6 Sep
2023
6 Sep
'23
4:19 a.m.
There have been a number of Ebay listings for various ns32k software, QIC
tapes and 1/2 inch tapes. I thought I would buy them if there were no other
bids to try to recover the contents.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225759541222
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225759543101
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225750706891
But there was a buyer and I didn't want to fight over something where I
don't have the actual hardware. Maybe someone here is the buyer? I am just
curious if this will end up on bitsavers in the future?
/Mattis
6 Sep
6 Sep
8:31 a.m.
On 9/6/23 06:19, Mattis Lind via cctalk wrote:
There have been a number of Ebay listings for various
ns32k software, QIC
tapes and 1/2 inch tapes. I thought I would buy them if there were no other
bids to try to recover the contents.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225759541222
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225759543101
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225750706891
But there was a buyer and I didn't want to fight over something where I
don't have the actual hardware. Maybe someone here is the buyer? I am just
curious if this will end up on bitsavers in the future?
Oh, yes, first one is the VAX cross-compiler for Pascal,
cross-asm and debugger. I had all of these at one time. I
still have the Pascal manual and maybe some other stuff, as
well as a bunch of the development boards. I'll be hauling
all of that to the VCF-MW this weekend.
Jon
9:36 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Do you understand "Stop this RIM RAM or I will DEC you"?
Do you know what PDP is an acronym for?
Do you think in PDP-11 Assembler.
Do you know the difference between OS/8 and RTS/8.
Is EMACS your friend?
Can you discuss the advantages of Tops 10 over Tops 20.
Have you ever programmed a DEC 18 bit machine?
Does VAX have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
If you can answer yes to any of these I am hosting a "DECnut" pizza
party, at my house, Saturday, September 9th at 7PM with pizza to be
delivered sometime after that.
If you are interested please stop by my table (first 2 tables to the
left of the door in the "big iron" room). Look for the PDP-8/E with an
RX02 attached.
Please feel free to pass this email on to any DEC fan.
Thanks,
Mike
10:08 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Reminds me of the "PDP-11 trivia contest" that was held at DECUS, I think on the
occasion of the 20th anniversary of the PDP-11. If so that would have been 2000. I still
have the poster that went with it somewhere. And I remember the question I contributed:
"On what model and under what circumstances will the PC increment by 1?"
paul
On Sep 6, 2023, at 12:36 PM, Mike Katz via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Do you understand "Stop this RIM RAM or I will DEC you"?
Do you know what PDP is an acronym for?
Do you think in PDP-11 Assembler.
Do you know the difference between OS/8 and RTS/8.
Is EMACS your friend?
Can you discuss the advantages of Tops 10 over Tops 20.
Have you ever programmed a DEC 18 bit machine?
Does VAX have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
If you can answer yes to any of these I am hosting a "DECnut" pizza party, at
my house, Saturday, September 9th at 7PM with pizza to be delivered sometime after that.
If you are interested please stop by my table (first 2 tables to the left of the door in
the "big iron" room). Look for the PDP-8/E with an RX02 attached.
Please feel free to pass this email on to any DEC fan.
Thanks,
Mike
10:14 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 6, 2023, at 10:08 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
"On what model and under what circumstances will the PC increment by 1?"
At least true on a KD11-B when executing code out of the memory-mapped register file :-)
(I just happen to have been wading through one of these a couple weeks back…)
—FritzM.
10:24 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 6, 2023, at 1:14 PM, Fritz Mueller
<fritzm(a)fritzm.org> wrote:
Correct... PDP11/05 and /10.
paul
On Sep 6, 2023, at 10:08 AM, Paul Koning via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
"On what model and under what circumstances will the PC increment by 1?"
At least true on a KD11-B when executing code out of the memory-mapped register file :-)
noon
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Paul,
I'm not an 11 expert but don't most instruction fetches (or the last
clock phase on an instruction) cause the pc to increment by one?
