Admin Diary
A chronological log from 2001 through 2006, documenting Sharp X68000 hardware projects, Nereid board development, power supply repairs, server administration, and personal notes by the site administrator.
Diary archive: Entries span from 2001 through 2006. The diary is powered by the hns diary system (Version 2.19.5) with Namazu full-text search integration. Categories cover X68 hardware, Nereid development, networking, FreeBSD, ISP topics, server administration, PC, Windows, and more.
The X68000 diary archive represents a decade of hands-on computing history, chronicling the maintenance and revival of Sharp's iconic 16-bit/32-bit home computer line. For enthusiasts of the X680x0 series, the diary offers a window into the practical realities of keeping aging hardware alive—from power supply repairs to memory expansion work. The entries reflect a pragmatic, engineering-minded approach that resonates with anyone who has ever opened up a vintage machine with a soldering iron in hand, hoping to coax a few more years of service from beloved hardware.
Central to the diary's narrative is the Nereid board project, a hardware development effort that captures the spirit of community-led innovation in the retro computing sphere. The diary tracks the journey from early prototyping through to production planning, giving readers insight into what it takes to design, test, and bring a modern expansion board to market for an obsolete platform. This kind of documentation is invaluable, as it preserves not just the technical details but also the decision-making process behind the scenes.
Beyond the hardware focus, the diary also touches on broader system administration topics, including FreeBSD server management, networking configuration, and ISP-related issues. These entries ground the site in the everyday realities of running online services in an era when broadband was still rolling out across Japan. The blend of retro computing enthusiasm with professional sysadmin experience gives the diary a distinctive voice—one that speaks to readers who appreciate both the nostalgia of classic machines and the discipline of modern Unix administration.
The archive's structure, organized by year with a full-text search facility, makes it easy to navigate a rich collection of notes spanning several years of activity. Categories covering X68 hardware, networking, Windows, and personal essays ensure that visitors can quickly locate topics of interest. For newcomers to the X68000 scene, the diary serves as both a historical record and a technical resource, offering lessons and observations that remain relevant to anyone engaged in preserving vintage computing platforms today.
The final production run of the Nereid expansion board opened for pre-orders. Distribution details were posted on the Nereid project page, with user support handled directly by the site administrator.
Special arrangements were announced for those who had previously expressed interest in the Nereid revival reproduction batch. The administrator provided individual guidance for existing reservation holders.
A personal look at the Nereid project's internal details and the collaborative spirit behind the LAN+USB+Memory expansion board. The entry referenced contributions from fellow enthusiasts in the X68000 community.
A visual log of X68000 power supply units undergoing repair and modification. The administrator shared reference photos of disassembled PSUs, documenting common failure points and repair techniques.
An introduction to a related sub-project spun off from Nereid development. Details were shared alongside links to collaborator sites, including work by ARX and references on the Artstage media server.
The next-generation 060turboX accelerator project was referenced in diary entries during 2006, alongside ongoing Nereid revival reproduction pre-orders. The project represented an ambitious step beyond the Nereid-X board.
Throughout the diary, the administrator logged technical notes on server migrations, ISP changes, and FreeBSD system administration. The site itself ran on FreeBSD, with server uptime later recorded at over seven years. Local weather for Saitama Prefecture (southern area) was displayed alongside diary entries.
Diary entries referenced participation in community events, including Comiket appearances and collaborations with other X68000 enthusiasts. Links to partner sites such as Gotta-net and the X680x0 USERS GROUP were shared throughout.