Running Bear's January 2022 Coffee Shop


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Patrick and Chad, I enjoyed and learned more than a few things reading your first hand accounts.
I was a System builder, but my focus was not on the technology. I was focused on making profit. I did well enough to surprise even myself. It was fast and easy money in the early days of PCs. I do find the technology and the history of it all fascinating.

I knew enough to chose quality parts, bought them wholesale from Comstor in Chantilly, VA. I assemble them and preload the software from floppy disks. I even delivered and installed them in my customer's homes for the one price. I even provided technical support.
I built quality systems and I stood behind them with a lifetime satisfaction or money back guarantee. I sold them for at least three times what the parts cost me to build them and I was still much cheaper then the national companies. I could have sold a lot more, but I was a one man operation. Looking back I'm glad I did not expand. The window for that market closed much too quickly.
Fortunately computers became obsolete so fast I only gave one customer their money back. I replaced some power supplies, a few hard drives and other things, all for free.
The system I bought back from that one customer kept getting infected. The history showed many porno sites. After cleaning the system three times It was easier and less humiliating for them to just give them their money back, "sorry I could not fix it this time." It was over a year old, but I'm a man of my word.

I was already self-employed as an industrial mechanic, Bruette Services when I launched the computer company. I previously had studied communications electronics and I had one year of computer science in college. I bought a PC, disassembled and reassembled it. I then launched my new company, Bruette Computers and started building computers. I learned what parts to use from trade magazines. Microsoft and Intel provided me with all the technical support I needed and more.

The only way to make profit year after year is to provide quality service, products and stand behind them. In addition you must be trustworthy and reliable.

Thank God for IBM, Microsoft, Intel, capitalism and for the fact that I was born in the USA.
 
Louis: I built many machines myself in the day. I worked for a company that did computers for car dealers. I was figured to be sharp, so the instructors had me by myself working the PC lab assignment. It took me 5 minutes to whip through the "bugs" they introduced, including an autoexec file that reformatted the hard drive. I even found and edited that one before it hit. So I was allowed break time until everyone was done.
An hour later, everyone was done, except one computer. After 30 minutes trying to get the machine, the instructor came out and said he was done, you did yours so quick, how about looking at the one in the lab. He comes back from a bathroom break and I'm sitting in the hallway. He asked if I had given up...nope up and running. Turned a couple of cables the proper direction.

Still doing that today. I looked at building my own again, but got the complete unit for half again what the processor alone was going to cost.
 
Patrick said:
Louis: I built many machines myself in the day. I worked for a company that did computers for car dealers. I was figured to be sharp, so the instructors had me by myself working the PC lab assignment. It took me 5 minutes to whip through the "bugs" they introduced, including an autoexec file that reformatted the hard drive. I even found and edited that one before it hit. So I was allowed break time until everyone was done.
An hour later, everyone was done, except one computer. After 30 minutes trying to get the machine, the instructor came out and said he was done, you did yours so quick, how about looking at the one in the lab. He comes back from a bathroom break and I'm sitting in the hallway. He asked if I had given up...nope up and running. Turned a couple of cables the proper direction.

Still doing that today. I looked at building my own again, but got the complete unit for half again what the processor alone was going to cost.
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From 1989 to 1991 I built and sold over 200 computers. Started making good money as a side job. Then my supplier Milwaukee Computers decided since I wasn’t a store they couldn’t sell to me. Finally after talking to the owner he said fine we will supply you but at these prices. Then Microsoft changed the way the way they sold the license to me. That ended that. Full time then working for the brother and no complaints until the last year before retirement

The son still builds his own gaming machines about every 3-4 months. I shake my head at what he gets for his broken in (pre-owned) machines. Graphic cards now are crazy pricey.

TomO
 
I've been through that adventure a couple times building video editor machines that could process HD/BlueRay and 4K video in real time plus manage the Terabytes of storage. Takes a bit of study to make sure all your components will work together with the video editing software. My current video editor, an HP Z440 is a turnkey system. I just didn't want to go through that learning curve again.
 