On 9/6/2023 12:08 PM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
Reminds me of the "PDP-11 trivia contest"
that was held at DECUS, I think on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the PDP-11. If
so that would have been 2000. I still have the poster that went with it somewhere. And I
remember the question I contributed: "On what model and under what circumstances will
the PC increment by 1?"
paul
> On Sep 6, 2023, at 12:36 PM, Mike Katz via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
>
> Do you understand "Stop this RIM RAM or I will DEC you"?
>
> Do you know what PDP is an acronym for?
>
> Do you think in PDP-11 Assembler.
>
> Do you know the difference between OS/8 and RTS/8.
>
> Is EMACS your friend?
>
> Can you discuss the advantages of Tops 10 over Tops 20.
>
> Have you ever programmed a DEC 18 bit machine?
>
> Does VAX have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
>
> If you can answer yes to any of these I am hosting a "DECnut" pizza party,
at my house, Saturday, September 9th at 7PM with pizza to be delivered sometime after
that.
>
> If you are interested please stop by my table (first 2 tables to the left of the door
in the "big iron" room). Look for the PDP-8/E with an RX02 attached.
>
> Please feel free to pass this email on to any DEC fan.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike
12:32 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 9/6/23 14:00, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote:
Paul,
I'm not an 11 expert but don't most instruction fetches
(or the last clock phase on an instruction) cause the pc
to increment by one?
PDP-11 instructions are 16-bit. Since memory is
byte-addressed, the instruction counter should normally
increment by 2, except where immediate operands are used.
Jon
12:48 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 6, 2023, at 3:32 PM, Jon Elson via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 9/6/23 14:00, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote:
Even then it increments by 2, by special exception. So 112700, 1 (movb #1,r0) fetches the
instruction and increments PC by 2, then fetches the word where the PC points and
increments by 2, not 1, again.
The weird case of the 11/05 is because the general registers are assigned addresses 177700
through 177707 for R0 through PC, so R1 is at 177701 even though it's a word wide. On
most models those addresses only work from the operator console, but on the 11/05 they are
also visible from the program. And by special microcode hack ("just because they
could", says ABC) if the PC is in that range it increments by 1.
paul
Paul,
I'm not an 11 expert but don't most instruction fetches (or the last clock phase
on an instruction) cause the pc to increment by one?
PDP-11 instructions are
16-bit. Since memory is byte-addressed, the instruction counter should normally increment
by 2, except where immediate operands are used.
2:42 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 6, 2023, at 12:48 PM, Paul Koning via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
The weird case of the 11/05 is because the general registers are assigned addresses
177700 through 177707 for R0 through PC, so R1 is at 177701 even though it's a word
wide. On most models those addresses only work from the operator console, but on the
11/05 they are also visible from the program. And by special microcode hack ("just
because they could", says ABC) if the PC is in that range it increments by 1.
This was on the tip of my tongue because I was actually just debugging these very bits of
microcode on a GT40 (which Scott Swazey will be demoing at VCFMW running “Lunar Lander” if
it survives the journey there by car!)
The ALU B-leg input in the data paths on this CPU has a selection to generate constant +1.
In the usual cases, where the microcode needs +2 to be added to something, the additional
+1 comes from a microcode field bit and is added in at the ALU least-significant-bit-slice
carry input. There is additional circuitry to inhibit this carry input in special cases
like internal register address decodes, etc.
On our GT40, we had a microcode PROM failure which took out this very carry source bit.
Thus our GT40 PC was incrementing by just one _incorrectly_ in most cases where it should
have been incrementing by two. Quite a coincidence that your question came up soon after
dealing with this :-)
—FritzM.
7 Sep
7 Sep
12:17 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Paul Koning wrote:
Even then it increments by 2, by special exception.
So 112700, 1
(movb #1,r0) fetches the instruction and increments PC by 2, then
fetches the word where the PC points and increments by 2, not 1,
again.
It's not really a special exception because immediate mode is @(R7)+.
