A repository of bug-fixed and patched software projects for DEC PDP-11 systems, targeting real hardware, SimH, and PiDP-11 emulators running RT-11 and RSX-11M-PLUS. The two main projects are FIG-FORTH v1.4, which corrects garbled terminal output and a corrupted screen file, and FOCAL-11 V11-01C, which fixes an infinite recursion crash in the FEXP function.
- FIG-FORTH originally marked dictionary names with a high bit that modern terminals rendered as a literal "?" character; the patch strips it before display without affecting the dictionary
- The FORTH.DAT file was distributed with a VARIABLE RMS record format, embedding 2-byte length headers every 512 bytes that appeared as stray characters in screens
- FOCAL-11's XFEXP computed e^x by recursively halving the exponent until it fell below -8, but zero's exponent never decreases, so the recursion ran the stack into memory; all other math functions already had a depth guard
- FOCAL is a BASIC-like language from the late 1960s; Lunar Lander was originally written in it
- FIG-FORTH originally marked dictionary names with a high bit that modern terminals rendered as a literal "?" character; the patch strips it before display without affecting the dictionary
- The FORTH.DAT file was distributed with a VARIABLE RMS record format, embedding 2-byte length headers every 512 bytes that appeared as stray characters in screens
- FOCAL-11's XFEXP computed e^x by recursively halving the exponent until it fell below -8, but zero's exponent never decreases, so the recursion ran the stack into memory; all other math functions already had a depth guard
- FOCAL is a BASIC-like language from the late 1960s; Lunar Lander was originally written in it
bebechien writes about DinoDesk AI, a LEGO dino desk companion built on a Raspberry Pi that pairs a local Gemma 4 model (via LM Studio) with cloud Gemini Flash through a unified OpenAI-compatible gateway, giving users a camera-free, privacy-first chat robot with three switching modes (local, cloud, and auto-hybrid routing). The physical body uses LEGO Technic lever mechanisms for neck and tail movement, a Pimoroni Pirate Audio shield for the 1.3" LCD eyes and 8-bit I2S beeps, and a 5-state finite state machine to coordinate expressions, sound, and motor action across Sleeping, Idle, Listening, Thinking, and Speaking states.
- Auto-hybrid mode uses a complexity classifier that detects multi-step reasoning keywords like "explain," "compare," and "write code" to transparently escalate prompts to the cloud engine
- The project is open-sourced at github.com/google-gemma/dinodesk-ai-companion
- Full voice chat is still a work in progress; current interaction is triggered by a physical red push button
- A commenter noted that absence of a camera does not guarantee voice data stays local, and suggested an explicit retention boundary for audio transcripts would strengthen the privacy claim
- Auto-hybrid mode uses a complexity classifier that detects multi-step reasoning keywords like "explain," "compare," and "write code" to transparently escalate prompts to the cloud engine
- The project is open-sourced at github.com/google-gemma/dinodesk-ai-companion
- Full voice chat is still a work in progress; current interaction is triggered by a physical red push button
- A commenter noted that absence of a camera does not guarantee voice data stays local, and suggested an explicit retention boundary for audio transcripts would strengthen the privacy claim
This guide documents the setup of OpenClaw on a Raspberry Pi 5 w/ 8GB RAM and how to give it access to a TFT display, temperature/pressure sensor, USB camera, and NeoPixels. It uses eSpeak text-to-speech and Whisper Small speech-to-text to enable speech based communication with the bot.
The Explorer HAT is a fantastic way to get started with physical computing and add-on boards for your Raspberry Pi. It provides a standardised way to connect a wide range of components, making it easy to build interactive projects.
A Raspberry Pi project that displays the city and country where it is currently 5:00 p.m., updating every 15 minutes. It uses accurate timezone data and is a fun, lightweight build with potential for educational and practical applications.
Adafruit showcases the Raspberry Pi cam combined with the MLX90640 IR camera to create a budget fusion thermal camera. Featuring solderless components, this build is also beginner-friendly.
* **Enigma Touch:** Jürgen Müller’s Enigma replica is now available for order, featuring a unique all-electronic design and a focus on replicating the original user experience. A Google Group has been created for discussion and related activities.
* **PiDP-1:** The PiDP-1 kit is nearing completion and expected to ship at the end of July, with both console and rack-mounted versions available. A Google Group has been launched for the PiDP-1 community.
* **ARPANET Reconstruction:** Lars Brinkhoff has made significant progress in reconstructing the ARPANET, allowing for connections between emulated PDP-10s and modern Linux machines. The project seeks volunteers to expand the network.
* **LGP-30:** Work is underway on a replica of the LGP-30, with a focus on creating an authentic 1950s metal case.
* **PiDP-10 & Software:** Updates on software for the PiDP-8/11, and a note about running the original Micro-Soft BASIC on a PiDP-10.
* **Whirlwind:** Initial planning for a Whirlwind replica is underway.
* **PiDP-1:** The PiDP-1 kit is nearing completion and expected to ship at the end of July, with both console and rack-mounted versions available. A Google Group has been launched for the PiDP-1 community.
* **ARPANET Reconstruction:** Lars Brinkhoff has made significant progress in reconstructing the ARPANET, allowing for connections between emulated PDP-10s and modern Linux machines. The project seeks volunteers to expand the network.
* **LGP-30:** Work is underway on a replica of the LGP-30, with a focus on creating an authentic 1950s metal case.
* **PiDP-10 & Software:** Updates on software for the PiDP-8/11, and a note about running the original Micro-Soft BASIC on a PiDP-10.
* **Whirlwind:** Initial planning for a Whirlwind replica is underway.
Learn how to set up a static public website on a Raspberry Pi using NGINX and Cloudflare, including creating sample data, setting up the virtual host, and making the website publicly accessible.
Nick Farrow has created MeshBoard, a text-based bulletin board system inspired by the BBSes of the 1970s and 1980s, running on a Raspberry Pi using the Meshtastic mesh network. The project allows for menu navigation and interactive games like Tic Tac Toe and an Escape Room, with no internet required. It leverages Python to create a modular and easily extensible platform, with plans to expand features such as file transfer over the Meshtastic network.
Using an old Raspberry Pi and open source Logitech software, an audiophile creates a streaming music system for the home office.
