test-drb December 1998

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

168 participants
844 discussions

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

Hi Folks, I have acquired a Genicom 3820 High speed serial printer that I'm hoping to use on my Microvax II. I think it was previously on a Microvax 2000, (got that too :^) As usual, I have no docs whatsoever. Had a look at the Genicom web site, but nothing there is useful, since this is evidently a "Legacy" model. I need to find some technical info on this, especially dip switch settings, so it can be configured to run off a serial port on a Microvax II, or even a DMB32 on a Vax 6000. Any additional info is a bonus of course. Any help appreciated. Computer Room Internet Cafe Port Pirie South Australia. netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au

25 years, 7 months

Linux or what?

by jolminkh＠nsw.bigpond.net.au

>Off the top of my head about the only other thing I can think of is >CP/M-86, which had been available, but the "Unofficial CP/M Web Page" seems >to have disappeared (did it move?). > Here is a link to the current location: http://www.mathcs.emory.edu/~cfs/cpm/

25 years, 7 months

Linux or what?

by roblwill＠usaor.net

I've been thinking of putting Linux on my laptop. Thing is, I have a few questions: What are the requirements for it? I was looking at Caldera OpenLinux, and one of the download files was 30 MB. My laptop's an 8088 with 640K RAM, CGA, 720k 3.5" floppy, and a 20 MB HD. Obviously, not big enough. What I want to know is if I can get some old version of it, or some "mini version", that still has the newer features, just in a smaller package. Or does anyone have an alternative O/S that I could run on it, besides DOS? Happy Holidaze -and- ThAnX, -- -Jason Willgruber (roblwill(a)usaor.net) ICQ#: 1730318 <http://members.tripod.com/general_1>

25 years, 7 months

DOS Version of Supnik PDP-11 Emulator?

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

A while back someone had mentioned that they'd compiled a DOS version of the Supnik emulator. Is it available for FTP somewhere? Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

25 years, 7 months

Another ~1960 computer kit

by ddameron＠earthlink.net

Hi Tony and all, At 03:09 PM 12/19/98 +0000, you wrote: >One of the most depressing things I've done recently was buy a number of >books (some second-hand, some new) with titles like 'The boy mechanic', >'Every boy his own mechanic', etc. > >OK, so the titles are sexist, and I do believe that's wrong, and that >there's no reason why girls shouldn't also be interested in this sort of >thing. > >But worse still is the fact that back in the early years of this century, >it appears that boys - say about 12-15 years old - were expected to try >woodwork, metalwork, using a lathe, wiring electric lights, bells, >telephones, etc, making induction coils, etc, etc, etc. Things that I bet >few boys ever try today. And yet, today, it could be made a little easier >for them. > I have some of these books, and it always amazes me what "boys" were doing back then - all the things you mentioned and more. One day I hope to start aluminum casting. Alfred Morgan was writing books like this at least until up to the 50's. Just today I bought a 1927 book on radio construction and repair. Last week I listened to a tube/valve regenerative SW receiver. OFF topic: Max wrote: There's little need to make coils these days, and wiring electric lights isn't very fun when one can play around with things millions of times more complex. Hey! I've wound several experimental coils this year. Did you wonder _how_ a transformer works? I know the equations to design one, but am asking something more fundamental. The secondary winding of a transformer has voltage induced in it, but what couples the energy to it from the primary winding's magnetic field? (Hint: The magnetic field can be zero at the secondary) As for wiring lights, Christmas tree light strings here are now cheap series strings although the bulbs may have some wire turns wrapped around the leads to prevent a open circuit if a bulb burns out. This often don't work, so the entire string is usually thrown away, like many modern ASIC type computer boards END off topic -Dave

25 years, 7 months

Can I conclude......

