test-drb October 2006

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

217 participants
352 discussions

by cctech＠retro.co.za

Hi all >Does anyone have a copy, or preferably a scan, of the Byte article c. >1976 entitled "WADUZITDO"? I have, but it's in storage. Bug me if you don't come right elsewhere. >Is it this? > > http://www.geocities.com/connorbd/tarpit/waduzitdo/wdzref.html Yes. W

17 years, 6 months

Vintage Computer Festival 9.0 News

by sellam＠vintagetech.com

Vintage Computer Festival 9.0 Saturday, November 4 through Sunday, November 5 Computer History Museum Mountain View, California http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/ Howdy Folks! Just a few more days of meaningless toil and then you'll be in vintage computing heaven at VCF 9.0! Here are some new developments of which you might want to be aware... Workshop Schedule Correction The correct date for Vince Briel's Replica 1 SE Workshop is Saturday, November 4 at 10:00am. The workshop was previously listed as being on Sunday, November 5 on the workshop description page. We apologize if the misleading time has caused you any inconvenience. The reason we have the Replica 1 SE Workshop scheduled for Saturday at 10:00am is so that workshop attendees can have their completed Replica 1 SE ready to get signed by Woz after the Apple 30 Year Anniversary Celebration at 1:00pm on Saturday. The following workshop slots are still available: XGS Pico Edition Workshop - 5 COSMAC Elf 2000 Workshop - 6 Replica 1 SE Workhop - FULL Don't delay, sign up today! Slots are filling fast! http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/workshop.php Vintage Computer Film Festival This year we are launching the Vintage Computer Film Festival at the VCF. The VCFF is a showcase of films with a vintage computing or retro-technology theme. The screening schedule has been posted on the VCF 9.0 website: http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/film.php The Vintage Computer Film Festival is available to all VCF attendees as part of your regular admission. Sponsored by Oddball Film+Video: http://www.oddballfilm.com APL "1 CLEANSPACE" Anniversary Talk Added The APL BUG (APL Bay Area User's Group) in conjunction with the VCF is presenting a talk by Larry Breed on the origins of the programming language APL. The talk has been scheduled for 3:00pm on Saturday, November 4. APL BUG members wishing to attend only this session will not be required to pay admission to the VCF, though they are welcome to do so if they wish to enjoy the rest of the VCF festivities. Check the session schedule for complete session times and information: http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/session.php !!! Prizes and Giveaways !!! Processor Technology Sol-20 The Processor Technology Sol-20 "Terminal Computer", designed by Silicon Valley legend Lee Felsenstein, was one of the earliest fully integrated personal computers on the market, featuring the main processor, RAM, ROM, keyboard, video interface, serial and parallel ports, and cassette tape storage interface as standard features. Stan Sieler of Allego Consultants, a regular exhibitor, exhibit judge and VCF volunteer, has kindly donated a Sol-20 to give away at the Sol-20 celebration at 1:00pm on Sunday, November 5. Check the session schedule on the VCF 9.0 web pages for complete information. Located in San Jose, California, Allegro Consultants specializes in software, services, and consulting for clients with Hewlett-Packard PA-RISC based computers, the HP 3000 and HP 9000. http://www.allegro.com/ Briel Computers Replica 1 SE The Replica 1 SE is a functional clone of the original Apple 1 designed by Steve Wozniak. Vince Briel of Briel Computers has donated a Replica 1 SE to be given away at the Apple 30 Year Anniversary Celebration at 1:00pm on Saturday, November 4. Briel Computers offers more build-it-yourself vintage computer replica kits on their website: http://www.brielcomputers.com/ Minds On Toys Digi-Comp 1 (v2.0) Mechanical Computer Kit Tim Walker of Minds On Toys has created a build-it-yourself replica of the classic Digi-Comp 1, a 3-bit mechanical binary computer. The Digi-Comp 1 was originally sold in the 1960s and was made from cast plastic. The updated version sold by Minds On Toys is constructed >from sturdy paper stock. Minds On Toys has donated a Digi-Comp 1 v2.0 to be given away at the VCF. Visit Minds On Toys on the web at: http://www.mindsontoys.com/kits.htm You Can Still Be An Exhibitor! Exhibit registration closes on November 1st. If you wanted to be an exhibitor at this year's VCF, now is the time to register before it's too late: http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/exhibit.php VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We are in need of several volunteers for Friday evening setup and Sunday evening teardown. Setup on Friday begins at 8pm, and teardown on Sunday begins as soon as the VCF ends. Even if you can provide only fifteen minutes of your time, we can still use you. We've got a lot of work to do in a very short period of time this year so any help we can get would be greatly appreciated. We also need an audio/visual specialist to manage the projectors and recording equipment in the session chambers. This is a very important role so we need someone with experience working data projectors and MP3 players. We'll reward our gallant volunteer with free admission, t-shirts, and other goodies. To volunteer in any of these roles, please contact me directly (and soon) at <sellam at vintage.org>. Thanks! See You There! Complete information about VCF 9.0, including the speaker schedule, exhibit roster, end everything else can be found on the VCF 9.0 web pages: http://www.vintage.org/2006/main/ Best regards, Sellam Ismail Producer Vintage Computer Festival ;) -- 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 ]

