test-drb January 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

189 participants
897 discussions

by Jgzabol＠aol.com

In einer eMail vom 12.01.1999 15:06:43, schreiben Sie: << I've come across enough machines that use 6-bit characters internally.... 6 Bit ? thats new - I never have seen a 6 Bit byte computer - I know 6 Bit only from some serial line encodings. >> 6 bit characters were quite the standard BEFORE /360 days, say for CDC 6600, CDC 7600 (the most powerful computers from mid-60s until the appearance of the CRAY-1 machines, forerunners of the Cyber 170 series), or IBM 7030, IBM 7090, IBM 7094 say, back in the '60s. They were not called bytes, and could not be addressed directly; there were 36 bit or 60 bit words, and shift / logical instructions used for character manipulation. In fact this is probably the origin for the six character namelength limit in FORTRAN IV : 6 chars x 6 bits = 36 bit word. John G. Zabolitzky

25 years, 11 months

What's a VAX 6000/300 ?

by cmcmanis＠freegate.com

My guess is that it isn't "classic" yet, but there is a nice example of one at Berman for _next week's_ auction. (unless they are saving it and the tape drive for someone) --Chuck

25 years, 11 months

computers for children

by fauradon＠pclink.com

I just can't wait till mine grow up too ;) >My son (6) fell in love with the Kaypro II as soon as he saw a picture of it >on the web, so I've promised him I'd get one.... not bad for the son of a >"Microserf". (grrr.) > >- Joe > >

25 years, 11 months

Computers for children

by roblwill＠usaor.net

I remember that *My* first computer was a 286-16 with 4 MB RAM, DOS 3.3, a 1/2 x CD-ROM and a 360k floppy. The keyboard was missing a few keys, the case (XT) had gotten rusty from sitting in a damp basement, and I had found the EGA monitor in the garbage (I had to replace the power cord). It didn't have a mouse, and when I finally was given an old mouse, I found out that neither serial port worked. I eventually bought a serial card for $1, and a copy of Windows 3.0 for $10 (on CD, in 1992). It was the first program that I ever had on CD. It took 5 hours to install. The printer was a Tandy DWP ][ that I was given by someone who got rid of their TRS-80. Instead of buying a cable for it, I ripped the D-connector out of the fried serial board and made my own cable. I used Windows Terminal to connect to a local BBS with a 2400 manual-dial Racal-Vadic modem that I found a Salvation Army for $3. The computer was running up until two years ago, when the HD crashed (heads?) and a cloud of tan/orange smoke billowed from the front of it. I pulled the serial card, CD-ROM controller and video card. I gave the monitor and vid card to a cousin that was building a computer, the case/MB/floppy/HD to a computer recycler (since out of business), and the CD-ROM is still chugging away on my 5170. I think that entire system cost me about $20. -- -Jason Willgruber (roblwill(a)usaor.net) ICQ#: 1730318 <http://members.tripod.com/general_1> -----Original Message----- From: Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) <cisin(a)xenosoft.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 2:35 PM Subject: Computers for children >This'll probably offend many. > >I think that an 8 year old would be best off with a machine with CD-ROM >capability. And a good size stack of reference disks, including >Encyclopedia Brittanica, atlases, and several collections of literature. > >There should also be WWW access, preferably with at least minimal >graphics capability. > >If you really want to splurge, a cheap color inkjet printer. > >For programming, I would recommend BASIC, TO START WITH, followed by an >introduction to C and assembly as soon as basic principles are understood. > > >In the PC world, that would call for 386SX with VGA video, and DOS 3.10 >or above. (preferably 6.2x) I would also recommend Windoze Notepad and >Windoze Write for word processing. > >Once the kid has gotten thoroughly into it, THEN maybe a birthday present >of a set of Linux disks? > > >How much more than a C64 would a generic 386 AT cost? Do you need some >of us to contribute some parts? > >-- >Fred Cisin cisin(a)xenosoft.com >XenoSoft http://www.xenosoft.com >2210 Sixth St. (510) 644-9366 >Berkeley, CA 94710-2219 > >

