I had a good buy on ebay. Friday night when I came home from the pub I
must of been looking through ebay and bid ?25 on a 4000/90. I only
remembered doing it when I got an email today to say I'd won. Should
do that more often.
Dan
VCF Gazette
Volume 3, Issue 1
A Newsletter for the Vintage Computer Festival
May 12, 2005
Wow! The VCF Gazette marks a milestone as it rolls in to its 3rd
year. And boy are we late. Later than usual. Very late. In fact,
I'm positive we're later than we've ever been. But my we're busy here
at VCF central. Busier than usual. Very busy. In fact, I'm positive
we're busier than we've ever been. So there you have it. Anyway, on
with the news!
In This Issue:
VCF 7.0 Wrap Up
VCF 7.0 Exhibit Awards and Photo Gallery
VCF Midwest "Lite"
VCF Inaugurates Long-Term Data Archiving Standard: FutureKeep
New VCF Website Features
VCF 7.0 Wrap Up
---------------
The 7th annual Vintage Computer Festival was held on November 6-7
at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. It's
pretty much cliche at this point to say it was the best event yet,
but it really was! Just ask the 450+ people who attended.
The main feature of the VCF this last time around was the Maze War
Retrospective hosted by Bruce Damer of the DigiBarn. The authors of
Maze War, which is the original "first person shooter" videogame,
discussed the development of the game in the early 1970s. The Maze
War server was ported to the PC by Ken Harrenstien and a Maze War
network of three PCs plus an Imlac PDS-1D (heroically provided by Tom
Uban) was installed at the VCF, allowing attendees to experience the
original thrill of Maze War. The DigiBarn has created a terrific web
page on the DigiBarn website to commemorate this event:
http://www.digibarn.com/history/04-VCF7-MazeWar/index.html
VCF 7.0 also featured the debut screening of BBS: The Documentary, a
multi-part documentary series by Jason Scott of textfiles.com fame.
This documentary traces the history of the computer bulletin board
system, or BBS, from its origins through to its decline brought on
by the rise of the modern Internet. BBS: The Documentary is now
available for order and is highly recommended by the VCF:
http://www.bbsdocumentary.com/
The exhibits at VCF 7.0 continued their evolution towards ever more
elaborate displays, with great skill and creativity being demonstrated
by the exhibitors. The next section contains more information about
the exhibits and a link to the VCF 7.0 Photo Gallery.
We're now looking forward to VCF 8.0 to be held November 5-6. See you
there!
VCF 7.0 Exhibit Awards and Photo Gallery
----------------------------------------
The VCF 7.0 Exhibition featured another stunning set of exhibits. The
creativity of the exhibitors and their dedication to producing
displays that brilliantly showcase their prized computers while
presenting historical and educational background is simply amazing.
For all the hard work that it takes to produce the VCF, the exhibits
alone make it worth the effort.
And so, we are pleased to present the results of the exhibit awards.
Class Awards
First, Second and Third Place ribbons are awarded in each of five
classes that represent major areas of effort in computer collecting
and preservation. Judging is based on a set of criteria including:
appearance, condition, originality, authenticity, completeness, and
functionality. Additional judging takes into account the breadth of
the exhibit by assessing the inclusion of documentation and software.
Note that the exhibit categories were re-worked for VCF 7.0 to reflect
the evolution in subject matter and presentations that has occured
over the past few years.
The classes and class winners of each class respectively are as
follows:
Class A: Microcomputer
1st Place: Bryan Blackburn - Digital Group Computers
2nd Place: Erik Klein - Altair 30th Anniversary
3rd Place: Cameron Kaiser - Secret Weapons of Commodore Live!
