- cctalk - classiccmp.org

by Steve Lewis

Hey gang, a few months ago I presented about timeshare and some aspects about operating systems since the 1950s. To buzz through a PDF or PPT version of the notes: https://github.com/voidstar78/VCF2026 VCFSW has the talk archived here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hE235ti9XQ Sorry being a bit dull as a speaker, but a few highlights: - overview of Douglass Ross "Director Tape" for Whirlwind (only "what it looked like" evidence that I was ever able to find, would be curious if others knew more about it) - 1965 Honeywell ADMIRAL OS: while I couldn't find much info about that specific OS, what I did find what Honeywell went to bat for us all vs RAND corp, putting an end some concerns about ENIAC hardware patents (that's a very short version of it) - today we fight about \ vs / slashes, when MULTICS split the difference and used > (greater than symbol), at least as far as I could tell from the manuals - some verification that UNIX was (sort of) originally called UNICS (see footnotes in the PPT notes), never formally written down but "verified" in the past year - I made a claim that Datapoint CTOS (1972) was the only OS ever on a cassette tape (not to be confused with the late 1970s CTOS) - that said, I suppose the MCM/70 did as well; really admires Mattis Lind's work on the DP2200 I never found too much info about "tymshare" (apparently a late 1960s kind of "corporate or business-to-business digital exchange" system, maybe for inventory or check-processing?). Tons of other OS's, obviously couldn't cover them all in a VCF talk. But there are a bunch of addendum notes after the end of the slides: - Mike Muuss ENIAC archive (at a .mil ftp if anyone wants to archive it more properly?) - I still claim that the word "operating system" was never used before 1960; the "SOS" or "share OS" was a name applied later (1962ish) to those pre-1960s concepts [ afaik ] - I couldn't fit in a bit about squozed :) really wanted to, just couldn't make it fit - AOSP, EXEC II, IBM 1800 derivatives (anyone ever see one of these in the wild?), Oh, not officially launched yet, but I'm now self hosting oldsayings.info (with a telnet front-end at port 42525). Kicking around some ideas, but it's reliably staying up now with Starlink as the ISP. I got tired of waiting for fiber - but the county workers are getting closer, I see them running it ranch by ranch. Cheers, wish could have made it to VCF West this year. -Steve

5 hours, 53 minutes

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EAI 180 analog computer and docs at auction

by steve shumaker

There's an EAI Analog computer listed for auction on HiBid. Even has some docs: https://hibid.com/lot/317096364/analogue-computer-mod-185-240-eai180 It's in Australia and it's local pick up but for the right person in the right place..... As usual: No knowledge or relationship on my part.

1 day, 5 hours

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VAX shell accounts available. Please email Technoid Mutant to enroll

by Jeffrey S. Worley

I've put my Vaxstation 4000/60 up for a year. During that time it will be available to folks who have need of actual silicon for testing and evaluation. I'll just take your word, so there's no harm in asking for an account. I have allocated 256 users, though that'd be a lot to ask of the system at one time. The system will soon receive a full complement of 104 megabytes ram. The system will soon receive a dual fast-scsi controller to quadruple disk bandwith. Present storage is onboard small-word scsi with emulator and a full- suite of 4gig 'drives'. Present memory is 40mb. LCG framebuffer. Network is limited to a single 10mbit ethernet link. On the network are ample ssd storage and a dedicated i5 running the same version of netbsd as the vax for cross-compile support. The Alphastation is available on the same network at individual request, also running NetBSD 10.1 If you want/need a VAX shell account, send me an Email and I will assign one right back. I would not mind help/advice in fine-tuning this system or anything at all. best, jeff (Technoid Mutant)

2 days, 17 hours

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Fun graphic

by Paul Koning

https://devin.ai/cli Not exactly the image I'd expect to see on a webpage advertising shiny new technology. It even shows that application running on the VT100 (simulated, but the evidence for that is pretty subtle). Fun. paul

3 days, 21 hours

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Old RAM and TTL chips

by wrcooke＠wrcooke.net

I have about 150 dynamic RAM chips, 64K x 1 (4164 type) and 256K x 1 (41256 type) that I no longer want to keep around. They were pulled out of mostly working equipment some years ago, but of course I don't know if they've survived. If anyone is interested in them contact me off list. I also have a similar number of standard TTL (e.g. 7400) that were pulled out of surplus equipment even longer ago (40 + years.) I haven't inventoried to see what all is there. Seems to be a lot of decoders (7442) and counters, shift registers, registers, and stuff like that. If anyone is interested in those, again contact me off list. I am located in Georgia, USA. I would prefer these go to someone that needs them rather than the landfill. Thanks, Will

