test-drb June 2000

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

160 participants
580 discussions

Query about Meyers Computer Services of Jersey Shore, PA

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> On Tue, 27 Jun 2000, Douglas Quebbeman wrote: > > > loop that doesn't respond at the speed of light. However, I > > use delivery and read receipts on all my mail, and if I at > > least get a receipt back, then I know I'm most likely "in > > the queue". Failure to receive same leaves me wondering if > > my message was even received. Not all ISPs and mailers support > > I'd be more worried if my message was received but then not replied to. > I'd feel more comfortable if I didn't get a receipt yet. That would imply > the person is too busy to even check e-mail yet. Hmmm, I'd say it would imply the person really isn't very technologically sophisticated... "Does that little envelope mean I've got mail, or that I should write some?" -dq

25 years

Evil Lurker Won, Gets His Parts

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> At 03:13 PM 6/27/00 -0400, Douglas Quebbeman wrote: > >Chuck was right about the guy that won the bid on > >the MicroPDP-11/73... the buyer's name is Chris > >Hoaglin, and all he is interested in is f*cking > >up a working computer to end up with parts he > >can sell to fund his greedy little schemes. He > >wants the backplane and all the cards. I wish the > >seller would have said NO, but that was not to be. > > I'm sorry but I can't agree with the sentiment here. I appear to have been guilty of projecting, in this case, reading into your previous remarks what I was feeling. Sorry. I'm desparately looking for parts, but I'd sooner cut off a limb than rob them from a working system until _every_ effort has been made to find a good home for that system. This one appeared to be lacking an OS (or anything for it to reside on) but I see that as minor compared to systems with disfunctional stuff in the backplace. But I gotta admit, I'm making way too much noise over a doggone PDP-11 when they aren't my forte to begin with. At least I get the tape drive. regards, -doug q

25 years

Rich vs. Poor: Middle Ground (Was: RE: Is it time for an Internat ional Vintage Computer Association? Was: Yo)

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>Had the Evil Lurker been restoring a personal system >with the parts he was looking for, it would not have >bothered me a wit. On the gripping hand, I know of some "collectors" (as in they acquire large amounts of stuff without looking for commercial gain) who will, for example, rip all the boards out of a working VAX 8650 but leave the chassis behind, because they have no way of hauling the chassis cabinets nor a place to put them. As far as I can tell, nobody wins here, because a working 8650 was turned into a pile of nearly-worthless parts that will simply sit in the basement for a couple of decades. Does this stop the offenders? Of course not! Tim.

25 years

Evil Lurker Won, Gets His Parts

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

Chuck was right about the guy that won the bid on the MicroPDP-11/73... the buyer's name is Chris Hoaglin, and all he is interested in is f*cking up a working computer to end up with parts he can sell to fund his greedy little schemes. He wants the backplane and all the cards. I wish the seller would have said NO, but that was not to be. FWIW, I was going to steal one part- the plexiglass door of the TS05 tape drive- to put in place of a broken one on a Cipher. The broken Cipher door works, even broken, and will still work when glued back together- it will just look like sh*t. How- ever, I would have either preserved the system in all other ways, or even tried restoring it. Well, souless b*st*rds are prolifigate, and some are circling overhead like vultures. The only good note: I'll get the TS05 for US$5.00. I doubt I'll take the rack. Perhaps someday I'll need a part from the TS05 (assuming it *IS* really a Cipher streamer inside). Oh well. Hi ho. -doug quebbeman

25 years

Is it time for an International Vintage Computer Association? Was: Yo

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

> And I'm saying, all you will be doing is raising the cost of > admission. There's nothing anyone can do to stop you, of course. > If Classic Computing becomes a 'legitimate' hobby with a 'legitimate' > organization, then I guess there won't be room for amateurs > like myself. You professional 'true historical preservationists' > can have it. Do we need 'true historical preservationists'? Maybe. Does that mean that the priorities of the 'true preservationists' will be the same as those who actually worked with the systems or still use the systems? Of course not. In fact, the priorities will probably be vastly different between the two groups, and this is all the better reason for both groups to co-exist, probably with at least a bit of animosity towards each other. How do priorities differ, even among "hobby" preservationists? Several ways: 1. Some insist on a pristine as-shipped-from-the-manufacturer system, with no third-party peripherals or software, and others realize that in real life there were very few such configurations and instead preserve the systems as they were actually installed, with third-party peripherals and software abounding. 2. Some only care about CPU's, and will travel hundreds or thousands of miles to pick up the CPU box, and leave the peripherals (necessary to boot the OS!) behind. Others put more emphasis on getting a few complete working systems rather than a bunch of CPU boxes that can't ever be booted. 3. Some haul away hardware, and leave a mountain of magtapes behind with the operating system, etc. Others haul away hardware and tapes and disks but leave the books behind. Others just want the books, others just want the tapes. I've seen every single one of the above characteristics exhibited by "amateur" collectors, and every single one of the above possibilities exhibited by "professional" collectors. Personally, I fall into the "put any old hardware together that makes a system work, don't care whether it's original or third party, get complete systems with peripherals, and spend lots of time archiving the software" category. Every person on this list probably falls into a different category. I may not agree with everyone's priorities, but in some sense a wide range of priorities from a wide range of people is a *probably* a good thing. Tim.

