test-drb June 1998

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

158 participants
941 discussions

Old computer books (was: Re[2]: Quarter classics (was: Big

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

> 'The DMA address extension register is a 4*4 register file >chip (74LS670) at location <U whatever>. It supplies the top 4 bits >of the system 20 bit address during DMA cycles. Unlike the >segmentation scheme used by the CPU, the extensions address is not a >16 bit segment address which is added to the address from the DMA >controller. Therefore, DMA operations cannot cross 64K boundaries', I can half-understand that, but if you read those urban legends about a guy calling tech support because the power went out in his block (I've had personal experience - my mom thinks there is a significant difference between a TV and monitor as far as cleaning solution is concerned), I sometimes wonder how these people learn to walk :) > >Now remember the PERQ again, and think back to the start of this (long) >thread. The PERQ happens to be the first commercial machine that would >now be classed as a workstation. For that reason alone it should not be >forgotten. But few people have ever heard of it (OK, not on this list >since I do go on about it :-)), or seen one. Which comes back to the >original point. Where should the average man in the street go to see the >machines that led up to the PC he's now using (I'll assume Windows, if >only because it's the most common OS). The average man in England might get your book, the average man in the US doesn't have time. Most people just _don't have time_ to learn about curiosities, especially when such complex, multidimensional concepts are involved. And so many people already have learned to use their computers mechanically (I just turned it on and it always loaded WordPerfect...) that such knowledge would have nowhere to go. I've seen some of my classmate have trouble understanding how muscles work, because they _just do_. Also, the economic forces that partly drove this stuff could never be understood by the naive American. To bring this long rambling to a close, I don't think many people would understand such a history, though that does not mean that we shouldn't try to make them ;) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

26 years, 5 months

Overhyped Innovations (was Re: OS's In ROM's (was: Re: Mac Classic prob (was Macintoshes..

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<Voice recognition?? This is still evolving and has just become viable i <the last year or so. It works in a more than limited fashion, and is onl Still evolving but usable systems are getting near 10 years old! I cite DRAGON Dictate. However user independent is far away. <many different fields. MSX was a standard that was around for a time in <Europe and Japan. Thankfully it didn't catch on in the U.S. or stick <around, but like CP/M it kinda faded. Home automation is an evolving ar MSX was replace like CPM with dos and winders. Allison

26 years, 5 months

Inventory Control (was Re:

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

I'm just wondering - what DO you use these machines for? I guess you must have been doing it for a long time if you're using classics for it. Also, I think you should at least have an inventory of the manuals, and an inventory of each machine, ie Apple //c =1 computer =1 monitor //c =1 AC adapter =1 'getting started' guide etc, etc. That way, if you give the machine to someone, you won't leave anything out. >That could never work for me. I have a 'working' collection - machines >are often being used for real-world tasks (I don't really have a >non-classic computer), they're being investigated, hacked, tweaked, >repaired,etc. So machines rarely stay in the same place for very long. > >And while I have shelf after shelf of manuals, many of them are open on >my workbench, near this PC, etc. They're in _use_. > >-tony > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

26 years, 5 months

Old computer catalogs wanted

by dastar＠ncal.verio.com

Can anyone point this guy in the direction of heaps of old computer catalogs? Reply-to: Ferock(a)aol.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 15:18:00 EDT From: Ferock(a)aol.com To: vcf(a)siconic.com Subject: computer catalogs I enjoyed reading your web page. I'm also interested in old computers and old computer equipment. I collect old (1980-1990) computer catalogs. I'm especially interested in Black Box and Amp catalogs. If you know anyone who is interested in selling these items, I would greatly appreciate it if you send me an e-mail. Thanks in advance. Glenn

26 years, 5 months

Overhyped Innovations (was Re: OS's In ROM's (was: Re: Mac Classic prob (was Macintoshes..

