test-drb September 2000

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

156 participants
405 discussions

Computer Market Phases (Was: Our fine educational system (was : Login on VMS))

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> -----Original Message----- > From: Jerome Fine [mailto:jhfine@idirect.com] > >Douglas Quebbeman wrote: > Jerome Fine replies: > > I agree that the 711 and 716 referred to below had the patch cables, > but also as referred to below, the IBM 650 which arrived around > 1955 (if I remember correctly) was a full blown computer. [..snip..] > Since the IBM 650 had over 20 KByes of memory (yes I know it was on a > drum, but it was still there) along with solid state memory of between 200 and > 600 bytes, I really do think it qualified as a full blown computer - even though > the 20 KBytes of memory (actually 2000 * 10 decimal digit values) was on a > drum. And the I/O was mostly ONLY punch cards. The version of the > IBM 650 (sort of dates me - doesn't it) I worked with also had 3 tape drives. Was I thinking of a 605? Or, despite its actual architecture, was the 650 perhaps marketed as a calculator? And yeah, patch panels, still got one or two of those... > I realize that the CPU was probably slower than a present day calculator. > But for insurance companies, it was still far faster than a 711 and a card > sorter and that 716 printer - especially the models with the tape drives. > > The key aspect that drove the computer revolution was that accounting > with even the IBM 650 was far faster than a whole room full of clerks. > IBM justified the price of each such computer based on how much it > would save the customer rather than how much it cost to make the > computer. That computer market held for a long time and the companies > that made computers had no trouble making a profit. Agreed. > But I am really after what the market MIGHT be like in 2010? In > industrial countries, will the use of the computer be as necessary > as the telephone - indeed will most (all?) phone conversations take > place via a computer via the internet? Will the internet become > as widespread as phones are now? Might almost everyone have > their own cell phone and land lines kept only as an older system? > When will the last x86 instruction set chip be made? The PSTN is a nearly flawless network. Not quite, but nearly... my LOC has been overselling its switches recently. When I pick up a phone at 8:30pm EDT and can't get dial tone, I get P-O'd very quickly. Of course, we all know where all those switch connections are being used for... ;-) > On a different note, might the use of cash (folding money) become > so rare that only the criminal element would require this mode > of exchange. If so, it might become more reasonable to ask > the law abiding folk to give up a bit of their privacy, as well as > the underground economy, and thereby be able to curb corruption. > Since so much of the legal economy is already based on plastic > and the internet (I hear that in Canada, cheques are way down > and the Interact is the most popular way of buying groceries) > which becomes not only safer for the buyer but many fewer > bad cheques for the vendor. The other day, I needed to make an urgent medical purchase at the local pharmacy (chemist for some of y'all), but was unable to do so, because "the satellite link is down". When businesses begin allowing customers to run a tab (as standard policy) when they can't use their ATM cards for a transaction (and we're talking about people who would either be denied a credit card or forced into what nearly amounts to indentured servitude to get one), then I'll say we're on our way to a cashless society. But money that requires a working network link in order to be used will never be acceptable to me. It's one thing to have to wait a few minutes until they can make a connection (i.e. to get a dial tone as I mentioned above); it's another to have to come back the next day to make a purchase that's needed right _now_. > Eliminating cash would be a fundamental change to society. > But the internet might make that possible. I don't think that > this type of speculation was included in Market Phases, but > perhaps. More OT I guess. Oops, yup, there we go again, right over the topic edge... :-) -dq

25 years

Computer Market Phases (Was: Our fine educational system (was : Login on VMS))

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> > Not really computers IMHO (no flames please). These systems were > > wired up with patch cables to perform specific calculations, then > > rewired for the next. Although the patch cables can be considered > > a form of 'stored program', it's just not the same. > > Hmmm! Seems like I remember something about punched card input to tube > type computers in that era. Wouldn't that qualify? Yup... the IBM Model 650 Calculator was a card-fed machine. Tube & relay- based, it came with the model 711 card reader and model 716 line printer (which I once owned and wish I hadn't stripped for recycling 10 years ago). :-( -dq

25 years

Slowly blowing a CRT?

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

!!!!! Sorry again, everyone, for what was supposed to be a private response. -dq > Paul- > > I can't help you with parts or theory-of-operation, but if > you need a working amber VT320, I've got one for sale. > > regards, > -doug q >

25 years

VT320 connector

by agraham＠ccat.co.uk

Jerome typed thusly: > I acquired a couple of VT320 terminals, but I forgot about > the DEC offset connector at the rear. On inquiry, I am told > that they come in two flavours: > (a) Separate DB25 (female or male) with DEC cable offset > connection along with a separate cable with the DEC offset > at each end The connector is the 6-pin MMP (Moulded Modular Plug ISTR) which normally came attached to a BN16E cable like this one here - <holds up BN16E-10 and waves it in front of the screen :)>. The DB25 plug is an H8571 and there are several sub-variants depending on gender of the DB25 end and whether pins 2&3 are crossed over, plus a 9-pin version of same called an H8575 (from memory). You can also get RJ45-MMP cables, part #BN24H and BN24J depending on whether you need straight through or crossed. If your VT320 is a UK one it comes with a standard male DB25 socket on the back anyway, ISTR US ones didn't. I can probably find spares of all of the above.... cheers

25 years

Slowly blowing a CRT?