by museum＠techniche.com

Hi Aaron, Can I conclude from the lack of a response that I didn't make the cut for the ASR-33 documentation? Was I too late or ......?????? Thanks Jon > >Free (*) manuals, maybe some hardware too. > >Multiple sets of ASR-33 teletype maintainance volumes and print sets. > >Dynex Series 6000 Disk Drive instruction (/maint) manual. > >System Industries Model 3040 manual. >System Industries Modem 3051 print set. >(I have the OMNIBUS card for these around here someplace too.) > >Diablo Series 40 print set & manual. > >Plessy PM-80 (or something like that) prints set & manual (I think >I have one or two of the cards too), it's OMNIBUS core memory. > >Four trays of PDP-11 paper-tape diagnostics. > >Some kind of Roytron/Litton OEM punch manual (I need to look at this >one and make sure it's not something in a DEC box). > >PDP11 PAL/EDIT/ODT/PIP/LINK/LIBR manual. > >PDP-8/e (ONLY!) maintainance manual Vol 1. (note: old version!) > >PDP10 reference handbook. (big) > >Decsystem 10 TECO > >Decsystem 10 Users Handbook, 2nd ed (big) > >EMAIL replies to me, not to the newsgroup or mailing list. > >(*): Free for the cost of shipping. I will use subjective criteria >in resolving between multiple requesters for the same material. I >apologize in advance if I do not personally reply to you. > > >-- >Aaron Nabil >nabil(a)teleport.com >

25 years, 7 months

Electrical knowledge, was Another ~1960 computer kit

by ddameron＠earthlink.net

I guess this post will also show how weird I am. At 09:31 PM 12/19/98 +0000, Tony wrote: >> >But worse still is the fact that back in the early years of this century, >> >it appears that boys - say about 12-15 years old - were expected to try >> >woodwork, metalwork, using a lathe, wiring electric lights, bells, >> >telephones, etc, making induction coils, etc, etc, etc. Things that I bet >> >few boys ever try today. And yet, today, it could be made a little easier >> >for them. >> > >> I have some of these books, and it always amazes me what "boys" were doing > >Some of them are available as reprints from Lindsay Publications (in the >UK, available from Camden Miniature Steam Services). > Lindsay is at www.lindsaybks.com. I have many too. Have tried to talk him into having more computer books besides the "How to repair and upgrade your PC" type. The "Practical Electronics" TTL calculator would be good if he could do something like that. >> aluminum casting. Alfred Morgan was writing books like this at least until > >I've never tried it, but I believe that getting a _good_ casting from >aluminium is not that easy. Sure it's an easy metal to melt, but it also >picks up all sorts of garbage very easily, leading to a terrible casting. >Iron/steel is supposed to be easier to cast - if you can melt it. I've read the next step up from aluminum, copper or brass, can have its own problems too. > >> >> OFF topic: >> Max wrote: >> There's little need to make coils these days, and wiring electric lights >> isn't very fun when one can play around with things millions of times more >> complex. >> >> Hey! I've wound several experimental coils this year. Did you wonder _how_ a > >This year? This week, more like :-). > >> transformer works? I know the equations to design one, but am asking > >It may just be me, but I never like using equations to _explain_ >anything. Sure they're useful tools when you come to design a transformer >(or whatever), but you should be able to understand the operation of the >transformer using qualitative arguements. Well, more often than "this year", actually. I like practice and experiments, but sometime require some equations/theory. Think of a transformer secondary wound with coax cable. What would happen... > >> As for wiring lights, Christmas tree light strings here are now cheap series >> strings although the bulbs may have some wire turns wrapped around the leads >> to prevent a open circuit if a bulb burns out. This often don't work, so the >> entire string is usually thrown away, like many modern ASIC type computer boards > >You mean people don't get little packets of replacement bulbs and play >'hunt the dud' any more. That used to be a ritual each winter here for >many years. Apparently not much anymore. Don't have a "Voltstick" type of detector yet. Are they only AC, or can they pick up the charge on a CRT screen? > >Those little electrostic field detectors (aka 'Voltstick') took all the >fun out of it ;-). > And, >These people didn't have a clue that you could make logic circuits using >relay contacts. > >Don't get me wrong. I'm totally in favour of digital _electronics_, >microcontrollers, FPGAs, etc when they're the right solution. But when I >want to make an XOR gate to control the light over the stairs here, you >can be sure I'm going to use a couple of changeover switches and nothing >more. And Max wrote: > >OK, now I have the feeling I may have forgotten something. When you wire >some bulbs in series, and one burns out, they all fail. If they are wired >in ||, and one burns out, the others keep burning. What more is there? True, series and parallel are basic, but not too interesting if you only stop there! 2 single-pole double throw (changeover) switches can be wired so either one can turn a light on or off. Like one switch at the top and one at the bottom of stairs. Suppose you need a third switch? A double-pole, double-throw one will work. When you see how it is wired, you see how any number can be wired. And the light is now a "parity" indicator! (No when I knew how to wire the switches, had never heard of the word parity yet.) Another example, it surprises me how many "electrical" people do not understand, for example, what happens when one wires speakers in series or parallel. >I wonder how many people here have made a light bulb, or a cell/battery >from scratch. OK, on this list, quite a few I would guess. Elsewhere, >close to 0? What about winding a motor (and that's almost on-topic - one >day you're going to have to rebuild an LA36, and carriage motors are >neither common nor cheap...) Yes to all 3. >You can learn a lot more by actually making something (however poorly it >actually performs) than by reading a book or playing with a simulation. >The latter are useful as well (particularly the books), but in the end >you actually have to try making something. > >I heard that a number of physics graduates from, I think US, but it >might have been UK, universities were given a battery, some wire, and a >bulb of the same voltage as the battery. The task was to light the bulb. >An amazing percentage (something like 80%) couldn't do it (and no, there >were no tricks). Sad if true. Thanks for bringing back the memory of a very early experiment I did. I took apart a flashlight and had the bulb and a D size cell. Both the bulb and the cell looked like they had one terminal- the metal bump on the bottom of the bulb and the center metal contact on the top of the D cell. But when the 2 were connected, the bulb didn't light. So I had to go back and examine the flashlight more closely, then find some wire. Learning that way sticks. -Dave

