test-drb January 2001

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

181 participants
415 discussions

by kapteynr＠cboe.com

I don't remember the first program that I wrote. It was probably "print 1+1" on the PDP-8 we had at school. I do remember the first program that I loaded into my Altair when I got it running. Remember that Altair came with no I/O other than the switches and LEDs of the front panel. The program came from the Altair User's Group and was a simple game called "Kill The Bit". The Altair has 8 "data" LEDs on the front panel. "Kill The Bit" lit one of the 8, and kept changing it, around and around. Your job was to toggle one of the front panel switches at just the right time, otherwise you would create more "bits" to kill. Rob Kapteyn

25 years, 4 months

operating system integrity (coming from Nuke Redmond)

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

From: THETechnoid(a)home.com <THETechnoid(a)home.com> >When you run a win3x application under 9x, the entire multitasking scheme >reverts to cooperative which not a nice thing to do even to windos. Also, >all win3x apps share the same space, one crashes, all can crash because of >it. Actually I run Paradox/DOSV4.5 under win95 and if you set things up right it can run protected dos space and the cooperative multitasking is only within that virtual dos window. It's a bigger probem that it tried to talk to the printer directly and Windows blocks on that if the setup is not exactly right. >As pertains to running windows programs, OS/2 does 'cooperative >preemption' in a way. If you want to run a win3x application, you can >either run it entirely in it's own, protected memory space (seamless), or >in a shared, protected space (shared between several win3x apps together >in the same space). In the first mode, if a seamless 3x app crashes, it >affects only it's own space. If an app running in shared space crashes, >it can crash all it's buddies sharing it's memory. NT4 also has this and it works well. BUT, you have to watch as some dos programs may try to share a file and you can get file locking problems. >OS/2 does not run Windows apps, it runs Windows. You can run as many as >240 copies of Windows 3.11 with as many apps each as each can support. Keep the education going. >I don't think there is another operating system out there that is NEARLY >so flexible in supporting the multitasking of instances of other operating >systems. In addition, each individual session can be customized by >altering any of 75 provided settings for it such as priority, hardware >access, XMS and EMS and DPMI memory sizes, video refresh, and on and on >and on. Adjusting a setting in one dosbox affects only that box. Win9x's Its clear that NTs dos support is based on OS/2s. Just for curiousity I've got a OS/2 Warp V3 kit including the bonus pack. What would it take to get networking going (TCP/IP prefered)? Also what later versions can be purchased and approximate cost? Allison

25 years, 4 months

Nuke Redmond!

by mbg＠world.std.com

>> Spent the day 'upgrading' to Windows ME I assume... > >If you don't agree with Redmont, I suggest you put your money where your >mouth is. We still have a free choice. Use it as long as you can. I do... I have Linux on all my PCs... I read a report earlier today in which teh president and CEO of M$ declared that Linux was the #1 threat to the company as they enter the new year... 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 KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

25 years, 4 months

Nuke Redmond!

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> I don't know why Intuit has survived, but I am kind of curious given the > boneheadedness of the product. I mean everybodies first two programs are, > hello world, then checkbook. Granted they have put more than a little > polish on Checkbook 1.0, but they have also managed to drag it out over 9 > major releases. Being a bad seed, my first program printed out random vulgar phrases instead of "hello world". This was on a CDC-6500 running Dual-MACE at Purdue University. My next two programs were a program to compute the dynamic compliance of a tonearm, and another to compute, based on the native resonant frequency of a driver (speaker), and the proposed dimensions of a room to be constructed, the frequencies where the bass would resonate in the room, and the distribution of the nodes (antinodes?). Over a two- week period, I coded these programs in CDC-6000 Series BASIC, CDC-6000 Series Fortran, and our local port of Niklaus Wirth's Pascal Compiler. Eventually, I bought Electric Checkbook for the Macintosh, a great program I rarely used due to extra work of maintaining my check register. The moral of this tale: Beware of Geeks bearing Revisionist History. ;-) -dq

25 years, 4 months

Funky looking mouse and other TCF stuff...