6:12 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 7, 2023, at 3:17 AM, Lars Brinkhoff
<lars(a)nocrew.org> wrote:
Paul Koning wrote:
(R7)+, actually; @(R7)+ is absolute. I meant "special exception" because auto
inc/dec of R6 and R7 always increments by 1, while for R0-R5 it increments by the datum
size.
paul
Even then it increments by 2, by special
exception. So 112700, 1
(movb #1,r0) fetches the instruction and increments PC by 2, then
fetches the word where the PC points and increments by 2, not 1,
again.
It's not really a special exception because immediate mode is @(R7)+.
6:15 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 7, 2023, at 9:12 AM, Paul Koning via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Oops, typo. Of course, auto inc/dec of R6 and R7 (SP and PC) always increment by TWO,
while auto inc/dec of other registers increments by the size of whatever is accessed.
paul
On Sep 7, 2023, at 3:17 AM, Lars Brinkhoff
<lars(a)nocrew.org> wrote:
Paul Koning wrote:
(R7)+, actually; @(R7)+ is absolute. I meant "special exception" because auto
inc/dec of R6 and R7 always increments by 1, while for R0-R5 it increments by the datum
size. Even then it increments by 2, by special
exception. So 112700, 1
(movb #1,r0) fetches the instruction and increments PC by 2, then
fetches the word where the PC points and increments by 2, not 1,
again.
It's not really a special exception because immediate mode is @(R7)+.
6 Sep
6 Sep
12:44 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 6, 2023, at 3:00 PM, Mike Katz via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Paul,
I'm not an 11 expert but don't most instruction fetches (or the last clock phase
on an instruction) cause the pc to increment by one?
No, by 2 because memory addresses are byte addresses but instructions are 2-byte words and
word aligned.
I just remembered two other PDP-11 trivia questions, not model dependent.
1. Describes a one-word program that executes backward in memory.
2. Describe a one-word program that clears the entire 16-bit address space, halting on
completion.
paul
12:44 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
And for a bonus point, which signal description had an asterisk beside
it with a footnote, "add an extra 20 minutes on Saturday night" before
marketing found out and scotched it?
cheers,
Nigel
Nigel Johnson, MSc., MIEEE, MCSE VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU
Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept!
Skype: TILBURY2591
On 2023-09-06 15:00, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote:
Paul,
I'm not an 11 expert but don't most instruction fetches (or the last
clock phase on an instruction) cause the pc to increment by one?
On 9/6/2023 12:08 PM, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
--
Nigel Johnson, MSc., MIEEE, MCSE VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU
Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept!
Skype: TILBURY2591
Reminds me of the "PDP-11 trivia
contest" that was held at DECUS, I
think on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the PDP-11. If so
that would have been 2000. I still have the poster that went with it
somewhere. And I remember the question I contributed: "On what model
and under what circumstances will the PC increment by 1?"
paul
> On Sep 6, 2023, at 12:36 PM, Mike Katz via cctalk
> <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
>
> Do you understand "Stop this RIM RAM or I will DEC you"?
>
> Do you know what PDP is an acronym for?
>
> Do you think in PDP-11 Assembler.
>
> Do you know the difference between OS/8 and RTS/8.
>
> Is EMACS your friend?
>
> Can you discuss the advantages of Tops 10 over Tops 20.
>
> Have you ever programmed a DEC 18 bit machine?
>
> Does VAX have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
>
> If you can answer yes to any of these I am hosting a "DECnut" pizza
> party, at my house, Saturday, September 9th at 7PM with pizza to be
> delivered sometime after that.
>
> If you are interested please stop by my table (first 2 tables to the
> left of the door in the "big iron" room). Look for the PDP-8/E with
> an RX02 attached.
>
> Please feel free to pass this email on to any DEC fan.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike
12:28 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 9/6/23 12:08, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
Reminds me of the "PDP-11 trivia contest"
that was held at DECUS, I think on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the PDP-11. If
so that would have been 2000. I still have the poster that went with it somewhere. And I
remember the question I contributed: "On what model and under what circumstances will
the PC increment by 1?"