25 years, 7 months

Another ~1960 computer kit

by ddameron＠earthlink.net

I was looked through some older magazines and found another computer kit >from about 1959, 1960, a full page ad for the "geniac". It has 6 dials, each with 16 sets of radial holes. It's cost was US$19.95 and made in Mass. My guess is it was electro-mechanical, but could not tell any more from the ad. The ad said it could play "Nim", but that doesn't seem to be that unusual. Has anyone seen one or knows what it did? Thanks, -Dave

25 years, 7 months

I don't believe this spam I just got!

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

I can't believe it. My NETCOM account is on some SPAM list of NETCOM subscribers (apparently someone sometime sold their user list). Anyway, I just got a SPAM from a computer seller. Half the stuff listed is classic DEC Hardware! Based on the prices on Exabyte stuff if they hadn't spammed me I'd probably be interested in doing business with them!?!?! I just don't believe it! Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |

25 years, 7 months

More -11 systems

by mbg＠world.std.com

Again, contact the person listed in the post, not me: - - - - - I have the following warm and not-so-friendly creatures available free to good home (they've had their shots and are eager to please): Cards: 1 DLV2 1 TMM10010 1 M8186 7 USDC 1101 Systems: 1 PDP-? containing the following cards: 1 TMM10010 1 8186 1 DLV2 Appears to have a QBUS USDC Cabinet 1 PDP-? containing the following cards: 1 TMM10010 1 8186 1 DLV2 Appears to have a QBUS USDC Cabinet The two systems power up and produce the "@" prompt. Sorry, there are no disks for these systems. Sorry, I know nothing more than the above. We have been cleaning house and I've asked that these items be saved for distribution to a cheerful, happy household! The systems are located at U.S. Design in Columbia, MD. I would prefer that you come by and pick these systems up, all or in part. First-come, first-served! If you're interested, please call me at (410)-381-3000 x130 to set up a pick up time. Thanks, Chuck McCrobie (** MAD VAX **) - - - - - Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com | | Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com | | Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' | | 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

25 years, 7 months

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test-drb December 1998