Hi,
I recently found a Lexmark "Lexbook MB10" ... with
no docs, no power supply. The back of the computer
says the power supply should be 12 V DC, but has no
mention of the polarity!
Does anyone have this oddball computer, and can they
tell me the polarity of the adapter, please?
BTW, this Lexbook looks like IBM's answer to the HP Omnibook 425.
In web searching, I found several references to other
Lexbook models (including the SE10), but none to the MB10.
Lexmark's web site was an example of corporate stonewalling
(not quite the word I want): since it's obsolete, they have
no information on it, and don't even admit (via their search
engine) that it might have once existed!
Altavista found a single Lexmark.com web page about "Y2K compliance"
...which basically says:
hey, it's obsolete, we didn't test it, buy something newer.
thanks,
Stan
Stan Sieler sieler(a)allegro.com
www.allegro.com/sieler/wanted/index.htmlwww.allegro.com/sieler
Now that the subject line somewhat matches the topic.
NASA and other unnamed government agencies collect "LOTS" of data. They
have lots of tapes, some ASCII card images on tape, and other raw formats.
Now when a project is winding down do you think anyone "cares"/spends money
to transfer any data into newer formats. The original software that was
written probably handles the data and works OK. I understand that lots of
LANDSAT data has cloud cover obscuring it. Do you save even the
"apparently" worthless stuff? The first thing any engineer/programmer tries
is to pack the data onto the tape as efficiently as possible. 12 bit
pixels get stored 2 pixels in every 3 bytes. Everybody used different
methods to handle uneven numbers of pixels, including padding, and
truncation. How do you decide how the data was stored. I'm sure the paper
that documents the data format is detached from the physical tape.
The short answer is that when data is collected no one has any idea of what
eventually may be done with the data. They only expend as much time,
energy, and money as the initial project seems to justify. I will try and
find my copy of a GAO report that I purchased on the magnitude of the data
storage/retention problem. They had pictures of doors in the data vault
being held open by stacks of tapes.
Mike
mmcfadden(a)cmh.edu
Data Hound extraordinary, I'm burying my floppy disks for posterity. Maybe
we should use gold floppy disks will not oxidize and absorb moisture in any
short term interval.
On June 10, R. D. Davis wrote:
> Can certain list members who aren't sending standard ASCII text kindly
> fix their e-mail software so that they stop sending messagse that
> could possibly cause problems for some people using older systems?
>
> Doesn't it seem a little strange that people who are interested in
> computer preservation are sending iso-8859-1 character set messages
> instead of normal ASCII to a mailing list where others are likely to
> be using older systems to read their e-mail? Once ASCII goes away,
> then we've all got problems that would make our older systems very
> much incompatible with everything else and less useful. Is not plain
> old ASCII one standard that we should value and do our best to keep
> from going out of use?
I agree 100%. Though I must point out that it has nothing at all to
do with "older" or "newer" systems...it's primarily a "windows" or
"non-windows" issue.
-Dave McGuire
In my experience great care is necessary with TK50 tapes.We bought a bunch
original DEC tapes recently, but it was necessary to clean heads before
reading every time.
Wim
----------
> From: Bill Bradford <mrbill(a)mrbill.net>
> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> Subject: source for cheap TK50s?
> Date: Monday, June 12, 2000 12:25 AM
>
> Anybody know a source for cheap TK50 tapes? I dont mind used...
>
> Bill
>
> --
> +--------------------+-------------------+
> | Bill Bradford | Austin, Texas |
> +--------------------+-------------------+
> | mrbill(a)sunhelp.org | mrbill(a)mrbill.net |
> +--------------------+-------------------+
>Anybody knows, if they still are available ?
>If yes, where ?
Anyplace that sells older Intel chips certainly has them. Jameco,
in particular, has both the "regular" and CMOS versions, and with a choice
of speed grades:
52724 8255 IC,MPU,8255(D71055C NEC) 3.95 3.59 _____
52732 8255A-5 IC,MPU,8255A-5(8255AC-2 NEC) 4.95 4.49 _____
52417 82C55A IC,MPU,82C55A (MB89255A) 3.95 3.59 _____
52425 82C55A-5 IC,MPU,82C55A-5 3.95 3.59 _____
--
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'd be shocked if you can't get them from Radio Shack.
