iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

So, years ago when I was a teenager, I wanted to put my ATi Radeon 9200 into my Power Mac G4. To do that, I needed Mac firmware. It didn’t work… and neither did the graphics card. This video details the process of fixing that little gaffe. makertube.net/w/sh5QtSjkh7...

makertube.net

Let's Fix a Video Card I BRICKED Years Ago.

Yes. I literally bricked a video card in my teens. Many years ago, I decided to use an ATi Radeon 9200 I pulled from an old MDG computer as an upgrade for my Power Mac G4. Mac video cards had diffe...

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Just a reminder to be careful with posts sharing sad stories and asking for donations. Not every story is what it seems. For example, brand-new accounts posting the same thing everywhere are a pretty big red flag.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Long shot. Posting anyways. What do you prefer? - Fixing a Video Card I Bricked as a Teenager - I Bricked a Video Card Years Ago. Can I Fix It? - Can I Fix the Video Card I Bricked as a Teenager? - I Broke This Video Card. Now Let’s Fix It.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Did a final computer count. Had I never gotten rid of a single computer that has been in my collection, I’d probably have at least 115 different computers. Yep. Current population is between 74 and 76, so still substantial, but not what it could’ve been!

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I made a stand-in for lining up the camera. I decided I should make it look more artistic. I made a monster. Its name is Big Bertha the Destroyer. I put it away at night. I do not need to encounter it at head-height in the dark.

Screenshot from the Blackmagic Camera app showing a 2009 aluminum iMac on a desk in an unfinished basement, with an older beige Dell tower to the left. To the right of the iMac is Big Bertha the Destroyer, a white mannequin head on an adjustable stand with a deliberately creepy face drawn on in Sharpie, being used as a stand-in to frame the camera.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I wish more people would realize the cost-effectiveness of an EV. I discovered it by accident, and now my Toyota bZ costs less per month than my Toyota Corolla ever did. Even despite the slightly higher loan and insurance.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I made a video talking about my own experiences switching to an EV, and I thought this would be a good place to share it. I don’t mean to come off as “ooh, look at me!”, but I wanted to share my experience in a more detailed way. makertube.net/w/xaJTJ9irnT...

makertube.net

My Experience Switching to an Electric Vehicle (2026 Toyota bZ)

Back in March of 2026, I traded my 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback with 6-speed manual for a 2026 Toyota bZ AWD. As someone who drives for a living, it has so far been a very positive experience and ...

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Oh dearie me I finally finished a video.

A computer monitor displaying a video project in DaVinci Resolve 20, open to the Deliver tab for export. The project timeline contains numerous video and audio clips, with thumbnails showing a man speaking to the camera. In the preview window, a black 2026 Toyota bZ electric SUV is parked on a residential street with the Calgary skyline in the background.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Oh right, kinda forgot about those! Planned obsolescence aside, vacuums are often one of those things that are always good when they’re good. Unless it breaks catastrophically, of course.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Still alive. Just… haven’t been feeling that motivation to do any video projects lately.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Vacuum cleaners are so odd because people hang onto those forever! People don’t hang onto old computers or phones. Well… I do, but that’s different! We’ve still got our Kirby G4. Still serviced, still gets parts, still sucks as ever.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

I figure too, since there’s no guarantee I’ll be living where I am for much longer, I probably won’t bother if we’re just going to move out in a year or two because of that cost. If it were $600, great. But it’s not $600 for me, so right now, Level 1 is just fine for me.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

For me at least, it hasn’t been a big deal, since the cost to install Level 2 at my house is rather high, mainly because load management is code-required in my area (and being at 81A on our 100A service necessitates it anyways), I was mainly surprised by how usable Level 1 was though.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

I thought I’d need Level 2 at home pretty quickly, but it’s been four busy months. I might never actually have it installed because I just don’t need to. If needed, a short top-up at a public charger every now and again is just fine.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

My bZ has generally cost me about $30CAD/mo at home. Even with Level 1 charging, I almost never need public charging, despite my high mileage habits. My car has a rating of 468km, but it’s kind of irrelevant now, how far I can go when I charge at home.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

If I see such a sign on a storefront, I think I’ll be looking for a different store. That’s a step too far, much the same way requiring government ID or facial scans for age verification on random websites is.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

I think it’s really cool that they were doing these sorts of things at a time when it was still common for mainframes to output information to physical teletypes.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Very, very simple line drawings on a screen. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compute...

en.wikipedia.org

Computer graphics - Wikipedia

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Ugh, the activational dysfunction is real. Just gotta do that new voiceover, put the clips together, and get it sent off. And yet I’ve been putting it off.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

I live in the city, by the way. I’m not exactly thrilled about this.

A neon green sticky note is stuck to a front door, above the gold and black lock and door handle, with the words “Check for MOOSE” written on it in pink marker.

