test-drb November 2019

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

147 participants
137 discussions

by bob099＠centurytel.net

On 11/3/2019 12:00 PM, cctalk-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > Send cctalk mailing list submissions to > cctalk at classiccmp.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > cctalk-request at classiccmp.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > cctalk-owner at classiccmp.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of cctalk digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Cheap minicomputer (Tracor-Northern 1610) on Facebook > Markeplace (Allentown, PA) 18 bit? (Chris Zach) > 2. Re: Cheap minicomputer (Tracor-Northern 1610) on Facebook > Markeplace (Allentown, PA) 18 bit? (Guy Dunphy) > 3. Re: Cheap minicomputer (Tracor-Northern 1610) on Facebook > Markeplace (Allentown, PA) 18 bit? (ED SHARPE) > 4. Re: Original DEC logo in PostScript (Stefan Skoglund) > 5. Re: 50 yrs. ago today (Stefan Skoglund) > 6. Re: OT(?): Emulation XKCD (Stefan Skoglund) > 7. RE: Original DEC logo in PostScript (Rob Jarratt) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 2 Nov 2019 13:37:02 -0400 > From: Chris Zach <cz at alembic.crystel.com> > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: Cheap minicomputer (Tracor-Northern 1610) on Facebook > Markeplace (Allentown, PA) 18 bit? > Message-ID: <892fa3cb-ce81-1a92-f165-0c90c8f3f4e7 at alembic.crystel.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > Indeed. I was thinking since it was a 16 bit bus but 18 bit switches > that it might be an 11/35 or 11/40 inside there. Interesting. > > On 11/2/2019 11:35 AM, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: >> On 11/02/2019 03:32 AM, cctalk--- via cctalk wrote: >>> Has anyone seen this?? It looks like an 18-bit machine. >>> >>> >>> https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/736222363558907/ >> At least at one time, these things contained PDP-11's.? The CPU at the >> bottom sure looks like a PDP-11, >> I'm thinking it might actually be a Cal-Data CPU (PDP-11 clone) with a >> custom logo. >> >> Jon >> > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 08:39:47 +1100 > From: Guy Dunphy <guykd at optusnet.com.au> > To: Chris Zach <cz at alembic.crystel.com>, "General Discussion: On-Topic > and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: Re: Cheap minicomputer (Tracor-Northern 1610) on Facebook > Markeplace (Allentown, PA) 18 bit? > Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.20191103083947.00e56608 at mail.optusnet.com.au> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Well, it's sold. I hope someone here hought it, and will post some better pics and details. > > If it had been near to me I'd have bought it instantly. A rack, a Tektronix XY display, > a rack drawer, blanking panels, some neat mysterious instruments, two 8" floppy drives, > and a probable PDP-something all for $45? > Bet the various items are on slide rails too. How rare is it to get both parts of > workable slide rails? Here in Oz, virtually unheard of. Separating slide halves and losing > one half seems to be a near universal syndrome with people who part out test equipment. > > Guy (Australia) > > > At 01:37 PM 2/11/2019 -0400, you wrote: >> Indeed. I was thinking since it was a 16 bit bus but 18 bit switches >> that it might be an 11/35 or 11/40 inside there. Interesting. >> >> On 11/2/2019 11:35 AM, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: >>> On 11/02/2019 03:32 AM, cctalk--- via cctalk wrote: >>>> Has anyone seen this??? It looks like an 18-bit machine. >>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/736222363558907/ >>> At least at one time, these things contained PDP-11's.?? The CPU at the >>> bottom sure looks like a PDP-11, >>> I'm thinking it might actually be a Cal-Data CPU (PDP-11 clone) with a >>> custom logo. >>> >>> Jon >>> > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sat, 2 Nov 2019 22:56:01 +0000 (UTC) > From: ED SHARPE <couryhouse at aol.com> > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: Cheap minicomputer (Tracor-Northern 1610) on Facebook > Markeplace (Allentown, PA) 18 bit? > Message-ID: <2032848827.223085.1572735361572 at mail.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > heck just the empty? rack? with? drawer is? worth that - -Yes Guy I know about the anguish of half sets of rack? rails - we have that in Arizona also!? ?Ed#? ?SMECC > In a message dated 11/2/2019 2:40:15 PM US Mountain Standard Time, cctalk at classiccmp.org writes: > > Well, it's sold. I hope someone here hought it, and will post some better pics and details. > > If it had been near to me I'd have bought it instantly. A rack, a Tektronix XY display, > a rack drawer, blanking panels, some neat mysterious instruments, two 8" floppy drives, > and a probable PDP-something all for $45? > Bet the various items are on slide rails too. How rare is it to get both parts of > workable slide rails? Here in Oz, virtually unheard of. Separating slide halves and