Class B: Mini, Multi-User, or Larger Computer
1st Place: Pavl Zachary - PDP 11/40 Running Ancient Unix
2nd Place: Bob Fowler - Alpha Microsystems AM-1000
3rd Place: Stephen Jones - SDF Public Access Unix System
Class C: PDA, Handheld Computer, or Calculator
1st Place: Fritz Schneider - Curta Calculator
2nd Place: Boris Debic - Handheld Math
3rd Place: Hans Franke - Calculators of Mass Destruction
Class D: Home-brew, Kit, or Educational Computer
1st Place: Michael Holley - SWTPC TV Typewriter
2nd Place: Wayne Smith - Tiger Learning Computer
3rd Place: Larry Pezzolo - OSI Superboard
Class E: Re-creation, Emulation, or Contemporary Enhancement
1st Place: Tim Robinson - Differential Analyzer
2nd Place: Tim Robbinson - Computing by Steam
3rd Place: Eric Rothfus - Semi-Virtual Diskette
Class F: Open/Other
1st Place: Wayne Smith - Bandai Pippin
2nd Place: Michael Holley - Southwest Technical Products Corp.
3rd Place: Larry Anderson - Commodore Gold
Special Awards
Special Awards are given to exhibits based on various practical and
esthetic criteria. These accolades are intended to award exhibits
that advance the state of computer collecting and preservation.
Best Presentation: Research
Bryan Blackburn - Digital Group Computers
Best Presentation: Completeness
Erik Klein - Altair 30th Anniversary
Best Presentation: Display
Bryan Blackburn - Digital Group Computers
Best Presentation: Originality
Pavl Zachary - PDP 11/40 Running Ancient Unix
Best Preservation: Restoration
Bryan Blackburn - Digital Group Computers
Best Preservation: Obscurity
Wayne Smith - Bandai Pippin
Best Technology: Analog
Tim Robinson - Differential Analyzer
Best Technology: Non-Electronic
Tim Robinson - Computing by Steam
Best of Show
The Best of Show award determines, based on the best overall score
achieved, which exhibit deserves to be singled out for extra special
recognition.
The VCF 7.0 Best of Show award went to Bryan Blackburn for his Digital
Group Computers. Bryan walked away once again with 5 separate awards
this year, matching his performance from last year. Congratulations,
Bryan!
People's Choice Award
Finally, the People's Choice Award taps into the pulse of the VCF
crowd. Attendees are encouraged to submit a ballot naming their
favorite exhibit of the show. The exhibit that attracted the most
votes this year was Tim Robinson's Differential Analyzer, a functional
differential analyzer modeled after designs by early computing pioneer
Vannevar Bush and built entirely out of Meccano parts.
I would like to thank and congratulate all VCF 7.0 exhibitors for
contributing to yet another excellent exhibition.
We've put together a photo gallery of the exhibits to showcase the
talents and creativity of the VCF exhibitors:
http://www.vintage.org/gallery.php?grouptag=VCF70
We're already looking forward to this year's exhibits. You might want
to consider joining in the fun!
VCF Midwest "Lite"
------------------
The VCF is introducing the new concept of the VCF "Lite" event. VCF
Lite events feature all of the elements of a traditional VCF event
(including speakers, exhibitors and vendors) but the event is held on
a single day instead of across two days.
VCF Midwest 1.0 will be held on Saturday, July 30th at Purdue
University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Doors will open at 9:30am,
with speakers beginning at 10:00am and exhibits starting at 12:00pm.
The event ends at 5:00pm. Admission is $5 per person.
Exhibitors and vendors are wanted, so if you want to show off part of
your collection or want to sell some of it, register now at the VCF
Midwest website at:
http://www.vintage.org/2005/midwest/
Additional VCF Midwest 1.0 information will be posted to the VCF
Midwest website in the coming weeks, so get yourself onto the VCF
mailing list to be informed of updates as they are announced. You can
add yourself to the VCF mailing list here:
http://www.vintage.org/maillist.php
A separate announcement for VCF Midwest 1.0 with more information
about the event will be distributed in the coming days so be on the
look-out for that.
