I just came across a piece of software I don't remember from 1987. It is
called "Poor Man's Network: A Networking Package for CP/M Computers." It
was put out by Anderson Techno-Products of Ottawa, Ontario. Judging from
the manual, it appears to have been a one- or two-man operation (nothin'
wrong with that - been there, done that).
It uses standard serial or parallel ports and is based upon a very modified
Christensen protocol to communicate with itself on the other computer (it
only support two computers - after all, you couldn't afford more than two
computers if you were really poor <g>). It's capabilities seem to have been
to allow allow read and/or write access to files on the other computer
(handy for those NorthStar hard-sector disk file transfers to and from 8"
drives, for example), sharing drives on the other computer on a R/O basis,
redirecting output to use the other computer's printer or plotter, sending
one-line messages to the other computer, and the ability to send screen
messages and data mesaages to the other computer and to receive data
messages from the remote computer (simultaneous read and/or update a
database using added BDOS calls). Sharing was on a drive basis only. It
took up about 7-8k memory and worked with CP/M 2.2, ZRDOS or equivalent.
Has anyone had any experience with this gem? Or even remember it? Were
there others like it? By '87 I had become enmeshed in the IBM-Microsoft
world, and don't remember this one at all!
Bob Stek
Saver of Lost Sols
I'm looking for the following Compute! disks for the Atari:
Compute!'s Atari ST Disk
December 1987 Volume 2 No. 6 Issue 8
Compute!'s Atari ST Disk
February 1988 Volume 3 No. 1 Issue 9
All I'm really interested in is the contents, so I'd be quite happy with
a copy. An .ST or .MSA file via email would be perfect.
If anybody could help me out I'd appreciate it.
Thanks,
Tom
Applefritter
www.applefritter.com
On March 23, Gooijen H wrote:
> If Sellam (or anybody else) has some 2,4 Gbyte space available
> I am willing to make a copy of the 5 CD's, and share the data
> with everybody on this fine list.
I have LARGE amounts of disk space available, and decent bandwidth
(2.3mbps, soon to be 5mbps hopefully)...I'd love to host this stuff.
-Dave McGuire
From: Clint Wolff (VAX collector) <vaxman(a)qwest.net>
>I've written one for DOS that needs some tweaking still... I'll cut
>loose the source code if someone wants to fix it up. Basically, it
>sometimes gets out of sync and you have to power down the 750 and
>restart the PC to get it back working...
You need to acknowledge that INIT from the host (750 or pdp11)
can force the tu-58 back to initial status. on the real tu58 thats a
break char and the resulting Framing Error from the Uart causes
a TRAP interrupt (higest priority nonmaskable interrupt) on the 8085.
A PC would have to sense a Framing Error (Character with no stop bit
for at lest two character times) and force the code back to the
starting point where RSP is restarted.
I have prints and manuals plus some of the designers notes from by days
as a Digit. Back when they were easy to find and a cheap way to put
512k of block oriented storage on a serial port of PDP-11 systems.
I also have a few that used a parallel IO (used only for PDT11/130) that
are otherwise identical.
>THANKS Allison! I bought two from Keyways, Inc. for $40 + shipping...
>For that price, I could have bought 20' of Tygon tubing... Live and
>learn...
For 40$ that should have been 80ft of tygon and at roughly .300 inches
of it per roller that would be enough for a couple of Sagans of them.
<one Sagan = billions and billions)
I had it handy and it works *ok*. It's weakness is that it dents if the
cart
is left in place for long periods. It recovers if shape if the cart is
removed
but a more resilient material might be better. I used tygon as I had it
at hand. A rubber hose material with the right dimensions would be a
good choice. Also the dimater for the TU58 roller is non critical save
for it works best if round. ;) The actual tape speed is controlled
by the cpu and a PLL circuit and has a +-10% or more tolerence of
roller diameter before there may be a tape speed problem at the ends
of the tape.
Allison
As of today, I'm the happy owner of an Atari Portfolio. Pretty neat
little machine, with even a longer battery life than my Tandy 102. Due to
it's small size, not as nice a keyboard though. Does anyone know where I
can get additional 64k or 128k memory cards for it? It came with the
parallel interface. Also, I've been told that the Portfolio is what was
used by John Conner in 'Terminator 2' when he broke into the ATM and the
Cyberdine vault...is this true?
Jeff
This is the first lost where my two favurite computers are discussed...