by btobler＠magnet.ch

Hi I found an old email from you on the web: http://www.classiccmp.org/mail-archive/classiccmp/1997-04/0324.html Hi guys, just wanted to say what I got at TCF. I managed to get there at 3:45 on Sunday (15 minutes before closing on the last day of the show.) Anyway here's what I got: 2 Seagate MFM Hard Drives *FREE* 1 Sysquest tape(?) drive *FREE* the tape drive is about the size of a CD-ROM, what is it? 1 Apple IIe Users Guide *FREE* (why? I dunno, it was in the trash) 1 CBM 8032 $5 (this things got some kind of memory board that plugs into the CPU socket and a parallel interface) 1 Funky Mouse *FREE* This last thing I need help with. It looks to be about 20+ years old but I could be wrong... It is bright red, almost perfectly round, has a steel ball as the roller, 3 black switches, and says "5271" and then "DEPRAZ - MOUSE" on the bottom. It has what looks likea standard serial cable. The guy said it was for a terminal right before he threw it out. Any ideas? More importantly.... do you think I could use it on my PeeCEE? 8) Les PS what'd everyone else get at TCF? ---------------------------------------------------------------- If you are still interested in the origin of the funky looking red mouse, I can tell you. I got one myself. So before I write down the whole history, give me an note whether you are still interested in it. Greetings from Basel, Switzerland, Beatrice. Beatrice Tobler || Konservatorin f?r Computer/Neue Medien | Museum f?r Kommunikation | Helvetiastr. 16 | CH-3000 Bern 6| Tel: 031 357 55 44 (Di-Fr)| b.tobler(a)mfk.ch | http://www.mfk.ch || Blauensteinerstrasse 8 | CH-4053 Basel | Tel: 061 274 10 36 | btobler(a)magnet.ch | http://www.unibas.ch/volkskunde/tobler.html || VolO - Volkskunde Online: http://www.unibas.ch/volkskunde/volo

25 years, 4 months

Need help with rescue in Tampa

by vcf＠siconic.com

Is there anyone in the Tampa area that's interested in helping out with a computer rescue? Please reply privately <sellam(a)vintage.org>. Thanks! Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org

25 years, 4 months

DEC TC11 TU56 tape controller

by uban＠ubanproductions.com

Hello, I have been looking for a DEC TC11 tape controller to go with my PDP11/45 and TU56 tape drives for some time now. I just discovered this mailing list, so now I am trying here. Is there any chance that anyone has a TC11 for sale or trade? Also, I am looking for a pair of DEC H960 (72") rack sides, preferably >from someone in the Chicago area. Thanks in advance (there is always a hope:-) --tom

25 years, 4 months

first programs

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> My first useful program was a graphical alarm clock. I'm a dropout and so > missed math education beyond arithmetic. This is why I do all my agebraic > problems linearly as you do in programing. I still don't understand how > and why algebra is done the way it is in schools. Boolean algebra makes > so much more sense to me. Trig smoothly describes the world as it really is- the approximations you independently discovered describe the world well enough to fool human perception. More on this below. > Anyway, I was trying to plot the face of a circular clock. First I tried > using PI as the base for the plotting and my clock's face came out wierd > and incomplete. After messing with the program for some hours I realized > that OF COURSE a circle derived from pi was going to be incomplete because > PI is irrational. No matter how many digits after the dicimal you use, you > will never get a complete circle, just a progressively less incomplete > one. Duh. Back to the drawing board. > > I started hitting the trig functions looking for an answer and hit on > Sine/cosine as the way to do it. Educating yourself is hard and you often > have to backtrack like that. You only have to look at AutoCAD to see how crappy a circle looks when derived by trigonometric evaluation; it wouldn't be that way if there was enough precision available, but there never seems to be... So, a guy named Bresenham came up with a click way to generate a circle, and it was improved upon by another computer scientist named Michener. it takes advantage of the 8-way symmetry a circle will have when created in the approximate fashion that pixels arranged in a Cartesian grid yields. The algorithm generates the points for a single octant of the circle, then generates the other seven octants by (essentially) changing the sign of the values for the first octant. The virual result are perfectly symmetric approximations of circles. There's also an algorithm I saw written up in Byte years ago for doing parabolas; the author referred to it as the Variable Duty-Cycle Algorithm. For a dummy radar-display I hacked up, to handle the sweep line, I simply at program start-up pre-computed all the data for the lines in each position of the sweep; I did it with trigonometric evaluation, but stored the daata in an array and just puked it out at runtime. But just like with the calculator, it helps to understand the fundamentals before trying to implement a solution sans science. OTOH, not knowing the fundamentals has failed to stop many a man... ...OOPS! And women, too, I guess (apologies to Megan and Allison!). Regards, -dq

25 years, 4 months

IBM System/36 for free!

by mtapley＠swri.edu

All, The e-address for this system, rmays(a)satx.rr.com, sounds a lot like it's in my home town, San Antonio. If that's true and you need help moving, shipping (eek), putting in a UHaul and meeting you somewhere in central Texas, etc., email me and I'll pitch in. I'm not interested in the system for myself. - Mark

