However, I think, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr said it best in 1849: “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose“ [the more things change, the more they stay the same]. It seems like we keep doing the same damned things over and over again.
IN that vein: my employees are again out because of COVID. Yes, they were vaccinated. However, his cousin probably wasn't and that's how he got exposed. However, he got sick and was still testing positive five days out, so we have to wait another 5 days. I was catching up on things and then a bunch of orders came in sooooo, all of your orders went out . . except for the 1088XLD builds I was in the middle of. Hopefully, this will all change next week, but I have been saying that for almost a month now and it does not seem to be working.
This also means that building and testing on the cartridge version of the 576NUC+ and the case for the XEP80-II got pushed back. So, they are still being worked on when I get time, but it's just Mac here for the last three weeks, so sorry about that.
I can report that a battery pack I have been working on for the 576NUC+ is progressing to reality. I should be able to release that right after the cart version is available retail sale.
On a less cheery note: FinalGROM99 (FG99) cartridges and TI 99/4a TIPI boards will be a little delayed as I source more chips. The chips for the FG99 tripled in price and I have some stored, but I will need to build them all by hand again. Since (see above) we are short on hands at the moment, it will be delayed. The TIPI might be faster, but am not sure. We do have plenty of PEB TIPIs however. Also have a couple of PEBs for sale as well. Will work to get them on the store for sale. However, if you cannot wait, send an email!
Finally, we are toying with the idea of closing for the summers. Not sure how it will work. We might allow sales of stuff we have built (everything but XEL/XLD/576 probably), so that nobody gets laid off and can still get a paycheck (I mean, let's be clear *I* do not get a paycheck nor is this what even the most generous person would call "profitable," but we do try to keep the employees, y'know, actually employed and paid).
Well, that's it for now. Have a better one!