I have several pascal Microengines (in dual processor z80/p100 form on
s100) still running today, plus a range of Sage 4;'s running 8 different
operating systems (several all at once)
marc Wigan
Australia
On Mon, 12 Mar 2001 15:45:02 -0800 Mike Ford <mikeford(a)socal.rr.com>
writes:
> AUI to 10bt adapters are still handy as many early devices had AUI
> and coax, and AUI to coax are handy as many newer devices are AUI and
> 10bt.
Not to mention the fact that *really* early devices (multibus ethernet
adapters come to mind, along with DEQNA's, and other stuff) that are
AUI *only*.
I've waited a *long* time for prices on AUI<->10bT tranceivers to fall
to reasonable levels so I could easily hook up such beasts.
Jeff
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We seem to have a bunch of Unix-types on here so I thought I'd pose a
question. Today, I came across the following 5 HD disks from Berkeley
Software Design Inc:
- BSD/OS 1.1 Boot Disk 1, /boot and /bsd
- BSD/OS 1.1 Boot Disk 2, Installation Utilities
- BSD/OS 1.1 Kerberos, Kerberos Utilities
- BSD/OS 1.1 Encryption, Encryption Utilities & Src
- BSD/OS 1.1 EZ-Config, Configuration Tools
What's missing from this set that would keep it from installing? Is
there anything particularly interesting about it other than it appears to be
the ancestor of the current Net/FreeBSD?
Jeff
In a message dated Fri, 23 Mar 2001 6:28:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, "Jeffrey S. Sharp" <jss(a)ou.edu> writes:
<< > Even assuming some bad units, this works out on the order of
> $35/NeXTStation, near complete.
For that price (maybe a little more if need be), I would be glad to take
one.
--
Jeffrey S. Sharp
jss(a)ou.edu
>>
I would be interested at that price as well - for a complete unit.. It's gotta have the cables though cause I can't seem to find them anywhere and they're useless without them. Also, I would be willing to help with pick-up if need be as I am only 1 hr away from philly. Just let me know.
-Linc Fessenden
From: Compusync <hsappleton(a)sprintmail.com>
>I humbly appreciate the response. For a novice(in a very conservative
sense
>of the word) user like myself, it will ultimately draw a couple other
>have no experience in VAX/DEC or UNIX for that matter. I want to take
care
Is VMS install or Ultrix (possible NETBSD?)??
>1)can you help me identify the console port and/or second
>serial port
Look at back pannel, the symbols in the plastic should help.
If it's a vaxserver there will be three 6pin connectors like a telephone
plug only with an offset loging clip. While the connector is odd those
ports are RS423 (very similar to RS232). The VT340 has matching
connectors (2) and also the standard 25pin serial connector.
The 25pin connector on the vaxserver is also RS232 but not console.
It is a full handshaking serial port suitable for a modem.
>2)Don't I need some kind of cable and what type
For the serial its just called MMJ or deconnect. There is only one type
and varies only in length (no null modem or other odd wired versions).
>3)what is MMJ ports and port 0 also has an RS232 output
VT340 terminal on the back.
>My VaxServer is has the following ports: SCSI,
Standard SCSI-II useable with many types of drives, tapes and some
CDroms.
>a 25-pin db
Modem use usually works up to 19.2k maybe 38kb.
> 3 rj-11 type
Those are acutally MMJ (modified modular jack/plug). Three identical
serial ports save for one #3 if memory serves is the default console.
>with left and right arrow; 2 Ethernet connector-one BNC and the other
AUI;
Exactly and inbetween a push swich to select one or the other.
>50-pin port; aport that looks like a printer port with a left and right
>arrow.
Used with the right cable/connector it's 8 more serial ports.
>My VT340 has the following ports: 2 RJ-11 type with left and right
arrows; a
>printer port; a keyboard port; a 25-pin dB port; and a 8-pin mini din
port
Ignore the 8pin mini-DIN as thats for optional mouse. The two RJ11 as
you call
them are the MMJ serial ports and port 0 is shared with the DB25. Which
port
is in use is selected by F4 (session select) and also the on screen
configuration.
NOTE: VT340 is a very nice DUAL session terminal. It allows two
connection
running at the same time independently or two sessions over one wire
(under
VMS or terminal server).
I only have three VAXserver3100s (M10E versions) in the VAX herd (9 in
all).
I also have an assortment of terminals including a few VT320s, VT340,
VT1200, VT125 and H19 (I built as a kit in 1978).
Allison
