test-drb April 1999

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

170 participants
1190 discussions

Pink Screen of Death? (was: Re: Hallelujah!)

by walt＠accessus.org

This is the screen scheme from the early WordPerfect/DOS days of Jerry's young years. -w. -----Original Message----- From: Zane H. Healy <healyzh(a)aracnet.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, April 12, 1999 7:33 PM Subject: Re: Pink Screen of Death? (was: Re: Hallelujah!) >>> Well, I don't know. However, MS Word/Windows and /Macintosh has a strange >>> option: to have large white letters on a blue background instead of black >>> on white. This has nothing to do with any color settings, and no other >>> colors can be used in a similar way. This may have classic reasons. Anyone >>> know? >> >>Don't know the exact reason but that was the default color >>combination of the DOS version of MS Word (and every day I use >>the current version, I long for the old one). >> >>George > >I think this has something to do with a request for an enhancement made by >Jerry Pornelle <sp> believe it or not. I read something recenty where he >wrote about having gotten MS to add some special colour combination for him. > > Zane >| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | >| healyzh(a)aracnet.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/ | > >

25 years, 2 months

Restoring an 8/E

by mbg＠world.std.com

> Got to stick my nose in here, if you research it, you will find that >concentrated solutions of methylene chloride are a confirmed >carcinogenic. I'm sure... I didn't get a chance to check the Merck Manual... tonight's lab was just too complex and annoying... the instructor added steps to the already documented procedure, as well as modified others... and since it was a two-part lab (part I having been done the night I missed it for observing seder with my partner), I didn't have anything I needed which was produced during step I... so my lab partner and I had to do it tonight... <sigh> >That said, I would still use it (if available), use gloves and put a fan >to blow the fumes away from me during assembly. But then, I do this kind >of stuff every day. My job. Absolutely... >Just be careful. Your too good to lose. Thanks... 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, 2 months

digital bites the dust, finally

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<> Well, the two big signs that said <> <> |d|i|g|i|t|a|l| <> <> on the DECwest buildings in Bellevue, WA <> disappeared sometime in the last few days. <> <> Just big blanks there now, not even a Compaq, yet. Happend in Maynard two months ago at PK3 and LKG. I pass both every day. Allison

25 years, 2 months

stepping machanism of Apple Disk ][ drive (was Re: Heatkit 51/4

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I started on the Z80, then 6502, followed by ARM, 68K, 6809, 8048, PDP11, <MIPS in no particular order. I still like the Z80 and 6502, but the ARM i <one of my favourites. I've never written any serious code for x86, and <what I've seen of the architecture fills me with loathing ;-) ARM, MIPS are both unknown to me from design or programming. I've looked at the ARM though and it's very appealing. I've written code for 8088/186 and they didn't make me happy. They weren't that fast and awkward with the segments. I'd have rather used z180. I've been playing recently with z8001 and Z8002 and they arent too bad and much easier to like than the 808x. The 6809 was ok, it felt like PDP-11 but the speed wasn't as good. Never got excited over the 68k even though I've had two s100 cards pass through my hands with them. It looked sorta like 32bit PDP-11 with registers that were asymetric in addressing and use. My all time fun machine is still the 6100 (or pdp-8). It has an instruction set that's hard to forget and effectve enough. Allison

25 years, 2 months

Restoring an 8/E

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Megan: since you are taking chemistry get a small bottle of methylene >chloride. It works wonders as a plastic glue. At the EPA we made >aquariums out of Plexiglas and used it for gluing the panels together. >You will want a 50 or a 100 microliter syringe to dispense it also. Just so happens I have lab tonight... I'll check the Merck Manual and see if they have any... :-) 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, 2 months

