test-drb July 2005

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

257 participants
628 discussions

by MGemeny＠pgcps.org

I was just looking at Interex and found some stuff left at the following: ftp://ftp.interex.org <ftp://ftp.interex.org/> I am not sure what it is, but it looks like RTE stuff. I just thought someone might want to archive it. Mike Gemeny

19 years, 5 months

clueless eBay seller for today is:

by aek＠spies.com

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1247&item=5150357271 "A shroud of mystery hangs over the history and specification of this classic computer system." -- Good thing he wasn't trying to sell something was really WAS obscure.

19 years, 5 months

Analog modem emulator?

by pete＠bartusek.com

Just curious...has there ever been a device available to anyone's knowledge that functions like an analog phone line and allows transmission via TCPIP? For example, taking an older BBS system that has 5 internal modems in it, and plugging the lines into this "mystery" device and then being able to telnet to different ports and it makes the connection to one of the ports? I've seen the UDS-10 device from Lantronix to emulate a serial modem, so essentially you can telnet to it from another PC and it fakes the computer into thinking someone's "ringing the phone, etc...but I want to take it one step back...leave the modems in place but emulate the phone lines. If it rings any bells, or if someone can think of a scenario this might be needed in, please drop me a note and maybe it'll help me track down something... Thanks! Pete

19 years, 5 months

VCF Midwest - off to a great start

by jack.rubin＠ameritech.net

My wife and I just got back from beautiful West Lafayette, IN, home of the (first annual) Vintage Computer Festival Midwest. I'm sure Pat will provide all the details relating to attendance numbers, etc. but from at least one participant's point of view, it was a great event. Ethan Dicks and Ray Borrill were the scheduled speakers; Hans Franke also gave a (relatively) impromptu presentation on photographing vintage computers. All the presentations were great though the audio quality in the room left a bit to be desired, especially for the more vintage among us who might be a bit lacking in audio input capabilities. The exhibit/swap section was small but a decent crowd showed up to view and buy/swap. My goal as a vendor was to return home with an empty car and I came close to achieving it, not counting the "new" treasures I picked up in exchange. Participants in the now traditional post-fest dinner included Pat Finnegan and crew, Tom Uban, Jay West, Dan and Karen Cohoe, and of course, Hans who, contrary to expectations generated by a well-known vintage computer journalist, had only one entr?e. Thanks again to Pat for putting this all together and giving those of us in the Heartland an opportunity to share our passion/affliction closer to home. Looking forward to next year ... Jack

19 years, 5 months

Apple Classics found at local salvation army...

by john_boffemmyer_iv＠boff-net.dhs.org

Browsing Wappingers Falls, NY, USA salvation army today and walked past an Apple Performa 6115 and an Apple PowerPC 7200/120 with 10/100 Ethernet add-on card! Both work and there is an Apple 14" monitor, keyboard and video cable adapter too. Talked to the manager lady and she said she'd let it all go for $14.99 US. I don't do Apples too much and don't have the money to spend, but if anyone in the area wants em, they are still available. -John Boffemmyer IV

19 years, 5 months

Varisystems, Compugraphic (William Maddox)

