohtani hits 3 homers and strikes out 10 in Dodgers' clinching 5-1 NLCS win over Brewers

Shohei Ohtani propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back to the World Series with a two-way performance for the ages.

n.pr

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 4d

When I think about what to cover next I often find myself thinking, "Is this even productivity software?" My tagline "No games; just work." perhaps is more correct.

Lotus has a few titles I want to look at. Agenda had not crossed my path yet, but it looks like a perfect fit to the blog. Thank you!

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Reposted by Christopher Drum

Tombmas Spooks @thomasfuchs.at · 4d

Thank you for this wonderful software archeology. The history of "productivity" (whatever that means exactly) software is really not well explored.

I'm hoping for a Lotus Agenda article (or PIM in general) in the future! :D

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 4d

New post just went live. I examine the first #spreadsheet, #VisiCalc, and learn a lesson about the benefits of mundanity in software. Guest appearance by your favorite grain: sorghum! #retrocomputing

Stone Tools @stonetoolsblog.bsky.social · 4d

VisiCalc on the Apple II

stonetools.ghost.io

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 5d

"Radical Dems claim the president is breaking the law. As well all know, the only laws that exist are the ones the public can cite off the tops of their heads. But you there at home, watching this right now, can't name such a law, right? So logically, that means there's no law being broken."

Reposted by Christopher Drum

Ryan Mac 🙃 @rmac.bsky.social · 6d

this is the dumbest shit i have ever read

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 10d

This is fake. Not just her weird blobby hands, but watch the chair. It spins around when she jumps up, but then she sits down as though it were oriented properly. Then she places her hands *under* the tabletop to continue away from her notes.

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 11d

Allow replies? YES/NO
<If YES, ungrey options>
Everybody
My followers
etc...
<if lists count is <= 5, just show them, don't hide under widget>

Personally, I would save the selection automatically rather than making it a choice to save each time. How much list management fiddling do people need?

Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 14d

Well they're countable, so there can't be THAT many.

Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 17d

Thank you for the shout-out, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Reposted by Christopher Drum

Retro Viator @retroviator.com · 17d

I’m enjoying reading @christopherdrum.bsky.social deep dive into vintage productivity software at stonetools.ghost.io

Stone Tools

Exploring retro productivity software from the 8/16-bit era. No games, just work.

stonetools.ghost.io

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 18d

I spent some time getting to know Superbase on the C64. While using it, I was revisited by a ghost from the past who tried to make trouble for me. When all hope was lost, with the power of BASIC, I overcame my enemy. Intrigued to know more? Read on!
#retrocomputing #stonetools #superbase #c64

Stone Tools @stonetoolsblog.bsky.social · 18d

🪨🛠️ "Superbase on the Commodore 64"

Dreaming of a "paperless office?" You'll need a database to make it happen. Superbase promises to help you ditch those antiquated filing cabinets. If only the manual would explain how.
stonetools.ghost.io/superbase-c64

#RetroComputing #Superbase #Databases #C64

Superbase on the Commodore 64

In the 70s and 80s, the "office of the future" remained tantalizingly close, ever slightly out of reach, but definitely almost here. I'll commandeer the family C64 and rebuild my business into a "pape...

stonetools.ghost.io

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 21d

I call dibs on M.U.L.E., Deluxe Paint, Archon, Pinball Construction Set, and The Immortal

Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 21d

This administration seems to be made of nothing but adolescent boys and girls cosplaying as "very serious adults," desperate for the attention and respect their self-ascribed titles demand, while also frantically trying to distract from legitimate inspections of their comically bad performances.

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 21d

I just installed Mint Linux on a 13 year old laptop this past weekend. It was previously on Windows 8 (!). Night-and-day difference in performance. *If* you have a real use for the machine, I think you have a good option with Linux. But otherwise, I'd lean toward "get rid of things you don't need."

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Reposted by Christopher Drum

Kikki Planet @kikkiplanet.bsky.social · 22d

There have been 6 mass shootings in the USA over the past 24 hours. The casualty count stands at 41.

Here’s the President of the United States of America.

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 25d

"Uggh... you're like the seventh person to ask me that today!"

Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 25d

"I have been asked by many people about the life and times of Amelia Earhart" is an objectively funny thing for that guy, of all people, to state as a fact. Real "I am familiar with the works of Pablo Neruda" vibes.

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Reposted by Christopher Drum

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 26d

Starbucks is closing stores and cutting 900 jobs in a restructuring move.

1,100 jobs were slashed earlier this year.

Reminder that Starbucks’ CEO made 6,666x more than the company's median employee in 2024.

This was the widest CEO-to-Worker pay gap in the entire S&P 500.

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · 28d

Nice to meet you!

Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · Sep 20

A new article is up! How can PepsiCo, Mork & Mindy, a jewelry company, and a beach bum come together in a review of a #wordprocessor on the #trs80? You'll just have to read and find out! #retrocomputing

stonetools.ghost.io/electricpenc...

Electric Pencil on the TRS-80

A disillusioned filmmaker turned beach bum turned a hobby project into millions by creating the first word processor for home computers. His creation was so compelling a jewelry salesman reinvented hi...

stonetools.ghost.io

Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · Sep 19

If someone pays $1 Million, comes to America, and tells a joke about the president on TV will they lose the card?

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Reposted by Christopher Drum

Kat Abughazaleh @katmabu.bsky.social · Sep 19

They just tear-gassed us. They tried to run us over in a van holding a peaceful protester. They shot us with pepper balls. They dragged another protester into the facility.

shawn @mulchy.bsky.social · Sep 19

moments ago, ice agents again came out of the broadview detention/“professing” facility to escort a silver suv out of the lot.

one of the agents picked up and threw congressional candidate kat abughazaleh to the ground.

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Christopher Drum @christopherdrum.bsky.social · Sep 19

Weird timing on this. Recently I spent a bunch of time matching up typefaces to old TV shows, including The Rockford Files. Now, later today, I'm publishing the next article on my new blog and it contains a similar X-Files mashup style joke. It's nice to know I'm in good company.