There have been a few versions of the utility imd2raw.c floating around
that will take Dave Dunfield's ImageDisk-created images (i.e. an .IMD file)
and make a linear binary image devoid of any metadata. This is similar to
the function of Dave's IMDU.COM program's /b switch.
I've corrected a problem with the assumption that all imd2raw.c descendants
to date have made: sectors that have a skew (i.e. not 1-1 interleaved)
weren't linearized correctly. The skewed sectors need to be written out in
"sorted" order, which is not necessarily captured/physical order. This is
easily verified by comparing output from "IMDU /b" to earlier imd2raw
outputs on any .IMD that has a sector skew that isn't 1, 2, 3 [...].
It's up on github here:
https://github.com/RetroFloppy/imd2raw
Hello,
I'm an employee with the National radio astronomy observatory here in Socorro New Mexico.
As part of our NGVLA upgrades, we are seeking to get rid of old data tapes from the tape reel days of Computing. These contain things such as the boot loaders, OS, specific collection programs and antenna movement programs.
I personally would hate to see these just wind up in the literal dumpster and would like to see them sent out to a museum or an archiving body that can preserve them and keep them safe as a dynamic part of history.
If anyone is interested or knows someone who would be interested in the VLAs data tape library please let me know.
V/R
Danielle Werts
Front end engineer
VLA Socorro New Mexico
Well, I've got the Greaseweazle software to run, but I don't know why,
which is hardly encouraging.
Installing various Windows updates, downloading .dlls, and puting the
latter in various directories changed the error messages but it never
actually worked. But downloading the latest Greaseweazle software did,
it ran first time. So no idea what I was doing wrong (maybe 32 bit
.vs. 64 bit Windows applications?)
I can now get the list of commands when I run gw.exe. And can get help
on them using the -h option. I've not tried connecting a drive yet,
but the software can find and talk to the board (the green 'activity'
LED turns on). For example 'gw rpm' which is used to check the drive
speed by timing the index pulses times out and gives a 'no index'
error which seems entrely reasonable.
However I am not sure if I'll be able to use it. There is one very
important thing missing : DOCUMENTATION. The 'wikii' on github is
ridiculously incomplete. There is no user manual or man pages. The
software source in python (a language I've never used) has very few
comments and is not clear at all.
It's not clear to me exactly what all the options are for, and when to use them.
-tony
Some of you might recall that Apple released a series of machines based
on the Newton OS in the early 1990s. There were eight models in total
from Apple, and a few more from third parties who licensed both the
hardware and software to make eg. ruggedized handhelds, or "smart"
(landline) phones.
The operating system was bespoke. It had a Lisp influence during
development, but by the time it was released, it used a language called
NewtonScript that had an Algol-ish syntax with Lisp/Self-like
semantics. Although the OS core was written in C++, large parts of the
system were written in NewtonScript as well, as were the built-in
applications.
Newtons ended up as a dead-end branch of computer evolution. The
product line was cancelled by Jobs following his return to Apple, and
despite a few little respectful nods, iOS has basically no commonality
with NewtonOS. Ironically, the handwriting recognition engine (the
focal point for most Newton criticism) outlived the devices and was
ported to and shipped with Mac OS X.
A Newton emulator, called Einstein, exists. It's able to run the OS,
the built-in apps, and to install and run third-party applications with
good fidelity to the original experience. It requires a ROM image to
function. Apple made various ROM images available, and it's possible to
extract the image from a physical Newton device, but the consensus is
that it isn't legal to distribute these ROM images. This makes setting
up the emulator more complex than is ideal.
The NewtonTalk mailing list is a group of Newton fans that remain
engaged with the platform to this day, and we're currently discussing
the possibility of legally obtaining the Newton ROM images from
Apple. We've been heartened by Apple's recent releases of MacPaint
and the Lisa OS to the CHM, and are wondering if Apple might be
persuaded to release at least the NewtonOS ROM, or (ideally) system's
source code.
If there's anyone who was either involved in those previous
negotiations, or could introduce us to someone who was, and is willing
to offer advice and/or assistance with our quest ... really, any helpful
pointers would be useful, and much appreciated.
Cheers,
d
https://github.com/pguyot/Einsteinhttp://newtontalk.net/
Hi.
Has anyone got SCO Unix to successfully install and run on Virtualbox?
My efforts have failed. My host is Ubuntu 22.04 with Virtualbox 7.0.10.
Thanks, Ken
--
WWL 📚
I guess not many have survived but I want to ask if someone/some place has
software (papertapes, ...) for the Texas Instruments 960 minicomputers.
We have a 960B but at the moment, it is pretty much useless. I could
toggle in a small program, but would appreciate something like FORTRAN or
an assembler.
Christian
Hi all,
I recently acquired an S-100 computer, and it came with a video card and a keyboard (3rd party products, not originally equipped with these). I am trying to figure out the benefits of having a video card and keyboard vs just using a serial port and terminal. Certainly if the video card supported graphics, that would be a reason to go that route over a terminal. As for the keyboard, ok-maybe you need specific keys for a specific application. But I don't understand the video monitor. I could understand maybe if there was an RF modulator so that you could use a standard TV. That would save the builder some money. But this computer just provides composite.
Other than graphics (and maybe some special function keys for an application on a keyboard), why would an S-100 builder in those days opt to buy a video card instead of a terminal?
Thanks for the bandwidth.
73 Eugene W2HX
Subscribe to my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@w2hx/videos
Have you considered sqlite3? It's a SQL engine, but the backend is just a
file. So it doesn't support concurrent access by multiple users, but if
that's not a concern, it gives you the ability to do real SQL queries
without the bother of setting up an RDBMS.
Adam