The PDP-11 was introduced in 1970, so the 20th anniversary
would have been 1990, or 2000 would have been the 30th.
Jon
7 Sep
7 Sep
2:44 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 09/07/2023 2:36 AM AEST Mike Katz via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Does VAX have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one
until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
Steve
3:05 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
With Dorothy and the Tin Woodsman as their salespeople 🤣
I think those would be micro-vaxen because they are only single user.
On 9/7/2023 4:44 PM, steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via cctalk wrote:
On 09/07/2023
2:36 AM AEST Mike Katz via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Does VAX have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
Here in Oz, VAX has been a
popular brand of vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
Steve 
3:18 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Hi guys.
Since I can't get out due to my stroke, be sure to post plenty of snaps of
the event...
Pizza hold the pepperoni.
-Ken
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 6:06 PM Mike Katz via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
With Dorothy and the Tin Woodsman as their salespeople
🤣
I think those would be micro-vaxen because they are only single user.
On 9/7/2023 4:44 PM, steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via cctalk wrote:
decades. We had one until recently.
--
End of line
JOB TERMINATED
> On 09/07/2023 2:36 AM AEST Mike Katz via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
Does VAX
have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of vacuum cleaner for many
https://www.vax.com.au/
Steve
4:32 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 9/7/23 17:18, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
Hi guys.
Since I can't get out due to my stroke, be sure to post plenty of snaps of
the event...
Sorry to hear about that. I had a very mild stroke 2 years
ago, but it has affected dexterity in my right hand. My
writing is now horrible (my penmanship was never really
great) and typing is more error prone than before.
Jon
4:58 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Jon,
Yea. It affected my left side. Loss of muscle strength. I am left handed
and lost my strength but luckily can still type albeit slower.
Good thing the keyboard has a backspace key.
Fortunately I still get ideas but it sometimes takes awhile to write them
down.
-Ken
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 7:32 PM Jon Elson via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
On 9/7/23 17:18, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
--
End of line
JOB TERMINATED
Hi guys.
Since I can't get out due to my stroke, be sure to post plenty of snaps
of
the event...
Sorry to hear about that. I had a very mild stroke 2 years
ago, but it has affected dexterity in my right hand. My
writing is now horrible (my penmanship was never really
great) and typing is more error prone than before.
Jon
5:07 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
My sympathies to both of you and wishes for a good and complete recovery.
2 years ago I had a heart attack in my dojo. 8 stents and a pacemaker
later I was back on the mat in 3 weeks. It was 6 months before I was
able to go full speed.
Getting old sucks!!!
On 9/7/2023 6:58 PM, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
Jon,
Yea. It affected my left side. Loss of muscle strength. I am left handed
and lost my strength but luckily can still type albeit slower.
Good thing the keyboard has a backspace key.
Fortunately I still get ideas but it sometimes takes awhile to write them
down.
-Ken
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 7:32 PM Jon Elson via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> On 9/7/23 17:18, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
>> Hi guys.
>>
>> Since I can't get out due to my stroke, be sure to post plenty of snaps
> of
>> the event...
>>
> Sorry to hear about that. I had a very mild stroke 2 years
> ago, but it has affected dexterity in my right hand. My
> writing is now horrible (my penmanship was never really
> great) and typing is more error prone than before.
>
> Jon
>
>
5:12 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Safe recovery! Yes, the physical human OLD sucks (not the geeky-part <- guess that
keeps us more functioning)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tarek Hoteit
tarek(a)infocom.ai
+1 360-838-3675
https://infocom.ai
On Sep 7, 2023, at 5:07 PM, Mike Katz via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
My sympathies to both of you and wishes for a good and complete recovery.
2 years ago I had a heart attack in my dojo. 8 stents and a pacemaker later I was back
on the mat in 3 weeks. It was 6 months before I was able to go full speed.
Getting old sucks!!!