25 years, 4 months

Garage cleaning

by donm＠cts.com

I have a portable test set by Data Disk Inc. of Sunnyvale CA that is identified as an "8000 Series Exerciser". It comes in a molded case with handle and removable lid that is 14"W x 10.5"D, and 7"H. It is powered from a fixed 3-conductor line cord by 115 +/- 10% VAC at 47-400Hz. The unit dates to late 1974 according to the panel information drawing taped to the inside of the lid. Also, users are enjoined to "be kind to this tester its a one & only" according to a label stuck onto the inside of the lid. It could well be as it is entirely wire wrapped. The panel contains several rows of mini-toggle switches to select tracks from 1-512, a 16-bit data pattern, modes of testing, power, etc. Also a four wheel indicating rotary switch to set bits/sector. External connections are a 50-conductor ribbon cable that is terminated in an edge connector (50-pin), and a row of banana jacks to permit bringing out 8 functions for scope display. It is available for the price of shipping to anyone who wants it. I'm guessing that it weighs about 10 pounds. - don

25 years, 4 months

Tape Drive Vacuum Sensor Group Purchase TU10 / DG 6021

by cube1＠home.com

As folks who follow this list may recall, I was asking about a month ago if anyone had any vacuum sensors for a TU10. Since that time, I have identified a source for purchase of these sensors (set for 10" H2O pressure). They are suitable for TU10's (where I found some of the exact part I found in there as replacements) and for the DG 6021. I would guess that they are in other drives of similar vintage. (a TU10 has 8 of them, a 6021 has 4 of them (plus a separate 20" H20 unit) ) If you have a TU10 or a DG 6021, and expect to keep it running for another 10 years, listen up: these will fail, eventually, depending on what their condition was when you got the drive, how often you use it, etc. On the TU10, the ones most likely to fail are at the bottom of each vacuum column, because they are in a pressure differential state most of the time. I can get the parts for $14.23 each in unit quantities, but the catch is that the minimum order is $250. I was thinking that I needed about 10 of them, for sure, so I'd like to find someone else who could use at least 7 or 8 of them. I also suspect that the price would come down a little for quantities over 24 -- but I have not yet checked quantity pricing. SO, what I would like to do is this. Anyone who is SERIOUSLY interested in purchasing some of these beasties, please reply to me (as well as or instead of the list), and I'll try to put an order together this month. Payment will probably be via your choice of personal check or PayPal (I have not yet set up my PayPal account, though). Jay Jaeger --- Jay R. Jaeger The Computer Collection cube1(a)home.com visit http://members.home.net/thecomputercollection

25 years, 4 months

Garage cleaning (fwd)

by donm＠cts.com

John Tinker has just claimed this item. - don ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 17:09:10 -0800 (PST) From: Don Maslin <donm(a)cts.com> Reply-To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org Subject: Garage cleaning I have a portable test set by Data Disk Inc. of Sunnyvale CA that is identified as an "8000 Series Exerciser". It comes in a molded case with handle and removable lid that is 14"W x 10.5"D, and 7"H. It is powered from a fixed 3-conductor line cord by 115 +/- 10% VAC at 47-400Hz. The unit dates to late 1974 according to the panel information drawing taped to the inside of the lid. Also, users are enjoined to "be kind to this tester its a one & only" according to a label stuck onto the inside of the lid. It could well be as it is entirely wire wrapped. The panel contains several rows of mini-toggle switches to select tracks from 1-512, a 16-bit data pattern, modes of testing, power, etc. Also a four wheel indicating rotary switch to set bits/sector. External connections are a 50-conductor ribbon cable that is terminated in an edge connector (50-pin), and a row of banana jacks to permit bringing out 8 functions for scope display. It is available for the price of shipping to anyone who wants it. I'm guessing that it weighs about 10 pounds. - don

25 years, 4 months

Nuke Redmond!

by spectre＠stockholm.ptloma.edu

Since we had some talk about NetBSD, this is totally off-topic, not to mention totally bizarre. And it really does exist. http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/dreamcast/ -- ----------------------------- personal page: http://www.armory.com/~spectre/ -- Cameron Kaiser, Point Loma Nazarene University * ckaiser(a)stockholm.ptloma.edu -- I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. -- Joe Walsh -------------------

25 years, 4 months

Corvus Systems Transporter Apple Rev C

by aclark＠envirolink.org

Does anyone know what this card does? Arthur Clark

25 years, 4 months

Funky looking mouse and other TCF stuff...