If you'd like to organize a VCF Lite in your area, please contact
Sellam Ismail at <sellam at vintage.org>.
VCF Inaugurates Long-Term Data Archiving Standard: FutureKeep
-------------------------------------------------------------
The VCF has lauched a project to create a file format standard for
imaging and archiving software from virtually any data media ever
devised, from punched cards to DVD-ROM and beyond. In a nutshell,
the intent of the standard is to allow for software stored on any
type of media to be digitally imaged in a manner that would allow the
original media to be reconstructed from the image at which time it
might be necessary to do so. The main purpose of this standard is to
provide a universally recognized standard for preserving software.
Media such as floppy disks and magnetic tape has a limited lifetime.
The physical medium will fail over time resulting in data loss. While
more durable, software stored on paper-based media such as punched
cards and paper tape is also at risk. Even ROM chips are not forever:
the bits contained within the silicon will dissipate over time,
leaving behind an empty shell. In the absence of a durable, long-term
(as in aeons), failure-proof digital storage medium, steps must be
taken now to preserve the existing base of software and to ensure it
will be available for the benefit of future generations. This
standard is being designed to provide a uniform methodology for
storing imaged media to facilitate the storage and maintenance of
large archives of software.
Other uses of the standard will be to provide a singular uniform file
format for computer emulators to use as virtual storage devices.
The design of the format is still in its initial stages, so if you're
interested in being part of this historic development, you can join
the committee responsible for devising the standard. Draft outline
notes for the standard are available on the project website:
http://www.futurekeep.org
A mailing list has been created to provide a forum for discussing the
development of the standard. For instructions on how to join the
mailing list, e-mail project coordinator Sellam Ismail at
<sellam at vintage.org>.
New VCF Website Features
------------------------
The VCF is always striving to add useful features to the VCF website.
The latest enhancements include a computer history reference library
index, a photo gallery, a VCF Gazette browsing library, and an RSS
feed.
The VCF Library is a new feature which lists hundreds of computer
history resources available on books, video and computer media. The
list is organized into relevant categories and each entry includes a
link to where that resource can be purchased on the web. Most link to
Amazon product listings, and any purchase made through links from the
VCF Library earns a commission for the VCF, so it's a great way to
support the Vintage Computer Festival! The list is constantly being
added to as new resources are identified, and we appreciate suggestions
for additional resources to add. The library is available on the
VCF website at:
http://www.vintage.org/library.php
The VCF Gazette now has its own page featuring a link to the current
issue as well as links providing easy access to all past issues. The
VCF Gazette home page is here:
http://www.vintage.org/gazette.php
The VCF periodically produces photo galleries of VCF events or items
and activities the VCF is involved with. All the VCF photo galleries
can now be viewed from one convenient location by jumping to the Photo
Gallery index:
http://www.vintage.org/gallery.php
We've also installed an RSS News feed. RSS is a mechanism based on
XML used for sharing and syndicating news or stories from sites that
generate content. The VCF's RSS feed allows VCF fans to syndicate our
news. The VCF RSS feed is provided at:
http://www.vintage.org/rss.php
Our first RSS subscriber is Kevin Savetz's Retro Roundup page, which
aggregates classic computer and retro video game news from around the
web:
http://www.retroroundup.com/
Look for more excellent features to be added to the VCF Website in the
near-term future.
That wraps it up for this issue of the VCF Gazette! Until next time...
Best regards,
Sellam Ismail
Producer
Vintage Computer Festival
http://www.vintage.org/
This issue of the VCF Gazette can be found online at:
http://www.vintage.org/content.php?id=g31
The Vintage Computer Festival is a celebration of computers and their
history. The VCF Gazette goes out to anyone who subscribed to the VCF
mailing list, and is intended to keep those interested in the VCF
informed of the latest VCF events and happenings. The VCF Gazette is
guaranteed to be published in a somewhat irregular manner, though we
will try to maintain a quarterly schedule.