On 9/7/2023 6:58 PM, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
Jon,
Yea. It affected my left side. Loss of muscle strength. I am left handed
and lost my strength but luckily can still type albeit slower.
Good thing the keyboard has a backspace key.
Fortunately I still get ideas but it sometimes takes awhile to write them
down.
-Ken
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 7:32 PM Jon Elson via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> On 9/7/23 17:18, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
>> Hi guys.
>>
>> Since I can't get out due to my stroke, be sure to post plenty of snaps
> of
>> the event...
>>
> Sorry to hear about that. I had a very mild stroke 2 years
> ago, but it has affected dexterity in my right hand. My
> writing is now horrible (my penmanship was never really
> great) and typing is more error prone than before.
>
> Jon
>
>
5:25 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Whom ever said youth is wasted on the young was telling a very serious
truth.
On 9/7/2023 7:12 PM, Tarek Hoteit wrote:
Safe recovery! Yes, the physical human OLD sucks (not
the geeky-part
<- guess that keeps us more functioning)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tarek Hoteit
tarek(a)infocom.ai
+1 360-838-3675
https://infocom.ai
On Sep 7, 2023, at 5:07 PM, Mike Katz via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
My sympathies to both of you and wishes for a good and complete recovery.
2 years ago I had a heart attack in my dojo. 8 stents and a
pacemaker later I was back on the mat in 3 weeks. It was 6 months
before I was able to go full speed.
Getting old sucks!!!
On 9/7/2023 6:58 PM, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
Jon,
Yea. It affected my left side. Loss of muscle strength. I am left handed
and lost my strength but luckily can still type albeit slower.
Good thing the keyboard has a backspace key.
Fortunately I still get ideas but it sometimes takes awhile to write
them
down.
-Ken
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 7:32 PM Jon Elson via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> On 9/7/23 17:18, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
>> Hi guys.
>>
>> Since I can't get out due to my stroke, be sure to post plenty of
>> snaps
> of
>> the event...
>>
> Sorry to hear about that. I had a very mild stroke 2 years
> ago, but it has affected dexterity in my right hand. My
> writing is now horrible (my penmanship was never really
> great) and typing is more error prone than before.
>
> Jon
>
>
5:38 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
TRUE! Only the vintage folks (us) would appreciate what or how we think
Earlier today Paul Koning sent a post under a seperate thread “…., (movb #1,r0) fetches
the instruction and increments PC by 2, thfetches the word where the PC points and
increments by 2, not 1 again.” And then sent a correction "R7)+, actually; @(R7)+ is
absolute. …”. I swear when I read it, I thought how my 20yr old kids or even my
lifelong wife would react if I echoed back the same words to them………
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tarek Hoteit
tarek(a)infocom.ai
+1 360-838-3675
https://infocom.ai
On Sep 7, 2023, at 5:25 PM, Mike Katz
<bitwiz(a)12bitsbest.com> wrote:
Whom ever said youth is wasted on the young was telling a very serious truth.
On 9/7/2023 7:12 PM, Tarek Hoteit wrote:
Safe recovery! Yes, the physical human OLD sucks
(not the geeky-part <- guess that keeps us more functioning)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tarek Hoteit
tarek(a)infocom.ai <mailto:tarek@infocom.ai>
+1 360-838-3675
https://infocom.ai <https://infocom.ai/>
On Sep 7, 2023, at 5:07 PM, Mike Katz via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> <mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
My sympathies to both of you and wishes for a good and complete recovery.
2 years ago I had a heart attack in my dojo. 8 stents and a pacemaker later I was back
on the mat in 3 weeks. It was 6 months before I was able to go full speed.
Getting old sucks!!!
On 9/7/2023 6:58 PM, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
Jon,
Yea. It affected my left side. Loss of muscle strength. I am left handed
and lost my strength but luckily can still type albeit slower.
Good thing the keyboard has a backspace key.
Fortunately I still get ideas but it sometimes takes awhile to write them
down.