by ethan_dicks＠yahoo.com

--- David Gesswein <djg(a)drs-esg.com> wrote: > Does anybody happen to have a spare one of these? I have a AT&T > 5620 terminal missing the mouse and I think that is the one that goes with > it. Terminal has a DB-9 connector. > > > It is bright red, almost perfectly round, I do. Anyone with a naked 5620 terminal, contact me off-list for a mouse. I have more than one, but I cannot test them. Anyone want to swap a few mice for a spare terminal? I also have a couple of ROM carts that I think are for them (the one in my hand has a damaged label that reads, in part "...456 615MT/4425 emulation and has three 27128 unlabelled EPROMs and a few TTL parts; somewhere, I may still have a couple of carts with some 27C512s, but I've been recycling the EPROMs from those so I don't know if I have any left) -ethan ===== Even though my old e-mail address is no longer going to vanish, please note my new public address: erd(a)iname.com The original webpage address is still going away. The permanent home is: http://penguincentral.com/ See http://ohio.voyager.net/ for details. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/

25 years, 4 months

Silicon Valley pioneer William Hewlett dead at 87

by philpem＠btinternet.com

On Sat, Jan 13, 2001 at 07:50:23PM -0500, Dave McGuire wrote: > Granted there's more plastic in them than there used to be, but HP > still makes the best test equipment that money can buy, as far as I'm I can't speak for the HP, er... Agilent scopes, but I've never had any bother with my secondhand Gould OS1100A. It looks like it's around 15-25 years old, 30MHz, delayed sweep, CRT, IEC-style power connector (same as the ones used on the IBM PC and many other machines), etc. It takes a while to warm up and for the damn trace to stop jumping around, but other than that it's a great scope. Anyone got a manual (service or otherwise) for this ageing dinosaur? The timebase calibration is a bit out.

25 years, 4 months

Funky looking mouse and other TCF stuff...

by djg＠drs-esg.com

Does anybody happen to have a spare one of these? I have a AT&T 5620 terminal missing the mouse and I think that is the one that goes with it. Terminal has a DB-9 connector. > It is bright red, almost perfectly round, Thanks, David Gesswein http://www.pdp8.net/ -- Old computers with blinkenlights

25 years, 4 months

Silicon Valley pioneer William Hewlett dead at 87

by mmcfadden＠cmh.edu

I saw an article that says the real reason for all of the "new" names is that no company wants to be saddled with their old name and the associated reputation. Each new management wants to "reinvent" the company. The first step is to get rid of the old name. If you can't pronounce the name and it has no preexisting connotation then the company can define themselves anyway they want to. Another side effect is that you can get rid of all of the old liabilities, retirement plans, and support costs. You get a new disposable product from a new disposable company. Back on track. Has any body interfaced a web cam to any VMS systems? I'd like to connect one to my VAX systems. mmcfadden(a)cmh.edu

25 years, 4 months

Subject: Re: Nuke Richmond (Long) [Mike]

by mmcfadden＠cmh.edu

It was my neighbors daughter writing a essay for a college application, it turned out she had actually printed it once and also didn't realize she saved it on disk. Her word setup now saves every 5 minutes. I'm thinking of writing a column in the local newspaper, circulation 800, about computer tidbits. Maybe I'll try and explain what computers can and can't do. My only worry is that every local Microsoft user will call and ask questions. But I am going to put in an advertisement offering computer recycling, I haul a lot of stuff to the local not-for-profit computer surplus. Mike mmcfadden(a)cmh.edu