25 years, 11 months

Computers for children

by kurtkilgor＠bigfoot.com

> Apparently you have not tried Visual Basic... How is that as easy as ROM BASIC? You turn the computer, and Visual Basic pops up immediately? I've yet to see such a computer (and if I do, I'll bash it to pieces with an axe, but that's another story)!. > At what level are you talking? I have not seen any sofware for kids (like > the knowledge adventure or humongous entertainment series) that would run on > Linux. It is hard to get a kid used to play with windows for 6 years and > tell him that it is crap and the one where you have to type long commands is > a lot better. We're talking about teaching _about_ computers, not teaching _with_ computers. Granted, Alvin and the Chipmunks software won't run on Linux (usually), and M$ Actimates won't work with it either...(echo "Hello, World!" > /dev/barney, anyone?) but those things won't help someone who wants to learn how a computer works.

25 years, 11 months

RT-11 Help

by dogas＠leading.net

From: Jerome Fine <jhfine(a)idirect.com> >I believe that Mentec sells a full set of DOCS (about 3' in the >13 binders) for about $ US 1300. You can also buy the V5.7 >H-kit for about $ US 1600, or it was the last time I was *trying to stuff eyes back in sockets from whence they sprung* tell me this is a fluke of international formatting. 130k pennies??? There go the eyes again... >) - Mike: dogas(a)leading.net

25 years, 11 months

Computer Collecting Books [WAS: Dr. Dobb's article]

by gregorym＠cadvision.com

At 04:24 PM 1/12/99 -0800, you wrote: >There is also Haddock's book of a similar name. Unfortunately, my copy has >gone missing. It's around somewhere, but Rachel has been cleaning up my >room, and I'm lucky to be able to find a clean shirt, let alone something >important like a classic computer book. 8^) > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- O- > >Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad >roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Haddock's book is A Collector's Guide to Personal Computers and Pocket Calculators, subtitled A Historical, Rarity, and Value Guide, by Dr. Thomas F. Haddock, Books Americana, Florence, Alabama, 1993. ISBN 0-89689-098-8. I found it useful as a reference, but dated; it doesn't include many machines after the Amiga 1000, and the prices are way out of date. Also, the information about many machines is incomplete (e.g. no production estimates, original list prices, details). The book also has a lot of material on 70s vintage hobbyist machines and peripherals (e.g. Altair, IMSAI, many more obscure others) that are largely unobtainable where I live. Still, fun to browse through, and one of the few references available for our hobby. Mark.

25 years, 11 months

micro PDP-11 "Fatal RSTS/E system initialization error!"

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Disk is being rebuilt - wait... Sounds like the system was powered off without having run the $SHUTUP program to shutdown the system. >DU0 error UDASA P.OPCD P.STS P.BCNT P.BUFF P.BUF2 > P.LBN > 000000 000242 020006 000000 044000 000000 > 000001 > >Unrecoverable disk error on DU0 > >PC=121232 PS=030341 OV=000022 M5=001600 M6=003242 SP=041274 >R0=000000 R1=077777 R2=042125 R3=172150 R4=041410 R5=140026 > >Fatal RSTS/E system initialization error! A disk block has gone bad. Either the rebuild process was unable to read a block or unable to write one. Either way, the on-disk structure may be corrupted (someone more RSTS-saavy can explain more). The bad block is block 1 -- the home block... not good. 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, 11 months

What the hell is this!? IBM test equipment

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

I went computer scrounging today and found a brief case style tool box with some kind on IBM tester in it. I have so idea what it is but it has an 8" floppy disk drive in it! I got the floppy disk too. It has a NICE handset with a 4 line LED display and a full keyboard attached by a cable. There's also a lot of strange looking connectors and adapters with it. The main box has an "IPL" button and three connectors labeled "PIO", "S LOOP" and "R LOOP". The quick reference chart only calls it a "MD". There's a tag on it that says "TYPE 910x 002". Anyone know what it is and what it's for? Joe

25 years, 11 months

Dr. Dobb's article

by bill＠chipware.com

If you haven't seen it yet, the February Dr. Dobb's has a 3/4 page blurb about computer collecting and Kevin Stumpf's _Guide_to_Collecting_Computers_and_Computer_Collectibles_ Does said author subscribe to this list? Has anyone seen the book for sale and/or bought/read it? Bill Sudbrink

25 years, 11 months

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test-drb January 1999