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

Paul- I can't help you with parts or theory-of-operation, but if you need a working amber VT320, I've got one for sale. regards, -doug q > -----Original Message----- > From: Paul Williams [mailto:celigne@tinyworld.co.uk] > Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2000 3:46 PM > To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org > Subject: Slowly blowing a CRT? > > > I spent an half an hour today operating beyond my level of competence, > but I seemed to get away with it. > > I took apart an old VT320 terminal because I wanted to measure the > display refresh rate. From disassembling the ROM I know that a frame > interrupt is passed to the microcontroller, so I thought I'd open the > case, prise apart the tube and the main PCB, connect an oscilloscope > probe to the appropriate pin on the microcontroller, power up the > terminal and get my timings. > > I was reassembling the terminal when an odd rattling and > whistling sound > made me dive for cover. This noise went on for about 15 > seconds and then > all went quiet. I very nervously approached the terminal and finished > snapping the case together. I've not attempted to power it up since. > > I had noticed that the tube bore a label claiming that it had an > implosion protection system, so several questions occur to me. > > 1. Is it possible that I've somehow blown the tube by shorting one of > its connections soon after disconnecting the power? I noticed > that there > are a number of large capacitors on the circuit board, but I > don't know > how long they take to discharge. > > 2. There are two sets of wires going to the CRT. One set of > five (six?) > goes to a cap on the end of the tube, and another wire (HT?) > goes to the > side of the tube. I took the cap off the back of the tube, but didn't > touch the wire at the side. Can that be safely disconnected? > > 3. Why would a mere software engineer be doing something this > foolhardy? > Don't even attempt to answer that. >

25 years

VAXStation 4000 VLC

by stewart_kevin＠hotmail.com

Hello all, I have a VaxStation 4000 VLC (David I promise I'm going to send the Amiga this weekend!) without an OS. I'd love to run VMS on it (I have a DECUS membership -- I love free student memberships ;) ) but I have no idea how to go about it. I have an external 1.3 gig SCSI drive for the SCSI port, an AUI -> BNC transceiver for ethernet... but no console. I'm looking for that cable to go from the serial port to a terminal. Where can I get one? Also, are there any FAQs or documents that describe installation? I have a SCSI CD (1X, woohoo!) and an NFS/FTP server. BOOTP is almost set up, DHCP already is. Can the machine come to life with bootp and tftp? Is it possible to install VMS this way? Thanks, Kevin

25 years

VT320 connector

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Sep 28, 10:01, Adrian Graham wrote: > Jerome typed thusly: > > > I acquired a couple of VT320 terminals, but I forgot about > > the DEC offset connector at the rear. On inquiry, I am told > > that they come in two flavours: > > (a) Separate DB25 (female or male) with DEC cable offset > > connection along with a separate cable with the DEC offset > > at each end > > The connector is the 6-pin MMP (Moulded Modular Plug ISTR) which normally MMJ -- Modified Modular Jack; it's based on an an RJ11 but with the latch offset. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Dept. of Computer Science University of York

25 years

It runs!

by agraham＠ccat.co.uk

MicroVAX III? > -----Original Message----- > From: Bruce Lane [mailto:kyrrin@bluefeathertech.com] > Sent: 26 September 2000 20:18 > To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org > Subject: It runs! > > > Yes, indeed it does! It's official as of this morning > -- I'm managing my > own web server (a SPARCClassic at the moment, most likely a > MicroVAX III > later) thanks to a solid DSL pipeline, a Zyxel router (not > classic - in > production less than a year), and some static IPs.

25 years

DEC-423 MMJ -> Serial

by agraham＠ccat.co.uk

See my other reply to Jerome! > -----Original Message----- > From: Kevin Stewart [mailto:stewart_kevin@hotmail.com] > Sent: 28 September 2000 12:24 > To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org > Subject: DEC-423 MMJ -> Serial > > > Hello, I'm looking for a DEC 423 MMJ to DB9 or DB25 cable. > Can anyone point > me in the right direction? > > Thanks, > Kevin >

25 years

DEC-423 MMJ -> Serial

by stewart_kevin＠hotmail.com

Hello, I'm looking for a DEC 423 MMJ to DB9 or DB25 cable. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks, Kevin

25 years

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test-drb September 2000