Open Watcom C/C++ Compiler: 16-bit 8086 Optimisations Report

A while back I picked up retro programming as a hobby. When programming for the 8086 DOS platform, Open Watcom is indispensable. It runs on both Linux and Windows, produces DOS binaries, has detailed documentation and a whole arsenal of tools. It's also rather fast and produces performant code. Unfortunately there isn't much documentation about … Continue reading Open Watcom C/C++ Compiler: 16-bit 8086 Optimisations Report →

Adding an entry to Nautilus’ context menu

I'm missing, dearly, the "Play with VLC" context menu entry in Ubuntu 24.04. There's a cumbersome workaround(open -> with -> *scroll scroll scroll* -> VLC), but I want something faster. What started as a side quest for some convenience eventually taught me how to add arbitrary functionality to Ubuntu's file manager context menus. Step 1: … Continue reading Adding an entry to Nautilus’ context menu →

Automated regression testing DOS programs with DOSBox-X

Developing for retro platforms like DOS doesn't mean you have to abandon modern development practices. In this post, I'll share how to implement a robust end-to-end regression testing for DOS programs, eg. tools or games. There's also some code [git]. Bill of materials Ubuntu Desktop 24.04 (other distros probably work as well) awk, bash (should … Continue reading Automated regression testing DOS programs with DOSBox-X →

Assigning keyboard shortcuts to VS Code tasks

I like keyboard shortcuts, actually can't get enough of them. After a life time with Eclipse, old habits die hard and I find myself re-discovering this over and over, so it's time I wrote it down. Note to self: how to assign a key combination to a VS code task. Add your task to .vscode/tasks.json, … Continue reading Assigning keyboard shortcuts to VS Code tasks →

1-Transistor feedback amplifier

Many old AM receiver circuits use positive feedback (routing some of the already amplified output signal back into the amplifier's input) for more gain. These circuits (eg. the reflex receiver [REF]) are fascinating designs which, although not overly complex, aren't easily understood. Starting with an existing circuit design, I tried to isolate the feedback loop … Continue reading 1-Transistor feedback amplifier →