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

I guess I missed that one. Wasn't particularly useful, though versions were used as Packard Bell's "Navigator" and a popular game called "Myst" ;) >Bob was touted by Microsoft as the way user interfaces would work from >that point on. It was seen as a way to bring computers to mere consumers, >and launched at CES with great fanfare IIRC. > If you use a keyboard. Imagine a touch screen keyboard that reconfigured itself for your task, and had an enzyme coating that broke down your skin oils to prevent stains (you'd have to take breaks, of course, to prevent skin from drying out), like in Star Trek:The Next Generation. It's farfetched, but I doubt we'll use mechanical keyboard forever. >Touch screens make you take your hands off the keyboard and leave a greasy >mess on your screen while you try in vain to do high resolution tasks with >your low res finger. Can you type while you're buried inside a router closet trying to check network cables? I sure can't... >Even in humans, voice recognition isn't great. That's why there are so >many different words for "huh?". You'll always be able to communicate >with your computer faster and more accurately with a keyboard. Supercomputers are becoming less and less common because as things get cheaper, it's no longer 'super' but 'high-power', and in two years, 'entry-level'. AI works best in parallel, so do simulations like the ones India didn't want to stick to. >The supercomputer tar pits are littered with the remains of parallel >processing companies. They go fast only for a relatively small subset of >programs. > >-- Doug > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

26 years, 5 months

OS's In ROM's (was: Re: Mac Classic prob (was Macintoshes...))

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

I LOVE that idea. Now, it'd need to be EPROM, especially nowadays with bug fixes, a new version every other day of the week, etc. but still, it's a way cool concept. Which computers did this? Ciao, Tim -----Original Message----- From: Zane H. Healy <healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Friday, June 26, 1998 9:22 AM Subject: Re: Mac Classic prob (was Macintoshes...) >>> The Mac Classic contains a complete System 6 installation in ROM that >>> you can boot from. Sorry but I don't have the docs handy, but I think >>> if you press Command-Option-Shift-X on startup, it'll boot from the >>> ROM. Another way that should work is Command-Option-Shift-Backspace -- >> >>Actually, the keys to press are: >> >> Cmd-Option-X-O >> >>That's the letter O, not the number zero. > >Wow, it has the complete OS in ROM? I didn't know any of the Mac's did >that. Are there any others or was this a one shot experiment that failed? >The OS in ROM is the main thing I like about the Atari ST's. > > Zane >| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | >| healyzh(a)ix.netcom.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/ |

26 years, 5 months

Overhyped Innovations (was Re: OS's In ROM's (was: Re: Mac Classic prob (was Macintoshes..

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

Most of what you list are excellent things that are not yet finished. They WILL catch on when they're done. Bob was just a dumb program. I find the touch screen comment unpleasant because I think touch screens are the key to an easy-to-use interface. Voice recognition and p.p. are in use and are gaining ground. What were bubbles, and why didn't they catch on? Ones you've missed? I think the Amiga caught on a lot less than it should have, same with the Macintosh. >BTW, I enjoy collecting over-hyped innovations that never quite >caught on in the way they were supposed to: Bubbles. Pen-based >computers. Touch screens. Wireless networks. Bob. MSX. Robots. >AI. Home automation. The Z8000. The iAPX432. Parallel processing. > Voice recognition. > >What did I miss? > >-- Doug > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

26 years, 5 months

Tektronix 4211???

by dastar＠ncal.verio.com

Anybody know what a Tektronix 4211 is? Its got an RS-232C port on the back, a DB-9 connector, two other db-25 ports, and some other connectors. Its in a desktop case and is greyish in colour. Saw it in a surplus shop so I don't have it in front of me to answer questions. Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ever onward. September 26 & 27...Vintage Computer Festival 2 See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details! [Last web page update: 06/11/98]

26 years, 5 months

Old computer books (was: Re[2]: Quarter classics (was: Big

by tomowad＠earthlink.net

>But seriously, while _I'd_ only want to write a book that's correct and >complete (and therefore does document every last gate in the device), I >guess few people would ever want to read it. You could release it in pdf format on the internet with a $5 shareware fee, or something. I'd certainly buy it, and I'm sure lots of other people (such as the ones who subscribe to this list) would as well. The information is invaluable. Tom Owad Sysop of Caesarville Online Client software at: <http://home.earthlink.net/~tomowad/>

26 years, 5 months

Hang her on the wall.

by drfcline＠netw.com

A piece of computer memorabilia well worth mounting on the wall or giving as a gift is a stack memory card from the UNIVAC computer. It is the LAST time the home of a bit of information could actually be seen - a tiny doughnut on a grid of wires. See it at http://www.netw.com/~drfcline/univac.htm

26 years, 5 months

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test-drb June 1998