17 years, 6 months

PDP11/35 or 40 RK05F and J, etc

by useddec＠gmail.com

I just picked up another full van load this weekend, docs, parts, boards, > options, etc. The 11/35 can be delivered in the midwest, palletized, or > shipped padded van. Please feel free to contact me off list. Thanks, Paul Anderson 217-586-5361

17 years, 6 months

MINC-11 (was Re: Collections of (physically) large computers)

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On 10/30/06, Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote: > And my PDP11/45 (2 6' racks, 2 free-standing RK07s, and what started out > as a MINC contianing 2 RL01s, with the realtime I/O of the MINC linked to > the PDP11/45 via a DW11-B Unibus-Qbus interface). Niiiice. What I/O modules do you have, and are you using them for anything? I have a MINC-11 (that's just a MINC), but only one or two lab modules. I really can't do much with it in its present configuration except use it as a rather ordinary RT-11 box. I've always wanted to find some of the modules and do something "interesting" but I can't imagine what that might be without a pile of boards staring me in the face imploring me to find a use. -ethan

17 years, 6 months

Discussion of large systems

by wacarder＠earthlink.net

> Al Kossow said: >There are VERY VERY few people that have such systems. I only know of at >most a dozen in the US, and most of them do not participate in on-line >discussions. A few rarely use email. .... >Surviving systems from before 1975 are very rare animals, esp mainframes, >since so many of them have been scrapped for precious metals. Sadly, there >is even less software that has survived. CHM didn't start seriously >collecting documentation nor software prior to the move to the West Coast in >the 90's. While they have an impressive collection of hardware, and a pretty >decent collection of US computer documentation now, the software holdings >pre 1975 are minimal. > >I will be giving a talk at VCF this Saturday on the CHM software collection. > Al, can you get someone to record your talk and put it on DVD or somewhere that I can see it? As much as I would love to attend the VCF, I am on the other side of the country and busy as hell right now with my job and other things. I own a number of fully functional early-to-mid 1970s blinking light PDP-11 systems and have an 11/40 set up with a replica of my college's 1977-79 era academic computer center, running a timesharing operating system and software of the period, and complete with ASR-33, LA36, LA120, VT52, and VT05 teminals, all fully functional. Other than the operating system, much of the software came from an RK05 disk pack that I had saved since 1978, and from printouts of every program on our system in 1977-78. It has RK05, RL01, RL02, RX01, and RX02 drives. I would very much like to see and hear your presentation. If it is recorded, I would like to get a copy. Hopefully I can make it out to the west coast next year. Ashley Carder Leesville, SC

17 years, 6 months

Discussion of large systems

by aek＠bitsavers.org

" Al, can you get someone to record your talk and put it on DVD or somewhere that I can see it?" I don't know. Check with Sellam. Since two people have asked now, what I'll be talking about will be extracted from material I presented at the CHM's "Attic and Parlor" workshop last spring, with a bunch of updates based on my last 6 months of work at CHM, and on some things that we've added to the collection since then. I'll try to get a paper version up somewhere (probably on bitsavers) after the talk.