25 years, 4 months

RISC6000 7007 POWERportable N40

by truthanl＠oclc.org

Thanks Pat for the Help. I got a cable adapted to the SCSI Stub Cable and the unit found the SCSI CD-ROM And I was able to load the OS off the CD. I have loaded the root , its password, and built myself a user account as well. The CD load however disagrees with the release notes on finding the Xinit X-windows AIX application. So it appears I will be looking for a general guide on navigating AIX,its tools, and applications. Right now all I can confirm is that the N40 loads in the High Function Terminal mode. (HFT) The release notes infer that I should be able to load a windowed menu application from the command line be simply typing "xinit" - this is not happening. I will be looking for more web based reference Material. Any pointers are still greatly appreciated. Sincerely Larry Truthan -----Original Message----- From: Pat Barron [mailto:pat@transarc.ibm.com] Sent: Friday, January 12, 2001 11:38 AM To: Truthan,Larry Cc: 'classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org' Subject: RE: RISC6000 7007 POWERportable N40 On Fri, 12 Jan 2001, Truthan,Larry wrote: > The "66" entry is invalidated in the 10 element diagnostic menu and the sub > menues under each element. The initial sevice selection is "language > select"). I havent tried "66" at the language select. On the first pass, I > am not making headway with your suggestion. Oh, also, just to clarify - the menu I am talking about is the AIX diagnostic menu, which only has 4 or 5 choices on it as far as I recall. This is accessed by booting AIX in "Service Mode". This isn't to be confused with the diagnostics in the firmware (whose menu apparently has 10 entries). I poked around and found a document that might help you: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- RS/6000 N40 Laptop * Setting the System to Service Mode: 1. Press the key sequence [Pause][R] to reset the N40 (or power it off). 2. Then interrupt with [Pause][K] key sequence as soon as the IBM logo appears. 3. After several seconds, a language selection menu will appear; select appropriate language. 4. Then press 99 to go to the main menu 5. Select #7 (Change Soft-Keyswitch Setting). 6. Select #3 (Service). 7. Then press 99 to go to the main menu. 8. Select #10 to start the boot off the CD. * Limitations: > The 7007-N40 is supported by a special N40 version of AIX 3.2.5. The 7007-N40 is NOT supported at AIX V4. > The support for the 7007-N40 and N40 AIX 3.2.5 has been withdrawn, thus questions are answered on a best effort basis. * Information > Software maintenance on this system can be done by booting off the AIX 3.2.5 for N40 cdrom. To do this, attach the cdrom drive to the SCSI bus. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You already knew most of this, but I'm sending it along in case it might help. --Pat.

25 years, 4 months

IBM System/36 for free!

by MTPro＠aol.com

Please respond directly to rmays(a)satx.rr.com David Greelish Publisher Classic Computing Press www.classiccomputing.com In a message dated 12/26/00 6:36:25 PM, rmays(a)satx.rr.com writes: << We have an IBM System/36 mini-computer (possibly still in working condition) that we would be interested in donating. >>

25 years, 4 months

ALERT! Major Purge in progress

by djg＠drs-esg.com

The techincal journals are still hiding at http://www.research.compaq.com/wrl/DECarchives/DTJ/ The timeline seems to be mirrored at http://www.montagar.com/dfwcug/VMS_HTML/timeline/1957.htm David Gesswein http://www.pdp8.net/ -- Old computers with blinkenlights

25 years, 4 months

OS/2 networking

by pechter＠pechter.dyndns.org

> From: THETechnoid(a)home.com <THETechnoid(a)home.com> > > > Its clear that NTs dos support is based on OS/2s. > > Just for curiousity I've got a OS/2 Warp V3 kit including the bonus pack. > > What would it take to get networking going (TCP/IP prefered)? > > Also what later versions can be purchased and approximate cost? > > Allison Legally, either Warp Connect or Warp4 -- or some other IBM software like TCP/IP that has the Ethernet driver hooks... It also can be done through the selective application of OS/2 fixpacks to get the necessary parts. (this violates the software licenses) To see how to do it check the web search engines and OS/2 news groups. I've got Warp 4 and have been very pleased with it. --Bill -- bpechter(a)monmouth.com | FreeBSD since 1.0.2, Linux since 0.99.10 Brainbench MVP | Unix Sys Admin since Sys V/BSD 4.2 Unix Sys.Admin. | Windows System Administration: "Magical Misery Tour"

25 years, 4 months

OT! RE: Nuke Richmond (Long)

by ajp166＠bellatlantic.net

From: Sellam Ismail <foo(a)siconic.com> >> Makes little difference what box it is one or mor eof the apps are broken >> and killing others. Composted (yes cow dung is composted) as they are >> would they run better under VMS or on a Sun, likely not just the core >> dumps might be more interesting. > >What's worse? An app that crashes, or an OS that crashes because an app >misbehaves? OS dies from bad app is clearly the worst case. It can hammer the filesystem and thats always messy. NT4 is clearly way better on that over W9x. The acid test for both (from work experience) is start editing a document with WORD, running Paradox-9 or Delphi and then pull the plug out of the wall. The W95 box generally does bad stuff while the NT4 box seems to shrug it off loosing only unsaved work. W9x is not robust, never said it was. >From testing OS/2 is in the NT4 response catagory to unexpected power fails The various unix clones seem to take it well but, I havent tested it as hard. Allison

25 years, 4 months

Anybody in the UK want a TeleVideo 924 Terminal?

by kheydon＠Solidworks.com

> I don't believe I've ever seen a 924. I have a 925, and gave > away about > half a dozen 910/912/920 types a few years back. How does > the 924 differ from the 925? > Point me at the details of a 925 and I'll tell you. -- Kevan Software engineers are so infatuated with the fact that they can, that they don't stop to think if they should.

25 years, 4 months

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test-drb January 2001