If you would like to be removed from the VCF mailing list, and
therefore not receive any more issues of the VCF Gazette, visit the
following web page:
http://www.vintage.org/remove.php
P[RE|ER]SE[R]VE[RE]
;)
>I AM NOT SUGGESTING ACTION AT THIS POINT. I AM
>SUGGESTING A DISCUSSION WITHIN THIS GROUP (WHERE DON
>SPENT MOST OF HIS ONLINE TIME), FOLLOWED BY A GROUP
>DECISION TO BE IMPLEMENTED. (For that purpose, I will
>be turning on individual messages instead of the
>digest
>form in which I read this group.)
My guess would be, she is still mourning the loss of her husband. The
archive is all she has left of him. She may not understand it, but as
long as it is in her garage, she still has something to hold onto. Death
is a funny thing and makes people do equally funny things.
She doesn't want to complete the transaction, because she isn't mentally
ready to let the items go. But I also believe you are correct, eventually
she will be ready, and if someone isn't standing at the door, she will
just hire some local kid to haul it all to the trash.
I think the best course of action is to discuss the matter with someone
OTHER than Winnie, but who is going to be close enough all the time to
keep a careful eye on the items. The Debbie person may be the best
contact. Someone other than Winnie will not be in a mental state that
keeps them from wanting to let the items go. So you will have a better
chance of really pointing out the historical value of the items, and
stress the importance that they not be thrown out. That person can then
keep a careful passive eye on the items, and will know when the time is
right to press for giving them to the classic computer community where
they can be saved.
-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>
I was contacted by someone from the Washington DC area who has an AT&T PC
6300 that they need to get rid of.
"I have an old, old AT&T PC6300 ("IBM clone") from about 1983. It has a
monitor and keyboard and all necessary cables, plus lots of vintage
software such as Quicken and PrintShop."
They also indicated that they have tutorials for a lot of the software but
that there are some intermittent display issues on an otherwise functional
machine.
Email Chad_LorenzNOSPAM at msn.com for details and to arrange pickup or
transport. (Adjust the email for spam prevention)
The usual disclaimers apply.
--
Erik Klein
www.vintage-computer.comwww.vintage-computer.com/vcforum
The Vintage Computer Forum
Not much to report except a $25 table-top multispeed drill press
(belts and pulleys, just like the big boys), and a free Atari 800 (CPU
only, no PSU, disk...) with three broken keys from the same house.
The first project on the drill press is entirely on-topic -
manufacturing an ABS front panel for my Elf2K
(http://www.sparetimegizmos.com/Hardware/Elf2K.htm). Speaking of
which, does anyone know if they manufacture an adhesive-backed
_plastic_ sheet that's meant to go through printers? I know I can
pick up an 8.5"x11" paper label from any office supply place. I am
hoping to find something that will resist water and abrasion (from
raspy palms) better than paper. I'm also hoping to print some new
keytops for the switches from an MSI 88/e keyboard (square, flush
pushbuttons, with a lip and stick-on key labels). I am constructing a
hex keypad for my Micro/Elf, and potentially for the Elf2K, and I
don't have A-F to pick from.
Thanks,
-ethan
>
>Subject: Re: Anyone playing with the 8x300
> From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey at amd.com>
> Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 12:14:26 -0700 (PDT)
> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
>
>Hi Allison
> It is interesting that this application didn't use
>that method of I/O addressing. All I/O devices are typical
>bus type devices. It has a ROM connected to the instruction
>addresses that selects the I/O based on the address being
>executed. They don't seem to be taking advantage of the
>read modify write I/O, either. The ports are all wired as
>unidirectional ports.
>Dwight
>
There were many ways to address IO on that beastie. The basic machine
was very unlike most micros and there was no concept of addressing
for ram in the data path. IO was almost an after thought in many ways.
