test-drb October 2007

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

228 participants
467 discussions

by Arno_1983＠gmx.de

Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com> wrote: > woodelf wrote: > > Dave McGuire wrote: > > > > > If one is wearing a tie whilst working on big computers, one > > > probably deserves it! > > Did not IBM tech's have to wear one? > > Yes. Usually with a tie-clip holding it against the shirt. > > Peace... Sridhar And the clip specified to be "non-conductive" in the safety precautions preface of the CE manuals, as I remember from those of our 4331. BTW (@Sridhar and to bring this back to the subject topic): I got that VSII to boot a NetBSD installation kernel by using a SPARCclassic with NetBSD as MOP server so it kind of works now, but it's of course not as nice as having a MOP daemon run on one of my windoze machines that I keep around anyway. (We already had that argument back when I looked for a RARP server to netboot my Suns, IIRC.) Then again, next thing I'd need is an NFS server for windoze which has some idea of representing unix-style links in a VFAT system, which tgpnfs does not. The netboot only worked after I removed the GPX framebuffer boards. Otherwise, the machine would again try all of the POST countdown after I typed "b xqa0" at the chevron prompt and get stuck at "A", not sending out its MOP request. Another nit in the boot code...why not "remember" to use the serial console and skip the framebuffer test if it was activated by a "Break" during the boot process? Its RD53 seems to have bigger problems than just a sticky bumper, I got it to rev up once and immediately tried to start a NetBSD install on it, but was rewarded with lots of "soft errors". I'll have a friend of mine try to low-level it on his VS2000. Ifff that takes care of the problem, where would I get an additional frontpanel insert for it (the pushbutton thing)? TIA, so long, Arno -- Ist Ihr Browser Vista-kompatibel? Jetzt die neuesten Browser-Versionen downloaden: http://www.gmx.net/de/go/browser

17 years, 2 months

trs-80 trade? (wanted)

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

I have a TRS-80 model I monitor, disk drives, and expansion unit... but no cpu/keyboard. I am looking for the keyboard, cable to expansion unit, and power adapter. Willing to trade DEC/HP/DG stuff for above :) Jay West

17 years, 2 months

That poor system/36

by ballsandy＠msn.com

>> -I have passed notes written in hex to a friend in class ("what are you doing at lunch?") > >In what representation? Unicode, ASCII, EBCDIC, Baudot, Rotate-and- >tilt? I did a few in regular ASCII and two or three in EBCDIC but those three I screwed up and didn't translate right. I also wrote profanity on a test paper in ASCII knowing my Photoshop teacher would not know what it was. _________________________________________________________________ Are you ready for Windows Live Messenger Beta 8.5 ? Get the latest for free today! http://entertainment.sympatico.msn.ca/WindowsLiveMessenger

17 years, 2 months

Question about PDP-8 thing on eBay

by v.slyngstad＠verizon.net

I was looking through my eBay search mail (which has been wonky since way before the recent "upgrades"), and encountered this thing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170155699367 which claims to be a "processor control module" for a PDP-8. The pictures show that it is clearly a 12-bit something or other, which gives some credence to the theory that it is PDP-8 related. I thought I knew a fair bit about things PDP-8, but I have no idea what this could be, unless it is some kind of front panel replacement for an Omnibus machine. Anyone know what the heck it is, and if it is really a PDP-8 thing? Vince (I'm assuming the "Gemini E" is some kind of machine controller, likely based on an 8/A or the like.)

17 years, 2 months

What to download for a PDP-8 (was Re: That poor system/36)

