test-drb January 2010

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

187 participants
240 discussions

by derschjo＠mail.msu.edu

Well, in my tenure as a computer-enthusiast/obsessive, I've amassed a number of the original, black Commodore 64 power supplies. (I don't know _how_ this happened, as I own only two C64s and one VIC-20...) I know their reputation as being ticking time bombs as regards reliability, so I don't use them. I assume they're not repairable, being potted power supplies. Is there _any_ reason to hold on to these, would anyone actually be interested in one or more of them, or should I just toss them (or turn them into doorstops, I suppose...) Thanks, Josh

14 years, 11 months

PDP-8/L value

by dm561＠torfree.net

Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:58:35 -0800 From: Josh Dersch <derschjo at mail.msu.edu> Subject: Re: PDP-8/L value ---------------Original Message: Dave McGuire wrote: > >> >> Unless it is running an OS that adds additional crap from relatively >> unknown sources on an ongoing basis, and needs to be reinstalled >> periodically. But, surely, nobody would be stupid enough to build and >> market such an OS. > > A small number of people are stupid enough to build and market it. > An astonishingly large number of people are stupid enough to actually > use it. > Thanks, I appreciate these clearly on-topic remarks insulting my intelligence. Josh --------------Reply: Doesn't bother me. When I read someone stating that only a moron would think a computer might crash if the hard disk fills up, or repeatedly generalizing that people are stupid based on their choice (if they have a choice) of operating systems (both of which apply to me), I just remind myself that it says more about his/her intelligence etc. than that of the people being judged. Same thing if the criterion for stupidity were race, religion or shoe size... m

14 years, 11 months

Intel MDS-225 development system available in Mineapolis, MN

by tosteve＠yahoo.com

I am passing this along, as I am too far away to acquire this system. The owner would appreciate a few hundred dollars or so, if it is worthy, otherwise make an offer. It is very big and heavy - pick up in person preferred. I have photos, I will post them somewhere is desired. It's a good looking system! Please contact owner below for more information: > > I have a very old Intel MDS-225 and MDS-720 development system. System > was powered up and still works. > Steven Urbanski > steven.urbanski at minco.com >

