mhoye (@mhoye@mastodon.social)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 16:56:06
This hotel room has a _baffling_ artefact in it embedded in a wall panel.
These are keyboard LEDs embedded in a… wall panel? What _is_ this? What was it?
(Medien: 2)
mhoye (@mhoye@mastodon.social)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 17:00:11
Further: there are three (what appears to be) rj45 jacks under the table, one labelled “data port” and two unlabelled. I didn’t bring a network cable but… I’m curious? I could get one?
Maybe there’s a secret Irish internet?
(Medien: 1)
mhoye (@mhoye@mastodon.social)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 17:12:23
Oh my god, these are terminal connections.
In the late eighties, - before the PS/2 port existed because also before the PS/2 existed -- IBM Model M keyboards had metal-shrouded RJ-45 connectors that connected to terminals-as-in-dumb-terminals, like the IBM 3101. For a while you could buy adapters that would let you plug the RJ-45 models into PS/2 connectors, but all that's long gone.
These are 40-year-old keyboard and data ports.
mhoye (@mhoye@mastodon.social)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 17:16:49
Ok now I definitely need to get a network cable, just to see if something's still living on the far side of these wires.
I mean, there's no chance. None, there is just no way.
But now I have to know.
mhoye (@mhoye@mastodon.social)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 18:09:58
You have to know that if it’s labelled with these ancient stressed-plastic stickers, this is like seeing a url with a tilde in it. This is where the old magic lives, this is the good shit.
(Medien: 1)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 18:47:51
@mhoye it's got some good retro futurism retcon working for it.
"We had to go old school tech, the high tech stuff was to eat to compromise." - explaining why the tech in the prequel movie was more sophisticated than the original filmed 30y before
Andreas Rosvall (@andreas@mstdn.dk)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 18:58:06
@mhoye I misread it as DATA FORT and for a second imagined some sort of pillow fort but with mainframes.
Now I'm just disappointed. And I want some PDP-11's and blankets to play in!
Michael / Chgowiz 🎲🎲 (@chgowiz@dice.camp)
Föderation EN Sa 14.09.2024 20:07:43
@mhoye (slowly hides my precious label maker... preciousssss....sssss.... gollum!)