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

On 10/15/07, woodelf <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca> wrote: > Tony Duell wrote: > > > Check. I have a PDP8/e on my desk. > I thought a PDP-8 was desk sized. PDP-8s come in many sizes - the Straight-8 was "desk-sized" in that it was available with a built-in desk. The -8/a is about the size of a microwave oven (1/2 the size of a PDP-8/e), but was also available built _into_ a desk) the CPU was in front of your knees, with room to mount two RX01/RX02 units or an RL01/RL02 where the drawers would normally go. DECmates are the size of large desktop PCs or smaller (like the DM III)... various sizes and weights, all 12-bits, 4Kwords to 32Kwords (to 128Kwords in rare cases)... > That reminds me to find > a smaller case for SBC6120 so it can fit on a desk. > I have stuffed in a old wooden box. At one point, I had one mounted in an external floppy case for an Amiga... http://penguincentral.com/retrocomputing/sbc6120/ > As a newbie with just setting up the PDP-8 and OS/8 what is the > best way to get started? I can download stuff from bitsavers > but what to download. Besides the OS, there's a few collections of BASIC programs running around - several games and a few of the typical utility-type programs. If you want to write programs, you'll need the right programs for that - PAL assembler, FORTRAN-II, FORTRAN-IV (slow on an SBC-6120 since it doesn't have the optional-for-a-PDP-8/a FPP12 math co-processor), BASIC, etc. BASIC.SV should be on most OS/8 distros you find out there. The FORTRAN stuff might take a little hunting and gathering. DECUS used to have a large PDP-8 collection, but I don't know that swaths of it are available anywhere. -ethan

17 years, 2 months

ebay search reports?

by legalize＠xmission.com

Has anyone else noticed that the ebay email notification of search results has gone wacky in the past week or so? I'm getting repeat results in all my search emails (i.e. the same search reports the same items each day) and the search emails are being delivered less than daily. They are tooting their horn about having "improved" things lately and it feels like they are having some fallout. -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download <http://www.xmission.com/~legalize/book/download/index.html> Legalize Adulthood! <http://blogs.xmission.com/legalize/>

17 years, 2 months

DoveBid: IBM 3180 Display Stations, ending 10/17/07, Guttenberg, NJ

by glen.slick＠gmail.com

No idea if these are interesting to anyone on the list. About 16 of these, currently at $10 each, no reserve, ending 10/17/07 morning in Guttenberg, NJ. http://www.dovebid.com/assets/display.asp?ItemID=cpt69125 IBM 3180-2 15" Green Monochrome Display Station. Includes Keyboard, Logic and Power Cable. Display P/N: 2446813, Logic P/N: 2446964. Keyboard P/N: 1389262.

17 years, 2 months

vintage Wang keybaord (word processor?)

by chrism3667＠yahoo.com

now that's vintage - 290170169824 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. http://mobile.yahoo.com/go?refer=1GNXIC

17 years, 2 months

looking for the HP Vectra ('286) and Televideo Telecat

by wupdike＠hotmail.com

Whatever could be your interest in a Televideo Telecat 286?? I have one and it is complete. I was in a business that sold these units to doctor's offices for preparation and electronic submission of medical claims via modem. When I say complete, I mean everything: 2-floppy drives, hard drive, expanded (or extended??) memory board, monitor, keyboard, Basic and User manuals in original slip cases (pristine condition,) as well as the original system and diagnostic diskettes. It was in good working order when I unplugged it some years ago. I also have a complete set of Borland Quattro Pro V4.0, with all the distributed materials. This, of course, runs on the Telecat just fine. Somewhere I have other vintage software as well. Don't know if you are interested in any of this stuff. Let me know. Warren Updike Towson, MD 410-821-8246

17 years, 2 months

Amdahl Mainframe - The great trip

by pcoghlan+cctech＠vms.eurokom.ie

> >Any ex-Amdahl administrators out there? > Hi Rob, Many years ago, I looked after an Amdahl 5870 briefly before it was downsized to an IBM 4381. It was rather bigger and I suspect older and slower than what you have. It was a 370 machine - maybe yours is a 390? It was powered by a 400Hz motor-generator set (that was always referred to as "the MG set" and never as a rotary converter) in the next building. A reassuring 400Hz whirr could just be heard from the power supplies in the computer room over the racket of the air conditioners and it was instantly noticable if it stopped, generally just before the shouting started! The 3270 console was built into a desk and as far as I recall had some extra features not normally found on the usual sort of IBM console. I don't remember many details but I think there was a console processor that ran some variant of unix, possibly related to UTS and this could be used to set up performance monitoring screens that could be switched in and out instead of the operator console screen. It was also possible to do things to the i/o channels from the console such as change the mapping between logical and physical channels. I probably won't be much help to you getting your machine set up but I have come across one or two ex-Amdahl guys elsewhere on the net and I may be able to put you in touch if necessary. Regards, Peter.

17 years, 2 months

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test-drb October 2007