-Ken
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 7:32 PM Jon Elson via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
<mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org>
wrote:
> On 9/7/23 17:18, KenUnix via cctalk wrote:
>> Hi guys.
>>
>> Since I can't get out due to my stroke, be sure to post plenty of snaps
> of
>> the event...
>>
> Sorry to hear about that. I had a very mild stroke 2 years
> ago, but it has affected dexterity in my right hand. My
> writing is now horrible (my penmanship was never really
> great) and typing is more error prone than before.
>
> Jon
>
>
6:20 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 4:49 PM steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of vacuum
cleaner for many decades. We had one until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
http://catb.org/jargon/html/V/VAX.html
8 Sep
8 Sep
6:20 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 9/7/2023 9:20 PM, Gavin Scott via cctalk wrote:
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 4:49 PM steven(a)malikoff.com
steven--- via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
"Nothing sucks like a VAX!!" :-)
bill
Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of
vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
http://catb.org/jargon/html/V/VAX.html 
6:29 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 8 Sep 2023, at 15:20, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 9/7/2023 9:20 PM, Gavin Scott via cctalk wrote:
I remember seeing that slogan in the 80s, when I was a student in Glasgow.
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 4:49 PM
steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
"Nothing sucks like a VAX!!" :-) Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of
vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
http://catb.org/jargon/html/V/VAX.html
6:36 a.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 9/8/2023 9:29 AM, Raymond Wiker via cctalk wrote:
When it first showed up it was all the rage on comp.os.vms.
And then I got the announcement signs on the side of the Central
Scranton Expressway
here in PA announcing "Coming soon - VMS".
Of course, that turned out to be The "Virtual Messaging System" which I
am sure
people see on their highways every day any more.
bill
On 8 Sep 2023, at 15:20, Bill Gunshannon via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 9/7/2023 9:20 PM, Gavin Scott via cctalk wrote:
I remember seeing that slogan in the
80s, when I was a student in Glasgow. On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 4:49 PM
steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
"Nothing sucks like a VAX!!" :-) Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of
vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
http://catb.org/jargon/html/V/VAX.html 
2:07 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On Sep 8, 2023, at 6:20 AM, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 9/7/2023 9:20 PM, Gavin Scott via cctalk wrote:
I rather like the old Trade Show button from WordPerfect that is sitting on top of the
Keyboard I’m using to type this (an old Apple ADB Extended II Keyboard via USB converter),
it says “Loyal to VAX”.
I normally have a physical VAX running 24x7. It was shutdown recently, but only due to
high temps, and it’s back online now.
Zane
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 4:49 PM
steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
"Nothing sucks like a VAX!!" :-)
bill
Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of
vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
http://catb.org/jargon/html/V/VAX.html
4:58 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
Zane is it accessible remotely? Just curious..
-Ken
On Fri, Sep 8, 2023 at 5:17 PM Zane Healy via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
--
End of line
JOB TERMINATED
On Sep 8, 2023, at 6:20 AM, Bill Gunshannon via
cctalk <
cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 9/7/2023 9:20 PM, Gavin Scott via cctalk wrote:
> On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 4:49 PM steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via
> cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
>> Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of vacuum cleaner for many
decades. We had one until recently.
"Nothing sucks like a VAX!!" :-)
bill
I rather like the old Trade Show button from WordPerfect that is sitting
on top of the Keyboard I’m using to type this (an old Apple ADB Extended II
Keyboard via USB converter), it says “Loyal to VAX”.
I normally have a physical VAX running 24x7. It was shutdown recently,
but only due to high temps, and it’s back online now.
Zane
5:10 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 9/8/2023 5:07 PM, Zane Healy wrote:
I've been thinking of bringing up a VAX again. I think I can fix my VXT
and I think
I now have some hardware that will let me put a PC class LCD monitor on it.
VAXStations just aren't much fun without the graphics.
bill
On Sep 8, 2023, at 6:20 AM, Bill Gunshannon via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On 9/7/2023 9:20 PM, Gavin Scott via cctalk wrote:
I rather like the old Trade Show button from WordPerfect that is sitting on top of
the Keyboard I’m using to type this (an old Apple ADB Extended II Keyboard via USB
converter), it says “Loyal to VAX”.