NYC_George said:
So Boris I don't see any steam generator stacks on the engine, so this was a freight switcher? It looks like the loco they used to switch out Gand Central Terminal with. It has the 3rd rail pickup shoes? George

View attachment 138552
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George: In our time it probably was relegated to switcher service. Once they brought the T motors from Cleveland, I'm guessing they were demoted. Remember, I'm from the Red Side, but I have run into and out of GCT on occasion, during Col. Klink's tenure as Metro Region Commuter Czar.
 
I built computers from parts as a business back in the mid 90s for a short while. I also sold a local builders machines. However it was a lot of work to try and get customers and I ended up stopping that and going back to work as a software engineer. I kept it up on the side during that software job but eventually just gave up as the job was much more lucrative. I had started as part of my business I had started after getting laid off from WordPerfect (Novell) when they did the second mass layoff after buying out WordPerfect.

I continued to build my own for a while and before I virtualized my hosting business I also built all the servers (rack mounts, fancy raid, etc) for that business. If I were running windows I'd build it myself, but have just concentrated on the Mac side as I don't have time to play games that require monster machines. I am mostly strategy games and stuff which work on Mac or on lower powered PCs (which I have some older intel based Macs with Windows on them). I may build one next year after the house is done but we'll see.
 
What is interesting about Windows NT is that it was started and lead in its infancy at Microsoft by a guy named Dave Cutler, who had been at DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation) and had been involved in several operating system efforts there. He had lead their Seattle based R&D facility called DECWest and when DEC decided to close DECWest, Cutler left with a number of his engineers to Microsoft where he headed up the NT effort. Looking at NT internals (at least initially) you could see a lot of basic influence from his DEC operating system background. (We're talking original NT, not the later W2K or post W98, NT based stuff. Which would still have the basic architecture I would supposed but which had been developed so much further that it is probably harder, I am guessing -- no personal knowledge -- to see the influence.
 
Caps really looked bad at home against Boston...losing 7-3....looks like the Bruins are finally on a roll. Meanwhile the Caps keep testing positive. :(

Spent a lot of time on the layout today. mostly switching and making up trains then moving them to the other side. Worked out nicely, as I was interested enough to skip the afternoon nap. I stripped the cab of the Alco S2, 1986 version Atlas DGLE paint. Turned the alcohol a surprising shade of medium green... The hood may stay Pennsylvania, with some dullcoat to kill the sheen, and a little weathering. Alternative, is to patch out the Pennsylvania for keystone decals. I need to order a firecracker antenna, a single flute horn, and possibly a bell. Have to check photos..possibly a spark arrestor. I'm using the 1966 number. New silent decoder is in the custody of the Postal Service, currently in Queens. Wonder how long it will take to get here?

Atlas S2 Reclaimation Project January 2022.jpg

The before photo...
S2 Reclamation Project 2.jpg

Cab after paint removal.
 
Good evening from still cold Wisconsin. -2f degrees and the winds finally are gone, it feels like -2 . Heading lower but with no wind it feels well cold!

Had good intentions for this evening in the train room but never got there. Not a college football person but the Championship is on. I also fell to sleep for the second quarter into the late 3rd quarter. Missed field goals only. But the nap was great.

We did not go to the UW Women exhibition hockey game against tier 2 UW Eau Claire team. The daughter played for both. 2000 to 2002 for Eau Claire and 2003 for the Badgers but never saw game time with the Badgers. 15-1 Badgers win as they should.

Terry and I have been discussing not going to see the Broadway Touring show Mean Girls this coming Thursday. Covid is rampaging throughout Wisconsin. No more worries, the cast has Covid and the show is rescheduled into 2023 with a DTBD. They emailed 2 hours ago and we can get the refund, get a credit or donate it.