by infomagic＠localisp.com

Here's a little background on Varisystems. I'll try to dig up some more info on the hardware, but it will take some time (weeks...). I started working for Varisystems on August 9, 1979, just a few months before they moved from Hauppague, NY (Long Island) to Bohemia, NY (also Long Island). Varisystems was founded by Bob and Owen Shevlin. IIRC, Bob was the computer guy and Owen was the business guy (President). Varisystems did its own design, purchasing, manufacturing, QA, and software. Bob Shevlin had developed a proprietary bit-sliced CPU, made of discrete TTL logic. It had its own bootstrap loader, micro-code, and assembly language, for which Bob had written an assembler. He had also created his own character generator, and all software?tools were?created in numerous languages, naturally with all accented caracters available. Varisystems also developed exceptional editing and composition software to run on this home-made hardware. TheVarisystems units were able to drive the optical output machines from various manufacturers, including Mergenthaler, Bobst, and others. They had a good business going. At about the time I was hired, the Shevlin brothers were in the process of selling Varisystems to Jacuqes Bobst & Fils, a prestigious Swiss phototype company. Bobst's optical typesetters were of the highest quality and expensive, but their editing systems were far less capable. In the acquisition, Bobst got a lot of good front-end design and equipment, and the Shevlins got a lot of money. The rest of us got shafted - as the last of the projects were shipped off to Switzerland, we were all laid off. That was late in 1980, or early 1981. I had been?hired as a Tech Writer to develop the user manual for the "1200" editing terminal, the first standalone editing station they produced. The first version went out with the first production machines in October 79. A second, moreprofessional version, was issued the following spring. I also participated on the design team, providing input on "human factors" for various functions and software messages. The "1200" was intended to offload editing work/time from the expensive "production" machines that drove the output devices. Jobs were transferred via 8" floppies. The "1200" unit was well received in the industry. While I was there, Gavon Balharry (a consultant from Australia) developed the Arabic version of the editing software. It let you choose whether English or Arabic was the "primary" mode, and when you "inserted" text, you could insert either the primary or secondary language. The inserted language always followed its own rules. So if English was primary and you inserted Arabic, it inserted at that point from right to left, and if necessary word wrapped to the next line, also according to the language! All kashidas weredetermined on the fly and as the next character was typed, the kashidas would change to their appropriate next form. I worked closely with Gavon, doing QA testing as he cranked out new compiles... Quite amazing - I think he was truly the only Genius I have ever met. Anyway as I try to recall the hardware, I only remember 8-bit instructions, nothing 16-bit. In fact, the big microprocessor threat on the horizon was the Z80. I'll be cleaning out the garage later this summer, so I'll keep an eye open for any leftover assembly listings... Wish me luck! -John

19 years, 5 months

VCF Midwest update?

by news＠computercollector.com

Would love to hear from anyone who attended today -- how'd it go? ----------------------------------------- Evan Koblentz's personal homepage: http://www.snarc.net Also see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midatlanticretro/ Where did PDAs come from? http://www.snarc.net/pda/pda-treatise.htm *** Tell your friends about the (free!) Computer Collector Newsletter - 770 readers and no spam / Publishes every Monday / Write for us! - Mainframes to videogames, hardware and software, we cover it all - W: http://news.computercollector.com E: news at computercollector.com

19 years, 5 months

classiccmp knowledgebase

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

Just wanted to say thanks for the people who have contributed knowledgebase articles to the classiccmp knowledgebase (www.classiccmp.org/kb) I do know that one person here is working on a really good article, should show up there soon! So, who wants to spearhead putting in a short knowledgebase article about hooking HP-IB devices, given the recent discussion :> Jay West

19 years, 5 months

What is GenRad 2293 central station? (related to DEC?)

by vax9000＠gmail.com

I saw a GenRad 2293 central station today. It looks like a computer. It stands with a digital storageworks frig size frame, but I don't know whether they are related. I looked at the back and found various ports, with one labeled "TK 50". Does anybody know what is inside?

19 years, 5 months

need to read 8" floppies on pdp8

by trestivo＠concentric.net

I have a semi-urgent need to read some 8" floppies that I believe were created on a pdp8 system. Does anyone have the hardware available or know what I need to find to accomplish this task? How about the i/o card for the pdp8? I have access to an 8" floppy drive that was used on a pdp11 (rx01/rx02). Thanks, Thom Best Regards, Thom Restivo LEWIS AND CLARK 624 Fishtail Palm Blvd. Melbourne, FL 32901 Phone: (321) 537-2384 Fax: (321) 768-0006 Email: <mailto:trestivo at lewis-clark.com> trestivo at lewis-clark.com Web: http://www.lewis-clark.com <outbind://1-0000000093B4C03865156F4391D62644BDA1760CA4652700/exchweb/bi n/redir.asp?URL=http://www.lewis-clark.com>

19 years, 5 months

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test-drb July 2005