14 years, 11 months

Fwd: [alt.sys.pdp8] Another round of PDP-8 kits happening

by legalize＠xmission.com

This message has been forwarded from Usenet. To reply to the original author, use the email address from the forwarded message. Date: Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:17:54 -0800 Groups: alt.sys.pdp8 From: Steve Gibson <x at x.x> Org: Gibson Research Corporation Subject: Another round of PDP-8 kits happening Id: <hing3n$5i4$1 at news.eternal-september.org> ======== Everyone... I expect that everyone here is aware of Bob Armstrong's really neat PDP-8 single board computer (SBC) kit, and its matching PDP-8 front panel kit. But if not, or to refresh your memory... It's a contemporary single board computer based around the Harris HD6120 single-chip, 12-bit PDP-8 clone microprocessor. It features a PDP-8 compatible RS-232 serial interface with a full BIOS "monitor" that allows the terminal to manage programs running on the PDP-8, single stepping, tracing, breakpoints, etc. It also exports a simple API that allows PDP-8 programs to access the IDE drive and other peripherals. The built-in IDE interface can attach to any IDE/ATA-style drive -- spinning platter, Compact Flash, or other non-volatile solid state drive (I went with small IDE SSDs.) Bob includes the device drivers for the PDP-8's classic operating system, OS/8, and a full OS/8 image is available for easy installation. (I wrote and provide a free Windows utility that installs bootable OS/8 on any drive instantly.) There's also an OS/8 "Games" partition image available that brings a collection of those. Various languages from the era, including FOCAL (Dec's interpreted BASIC-like language) and PAL-8 (the PDP-8 assembler) and editors, etc. are all there. This all means that with an attached drive and terminal, you can be messing around with a PDP-8 in its classic native environment. That's otherwise difficult to do on original DEC equipment. The front panel, which attaches to this board, is nothing less than a work of art and it was designed to copy the original PDP-8/e front panel as closely as made sense. Thanks to an efficient design using lots of CMOS and PALs to reduce chip count, the pair of SBC6120 and FP6120 consume about 150 milliamps when running with all lights illuminated. So it would even be practical to run the system from self-contained batteries. In early 2009 (about this time last year) Bob gathered a "critical mass" of interested classic computer enthusiasts and offered to make his beautiful creations available once again after many years. I purchased, assembled, and programmed three full kits that I'm very pleased with. Although I also own a collection of original DEC PDP-8s and PDP-11s, these kits are nevertheless something special. I recently completed publishing my work -- open-sourcing the PDP-8 software I wrote for Bob's front panel kit (a classic blinkenlights toy and a simple but challenging combinatorial puzzle) and I made flash videos of the results so that people who had not seen them in action could do so. (See link below.) As part of the publication of this work I have been coordinating with Bob Armstrong about the possibility of another round of combined SBC6120/FP6120 kits ... and that effort is underway. If sufficient interest can be generated -- at least 50 purchasers -- Bob has agreed to produce another round of kits containing all of the special, custom & programmed bits required to assemble the combination of an SBC6120 and FP6120. After its first day on the Net, we have about 15 people signed up so far. I am posting this note here, since I didn't want anyone who would WANT to know of this opportunity not to have learned of it in time to participate if they wished to. My web site's tribute to the PDP-8 consists of eight pages, the last one of which explains the details of the kits and provides a web-form for allowing interested people to declare their interest. Yesterday I announced the existence of the kits during my weekly Security Now podcast recording with Leo Laporte. The podcast goes live later today (Thursday, 1/14/2010), when we'll have an audience of about 80,000 receiving it then listening to it over the coming days. From among the few thousand listeners who were watching the recording live yesterday, we immediately received several declarations of interest... and they've been trickling in ever since. So, at the moment, we're looking good for achieving the required critical mass for another round. I have my kits, I don't need more ... but the kits are so nice that Bob and I wanted to help others get one. It seems unlikely that this opportunity will ever present itself again. Here's the page... http://www.grc.com/pdp-8/yourown-sbc.htm And if by some chance you are not familiar with these terrific kits, other pages in that area of my web site, linked at the bottom of that page, contain videos to give you a good idea of the final product. Here's to keeping classic computing alive ... and having a lot of fun doing so. :) -- ________________________________________________________________ Steve Gibson.

14 years, 11 months

old transistors

by dgriffi＠cs.csubak.edu

I stumbled across this page on old transistors from a hobbyist perspective. I thought some people might like it: http://transistorhistory.50webs.com/. -- David Griffith dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

14 years, 11 months

anyone have granite SGI mice?

by jlobocki＠gmail.com

hello, I'm trying to find 3 granite mice to finish my SGI collection. if anyone has some they aren't using, please let me know. thanks! -Joe

14 years, 11 months

Honeywell Level-6

by hachti＠hachti.de

Hi, are here people with intimate knowledge of Honeywell Level-6 (Series 60) computers? Or documentation? I got two Level-6/06 machines. Those seem to be somewhat different from the rest of the line as they should be downwards compatible to the X16 machines. But I have no single manual for them. All I have are some Level-6 manuals talking about other machines. In one of them, the 6/06 is mentioned as special and "Series 700" (WHAT is that?!?) compatible. And that it is explicitly not subject of the manual and that it as its own manual that I do not have. I also don't have any schematics. Best wishes, Philipp :-) -- http://www.hachti.de

14 years, 11 months

Atari Portfolio Interface

by jthecman＠netscape.net

Hello I have a brand new in the box Atari Portfolio Parallel Interface with complete docs. If anyone needs any information from the manual let me know and I can copy it and send it to you. John K

14 years, 11 months

DEC H960 or similary rack needed in UK

by toby＠coreware.co.uk

I'm planning on starting my PDP-9 replica build (see http://pdp9.co.uk for some pics) this year and the starting point of this will be to build a suitable 'wide' rack for the console to be fitted to. Does anyone in the UK have a spare DEC H960 or a similar 42U rack I could acquire? Thanks, Toby

14 years, 11 months

ISA based DSP card available.

by jdr_use＠bluewin.ch

Available, for the cost of shipping, from Zurich Switzerland : A dual full length ISA card with a TMS340 DSP, ADC/DAC and some static memory. Was used for audio measurements in its day. Type Data Physics Coporation DP340-B and DP420 Jos Dreesen

14 years, 11 months

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test-drb January 2010