25 years

Query about Meyers Computer Services of Jersey Shore, PA

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> A few thoughts on this; > > 1) Don't make public posts questioning a vendors integrity prior to making > a good effort to settle the issue privately. This will include waiting more > than two business days for a reply. I went back and carefully read what I posted; a strict deconstruction of your phrase "questioning a vendor's integrity" does not seem to apply to what I said. I thought the tone of my post was respectful if somewhat apprehensive. I did not question his integrity; I merely related my experience and queried others as to theirs. And as to waiting two business days, let me say this. We all tend to expect instant results from anything involving a computer, forgetting that a human component is still in the loop that doesn't respond at the speed of light. However, I use delivery and read receipts on all my mail, and if I at least get a receipt back, then I know I'm most likely "in the queue". Failure to receive same leaves me wondering if my message was even received. Not all ISPs and mailers support receipts, I know; as to the ISP problem, scripts can provide the equivalent function. For mailers, all that's required is to switch to a different mailer. If anyone finds the receipts distasteful, they can decline to use them, but they risk what almost happened in this case. To summarize, had I gotten a receipt, I'd have waited as patiently as is possible for me, but I'd have waited. > 2) DOA happens on old drives, so do a dozen other end user mess ups that > keep them from spinning up or working. The drive could be fine, and you > just have a wimpy power supply or a jumper set wrong. Bzzt. Sorry, nope. The power supply is driving two diff SCSI drives that are full-height 5.25 inch units (HP 97548's, I believe). No way a wimpy 3.5 half-height drive is sucking more juice. > 3) Look at the ad terms carefully, not wishfully. Does it say 100% tested, > or just no DOA? If the latter it may be he has a stack of "mostly" good > drives and no desire to test them before shipping at $15 each. It said "just not DOA", and the drive was just plain DOA. regards, -doug quebbeman

25 years

TRON Movie Soundtrack LP

by allisonp＠world.std.com

>And to my ears, there's nothing like a full-bore Hammond being driven by Jon Lord from Deep Purple. Nobody, but nobody gets that angry, hulking, growling sound from an organ like Lord. Before I quit I tried to get that sound... no idea how he did that. Speaking of Tomita....on his "Bermuda Triangle" album (mine is on blue vinyl......) he included an encoded message that required Majorly cool color. someone with a Tarbell cassette interface to read. I never had the necessary equipment, and it's always bugged me as to what the message was. Has anyone here ever decoded it? I ment to. The cut FYI from playing with other "floppy roms" has to be very clean and right on pitch. IA or was it byte did a few of them as tryouts. Marginally successful. I'm not familiar with Subotnick. What is his style? Is it more like Carlos, Tomita, or Fast? Or, something completely different? Little of all, different than all. We should talk in terms of how old computers were used for music or declare this the official off topic thread. We always seem to have one and often they are as interesting as any even if they are OT. Allison Paul Braun WD9GCO Cygnus Productions nerdware_nospam(a)laidbak.com

25 years

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> Why not will it to the Computer Museum History Center? > > http://www.computerhistory.org > > hat's what I intend to do with mine. It's not enough to just will your collection or some part of it to the Computer Museum History Center... unless you also provide for the shipping/transport of your bequest from wherever it is to the Moffet Field operation, as they lack the funds to do so themselves. Everyone, please bear this in mind. Make sure a few $$$ remain to cover shipping & handling! -dq

25 years

Sidecar (was: Re: Do I look Rich ?

by ghldbrd＠ccp.com

On 26-Jun-00, you wrote: > > > On Mon, 26 Jun 2000, Gary Hildebrand wrote: >> >> Sorry, Mark, I already have one, to which I just added a Sidecar. I think I > > Did you ever get the Sidecar to work? Did a bench test w/o the amiga, and didn't see any smoke (good sign?). I heard the HD make its expected noises, so at this point in time, I think the PC part works. Might have a prob in the shared memory part going to the Amiga. I have to clear out an area on the bench to set up everything. > > Regards -- Gary Hildebrand Box 6184 St. Joseph, MO 64506-0184 816-662-2612 or ghldbrd(a)ccp.com

25 years

$700 TRS-80???

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>I do think it was the well-written description and >all the pictures that pushed the price up into the >stratosphere. Very true. I remember trying to give some stuff (a bunch of 42" racks, old 14" disk drives, etc.) away five or so years ago, and nobody was interested. But then I attached a price and got several folks to show up to take it away. Tim.

25 years

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test-drb June 2000