Someone else mentioned a inter 'library/museum' loan system that I think can
also be ironed out. I'd like to schedule a few checkouts and I also have
some diverse stuff that could go on the circut...
- Mike: dogas(a)leading.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Zane H. Healy <healyzh(a)aracnet.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 1999 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: Museums
>>Saxonville, Mass. When I called, I was told that all they had left was
>>a 2500 sq-ft area... at *$8* per sq-ft. That's US$20000 (I believe for
>>a year), $1667/month. If this could be a club formed as a non-profit
>>organization, and if I could get $10/month out of people, we'd need
>>167 members just to pay for the space... Then we have electric, which
>>I would suspect will be a major part of the cost for such a power-oriented
>>hobby.
>
>Don't forget this is America, land of the lawsuit, something like this
>would potentially need some hefty insurance because of all the "dangerous
>items".
>
I would also imagine the museum brick and morter will have to be
electronically shielded to allow things like trs-80 mod 1s to operate in a
commercial zone.
- Mike: dogas(a)leading.net
>I'd need the part number to be sure... but... if that's what I think it
>is you're a very lucky camper.
>That sounds like the HP Network Analyzer. It is sold as a Laptop unit
>with custom HP network monitoring software.
It is an HP4972A... Lan Protocol Analyzer
68010 processor
Bootrom 4.0
keyboard
Graphics
HP-IB
HP98628 at 20
2096992 bytes
>If that's what I think it is - it is a CURRENT product, and sells for
>anywhere from $15,000.00 to $60,000.00 depending on the options it has.
wow... I didn't know that...
I'm still using it at work... but need for it is waning a little, what
with FDDI, Token Ring, ATM, etc... (unless it has options for other
network media)
I'll have to find out what price I might be able to get it for when/if
it is excessed... it may be beyond me...
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 |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
>> ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/academic/computer-science/history/pdp-11/rt/decus/
>>
>> Just FTP there from your RT-11 system and you're set!
> I may be going about this all wrong.
> Firstly FTPing stuff implies an FTP client on the target system
>and a modem. Modems I have, but how to get RSTS to talk to them is
>not clear to me at this point on my learning curve. Acquiring and
>installing Kermit and/or FTP software is something I want to do, but
>have no clue presently. All in due time I suppose.
I don't know of any FTP for a RSTS/E (or RSTS) machine, but
there are several commercial and one freeware package for real
RT-11 internet connectivity. See
http://shop-pdp.kent.edu/
for information on the freeware package.
> BUT: Do I really need RT11 to use the programs on the tapes, if
>they will work under RSTS? I imagine not... so the real question is,
>can I unpack the .DSK file uner RSTS V9.7?
Good question! If there's some way that you can do a "file to
device" copy under RSTS/E, then you'll be able to copy the .DSK
to a real disk and then mount that as a RT-11 volume. I've never
done this on RSTS/E, but if you ask where all the experts
hang out (comp.os.rsts) you'll probably get a good answer.
Note that I've written several tools for manipulating RT-11
.DSK files on "foreign" systems, and many classic Unices
shipped with similar tools. The RT-11 filesystem is simple
enough that such tools are easy to write. See
http://metalab.unc.edu/pub/academic/computer-science/history/pdp-11/rt/ldto…
for a tool that I've suggested in the past when folks have asked
"how can I read a .DSK without a real RT-11 system?"
--
Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com
Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/
7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917
Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927
> I am trying to use some DECUS tapes which I obtained; they exist
>on tape as one large file with extent .DSK .
> Any info on how I can get started unpacking thses files?
Others have already told you about MOUNT, but if you just want easy
access to the unpacked files, all the RT-11 DECUS SIG tapes (about 300
Megabytes worth) are available by anonymous FTP from
ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/academic/computer-science/history/pdp-11/rt/decus/
Just FTP there from your RT-11 system and you're set!
--
Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com
Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/
7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917
Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927
--- Lawrence LeMay <lemay(a)cs.umn.edu> wrote:
> > Hmm.... I _do_ have a 25Mhz NeXT slab
>
> Hmm, what is required to duplicate an OS disk for an old NeXT cube?
If
> memory serves, they used some sort of optical disk.
NeXT cubes did ship with an optical disk. I have a slab. It has room
inside for a 3.5" SCSI disk and has a 2.88Mb floppy for removable
media.
It is monochrome and otherwise resembles (from point of view of the
software that runs on it) a faster version of the cube.
I haven't seen a cube up close since they first came out. Perhaps
people wanted to find out if the case really was made of magnesium
and set them on fire? :-)
-ethan
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
Arrrgh! Why couldn't this guy have been in north Seattle or something?
I've been hunting for an 11/83!
Anyone in Ohio looking for a nice PDP in a Worldbox?
Attachment follows.