-dq
p.s. I got at least one laying around but they're OOP
(out of production) I think I'll have to hang onto it.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: emanuel stiebler [mailto:emu@ecubics.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2000 1:49 PM
> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> Subject: 8255 PIO
>
>
> Hi,
> Anybody knows, if they still are available ?
> If yes, where ?
>
> cheers,
> emanuel
>
>
Hey teen gang,
Does anyone have an Ultrix 4.4 (RISC) distribution CD-ROM they'd like
to part with, or make a copy of? I have a license but no media,
and I'd prefer not to try to deal with the Compaq Empire if I can
avoid it.
(P.S. - Plus, technically I'm kinda grey on whether the license I
have represents a "legitimate transfer of right to use" or not.
But since Ultrix is officially a deader-than-dead end-of-lifed
"These aren't the droids you're looking for; why don't you talk to
our nice Tru64 salespeople?" type of software, I don't really care :)
I just want to install the damn thing on a DECstation 5000/200)
(P.P.S. - Yes, I know NetBSD is better, and supports DECstations.
But I want Ultrix for reasons far beyond the understanding of
mortal men.)
(P.P.P.S ...Or women.)
-Seth
Tony Duell wrote:
> In the UK, if you buy something from a shop then it has to be 'of
> merchantable quality' -- it has to do the job that a reasonable person
> would expect that sort of product to do (a computer has to compute, a TV
> set has to receive currently-broadcast programmes, a packet of %food has
> to be edible, etc). Also, if you ask a shop owner for a product to do a
> particular job ('I want a computer to run this word processor package',
> 'I want a glue to stick metal') then the product he sells you has to do
> that job.
Yes but . . . suppose a customer comes in with a software package which has
the "System Requirements" listed in the documentation. Customer takes the
system, finds out software won't run, even though the stated requirements are
met, and returns the system. We replace the system, and the software still
won't go. Then we discover that the software is buggy, or finicky. Does the
merchant still owe the customer a refund, even though there is no real fault
in the hardware? This happened to me, and it wasn't any fun . . .
> You can sell a defective item if you point out the defects before sale
> 'This computer is an ex-demonstration model, missing box, instructions
> and mouse'. In that case I can't complain later that the mouse is
> missing. But if, say, the floppy drive doesn't work then I have a right
> to a refund.
A refund? Or replacement of the defective drive, under warranty??
Glen
0/0
> What ever happened to that old Modem vendor?
> I know Racal Vadic is still kind of around... in other businesses.
> Racal Interlan/Micom Interlan is kind of gone.
>
> Boy have a large number of the "biggies" bit the dust over the last 15
> years.
Did Anderson-Jacobsen survive beyond the acoustic coupler days?
I have an old unit that could go up to 600 baud using Bell 103a
standards, although it was difficult to find anyone who would
support 600 baud using Bell 103a; 600 baud was usually Bell 202?
(whatever the standard was for 1200 baud).
-dq
R.D. Davis wrote:
> I still don't see what's wrong with thoroughly examining something
> before purchasing it, whether it's used, or new. It makes perfect
> sense to take a tool kit into a store where one is shopping for some
> random piece of electrical or electronic equipment... might not be a
> bad idea when shopping for a car either.
Sellam Ismail replied:
< R.D. Let's go shopping! Call me the next time you walk into a consumer
electronics store or a new car lot, and please bring your toolbox and
meter along. I'll bring a camera so I can snap shots of you being
forcibly escorted out of the store. >
Sellam is right on, here. If someone came into my store and wanted to
perform a component-level test on any equipment I had for sale, first I'd
assume they were joking, and laugh. If they persisted, I'd have to ask them
to leave. If someone gets zapped in my store I'd be liable. Additionally,
store personnel don't have the time to watch over such an operation to make
sure that the "tester" doesn't damage or steal something.
You might be able to get away with this at a hamfest, though.
Glen
0/0