1 week, 1 day

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Old Rusty and Clunky IBM 604 Plugboard

by organlists1＠sonic.net

Interesting but not anywhere near worth the asking price, I think. A lot of rust and who knows what else. Rare! Retro IBM 604 Calculator Plugboard, Pluggable Units, Vacuum Tubes - Parts https://www.ebay.com/itm/128026803244 Donald R. Resor Jr. T. W. & T. C. Svc. Co. http://hammondorganservice.com Hammond USA warranty service "Most people don't have a sense of humor. They think they do, but they don't." --Jonathan Winters

1 week, 1 day

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VCF Ontario 2027 Pre-Event Survey

by Jeffrey Brace

You're invited to help the planning of VCF Ontario 2027 by completing this short anonymous survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VL2QD8N The Vintage Computer Federation is contemplating running "Vintage Computer Festival in Ontario" which would be in the Greater Toronto Area in 2027. If you receive this invitation multiple times, please only complete it once, to avoid duplication. Take care! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner VCF Fundraising Manager VCF Evangelist Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

1 week, 4 days

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AT&T WE 321SB VME software or board user manual

by Alan Hightower

Hello everyone, (cross posting to TUHS) I have an AT&T WE 321SB VMEbus single-board computer en-route to me. It's sort-of a 3B2/3B5 on a VME card. It has WE32100 CPU, WE32106 MAU, and a WE32101 MMU all running at 18 MHz. This seems to put it roughly in-between the V2 and V3 3B2 architecture era. I believe it was initially offered by AT&T as a WE32K developer system, but I'm not super familiar with it's history. Once it arrives, I'll of course upload the ROM dumps to several archives. The board does not come with an intact filesystem or installation media. I am reaching out to see if anyone in the community has or knows the whereabouts of any media or documentation for the board or UNIX System V/VME software for the WE32K. I've seen references to "WE 321EB Microprocessor Evaluation Board User Manual" (AT&T Select Code / Catalog Number: CAT 451-019). But it also seems to be missing from history. There is also photos of the install media containing: WE 321SB-VSU Software Utility Programs VME Device Driver Utilities / VME Dual VSMD-32 SMD Driver VME Device Driver Utilities / VME Ironics IV-1624 IS-I/O Driver-Source UNIX System V/VME / Essential Utilities-Disk 2 UNIX System V/VME / Essential Utilities-Disk 2 UNIX System V/VME / Startup Disk If you can help in any way in preserving another rare WE32K artifact, please let me know. Thanks, Alan Hightower

1 week, 4 days

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Litton Monroe/Compucorp 1641-S cards on eBay (Word Processor Software) on cards

by organlists1＠sonic.net

Earlier this afternoon, a "lot" of Litton Monroe/Compucorp 1641-S cards were placed on eBay. There are a total of 17 cards. Some cards are marked "Word Processor". My only guess is these were meant to interface with an 1800 series calculator attached to the 300 I/O unit. It would be a shame for this software to not be preserved. It is a 6-day auction. I have NO personal interest in the proceeds, but only wish they could go to someone who would archive and share the software from these cards. https://www.ebay.com/itm/327307267663 Don Resor

1 week, 5 days

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IBM PC versus XT

by Jim Brain

I apologize for interrupting more reasonable conversations about much more interesting machines, but I would appreciate some assistance. I didn't plan on having any x86 systems here, save for a bench machine to make images using Teledisk and relations. I did acquire a Kaypro 4+88 over time, which has an x86, as part of a larger Kaypro rescue, for which I am grateful to those on list who helped me with repairs and getting boot disks. However, a number of years back, someone offered me a 5150 PC with the (unknown by me until that day) 5161 Expansion Chassis. That seemed unique, and I wanted to mess around with the expansion chassis. Over the years, as part of rescues and helping out the VCF consignment space years ago, a Compaq Portable I and a Portable 386 (with the plasma screen) have ended up here, as well as a recent Panasonic Senior Partner (cool system, IMHO). That said, I am sitting here looking at a pretty clean 5160 XT that has been significantly stripped. No FDD or HDD, no HDD controller, no video card, no KB, fully populated 256kB mobo, but only 1 card installed (AST SixPac). Unit powers up to long beep and then short ones (video issue, which is understandable). If I rescue a system, no matter what it is, I try to restore to operational condition, with some practicality (using solid state media instead of a HDD, stuff like that). This unit is going to need a lot of work, and I am trying to decide how important it is to have both a 5150 PC and a 5160 XT, since the XT was such a marginal update to the PC (-cassette, bit newer BIOS, 8 slots instead of 5). The PC setup I have already has 11 slots combined, an HDD, and full memory, video, and KB. Still, it is an original IBM PC XT, there's some history there. I'm struggling with how much importance to apply to this "needs a lot of TLC" unit, and I would appreciate constructive points. VCF MW is coming up, and if I want to get this into someone else's hands to restore/enjoy, then would be an ideal time. If it's important to keep, VCF MW is probably a great place to grab the pieces needed to restore it. Jim -- Jim Brain brain(a)jbrain.com www.jbrain.com

1 week, 5 days

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