But, it was fast and being very microcoded it was useful for
datain/process/dataout things that didn't require much or any intermediate
storage. There were whole clases of appications it was useful for but often
designers rather than and deal with it's peculiar implmentation just grew
their own from the ground up like the RX02 and SMS disks. It's lifespan
in the market was short due to parts like the 29116 and other faster
and more commonplace micros.
Allison
A fellow called me from Australia to tell me he has a UNIVAC drum printer
that he needs to let go of. He said it's sentimentally important to him
because apparently he acquired it and modified it so he could use it (on
what machine he did not say). He was interested in getting some money for
it if he could. I don't know the model or age.
The printer is available in the Czech Republic, where this man is I
believe moving back to. He asked that anyone interested contact his son
in the Czech Republic, whose cell phone number is +420 606 75 0654.
Please let me know if someone decides to rescue this. Perhaps one of the
more formal computer museums in the EU?
--
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
[ Old computing resources for business || Buy/Sell/Trade Vintage Computers ]
[ and academia at www.VintageTech.com || at http://marketplace.vintage.org ]
It loos like a Listmember has arranged to keep the DPS-6 safe from the
Hammer and Blowtorch - I'll keep y'all informed on the progress of said
rescue.
Thanks to all who responded on this. Looks like it'll be safe and
loved, now.
Cheers
John
>From: "Joe R." <rigdonj at cfl.rr.com>
>
> I found this today <http://www.classiccmp.org/hp/panels/all.jpg>.
>Anybody know what it's for? It's obviously for some kind of computer or
>computer based systems since it talks about ROM Address and the like. But
>it has some terms that I don't recognize, TU Status, Romar/Bromar, etc.
>This thing is almost three foot wide so I had to take three pictures in
>order to get closeups of the legends. See
><http://www.classiccmp.org/hp/panels/> for more pictures. BTW this is all
>of the system that I found and this is exactly the way that I found the
>panel except for wiping some dust and dirt off of it.
>
> The HP 700i isn't part of it, it's picture just happened to be on the
>same disk.
>
> Joe
Hi Joe
I'm not much help but it is a great looking panel.
Dwight
>From: "Allison" <ajp166 at bellatlantic.net>
>
>>
>>Subject: Re: Anyone playing with the 8x300
>> From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwight.elvey at amd.com>
>> Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 14:57:09 -0700 (PDT)
>> To: cctalk at classiccmp.org
>>
>>>
>>>Ah the classic first of the fast microcontrollers.
>>>I'd have to dig but I vaguely remember the 8x300
>>>as a disk controller apnote. Nasty beast to program.
>>>
>>>Allison
>>>
>>
>>Hi
>> Don't know why you'd say this, it only has 8 instructions!
>>I've got the spec posted to Al's site.
>> This controller application is a little interesting in that
>>who ever designed this board, also must have done a bitslice
>>designs at one time or another. To save a machine cycle, all
>>I/O addresses are selected by a ROM tied to the instruction
>>addressing. Normally it would take two cycles, one to write
>>the I/O address and one to transfer the data. With the
>>ROM, the address is understood by the program's execution
>>address location.
>>Dwight
>
>It's more of a sequencer or state machine with a crude ALU.
>As to those 8 instructions, looks at what the fields are
>for each one. I've done horizontal microcode and that is
>similar. Due to it's very harvard design it's not one you
>will do constans in rom much. Also the IO devices are
>really IO specific as in the address of each is coded
>into the part.
Hi Allison
It is interesting that this application didn't use
that method of I/O addressing. All I/O devices are typical
bus type devices. It has a ROM connected to the instruction
addresses that selects the I/O based on the address being
executed. They don't seem to be taking advantage of the
read modify write I/O, either. The ports are all wired as
unidirectional ports.
Dwight
>
>One use for it was an 8bit wide DSP. I have a real one here
>of the later 8x305 I2L that was a bit faster.
>
>Allison
>
>