I normally have a physical VAX running 24x7. It was shutdown recently, but only due to
high temps, and it’s back online now.
On Thu, Sep 7, 2023 at 4:49 PM
steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via
cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
"Nothing sucks like a VAX!!" :-)
bill
Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of
vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
http://catb.org/jargon/html/V/VAX.html 
7 Sep
7 Sep
6:34 p.m.
New subject: Vintage Computer Fest Midwest "DECnut" pizza party
On 2023-09-07 3:44 p.m., steven(a)malikoff.com steven--- via cctalk wrote:
I say a good item to have, when the bit bucket overflows.
Ben.
On 09/07/2023 2:36 AM AEST Mike Katz via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
Does VAX have nothing to do with vacuum cleaners?
Here in Oz, VAX has been a popular brand of vacuum cleaner for many decades. We had one
until recently.
https://www.vax.com.au/
Steve 
6 Sep
6 Sep
11:33 a.m.
Mattis Lind wrote:
There have been a number of Ebay listings for various
ns32k software, QIC tapes and 1/2 inch tapes. >I thought I would buy them if there were
no other bids to try to recover the contents.
...
But there was a buyer and I didn't want to fight
over something where I don't have the actual >hardware. Maybe someone here is the
buyer? I am just curious if this will end up on bitsavers in the >future?
I would certainly be interested in what's on the tapes, especially those that are
specifically ns32k related. My difficulty at the moment is funding to buy the stuff due to
illness that has severely curtailed my working hours, and thus, putting a squeeze on
finances. So, I won't be bidding on the tapes. :-(
I have the ability to read ½” tapes (up to 6250 BPI) as well as QIC tapes.
My difficulty at the moment is funding to purchase the stuff due to illness that has
severely curtailed my working hours, and thus, putting a squeeze on finances. So, I
won't be bidding on any of the media, but certainly am interested in what's on the
media.
I would volunteer to read the media and provide it in a form usable (e.g., provided
external hard drive) if someone purchases the media but doesn’t have the tools to
read/extract the data on the tapes, and is willing to send them to me.
After everything possible is extracted and archived into a usable form on more current
hardware(disk, large thumb drive, or I could put it up on a private FTP for download),
I'd return the tapes to their owner along with the extracted data in whatever form
desired.
Hopefully Mattis or someone else with a preservationist mindset will end up winning the
tapes.
Bottom line is that the most important thing is that these tapes don't disappear into
some personal collection of stuff that will never again see the light of day (or worse,
end up being used as media for overwriting with other stuff). The best possible outcome
in my mind would be for the contents to be put up on Bitsavers for anyone who has interest
to peruse/download.
My concern is copyright. With the laws the way they are, if the content on the tape has
copyright notices (or the labels themselves do), it may not be legal to make the content
public without obtaining some kind of legal release from National Semiconductor to publish
this obsolete material, which could be a somewhat arduous process. Definitely something
to consider if the desire is to make the content of the tapes public. I will still help
anyone with extraction of the data from the tapes for their personal (non-public) use if
copyright gets in the way of publishing it for public access.
Anyway, if I can be of assistance in reading/extracating the media, feel free to contact
me via Email at XrickbX@YbenseneY.comZ<mailto:XrickbX@YbenseneY.comZ> (remove the
X's Y's, and Z's).
-Rick
254
days inactive
257
days old
33 comments
16 participants
participants (16)
-
ben -
Bill Gunshannon -
Fritz Mueller -
Gavin Scott -
Jon Elson -
KenUnix -
Lars Brinkhoff -
Mattis Lind -
Mike Katz -
Nigel Johnson Ham -
Paul Koning -
raymond.wiker＠icloud.com -
Rick Bensene -
steven＠malikoff.com steven＠malikoff.com -
Tarek Hoteit -
Zane Healy