17 years, 6 months

Collections of (physically) large computers

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

On 29 Oct, 2006, at 09:07, cctech-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 17:37:01 -0400 > From: "William Donzelli" <wdonzelli at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: Collections of (physically) large computers > >> OK, so how much floor space does his largest computer use? > > I am not sure, but from some pictures I have seen, he has a LOT of > stuff for his two IBM 709s. And then there is the 7094 system. And the > S/370 system. Each system may take up 500 square feet. I am impressed, the very first computer I wrote a program for was a 7094 installed at Imperial College, London. Later on I got to see it and they had a disc drive hooked up to it. There was a story about a disk platter shattering and the computer room being blasted with shrapnel. I remember it being unavailable for several months whilst they replaced every electrolytic capacitor in it. We got to use the CDC 6600 at the ULCC (University of London Computer Centre) whilst it was being repaired. We used the small Fortran compiler PUFFT (Purdue University Fast Fortran Translator) on the 7094. The size was certainly comparable with Flossie. Keeping one machine of this size running is a lot of work, the thought of keeping three running is daunting. > > For that matter, if I were to get all the stuff together for my > Hitachi AS/6 (A Japanese 3032 clone), it would probably not fit in 500 > square feet either. The processor is 21 feet long by three feet wide, > and does not contain any RAM or the channel I/O hardware. The six > spindle 3330 DASD string is 15 feet long by 4 feet wide. Then the > three tapes with controller is another 12 by 3 feet, then the card > reader and punch take up two more three by six footprints, then the > network box, then the 1403N printer, then the comm controller at five > by four, then the other comm controller at 3 by 3, then some more junk > I could hang off it if I wanted to. When you add this all up, then > figure in the space needed to open the doors and gates for servicing - > well, it is a large plot of land. Yes with access space it adds up. So I'm not the only nutter! > I think Sridhar is in the same boat. For that matter. that 4381 system > that sold on Ebay six months or so back would also fits (and sinks) in > that boat, having a couple good DASD strings. Ok so you do know different. Why is there so little discussion of these on the list? Is there a more appropriate list? Maybe as we all have different manufacturer's kit we have little to talk about, but we still face similar problems, thing like tracking down media, repairing peripherals, fault finding logic, keeping the machine clean and stopping them rusting, keeping the offline support stuff working - keypunches, Flexowriters, Teletypes etc, though maybe that is not a problem for you as your machine has a comms controller. > >> Flossie has well over 4,000 printed circuit >> boards and weighs about five tons. > > Pictures please! I don't think I'm supposed to post pictures to the list and I don't have a web site so the best I can do is to refer you to a picture someone else has made available. It is also very difficult to get a picture of all of Flossie as it is so very cramped in the barn. Here is an old picture of a very similar machine to mine, except it has four one inch tape decks whereas Flossie has six half inch decks. Also Flossie has paper tape I/O and three drums instead of one in the machine pictured. http://www.mikecurley-worked.netfirms.com/P3-2.jpg > > I am actually trying to buy a building so I can get all this junk > in one place. I am trying to extend my building so I can reassemble the second machine which will also give Flossie more space. No plans yet to get the second machine actually running, but maybe one day.

