Guys:
How many of you out there have a North Star Horizon?
I have one in seriously distressed condition, but
it may be useful for parts, or possibly for someone
who wants to embark on a *serious* restoration
project.
Jeff
Jerome Fine <jhfine(a)idirect.com> wrote:
>Megan says she has a V5.3 of RT-11 to be made available.
>And I think someone else just mentioned that they had acquired
>a set of RX50 for V5.3 of RT-11. Happy computing.
The only problem I have right now is the fact that the person I contacted
at Mentec (who is one of three who are responsible for pdp-11 stuff) was
entirely unaware of this license. I had to fax him a copy and he is
checking it out...
Until that time, I can't do anything (and I advise others to wait
as well, otherwise they can open themselves up to legal recourse).
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 |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
>> I see another rocket has blown up.
>> Looks like it's time to break out those
>> desk top analog computers that got us
>> into space the first time.
>
>You mean today? Haven't watched the news. I think its a conspiracy.
It is... the Taelons don't want us in space... :-)
Seriously, it carried the supposed replacement for the satellite which
had problems a few months ago and caused a beeper outage for millions
of subscribers... the company is a connecticut company...
Of course, the satellite was covered by insurance (gee, maybe that
is what brought it down... :-)
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 |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
>Bad choice of words on my part. I meant it wasn't in electronic
>form. As you point out, it's tempting to toss the docs because
>of their bulk, and has others have shown on this list, the docs
>are the first thing to have disappeared when they come to
>rescue a system.
There are some efforts I've heard of which involve scanning in the
old documentation... that will be terrabytes of .GIFs, I would
imagine... Let's hope that those of us who have any documentation
keep it forever, or will forward it (if someone decides to exit
the arena of classic computing) to one of those who are still
maintaining sets...
>Someone mentioned the old DEC fiches, and Megan (gee, only the
Gee... I'm honored... (someone else used to refer to me as *The*
Megan... :-)
>most famous are known by their first names) said something
>about the way they were produced with specially formatted text
>that printed direct to fiche film. Has DEC liberated these
>docs in pure electronic text form, or even RUNOFF form, or
>whatever system they used to typeset the original docs?
Unfortunately, those tapes were, to my knowledge, temporary for
the time it took to make the fiche. If they were saved, they
went to fire storage... and I have to say that once something
>from DEC went to fire storage, I've never seen anyone who could
get it back... I know, I've tried a few times over the years for
some things... (So what is the use of fire storage, if all it is
is a black hole?)
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 |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
In a message dated 8/27/98 2:25:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, manney(a)lrbcg.com
writes:
> Grant sent me some, but they weren't teeny tiny enough. These are 3/32"
> across, but the pins are only about 1/16" tall. Anyone have any?
> Thanks
> manney(a)lrbcg.com
hmm, my local overpriced computer store has em for sale...
i doubt they are that hard to find.
>On Wed, 26 Aug 1998, Francois wrote:
>
>> I believe it is relevant to the list for people who might be in the area
at
>> the time.
>
>But if you have your own local mailing list, then you can talk about us
>behind our backs. We talk about you guys all the time :-) You can setup
That's the main reason I wanted to meet my fellow collectors of the MidWest
so we can talk about you guys
>your own list using a service like www.listbot.com, for example, or roll
>your own if you've got your own net.boxen (like all of us SV nerds).
We have a few of those too but we save them for serious stuff: Real time
snow flake counter available in streaming video, mosquito forecast for every
lake in Minnesota.
You see with all those interesting things goin on that leaves only one place
to post for our get-together, West Coast collector bashing reunions.
Would it be more proper to post something in the following form?
------------------------------------
| |
| |
| o o |
| | |
| U |
| |
| |
| MIDWEST VCD Beta 0.1 |
| |
| Friday August 28 1998 |
| |
| Chilli's on county road 42 |
| |
| 6:00 pm |
| |
| |
| Any one who cares can come |
| |
------------------------------------
I could add a list of guest speakers and a schedule of events.
>
>-- Doug
Yes I agree that the discussion about the details is probably noise for most
of you but it's the best way to reach all that would be interested. The
subject line is clear enough to decide wether you want to read the post or
not and at about 100 bytes a post it does not constitute a "waste of
bandwith".
Francois
-------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the desperately in need of update
Sanctuary at: http://www.pclink.com/fauradon
<about 3" centre height, 18" between centres). Including milling. If you
< have a vertical slide on the saddle (and, better still also a vertical
< milling attachment), there's little you can't do that you could do on a
< milling machine. Sure you'll have to work slowly and take light cuts, bu
< you can do it.
One popular lathe/mill was the unimat. used to cost back around '68
about $400USD.
Thanks to brothers and father, the basement at home was a full machine
shop with a southbend 6"x28" lathe, drill press, welding and forge.
Milling of small parts was done clamping it to the crossstock or
headpeice.
< Metal casting is also possible at home. You can make the pattern on the
< lathe, make a mould using foundry sand and melt the metal either in a
< coke furnace, or preferably an electricly heated one. Not trivial to do,
< but not beyond what some people will try. In fact I must have a go one d
My favorite source for metal was Volkswagon engine heads as the aluminum
alloy was very machineable and melted well using a propane/air forge in
the back yard. Parts were sandcast. Dad showed me how to make masters
and work the sand. Also used to do lost plug plaster casting for finer
parts (plaster formed around a wax form that is melted out). Also did
copper and bronze. Steel was welded, cut and formed using gas and arc
equipment.
It's all pretty easy once you know how. Wish I had access to that now.
Allison
Is this any easier with plastic parts? Is there any easy way to make
molds? I don't want to do it, just curious (modern appliances
usually depend on a single .5 cm plastic cog which of course tends
to break or wear out after a few months' use)
>FOr the record, I have absolutely no interest in firearms...
>
>> Why not? It can certainly be bought, both new and at auctions.
>> I knew a gunsmith who had a mill and a lathe, and that's the main
>> two pieces of heavy machinery you need to make pretty much anything.
>> (Besides the little stuff like welding equipment, saws, etc.)
>
>Actually, you can do a suprising amount with a small lathe (small
meaning
>about 3" centre height, 18" between centres). Including milling. If you
>have a vertical slide on the saddle (and, better still also a vertical
>milling attachment), there's little you can't do that you could do on a
>milling machine. Sure you'll have to work slowly and take light cuts,
but
>you can do it.
>
>To go back on topic, a small lathe will make a lot of bits for computer
>peripherals. Rollers, spindles, pulleys, gears, etc can all be made
>pretty easily. In fact for something like a simple nylon roller for a
>printer, it's actually quicker to turn the part than to try to get a
part
>number from the manufacturer!
>
>The cost of a good small non-CNC (so ideal for one-offs, but not for
>production) lathe would be about \pounds 3000, I guess. Not impossible
to
>have at home. In fact almost all model engineers (the sort of madmen
who
>make steam engines) have such a machine.
>
>Metal casting is also possible at home. You can make the pattern on the
>lathe, make a mould using foundry sand and melt the metal either in a
>coke furnace, or preferably an electricly heated one. Not trivial to
do,
>but not beyond what some people will try. In fact I must have a go one
day.
>
>-tony
>
>
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