6502 vs Z80, round 97

by edick＠idcomm.com

It's true, what you say about the value of discussing performance without discussing the task. Keep in mind, though, that Motorola's favorite trick was to boast how fast its processors could execute no-op's. The 6502 core is in as many libraries as it is because it is small and thrifty, not because it's fast. It's fast because it's small and thrifty. It was included in a wide range of cell libraries, particularly the Rockwell incarnation. I'm not sure why this was the case. Perhaps it's because they (Rockwell) had stopped producing the CPU and were using it as a core themselves. Dick -----Original Message----- From: Mike Ford <mikeford(a)netwiz.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, April 12, 1999 3:21 PM Subject: 6502 vs Z80, round 97 >>I was pointing out that is the processor was running fast enough even a >>dog can look good. ;) Obviously using a 8mhz z80 as the standard your >>comparison CPU had better be of similar generational speed or it may fail >>the test. the inverse is with a 33mhz z185 I know I can blow the 65c02 >>out of the water unless someone has at least a 25-30mhz 6502! > >I think I remember reading that the 6502 was eventually included in gate >array logic libraries, so that GaaS parts with Ghz clocks likely exist >(perhaps only embedded in other designs though). > >One of the things I have noticed is that great similarity exists between a >couple of instruction sets, the 6502 and the Sparc, and the IBM 360 and >68000. Kind of the classics of RISC and CISC, and I love them both. > >Arguing about the 6502 vs Z80 makes about as much sense as arguing about >which cart is faster without discussing the horse or load. As I remember it >speed was a big "talking" point, but the real issue for most power users >was capacity, not speed. > >

25 years, 2 months

z80 timing... 6502 timing

by allisonp＠world.std.com

>from my ampro LB using calibrated logic analyser... Tc = 1/clock z80A 4mhz or 250ns (clock is symetric) address stable before Memreq/ ~80nS (occurs 0.5clocks earlier than read or wr -delays) WR/ width 210ns (roughly 1 clock -delays) RD/ width (M1) 290us (roughly 1.5 clocks -delays RD/ width (other) 390us (roughly two clocks -delays) So the longest memory use cycle is address setup+ RD/ or about 470us. Even the rom chip select was active for less than 400ns and that includes propagation delays. the 4mhz z80 wants memories with access times in the 250ns range. In terms of memory bandwidth used the z80 runs from a high of 80% on M1 cycles (due to z80 providing memory refersh) to around less than 50% on other read or write cycles. Refresh is not a required signal for operation with static rams so the M1 memeory bandwidh can be less than 50%. This set of statements is also inaccurate as it is worst case for some instuctions. In those cases like ADD DE,HL that takes many cycles but the only bus useage is during M1 so the average bandwidth can be very low. To get 750ns I need to slow the clock to about less than 2mhz or add the time for m1 and refresh at 4mhz. In either case it's apples and oranges. The 6502 @2mhz would want 300ns memory. An aside to this is that the 6502 like many cpus use both edges of the clock to trigger functions via a two phase internal clock so there are roughly 4 phase pulses per cycle internally. the external timing of the 6502 looks simpler due to it's use of signals and the synchronous nature of the machine. this is wny external clock frequency is so meaningless. Instruction execution time is the only measure. the 6502 memory useage is far higher as it is active for half the processor cycle so it's roughly 50% in all cases. This makes hidden refresh of Drams easier with the regular cycle timing but allows less time to achieve it. If the refresh is done during the inactive portion of the 6502 cycle then memory bandwidth nears 100% use. The exception is if the memory is fast enough it can be done with post read refresh (cas after ras). Static rams will run at ~50% of bus bandwidth. Allison

25 years, 2 months

IBM Programmed Symbols Adapter

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

I just picked up an IBM 3270 Personal Computer Programmed Symbols Adapter card in the box. The box says that it's "an option that provides the storage and controls for displaying an APL font and six additional programmable fonts." It's a full length 8 bit card with two sockets on the to edge. There is also two jumpers in the box that I assume are used to jumper this card to another card. I didn't get any instructions or software with it. Does anyone know how to use it or have instructions etc for it? Joe

25 years, 2 months

stepping machanism of Apple Disk ][ drive (was Re: Heatkit 51/4 floppies)

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Apr 11, 21:47, Richard Erlacher wrote: > From: Allison J Parent <allisonp(a)world.std.com> > ><Have YOU seen a 'C' compiler for any of the 6502 types? > > > >Never. There could have been one but I'd wonder about code efficientcy. > >Then again I've never seen one for 9900 bit that as CISC a machine if > >there ever was one. > > Someone posted a small-c compiler for the 6502 as implemented in popular > machines of the early '80's. That might be worth a look. There were at least two C compilers for the BBC micro in the mid-80s. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Dept. of Computer Science University of York

25 years, 2 months

Fwd: Metric conversions..??

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Apr 11, 20:56, Christian Fandt wrote: > Sorry to a few of the list members who are not native English speakers. > There are a few strange colloquial or American expressions. Ask in private > email. However, even I am not sure what a "demijohn" really is except for > perhaps a 1/2 bath in a house. A large squat glass bottle, typically 2-3 gallons. Over here, 2 gallon sizes are commonly used by homebrew winemakers. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Dept. of Computer Science University of York

25 years, 2 months

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test-drb April 1999