22 May
2023
22 May
'23
9:38 a.m.
On Sat, May 20, 2023 at 12:22 PM Liam Proven via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On Fri, 19 May 2023 at 23:40, Fred Cisin via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
I am sorry, but I think this is a stupid suggestion for many reasons.
The first problem is finding such a machine in known-working
condition. Second-hand computer shops are few and far between and
generally don't trade in machines that old. Similarly pawnbrokers
('Cash Converters' and the like) don't deal in them. I am not sure I
would want to trust something from an unknown seller on the web. And
of course it has to have the right type of disk controller, I
certainly need to be able to handle single-density (FM) reading and
writing correctly. Some machines can, some can't. I am hardly going to
be able to test it before I buy it
Next there's the problem of me getting it home. I don't drive. I'll go
on public transport for things that interest me and which I actually
want. An PC is not in that category. Not to mention the fact that I
doubt I could carry the system box, monitor and keyboard in one go.
Having it sent to me is inconvenient and I am not sure the machine
would survive. Not to mention it would cost more than the machine is
worth.
Then there's the problem of keeping it going. It's not a PERQ :-) I
realise that spare ICs always were unobtainium. But replacement
modules -- disk drives, motherboards, etc are no longer made or easily
available. I have no PCI cards in my collection at all. No ATX power
supplies. I might be able to find a VGA monitor but that's pushing it.
And of course no documentation. At least the Greaseweazle is
open-source which is better than nothing.
And drives. It was suggested that I get a double 5.25"/3.5" drive.
Err, no. The 5.25" is going to be 80 cylinder (to handle 1.2M disks)
which means writing to 40 cylinder disks is a bad idea.
And I am not sure the software exists to do what I want on such a
machine. I don't want to have to write it myself!
-tony
On Fri, 19 May 2023, Liam Proven via cctalk wrote:
;-)
I do remember that, because I carried around a
USB key with an
Thanks, everybody for the reminders of the Windoze history.
I hereby formally retract my erroneous suggestion of a "386 98,SP2 desktop
with floppies and USB",
and replace my suggestion with:
"a PC with USB and floppies", and let Tony decide what vintage to use.
Fully concur. If it were me, I'd probably suggest some box with from
the end of the era which came with an onboard floppy controller, and
dual-boot 98SE and some old Linux that can handle such a thing, like
Slackware or Debian. That would cover the most bases.