Frequently Asked Questions
How often is the website updated?
I work on the website almost every day, but updates to the live site are only made after a good amount of changes have built up. For the past year and a bit, we've done updates montly.
Why does the website UX look dated?
Beyond the fact that I'm just not very good at HTML/CSS, I much prefer the retro feel, especially for a retrocomputing site like MacDat. I also just feel like most modern websites are too generic and bland looking, and I don't want MacDat to be like that.
Who is MacDat run by?
MacDat is solely developed and managed by Starlite. I am lucky enough to have many awesome people who have contributed information to help with adding content to the site, but all the work of curating and adding the info is done solely by me. I've chosen to do things this way rather than making this site a Wiki because I'm active enough in developing the site that, at least currently, the benefits of manual curation by one person outweigh the downsides of the site relying on that one person for continued development.
How can I contribute to MacDat?
See our comprehensive Contribution Guide for information on how to do so.
How can I report an issue?
If you find any bugs or problems with the site, or have found incorrect information, please contact me.
What software stack does MacDat use?
MacDat uses a combination of HTML/CSS, PHP, MySQL, and JQuery. Web page contents are written in HTML. Handling of database elements is done via PHP, and a little bit of JQuery is used to handle some of the form submission elements. All of the website has been custom-built from the ground up.
What is MacDat's policy regarding generative AI use?
AI software is used for the purpose of removing the backgrounds from images, and for some assistance in programming. I am very careful when using AI for programming assistance that I am only using it to ask specific questions regarding solving bugs or getting an idea of how to perform specific tasks. I understand how all of our codebase functions and would not consider anything "vibe-coded"!
MacDat has a strict policy against using generative AI for any research, content generation, or image generation for the site. All content is manually human-created and curated, and all research is done manually by humans!
How do you research/find information for the Laptop Portal?
The vast majority of information on the laptop portal comes from one of the following sources:
- The original manufacturer's website, usually via viewing captures on The WayBack Machine.
- Original manufacturer documentation, such as manuals and brochures.
- Online archives of computer magazines (again, I have got to thank the Internet Archive for this)
- 3rd-party internet sources, such as personal websites and eBay listings.
- Direct contributions from people who own the laptop in question.
I am very careful to curate reliable information for the site. I occasionally make mistakes, or find that the source I was using was incorrect about something, but I'm proud and confident about the accuracy of information on the Laptop Portal. You would be surprised though how often I find that information which came directly from a hardware manufacturer was wrong!
Through thousands of hours of research, I've gotten pretty good at finding info on obscure laptops. If there's a model you need info on that I don't have in the database yet, I can probably find you something about it if you contact me.