17 years, 6 months

Collections of (physically) large computers

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

On 28 Oct, 2006, at 06:51, cctech-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > From: "William Donzelli" <wdonzelli at gmail.com> > >> (Who has at home what might be a collection of the largest >> computers in private ownership - unless you know different >> as Esther Rantzen used to say on "That's Life"). > > That is a dangerous claim to make. But hopefully start an interesting discussion. > > Paul Pierce would be laughing. > > -- > Will OK, so how much floor space does his largest computer use? > From: "Evan Koblentz" <evan at snarc.net> > > If he meant physically largest, Indeed. > then I know a guy here in New Jersey who has > a Burroughs mainframe which requires an 18-wheeler truck (or two) > to move. When I moved Flossie we used one articulated lorry (I did not count the wheels) and one rigid truck with a tail lift. > And let's not forget Indiana's Jim Curry who has a vast collect of > Cray > supercomputers. The pictures of Cray computers I've seen have no peripherals, just a CPU, which is smaller than the fixed part of Flossie. Much more powerful of course than my Germanium giant which is about the power of a 6502, though it is slightly better handling big numbers. The installation requirements say it needs 700 square feet, though I have one squeezed into 500 square feet. The other (Arthur) is disassembled, some packed around Flossie and some in another part of the barn. > I have an impressive collection of the * smallest * computers. :) Very good, the list as a whole covers most machine types. I lost interest in my mainframes for a few years and moved onto a UK101 then I changed job and programmed the Apple ][, //e, ///, Lisa then just about every Mac, and I'm writing this on an Intel core duo Mac laptop. > > From: "Witchy" <witchy at binarydinosaurs.co.uk> > On Fri, October 27, 2006 6:34 pm, Roger Holmes said: >> >> (Who has at home what might be a collection of the largest >> computers in private ownership - unless you know different >> as Esther Rantzen used to say on "That's Life"). > > I used to think I did (in the UK), but that's only based on no web > evidence found to prove otherwise :) I know there's far bigger > collections > than mine in Europe and the US..... > > -- > adrian/witchy > Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator > www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UKs biggest home computer collection? I do not have the largest number of computers, I am asking are the computers at my home the largest in a private collection? My machines are not even home computers, they cost 247,000 pounds new, though I paid 200 pounds for one and 150 for the slightly smaller one which included loads of spare parts (almost another computer). They contain almost no gold, just some platinum in some relays (which are not part of the logic), hence the scrap price being so low (they cost much less than the cost of transporting them, not counting dismantling which took a week and reassembly which took several months back when I was in my twenties and had more energy and more spare time). Flossie has well over 4,000 printed circuit boards and weighs about five tons. She does not require air conditioning, though the seven Ampex TM4 mag tape drives officially do need it. She uses 13kVA three phase electricity. I showed some of the documentation to a young chap recently and he what he found surprising that the computer comes with a floor plan in the installation instructions. I did not show him the details of the floor loading, nor the requirement for a separate one inch copper braid wired back to the building's mains power inlet earth connection. Roger Holmes.

17 years, 6 months

Resistor-protected-fuses

by cclist＠sydex.com

While repairing a floppy drive with a shorted a bypass cap, I noticed that the manufacturer had very thoughtfully inserted a picofuse in the DC supply line. Predictably, it was the 10 ohm resistor in series with the voltage regulator that turned to toast. The fuse is none the worse for wear. This brought to mind an old friend who earned her living as a field engineer for DEC. At one point, she mentioned that resistor- and transistor-protected fuses were a regular pattern for DEC equipment. This would be back in the early 70's, BTW. Did her observation reflect reality? Are there any other manufacturers that routinely engaged in this practice? Cheers, Chuck

17 years, 6 months

cctech Digest, Vol 38, Issue 44

by roger.holmes＠microspot.co.uk

On 29 Oct, 2006, at 09:07, cctech-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > Message: 25 > Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 00:48:52 +0100 (BST) > From: "Witchy" <witchy at binarydinosaurs.co.uk> > Subject: Re: ict1301.co.uk > To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Message-ID: <1189.192.168.0.4.1162079332.squirrel at vorbis.demon.co.uk> > Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1 > > > On Sun, October 29, 2006 12:03 am, Al Kossow said: >> >> >> http://ict1301.co.uk/13012006.htm >> >> A bit more up to date than the previous url > > Hm, I'm driving through Kent later on today, I wonder if I could > call in > and have a visit? :) > > > -- > adrian/witchy > Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator > www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UKs biggest home computer collection? I wish I'd seen your e-mail yesterday, you would have been very welcome to come. Sorry. I'm about eight miles from M20 junction 9 (Ashford West). If you come my way again, or anyone else on the list is in my neck of the woods and would like a look, could you e-mail me directly to save the delay of getting the digest, and try to give me a little advanced warning. I do not power Flossie up when the temperature is below about 13 degrees C as Germanium transistors are only rated down to 10 C and they are all now very old. Getting new GET872 transistors is almost impossible and even OA5 diodes are getting rare, the last I saw in the RadioSpares catalogue were a pound ($1.60 approx) each, and the machine has them by the thousand. Every word in the core store has two, so thats 4000 in each machine even before even thinking about the logic. If it wasn't for the price dropping when the supply rises I could be close to being a millionaire on the value of components alone! By the way, the above URL does have pictures of Flossie but it is very difficult to get a good picture at the moment - just not enough room around the machine. To access some parts is a major problem moving things around to make space so you can open the covers and get a scope and your body close to the machine. By the way, the storage scope probably has more processing power than the computer!

17 years, 6 months

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test-drb October 2006