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2024-10-12 19:01:46 UTC

The Last Psion | Alex on Nostr: Moved instance, so time for a new #introduction! I'm Alex and I have a PDA problem. ...

Moved instance, so time for a new #introduction!

I'm Alex and I have a PDA problem.

In 2018, after 16 years of using various #Psion portables, I decided to try my hand at developing hardware and software for my beloved Series 3c to help me with journalling and creative writing.

6 years and repeated sidequests later, I've ended up doing a *lot* of research into the SIBO/EPOC16 platform, and done my best to document it when I can. I've also nudged former developers into open sourcing their old Psion apps.

My current main projects are:<li><a href="https://oldbytes.space/tags/PsiDrive"; class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>PsiDrive</span></a>, an <a href="https://oldbytes.space/tags/RP2040"; class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>RP2040</span></a>-based USB drive for SIBO SSDs.</li><li>Rewriting the Psion SIBO (16-bit 8086) C SDK, including updating the docs (with <a href="https://oldbytes.space/tags/AsciiDoc"; class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>AsciiDoc</span></a>) and rewriting the original DOS tools as FOSS apps. I'm currently using <a href="https://oldbytes.space/tags/FreePascal"; class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>FreePascal</span></a> to create a drop-in replacement for <a href="https://oldbytes.space/tags/CTRAN"; class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>CTRAN</span></a>, the Psion OO C preprocessor. (I want to eventually write a new compiler targeting EPOC16. Eventually.)</li><li>Anything else that tickles my bouncy brain.</li>

Outside of #retrocomputing, I'm your common-or-garden British nerd. I'm a Linux user - mostly Arch, but I dabble with others. I also like a bit of #HaikuOS and I'm planning on giving #FreeBSD a go very soon.

I used to be a senior computer monkey, specialising in on-prem SME infrastructure (I lament the loss of vSphere). Now I train others to become computer monkeys (for better or worse). As a result, sometimes you'll see me wrestling with old Cisco ASAs, Ubiquiti APs, or modded kit running #OpenWrt.

Generally, I like making things do stuff, especially if it's stuff that the thing wasn't originally designed to do.