-=-=- <snip> -=-=-
On Wed, 24 Mar 1999 09:25:09 -0500, in comp.sys.dec you wrote:
>>From: matuscak(a)rohrer.com (Joe Matuscak)
>>Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec
>>Subject: PDP-11/83 looking for good home
>>Message-ID: <MPG.1162bfd24561aa4989684(a)news-server.neo.rr.com>
>>X-Newsreader: MicroPlanet Gravity v2.10
>>Lines: 13
>>Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 09:25:09 -0500
>>NNTP-Posting-Host: 204.210.200.18
>>X-Complaints-To: abuse(a)neo.rr.com
>>X-Trace: dustdevil.neo.rr.com 922285509 204.210.200.18 (Wed, 24 Mar 1999 09:25:09 EDT)
>>NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 09:25:09 EDT
>>Organization: Road Runner High Speed Online -- Northeast Ohio
>>Path: news1.jps.net!news-west.eli.net!newsbox.grin.net!pants.skycache.com!howland.erols.net!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!newsfeed.cwix.com!204.210.223.23!dustdevil.neo.rr.com!not-for-mail
>>Xref: news1.jps.net comp.sys.dec:89
>>
>>We have a PDP-11/83 system (BA123 worldbox, 2 DHQ11, RD54, TK50, LA120,
>>LA324) that is looking for a home. It's running MicroRSTS and is working.
>>We are located in northeast Ohio. Call or email me.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>--
>>Joe Matuscak
>>Rohrer Corporation
>>717 Seville Road
>>Wadsworth, Ohio 44281
>>(330)335-1541
>>matuscak(a)rohrer.com
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho,
Blue Feather Technologies -- kyrrin (at) bluefeathertech [dot] com
Web: http://www.bluefeathertech.com
"...No matter how we may wish otherwise, our science can only describe an object,
event, or living thing in our own human terms. It cannot possibly define any of them..."
In a message dated 24.3.1999 1:41:26 Eastern Standard Time,
gregorym(a)cadvision.com writes:
> 1) Why did Microchannel fail so completely? From a user point of view it
> seems quite nice.
>
> 2) Can MFM or IDE drives be used with an ESDI controller, or do the drives
> have to be ESDI drives?
>
> 3) Anybody know if the 486DX33 on the processor board can be replaced with
> an Overdrive chip to make it at least a 486/66; or, does IBM still run
> their parts depot in Boulder for old machines?
>
> 3) I'm having some trouble with the P70. Originally, it wouldn't boot at
> all. I ran the diagnostics from the Reference Disk, and all tests were
> passed. I re-ran the Auto Configuration with no errors. I installed PC-DOS
> 6.3, and formatted the built-in HD at the same time. Everything seems fine,
> but the system won't boot from the hard drive alone. If I boot with a
> floppy in the drive, I can access the HD and run programs off of it. But
> without a floppy, nothing works. Any ideas?
>
ah, the PS/2 models, my favourite. truly state of the art for the time. Its my
opinion that MCA didnt fail. Look at all the ps2 stuff you'll find at hamfests
and company surplus. I have lots of old software that mentions compatibilties
with ps2s, even netware 2.2! One reason I was told it was discontinued was
that around 1994, MCA was starting to conflict with the PCI bus machines that
were coming out.
the model 95 you have is pretty nice. plenty of drive bays and DMA io ports,
parity or ECC mem, SCSI with cache, selectable boot drive, worldwide power
supply and even that little LED panel that you can even make it say what you
want. I know there were 25mhz models upgradeable to 33mhz and a pentium
upgrade somewhere. IBM still has their parts counter in boulder, CO.
http://www.direct.ibm.com
david
>4) to disassociate the LD with the file,
> type DISMOUNT LDn:
>Sounds like you're getting off a horse! Should have
>been, probably, UNMOUNT.
Nope, it's DISMOUNT. If you've ever got any such doubts about
RT-11 commands, just type HELP, or if you don't have a RT-11
system handy at the moment:
http://www.trailing-edge.com/~shoppa/rthelp/
gives you the RT-11 5.7 HELP information.
--
Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com
Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/
7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917
Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927
>FWIW there are more than one kind of museum. There is a "Tech museum"
>kind that has a bunch of pretty displays behind plexiglass and the
>"research" kind. (And a whole bunch that are somewhere in the middle).
>If you have privileges at a research museum you can work on and/or use
>parts of the collection that are not available for "general" use. I would
>expect that a good research computer museum would be a great place to
>visit.
All this talk of museums... I've been toying with the idea of trying
to set up something like that... Along the lines of RCS/RI...
I was wondering how such groups got started... how did/do they afford
storage places...
Are there people in the eastern-mass area who might be interestd in
trying to put one together?
What I've been thinking of is a place where people can put their
systems on display -- static while being worked on, with help
>from volunteers, and dynamic once working. At least when working
I would hope that people could use a terminal to use/program it.
Obviously, not everyone would be allowed to actually touch the
innards of a system or the removable bits... that would be
reserved for those who have an expressed interest/knowledge of
a specific system. Otherwise, people would have to settle for
terminal access, or supervised access.
I was thinking of contacting the current owners of the Maynard
Mill to see if there was any possibility of donation of (or
reduced rental) on a space there... it would be neat if some
DEC systems could return home for display...
What do people think?
What if we had a 'chain' of said museums, run by members of
the classiccmp list, all over the country... would make it
easier to have VCF-east,south, midwest, etc...
Pardon my ramblings... I guess I'm disappointed with the
Boston Computer Museum, some of what I've heard about the
Computer Museum at Moffett field is criminal, plus it is
too far away as is VCF, and with my schedule I've been unable
to get to RCS/RI...
(plus, I know my partner would like to see me move some of my
collection out... :-)
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 |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
