Dave's Garage Courses

The Real Reason Windows is Free - And What That Costs You

Discover the true reasons behind Windows 10's free distribution and the hidden costs for users, explained by a former Microsoft engineer.

• YouTube
• 18 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

WinFS: Windows Future Storage - What You Need to Know

Discover the story of Microsoft's canceled WinFS project from a retired engineer, exploring its innovative file system-database hybrid design, technical challenges, and lasting influence on Windows search capabilities.

• YouTube
• 15 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Desktop AI Compared - From 2GB to 1024GB, Deepseek R1, Gemma3, and More!

Explore desktop AI models' performance across different memory capacities, from 2GB to 1TB, including Deepseek R1 and Gemma3, with detailed comparisons and insights.

• YouTube
• 13 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

The Jet KVM - Take Control of ANY PC

Discover how the JetKVM works and how it allows you to take control of any PC with this comprehensive demonstration and explanation.

• YouTube
• 13 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Booting the Heaviest Computer on eBay - PDP-11/34 to BSD UNIX

Discover the journey of booting a PDP-11/34 computer from eBay delivery to running BSD UNIX, with insights into vintage computing hardware restoration and operation.

• YouTube
• 21 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

The REAL Reason There Could Never Be a Windows 9

Discover the technical reasons behind Microsoft's decision to skip Windows 9, explained by Dave in this ShopTalk excerpt.

• YouTube
• 17 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

How AMD Stole Intel's Future - The Untold x86-64 Story

Discover how AMD outmaneuvered Intel by perfecting x86 with 64-bit extensions, integrated memory controllers, and backward compatibility while Intel's Itanium faltered.

• YouTube
• 19 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Magic Smoke: Why Vintage Electronics Fail so Spectacularly

Discover why RIFA capacitors in vintage electronics fail dramatically, when to replace them, and the science behind the infamous "magic smoke" phenomenon in aging devices.

• YouTube
• 12 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

I Wrote Task Manager - 30 Years Later, the Secrets You Never Knew

Uncover the hidden secrets and development stories behind Windows Task Manager from its original creator, Dave Plummer, on its 30th anniversary.

• YouTube
• 13 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Too Far for WiFi? The Ultimate 600ft PoE Camera Setup!

Discover how to extend ethernet beyond 100 yards for remote PoE camera installations using practical networking solutions and equipment recommendations.

• YouTube
• 40 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

A Full Petaflop in the Palm of Your Hand - Dell GB10 Edge Supercomputer Review

Explore Dell's GB10 Grace-Blackwell system delivering petaflop-class AI performance in a compact form factor without datacenter requirements or massive power needs.

• YouTube
• 15 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Why the Web was Down - Explained by a Retired Microsoft Engineer

Discover the technical details behind the major Amazon Web Services outage from a retired Microsoft engineer's perspective and its future implications.

• YouTube
• 17 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Windows "SUCKS" - How I'd Fix it by a Retired Microsoft Windows Engineer

Discover a retired Microsoft engineer's candid take on Windows flaws and practical solutions to common user frustrations in this 16-minute insider perspective.

• YouTube
• 16 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

SD Cards Are LAME! Watch a 200 Pound, 14" Drive from the 80s Boot UNIX!

Experience the installation and boot process of a massive vintage DEC RA82 drive in a PDP-11/73 system, complete with authentic 1980s computing sounds and visuals.

• YouTube
• 16 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Are YOU the Product? Your ISP Is Selling You Out - Fix This One DNS Setting Now!

Discover how ISPs profit from your browsing data through DNS queries and learn the simple DNS setting change that protects your privacy from data reselling.

• YouTube
• 16 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video