In the narrow space between two houses, a security camera photo looking downwards shows a female moose and her two babies casually standing around. The grass is vivid green, and a trash bin and compost bin can be seen alongside the house.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

This is probably one of my favourite eras for computer design. That post-beige, but not quite black and silver design language is so interesting to me.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

I’d almost say I regret switching sooner, but honestly I wanted a Toyota, and I had to wait for that. Looked at three different EVs before this one, and none were quite right for me. I was much more comfortable with Toyota to actually make the switch.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Okay, I swear to you this video is unaltered and there is no SSD in this computer. Honest to goodness… I have never seen a Pentium III computer boot this fast. #oldcomputer #windowsme #pentiumiii #pentium3 #retrocomputer #crt

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

I was feeling masochistic and wanted a Windows Me gaming PC. This Dimension 4100 (on the right) fit that aesthetic well. It has AGP 4x! Working on a loop as we speak. #retrocomputer #windowsme #crt #retrocomputing #vintagecomputer #2000snostalgia #90snostalgia #oldcomputer

A vintage early-2000s setup with a Dell Dimension 4100 connected to an IBM 2124 CRT monitor displaying the Windows Me desktop. Horizontal scan-line bands and refresh artifacts are visible across the CRT screen from the camera shutter interacting with the monitor refresh rate. The CRT sits on a Compaq Deskpro EN system unit, accompanied by silver Harman/Kardon speakers, a Dell QuietKey keyboard, and a generic beige mouse. A pink sticky note with a doodled finger wagging “no” and the words “no :)” covers the Windows 98 sticker on the Dell tower as a joke. On the desktop, icons for the games Stronghold, Need for Speed: High Stakes, and Zuma Deluxe are visible.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

I think hybrids are pretty neat, but it wasn’t financially worth it for me to trade for one, and in my mind, a plug-in hybrid didn’t make sense because it has EV costs, but with gas costs and maintenance. If I got a hybrid years ago though, I might not have gotten a BEV now.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Don’t forget to never click links in unknown or unexpected messages anywhere you get them!

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

They definitely do seem popular. I’m seeing more and more on the roads. I, for one, was able to get some pretty solid incentives and discounts that made it very affordable for me. I got the Canadian federal incentive, which helped me a lot.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Anecdotally, I’ve had multiple people say they’re hard to get (even in southern Alberta), and multiple dealers tell me they had a hard time keeping demo units. I had one person say they had to order one because any time one showed up, it sold quickly. I see this when watching dealer stock too.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Precisely my thoughts! I’m EV-enthusiast, but I wasn’t comfortable trading my Corolla for anything other than another Toyota. The bZ was reportedly Toyota’s best selling car in Canada for Feb. 2026, and the C-HR is poised to sell even better, and it makes me happy to see.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

From my understanding, Toyota wants to position their EVs as the safe and sensible options, rather than high-tech, flashy, or wild. For people who may have been hesitant about Hyundai/Kia or Tesla, a Toyota may be the one they trust, as was my case.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

The bZ is meant to be as “normal” as possible for new EV owners. It is a compact SUV, but plenty spacious. The C-HR EV is a bit smaller, but they also have the bZ Woodland which is like a Subaru Outback, and the Highlander EV is coming soon too.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Yeah, true enough. I see lots of different places in my job, I just don’t see enough apartment buildings with chargers installed for me to think optimistically (right now, anyways). Adoption in my locale is slower than other areas, so that probably plays some role in what I see happening here.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

I’d think so too, but… well, a lot of management tends to be on the “I don’t wanna spend the money right now” mindset. I live in a house now, but I wonder what my situation would be like if I moved into an apartment. Some buildings have them, but most don’t even have Level 1 in underground spaces.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

That’s the other thing I’ve wondered about too. Over time, EV uptake increases, but building service is limited, so they can’t have dozens of cars charging at once. What I’ve seen so far is that chargers are few, but provisions for more exist. But for older buildings this is a challenge.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

From my understanding, the Toyota bZ is proving popular, and the C-HR is likely to be more popular than that. I can personally attest to the bZ - I love this car!

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Well, I like my coffee, so… I can start using it immediately!

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

In my locale, the city had a program to help older apartment buildings install EV charging. Newer buildings also do too. It depends on management, but sometimes charging spots are shared, other times they rearrange parking, or other solutions as well. It depends on area, but there is progress.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

I drive lots for my job (100km+/day normal). I worried about needing public chargers frequently since I still don’t have Level 2 at home. But most of the time, public charging has been an “at my convenience” sort of thing, not a necessity. I really don’t NEED Level 2, and it’s been great so far.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

“My car’s battery lasts longer than my bladder” I think I’m gonna have archive that one for future use!

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

So. I’ve managed to average 0.0kWh/100KM on two separate trips (4-6km). That happened on a route which was largely downhill, minimal stopping and going, low speeds, and mild weather with no climate usage. The return trip is… not that, but I just find that so interesting I had to mention it.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Man, this place is gonna be so beautiful when it’s all done! Like a mini Computer Reset!

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

I got another Level 1 EV charging update. Last night, 18 hours of 120v charge time got me 21% increase in charge (65% to 86%). Not a lot, right? Well today, I drove over 100km. I only used 17% of the battery - 86% to 69%. Very efficient driving helped, but that’s an example of how Level 1 is useful.

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Richie’s Computer Stuff @richiegolds.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

I actively blacklist websites that do this using web browser extensions.

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