As a reader of Al’s Geek Lab’s posts, I’d like to give you an opportunity to send me any questions (in the comments section) for an upcoming ask me anything video. Ideally your questions are related to retro computing, infosec, Linuxy / FOSS things, YouTube, but feel free to literally ask me anything! I won’t set a date for the AMA, I’ll just wait for enough interesting questions to come in, so go on! Don’t be shy! Let me know what you’d like to hear from me and I’ll do my darnedest to answer your questions in a video soon! Idk I think it sounds like a fun idea!
Scan networks like a pro with NMAP (Full tutorial)
If you’ve ever wondered how to find rogue devices on a network, scan other networks for interesting machines, rapidly find out what operating systems or software service versions are running on hosts on a given network and a whole bunch more, then NMAP is the free, open-source tool for you. And boy, you’re in for a treat, because here’s a full tutorial, courtesy of Al’s Geek Lab. There’s enough in this video to make you a competent network reconnaissance individual. Remember, with great power, comes great responsibility, so use this information wisely and legally!
BBS File Distribution Networks & Games Servers
Some BBSes (Bulletin Boards) are members of Game networks that allow gamers from all over to join in and play in leagues, and also there are BBSes that are members of massive file distribution networks which have terabytes of files to share. Want to know how to get in on the action? Just watch this video!
Whilst I’m at it, here are some personal recommendations of some great BBSes to try out, including my own one!:
The Quantum Wormhole bbs.erb.pw
The Bottomless Abyss bbs.bottomlessabyss.net (port 2023)
Al’s Geek Lab BBS bbs.alsgeeklab.com (port 2323)
20 For Beers 20forbeers.com (port 1337)
The Underground theunderground.us (port 10023)
The Agency BBS agency.bbs.nz
Absinthe BBS absinthebbs.net (port 1940)
Wizards Rainbow wizardsrainbow.com (host to Black Country Rock games)
The Vault BBS thevaultbbs.ddns.net (port 2323)
Behind the scenes at the Geek Lab!
I originally made this video a while back exclusively for Patron viewers, however I recently decided to open it up to everyone. It gives an exclusive look into how I make my videos, as well as some pet projects, yet to become AGL videos. They are literally strewn across the room!
If you’d like to help out the channel, don’t forget you can donate (from as little as $1 a month!) either on Patreon (https://patreon.com/alsgeeklab) or by clicking on the Join button in YouTube.
Click the link below to watch the video!
Easily run Windows 3.x/16 bit apps in Windows 10/11 with WineVDM (no VM!)
If you’ve ever tried to use old Windows 3.x (or even 1.0 and 2.x) apps on Windows 8,10 or 11, you’ll find that generally they don’t work. Now, you can install a virtual machine with Windows 3.x on it then install the software, but it’s never integrated with your real operating system. Imagine if I told you you could install and run Windows 16 and 32 bit applications within Win64 without issue? Well, watch and see as I run up a bunch of Windows 2.x applications, followed by a full demo of me running Setup and installing Word 6 for Windows NT 3.5 and have it print using my real Windows 10 printer subsystem.
Back to the BBS Episode 7: The Music Tracker Scene
Starting with the Commodore Amiga, Module tracker music was the first widely used consumer grade sampled audio. It made huge inroads in computer games and the Demoscene from the late ’80s onwards. This episode of Back to the BBS starts off from where the last episode on the Demoscene left off. Interviews in this episode include members of the legendary Demo group, The Future Crew: musicians Purple Motion (Jonne Valtonen) and Skaven (Peter Hajba) join cTrix (Chris Mylrae), TDK (Mark Knight) and Trixter / Mobygamer (Jim Leonard). We talk about the equipment, how the music was made, how the demoscene adopted the format as well as fame and fortune with the games industry. This is a bumper episode that you don’t want to miss!
Back to the BBS Episode 6: The Demoscene
Although not part of BBSes per se, a lot of the demoscene started from distributing software that showed off the capabilities of what a computer could do. The demoscene is still going strong today. This documentary charts back the history right through to the current day, introducing where demos came from, what the demoscene is all about, speaking to the legendary Jim ‘Trixter’ Leonard (@The Oldskool PC ) of 8088 MPH and Mobygames fame, as well as Vegard ‘Shady’ Skefstad of the Crusaders, founder of The Gathering demoparty in Norway, as well as Bill ‘Retrotech’ Hart (of @PCRetroTech ) and Rowan ‘Cthulu’ Lipkovits. This action packed episode takes you on the road from where it all began, with simple cracktros on the 8-bits, to the crazy parties and the professional side of it all. Some wonderful footage of some great demos too!
I made my partner use DOS!
Call it a ‘social’ experiment, call it torture… whatever you like(!) but I often wonder what it would be like for people if they were made to go back to using a command line computer (in this case DOS, a 1980s era operating system that was the precursor to Windows). As I know DOS pretty well, I can’t un-learn what it’s like to use DOS, and I’m also a pretty tech-savvy person, but I wonder what it would be like for the average Joe (or Josephina) to learn a computer that isn’t driven by a GUI with its Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers…
The following video is the result of that social experiment. I’m sorry Kristina.. well.. half sorry!
New Zealand Lower North Island Vintage Computer Show and Tell 24th Oct, 2021
A great day out here in the Lower North Island of New Zealand where owners of vintage computers got to show off their machines, talk about them and have fun.
On display was the following computers:
- Atari: Atari 800, XEGS, 130XE and the 800XL
- Apple Computers:The Apple Lisa, Apple IIGS
- Oric:The Oric Atmos 48K, Oric One
- IBM:The IBM PC Jx, 5155 PC Portable
- Sinclair: Cambridge Z88, Sinclair ZX Spectrum, ZX Spectrum Plus, ZX Spectrum 128K, ZX Spectrum +2 and +3 (in box), Sinclair ZX80, another home-made ZX80 (in a calculator case!), a Sinclair ZX81, the new ZX Spectrum Next.
- Commodore: PET 8096-SK, PET 8032, PET 4016, Commodore Amiga A1200HD
- S100/Kit computers: The ‘Dream 6800’ S-100 kit computer, The MSI 6800 University Trainer machine, the SWTPC 6809
- The rest: Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 4, Memotech MTX 512, MB Vectrex, Panasonic MSX CF2700, The Backplane Pro (s100 style modern machine).
Bonus content!
If you become a member of my channel by pressing Join, or by becoming a Patron, there is a full length version of this video with bonus content showing how great the Apple Lisa was to service, as well as the Lisa Operating System. All of the Sinclair stuff, including a UHF broadcast from a Raspberry Pi, as well as more detail on the MTX, Oric’s and more!
Back to the BBS Part 5: The Underground (HPAVc/Warez)
In this episode of Back to the BBS, we take a step down memory lane to look at where the darker side of the Internet came from. We examine Warez BBSes and explain what HPAVC boards were all about (Hacking, Phreaking, Anarchy, Virii, Cracking & Carding). We interview Dan Smolders who recalls what life was like for the average underground BBS user, and chat with ‘deathr0w’, who talks about the race to release warez, and how modern day warez is released.
Despite being involved with some illegal activity more than 20 years ago, ‘deathr0w’ still requires anonymity today!