test-drb October 2015

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

195 participants
329 discussions

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

I received the email below, thought I'd pass it on... ----- Dear J West, I am writing to inform you about an article I have created about Quantum Link, an online service that was available in the US & Canada from 1985 to 1994. https://www.tinytickle.co.uk/quantum-link/ Quantum Link, originally available on the Commodore 64 computer, offered and pioneered many of the features we are used to having on the modern internet, such as e-mail, instant messagaing, shopping and chat rooms - to name a few. Quantum Link also featured the ground breaking game Habitat by Lucasfilm's, the first graphical massively multiplayer online game. https://www.tinytickle.co.uk/quantum-link/#mmo Q-Link was also made available on Apple & IBM compatible PCs from 1988. I was wondering if you could add a link from your website (classiccmp.org) to the piece to help spread knowledge of the influential, but now largely forgotten, Quantum Link service. The article has proven popular on social media, and I thought that it would be of interest to your readers. Any mention you could make on social media would also be fantastic. Any corrections, feedback or comments you may have on the piece would be greatly appreciated, either by email or via the comments form on the webpage itself. Thanks for your time. Kind Regards David Wilding

9 years, 1 month

looking for Siemens T100 telexes in the US

by simski＠dds.nl

(As previous post did not get through, again a repost) Hi All, I was contacted via the greenkeys list for my spare parts of the two T100 telexes, but I think it should be possible to obtain them in the states. Is there someone willing to part of their broken or otherwise non/half functional T100 in the usa. they need the parts for a movie. -- Met vriendelijke Groet, Simon Claessen drukknop.nl

9 years, 1 month

Anyone near Erie, PA? Pickup/Pack/Ship Help

by rickb＠bensene.com

Greetings, all, I have a contact in Erie, PA that has a piece of equipment that I need to get, but he is unwilling to ship it, and making a trip to his location to pick it up is pretty unlikely given time/expense. If there is a ClassicCmp'er that lives nearby Erie, and would be willing to pick up, pack and ship (at my expense) this item to me, I would be willing to pay for time/effort expended in doing so. The item is heavy, around 80 pounds. I could ship a very nice wooden crate to the packer who could use it to ship the item to me inside. All that would be necessary is to pick up the item, pack it securely in the crate, and take it to the closest UPS depot and drop it off to ship to me. If there is anyone out there who might be willing, please contact me by private Email: rickb /at/ bensene /dot/ com Thank you, Rick Bensene The Old Calculator Museum http://oldcalculatormuseum.com

9 years, 1 month

Trying to fine out more information on a Comstar Process Control Compiler

by christian_liendo＠yahoo.com

So I purchased what was told to me was an Eprom Programmer. It's called the Comstar Process Control Compiler. With some digging, I am learning that this is a portable compiler that allows you to program larger industrial computers. I found an article from 1975 that talks about the unit. Development of a portable compiler for industrial microcomputer systems http://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/afips/1975/5083/00/50830033.pdf >From the article: "THE PORTABLE PROCESS CONTROL COMPILER The process control compiler shown in Figure 6 is a small portable unit designed for programming the Comstar 4 Industrial Microcomputer System. The programming can be accomplished with high reliability even in field conditions. The PCL instructions are keyed in via the compiler keyboard, then converted into machine language and loaded into the PROM chip by the compiler. The input functions are displayed directly on a 32 character alpha-numeric plasma display, ensuring the user of a correct input. All keyed-in commands are stored in a buffer which can be verified with a key command. Up to 256 bytes of data or instructions can be entered. Data are compiled and can be dumped into a clean erased PROM chip. As an option, EIA or TTY outputs are available so the program can be printed out for future reference. A compiler can also edit, erase or program PROMS in machine language." A company by the name of Warner & Swasey was an industrial machine company. They built all sorts of machines for industry. They had a sub division called Comstar which designed industrial computers The larger computers ran their own Process Control Language and so they developed this machine as a portable device to program the larger machines and then burn ROMs which then control the larger computers. The person I bought it from told me that the larger systems ran a chicken processing plant and that they used this system to program and troubleshot the system. The unit runs on an Intel 4004 and is programmed using Comstar's Process Control Language. I'm hoping someone would know more about this and can point me in the right direction.. I already checked Bit Savers The only other article that seems to talk about this is "Micros can provide more flexibility for less money" Computerworld Sep 25, 1974, Page 28

9 years, 1 month

Siemens T100?

by simski＠dds.nl

9 years, 1 month

Commodore and Atari

by sales＠elecplus.com

Is anyone interested in a Vic 20, Atari 800XL, or an Amiga? The Amiga appears to be missing a couple of things. No AC adapters for any of them. Complete key caps, no severe yellowing, no way to test. The Amiga resembles this one: http://www.oldcomputers.net/pics/amiga500.jpg Cindy --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

9 years, 1 month

Couplers for Sun DB13W3<->VGA DE15 adapter

by echristopherson＠gmail.com

I have a Sun machine with a 13W3 framebuffer output, which is connected via a Monoprice VGA adapter to my LCD monitor. It works great, but the ends of the standoff bolts without nuts come together where the VGA cable meets the adapter; that is to say, the VGA cable's nuts are on the far side of the shell from its male end, and the adapter's nuts are on the far side of the shell from its female end. I'm wondering what I can put between the two to keep the cable from disconnecting from the adapter. Some searches seem to indicate I want some 4x40 (or 4-40) female-female (coupling) nuts; does this seem correct? -- Eric Christopherson

9 years, 1 month

testing...

by simski＠dds.nl

Please ignore. it seems my mail does not get through the last couple of times. -- Met vriendelijke Groet, Simon Claessen drukknop.nl

9 years, 1 month

HP2100 top card connectors

by wdonzelli＠gmail.com

On the HP 2100 series machines (and possibly 1000s?) - those top of the card connectors - are they the 2 x 24 contact on 0.156" centers types? -- Will

9 years, 1 month

Retro Reproduction 2

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Rod Smallwood > Just refresh my memory. C+K are the what I would call PDP8 type? No, the C+K are the lever toggle switches, as used in the -11/05/40/45/70. Only the /20 uses the slide switches like the -8. > In an attempt to get ahead of the requests I have been trawling the web > for pictures of anything DEC that has a front panel. Well, if you're ready for more, I'll start sending you the info for the UNIBUS disk controller indicator panels (RF11, RK11-C, RP11-C), then! :-) > It would seem you are Mr Switches and I am Panel Man. !! You're definitely panels; I'm probably only going to do the toggle switches (if the ones I've found are the right ones). I think someone else has the slide switches under control? BTW, the terminology for the various display parts is a bit confusing, so let me lay out what I gather to be the official DEC terminology. For the "indicator panels" - which is the term for the complete assembly (for the RF11, RK11-C and RP11-C), the flat sheet of plastic with all the light captions silk-screened onto it on it seems to be the "inlay" (q.v. RF11 controller engineering drawings, pg. 187 of the PDF). The "bezel" is the thin white rim that goes around the 'inlay'. The formal name for the light shield (the piece of fibre-board with all the holes drilled in it) is 'Benelex' (Benelex is "general use, word fibre board"). Alas, it's no longer available, so any new light shields will have to use something else. For the PDP-11 front consoles, BTW, the terms are "bezel", "console panel" (the piece that is called the 'inlay' on the indicator panels), and "console PC board" (all this per the 11/45, /50, /55 System Maintainence Manual, EK-11045-MM-007, pp. 131-132 of the PDF). Noel

9 years, 1 month

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test-drb October 2015