I just found a discarded Packard Bell 486 (I almost left it because the
case looked like a 286's). I don't know why you all dislike those things
so much, this case is very good. Anyway, when the machine boots, the ROM
displays a "Packard Bell" graphic, complete with a 3-second fade-in (if
only people paid so much attention to _useful_ stuff). Underneath, it
displays, "America grew up listening to us. It still does." Now, this is
my question. What does this mean? When was this company founded, and
what was their original product?
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
I got unsubscribed from ClassicCmp somehow. Can someone forward me the
last two days worth or tell me where I can get it?
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]
FYI, this guy has some multiple-gang EPROM programmers available. Contact
him directly (Mikeooo1(a)aol.com).
<PASTE>
The Gangpro S I have will enable you to burn up to 32 chips at a time
and
covers hundreds of device types.Its features are way too numerous to go into
but its replacement is selling for over $6000.I am looking for $300 for
it.The
Gangpro8 will do 8 at a time and covers most device types also. It is self
contained where as the "S" can hook up thru a 232 cable with a PC. The one
you'll probably be most interested in is an EP-2A-88 by Optimal Technolgy
which requires a "personality module" for the eprom type you wish to
program
and will program 4 at a time. I have such modules for 2716's and 2532's
only.I
am looking for $45 for that one.
</PASTE>
Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com>
- ClubWin! Charter Member
- MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
- Preserver of "classic" computers
<<<< ========== reply separator ========== >>>>>
>>>Since we were recently discussing the first computer, I wondered, if
>>>the Zuse was "first", then what is the ENIAC famous for?
>>It's main use was calculating ballistics tables for artillery. If
>>anyone really cares, I could explain it in detail - but it's pretty
>>boring stuff.
> For one thing, why is it generally considered to be the first computer?
Maybe a very simple thing - since after the war ther was only the
Brit/US developents known to the (Brit/US) Scientists, they just
didn't know (like von Neuman is always credited for the idea of
a seperation of memory and CPU - but in fact Zuse had published
this idea 7 years earlyer).
It's a bit like one woman, in Florida, asked me around 1992
if I'm from West Germany, East Germany or new Germany *rotfl*
Missing information.
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
At 11:04 AM 6/25/98 -0700, you wrote:
>On Thu, 25 Jun 1998, Allison J Parent wrote:
>
>> <I've also learned that the printed circuit boards were 2-sided, but had n
>> <plated-thru holes. This may have caused problems to IC solder connections
>> <making reliability problems. I don't know if this would make buyers aband
>> <them making the numbers larger or smaller than otherwise.
>>
>> Not a problem. The trick was to solder both sides ot use through wires
>> as needed. It made the board much cheaper and buildable by home brewers.
>
>And that approach is cheaper and easier than the tubular rivet that
>preceded plated through holes - if you could even find such today :)
>
Yes, using wires as jumpers is good too. I'm amazed in TV sets, stereos,
etc. most all the printed circuit boards are one sided. The problem
I saw was with the actual IC pins. Sockets would make it worse.
If you don't plan ahead, there might be not enough lead to solder
to on the component side of some disk capacitors (resistors mounted
on end?), etc.
-Dave
<I've also learned that the printed circuit boards were 2-sided, but had n
<plated-thru holes. This may have caused problems to IC solder connections
<making reliability problems. I don't know if this would make buyers aband
<them making the numbers larger or smaller than otherwise.
Not a problem. The trick was to solder both sides ot use through wires
as needed. It made the board much cheaper and buildable by home brewers.
Allison
Since we were recently discussing the first computer, I wondered, if the
Zuse was "first", then what is the ENIAC famous for? Also, has anyone
seen any kind of in-depth description of either? I mean, what exactly
could the ENIAC do? Has anyone seen diagrams?
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>>Since we were recently discussing the first computer, I wondered, if
>>the Zuse was "first", then what is the ENIAC famous for?
>
>It's main use was calculating ballistics tables for artillery. If
>anyone really cares, I could explain it in detail - but it's pretty
>boring stuff.
For one thing, why is it generally considered to be the first computer?
Secondly, what kind of calculation did this involve? Was it a table in
the computer or did it involve an equation? What order equation?
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>The problem in my mind was that there was no guiding thread, no >hook",
no core story, no moral or lesson - just fumbling computer >companies,
insane investors, inept marketroids, crazy genius types, >etc. Is this
interesting enough, or just interesting to Amiga-heads?
The former. I can read commodore anecdotes for hours and never get
tired. One of my favorites is that they drilled circuit boards (some
early machine) to prevent people from putting their own upgrade chips in
(rather than have the dealer do it), and it cost them more to do this
than the cost of the actual chip. I mean, there does have to be some
tie-together, but it's always there if one has a lot of information.
Here's one: Capitalism, the abode of stupidity, is the crematorium of
ingenuity and creativity. Just off the top of my head.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
<> Why are folks scrounging on this list for blank 8" floppies when they a
<> readily available by mail order?
<
<I'd guess lack of information and price, Tim.
<
< - don
I'm as baffled as you two as if I ship disks I'm going to charge $5 just
so I have shipping covered for a box of about 10. After all of I have a
handful of people doing a send me some it could very likely incur some
serious $$$ in shipping. No real bargan there.
Allison