The rail has not been replaced

TomO
E56D959B-11A1-473E-9F16-FFFAAAF9D256.jpeg
 
Tom that was dirty pool what Milwaukee computers did to you. Things were different 30-40 years ago. When I tried to get my first Costco account the dragon lady at the customer service desk gave me a hard time. She did not want to accept my business card as proof of my business. Finally a manager came over and signed me up. I asked him "do you really need to see my articles of incorporation?!"

Chad, I caught a break selling computers. I donated a computer to my local little league to raffle off at registration. I set one up and had it running when the parents came into sign up their kids for baseball. I also sponsored the team I coached. After that I had people waiting weeks for me to build their computer. Also an ad in my Parrish bulletin brought me more customers than I needed. Right time right place, most people did not yet have a computer and almost everyone wanted one.

Patrick it came easy to me as well. In computer science class we worked out if a book. I finished the book in a couple of weeks and my professor let me sit in the back writing programs (games) and play testing them. Looking back I probably should have marketed the games!

Sherrel, don't feel bad, you are doing good. I had a customer call me once saying "I can't get this thing (laptop) open!" I told him to turn it around, that solved the problem.

Boris, if IBM had been better at marketing they could be the three trillion dollar, most valuable company in the world. On the other hand the world of computers may not have advanced so fast.
 
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bnsf971 said:
I would consider that a pretty serious insult...

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To us head bangers that was not an insult, it was a badge of honor!

Do you remember Dee Snider testifying before Congress? I think it went something like this "Mr. Snider, tell us what an SMF is"... I loved the answer 😂

The good old days of the heavy metal witch trials. Idiots in Congress is nothing new.

That reminds me. " just say no" yeah, that worked!

My favorite from Twisted Sister
 
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Christmas is over, no more Polar Express to play with.

Christian has given me an idea I have been toying with. I could build a layout table. I still have the top pieces of the ping pong table I used for my first layout. The table could be used to set up one of the many RTR (ready to run) sets I have. I could make a video of them. I could watch the videos anytime. I could even use some O48 or maybe even O60 track to run some of my bigger stuff! The table could do double duty and be used as a serving table for our annual 4th of July party.

I don't like the idea of no trains to play with and my time is limited, not to mention my poor energy level. I want something to bridge the gap until I get to work on my permanent layout.
 
Bruette said:
Patrick and Chad, I enjoyed and learned more than a few things reading your first hand accounts.
I was a System builder, but my focus was not on the technology. I was focused on making profit. I did well enough to surprise even myself. It was fast and easy money in the early days of PCs. I do find the technology and the history of it all fascinating.

I knew enough to chose quality parts, bought them wholesale from Comstor in Chantilly, VA. I assemble them and preload the software from floppy disks. I even delivered and installed them in my customer's homes for the one price. I even provided technical support.
I built quality systems and I stood behind them with a lifetime satisfaction or money back guarantee. I sold them for at least three times what the parts cost me to build them and I was still much cheaper then the national companies. I could have sold a lot more, but I was a one man operation. Looking back I'm glad I did not expand. The window for that market closed much too quickly.
Fortunately computers became obsolete so fast I only gave one customer their money back. I replaced some power supplies, a few hard drives and other things, all for free.
The system I bought back from that one customer kept getting infected. The history showed many porno sites. After cleaning the system three times It was easier and less humiliating for them to just give them their money back, "sorry I could not fix it this time." It was over a year old, but I'm a man of my word.

I was already self-employed as an industrial mechanic, Bruette Services when I launched the computer company. I previously had studied communications electronics and I had one year of computer science in college. I bought a PC, disassembled and reassembled it. I then launched my new company, Bruette Computers and started building computers. I learned what parts to use from trade magazines. Microsoft and Intel provided me with all the technical support I needed and more.

The only way to make profit year after year is to provide quality service, products and stand behind them. In addition you must be trustworthy and reliable.

Thank God for IBM, Microsoft, Intel, capitalism and for the fact that I was born in the USA.
Click to expand...
Don't think it's the USA thing, more like a bloody good work ethic, tbh.
 
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