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Disable Windows 10 task view or timeline on a Parallels virtual machine

This is mostly for my own sanity, because I keep losing the Parallels KB page link. On a Windows 10 virtual machine running inside Parallels, some random touch pad or mouse movement opens up what is variously called the Task View or Timeline, depending on the version of Windows 10. Either way, it’s annoying andContinue reading Disable Windows 10 task view or timeline on a Parallels virtual machine

Core memory in IBM mainframes from 55 years ago

Did you know that computer memory used to be stored in cores linked by hand-woven nets of copper wire? The core was a small ferrite ring (iron because magnetic), and wires were woven between them to read or set the electrical current in that magnetic ring (which ran clockwise or anti-clockwise depending on the value).Continue reading Core memory in IBM mainframes from 55 years ago

Converting a VMware thick-provisioned disk to thin-provisioned

Tonight on my ESXi host I noticed that I accidentally created a virtual machine with a thick-provisioned disk of 127 GB which was only using 13 GB, so I wanted to free up the 114 GB for other VMs. The following instructions were extremely useful in resolving this problem: Turn off the VM which containsContinue reading Converting a VMware thick-provisioned disk to thin-provisioned

Thoughts and considerations about what I’m doing with my life

The Internet has a long memory and my blog is 17 years old. That said, my website has been around in various forms for over 23 years so it’s not like I don’t have a wealth of content to be embarrassed by. Reading old posts has reminded me, often in excruciating detail, of who IContinue reading Thoughts and considerations about what I’m doing with my life

Yes, Mary Poppins is racist, but not because of “coal-blackened faces”

This is the most ridiculous headline I’ve read today, and I’ve been awake a bunch of hours already. Twitter Disputes Claim That ‘Mary Poppins’ Is Racist Because Of Characters’ Coal-Blackened Faces This is in reference to an article written in the New York Times this week by Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, an American professor who lectures onContinue reading Yes, Mary Poppins is racist, but not because of “coal-blackened faces”

In which Randolph almost dies by misadventure with a microwave

It has been said that I am the luckiest person I know, not least because I keep avoiding death by misadventure. At times I feel like Devon Sawa in Final Destination. One evening in November 2017, my lovely husband made dinner as usual, before going off to work at the hospital. It was chicken, andContinue reading In which Randolph almost dies by misadventure with a microwave