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Jezza™

@jeremiah@shitposter.world remote

[CW]

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Godspeed Dr. Potter

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David Potter's computers had more influence on me than any desktop and, in many ways, predicted the future of desktops better than the desktops of the time.

Thank you, sir.

#Psion #DavidPotter

https://www.theregister.com/personal-tech/2026/07/03/david-potter-the-man-who-put-psion-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-logs-off-at-82/5266624

Replies

Replying to @jeremiah@shitposter.world

Listens to Baroque while coding murder.exe

@newt@stereophonic.space remote

@jeremiah F

It's a shame that the new Psion reboot sucked so hard

And I'm too young to have touched the original.

Replying to @newt@stereophonic.space

Lego Nute Gunray

@echo@stereophonic.space remote

@newt @jeremiah I played around with a store display model of one of these once. This and the Apple Newton were like reaching into the future at the time.

I eventually saved up a lot of money from Confirmation, Christmases, and birthdays and got an HP palmtop instead. What did teenage me really need with it? Nothing. But the fact it ran a version of DOS actually helped teach me a little about computers. I could also play Oregon Trail, Wheel of Fortune, etc. in glorious 4-shade grayscale.

Replying to @echo@stereophonic.space

Danny Sutcliffe

@danny@social.sutcliffe.xyz remote

@echo @jeremiah @newt I looked up "HP palmtop" as I had never heard of it, and came across this site as the second result lol: https://www.palmtoppaper.com/

Replying to @danny@social.sutcliffe.xyz

Lego Nute Gunray

@echo@stereophonic.space remote

@danny @jeremiah @newt I have about a dozen or so of the old physical issues.

Replying to @echo@stereophonic.space

Lego Nute Gunray

@echo@stereophonic.space remote

@danny @jeremiah @newt Holy shit, guys, five megabytes!

Replying to @echo@stereophonic.space

Lego Nute Gunray

@echo@stereophonic.space remote

@danny @jeremiah @newt And these are in 1996 burgerbucks. (Keep in mind, I "only" paid $400 for the palmtop itself.)

Replying to @echo@stereophonic.space

Danny Sutcliffe

@danny@social.sutcliffe.xyz remote

@echo @jeremiah @newt well, that ram might be worth well over $400 soon in the current market

Replying to @danny@social.sutcliffe.xyz

Jezza™

@jeremiah@shitposter.world remote

@danny @echo @newt is this the 21st century version of "save your confederate money, the south's gonna rise again"?

Replying to @echo@stereophonic.space

Jezza™

@jeremiah@shitposter.world remote

@echo @danny @newt i still have a collection of Pen Computing Magazine from it's heyday. There were weird accessories like an underarm holster... for Newtons because yanking something the size of a VHS tape out of your cargo pocket wasn't sexy enough.

Replying to @jeremiah@shitposter.world

Lego Nute Gunray

@echo@stereophonic.space remote

@jeremiah @danny @newt There was no shortage of overpriced carrying accessories for these things. I just used a small point-and-shoot camera bag that were a dime a dozen at the time. The main compartment was nearly the perfect size. The smaller compartment that was meant for extra rolls of film was great for the power adapter and cord.

I did want this clipboard, though. They should make a modern version for smartphones.

Replying to @echo@stereophonic.space

Jezza™

@jeremiah@shitposter.world remote

@echo @danny @newt mine went into the same, which is when I learned the term "man purse", and after careful consideration, began carrying a zero halliburton aluminum briefcase.

Replying to @jeremiah@shitposter.world

Lego Nute Gunray

@echo@stereophonic.space remote

@jeremiah @danny @newt It's funny, to this day, I still don't know how to carry my phone. Front or back pocket makes me afraid it'll get squished or crushed respectively when I sit down. Belt clip holsters poke me in the side (I'm still a tiny bit chubby), and don't play nice with seatbelts. I can't even use the small camera bag trick since carrying around a small camera is basically unheard-of nowadays. (I have a really nice bag for my DSLR, but I don't carry that around on a daily basis.)

Replying to @echo@stereophonic.space

Jezza™

@jeremiah@shitposter.world remote

@echo @danny @newt i have a controversial magic trick for carrying smartphones:

don't.

Leave it on your desk. maybe stick it in the car for a trip. Otherwise, don't. The peace and chill are incredible.

Replying to @jeremiah@shitposter.world

Danny Sutcliffe

@danny@social.sutcliffe.xyz remote

@jeremiah @echo @newt agreed, my phone is a glorified 2FA device for sites that require it to be via SMS. I've also removed my phone's cameras and fingerprint sensor because I'm totally not paranoid

Replying to @danny@social.sutcliffe.xyz

Jezza™

@jeremiah@shitposter.world remote

@danny @echo @newt same here! I've been trying to figure out how to get it to quit fucking asking to enable the very things i've carefully avoided enabling. I think the answer may be a new rom.

Replying to @jeremiah@shitposter.world