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Stuff and Things.
- stephen_usher
- Site sponsor
- Posts: 6767
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:19 pm
- Location: Oxford, UK.
- Contact:
Re: Stuff and Things.
It's *SO* frustrating waint for mail order stuff, especially when it gets stuck somewhere and there's nothing you can do about it.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12991
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Stuff and Things.
I know, I'm literally checking all the time to see if there's been a change, but nope. Very annoyed with it all, especially the Yellowstone as that wasn't cheap.stephen_usher wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 11:49 am It's *SO* frustrating waint for mail order stuff, especially when it gets stuck somewhere and there's nothing you can do about it.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 1936
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Stuff and Things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=425GpjTSlS4
(Even if you're not waiting for a letter from your girlfriend...)

(Even if you're not waiting for a letter from your girlfriend...)

- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12991
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Stuff and Things.
Very funnyHigashiJun wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 12:55 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=425GpjTSlS4
(Even if you're not waiting for a letter from your girlfriend...)
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Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 1936
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Stuff and Things.
@rubber_jonnie
I also really hate waiting for parcels, especially those with stuff for my projects and I totally understand your frustration...
I also really hate waiting for parcels, especially those with stuff for my projects and I totally understand your frustration...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12991
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Stuff and Things.
Yeah, it really is driving me mad ATM.HigashiJun wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 1:52 pm @rubber_jonnie
I also really hate waiting for parcels, especially those with stuff for my projects and I totally understand your frustration...
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12991
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Stuff and Things.
Well, I couldn't wait until tomorrow and phoned Royal Mail customer services.
When I was put in the queue they said there could be a 50 minute wait to speak to an operative. My dodgy ears heard 15 minutes, so I hung on. I ended up waiting 40 minutes in the end. Was that a win?
To be fair the person I spoke to did her best, but there wasn't much else she could tell me. It turns out that the Yellowstone is stuck in customs and could be there up to another 2 weeks!!

What the heck...
At least it seems the missing Altairduino part is expected and may only be another 3 or 4 days. That was sent 6 days AFTER the Yellowstone shipped.
I strongly suspect that the item shipping from the US, but apparently originating in Switzerland before arriving in the UK has caused some consternation at customs. Either that or they X-Rayed it and think it's a suspicious package...
I have ordered another item from the same folks who I got the Altairduino from and I'm now expecting that before the Yellowstone at this rate...
When I was put in the queue they said there could be a 50 minute wait to speak to an operative. My dodgy ears heard 15 minutes, so I hung on. I ended up waiting 40 minutes in the end. Was that a win?
To be fair the person I spoke to did her best, but there wasn't much else she could tell me. It turns out that the Yellowstone is stuck in customs and could be there up to another 2 weeks!!

What the heck...
At least it seems the missing Altairduino part is expected and may only be another 3 or 4 days. That was sent 6 days AFTER the Yellowstone shipped.
I strongly suspect that the item shipping from the US, but apparently originating in Switzerland before arriving in the UK has caused some consternation at customs. Either that or they X-Rayed it and think it's a suspicious package...
I have ordered another item from the same folks who I got the Altairduino from and I'm now expecting that before the Yellowstone at this rate...
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 1936
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Stuff and Things.
The problem I often have is not at the customs but before...
Once the parcel has reached Japan, everything is fast and smooth.
Good luck with your parcels.
Once the parcel has reached Japan, everything is fast and smooth.
Good luck with your parcels.
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin
- Posts: 12991
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: Stuff and Things.
Seems to be the opposite here at the moment. Things hit the incoming customs and distribution centres and just stop.HigashiJun wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2024 10:37 pm The problem I often have is not at the customs but before...
Once the parcel has reached Japan, everything is fast and smooth.
Good luck with your parcels.
The Yellowstone has at least had an update overnight, so hopefully that means customs are done with it and it may start moving again. It seems odd that I called yesterday and it suddenly moves overnight.
Everything is moving slowly, about the pace of a tectonic plate... Or a glacier...
Be interesting to see what happens when the Lumafix128 arrives in the UK. That's coming with DHL, so I wonder if that'll be faster into the country if it isn't using Royal Mail.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 1936
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: Stuff and Things.
Yes, and despite all these new machines capable of handling tons of mail per hour that they claim to have in the sorting centres, everything seems to be worst than in the Middle Ages...rubber_jonnie wrote: Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:42 am Everything is moving slowly, about the pace of a tectonic plate... Or a glacier...
Be interesting to see what happens when the Lumafix128 arrives in the UK. That's coming with DHL, so I wonder if that'll be faster into the country if it isn't using Royal Mail.
I deal a lot with DHL at work, and they can be fast as they can also be slow, depending on what they have to clear through customs.