losing > one half seems to be a near universal syndrome with people who part out test equipment. > > Guy (Australia) > > > At 01:37 PM 2/11/2019 -0400, you wrote: >> Indeed. I was thinking since it was a 16 bit bus but 18 bit switches >> that it might be an 11/35 or 11/40 inside there. Interesting. >> >> On 11/2/2019 11:35 AM, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: >>> On 11/02/2019 03:32 AM, cctalk--- via cctalk wrote: >>>> Has anyone seen this??? It looks like an 18-bit machine. >>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/736222363558907/ >>> At least at one time, these things contained PDP-11's.?? The CPU at the >>> bottom sure looks like a PDP-11, >>> I'm thinking it might actually be a Cal-Data CPU (PDP-11 clone) with a >>> custom logo. >>> >>> Jon >>> > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 14:37:21 +0100 > From: Stefan Skoglund <stefan.skoglund at agj.net> > To: rob at jarratt.me.uk, Rob Jarratt <robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com>, > "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" > <cctalk at classiccmp.org>, 'Jason T' <silent700 at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: Original DEC logo in PostScript > Message-ID: <c93899d01b98e3360d49e7f99745000a3fdfb0a6.camel at agj.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > tis 2019-10-29 klockan 17:48 +0000 skrev Rob Jarratt via cctalk: >> I know next to nothing about PostScript and fonts, is it possible to >> convert this to a font that can be installed on Windows? I found a >> site that says it converts it (convertio.co), but I am suspicious of >> free sites like that. >> >> Regards >> >> Rob >> > did you solve your problem ? > > Either way doing RTFM - .pfm is binary encoded .afm. > > I did a simple drawing with the font in a ps and exported to pdf. > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 16:01:12 +0100 > From: Stefan Skoglund <stefan.skoglund at agj.net> > To: Paul Koning <paulkoning at comcast.net>, "General Discussion: > On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>, allison > <allisonportable at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: 50 yrs. ago today > Message-ID: <2fe0ef07b99716c46cc8a853035b4b41db526052.camel at agj.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > ons 2019-10-30 klockan 13:17 -0400 skrev Paul Koning via cctalk: >> In some countries, at least in the early 1980s (Sweden?) the law said >> that private organizations could run communication wires on a floor >> of a building, but to wire from one floor to another was the monopoly >> of the government PTT. So DEC Ethernet bridges had PTT approval >> stickers on them from those countries, indicating those PTTs would be >> willing to build you a bridged Ethernet from floor 1 to floor 2. >> > I remember stickers on modems and telephones (ie not televerket > provided equipment) which said that this equipment is certified > to be directly connected to televerket's telephone lines. > > But computer network equipment owned by the organization and used > on the organization's premises ?? That i don't remember. > > PS > Televerket : Sweden's state owned telephone monopoly, today > known by the public as Telia company. Ellemtel the development > organization was co-owned by Ericsson/LME/Three-bars and Televerket. > DS > > PPS > LME still exist in name basically as a holding company for Ericsson. > DSS > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 17:14:29 +0100 > From: Stefan Skoglund <stefan.skoglund at agj.net> > To: Zane Healy <healyzh at avanthar.com>, "General Discussion: On-Topic > and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>, Charles Anthony > <charles.unix.pro at gmail.com> > Subject: Re: OT(?): Emulation XKCD > Message-ID: <c9c11fb4bbbd89a0067ad8d763da5fd085b7ed21.camel at agj.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > ons 2019-10-30 klockan 16:01 -0700 skrev Zane Healy via cctalk: >> I rebuilt the system recently, and now the error seems >> intermittent. I will say, that backing up my directory of files, and >> restoring it to the new system was a lot easier than fighting with >> the tape drives we had on the DPS-8 Mainframes I worked with nearly >> 30 years ago (we ran GCOS-8). >> > My old university had an Pyramid with a normal tape drive - either > way one of my teacher had as his own last year student job being a > system administrator for said machine. > > One day he had to restore from backup but finds out that the tape drive > is cranky. > > One of his terse comments in the report was: > It is good to fix things immediately when the fault is found - not > waiting until you one day finds out that it is preferable to have said > thing in order. > > He had to help the drive start (the drive was sluggish in startup) the > whole evening that day..... > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2019 17:03:51 -0000 > From: "Rob Jarratt" <robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com> > To: "'Stefan Skoglund'" <stefan.skoglund at agj.net>, > <rob at jarratt.me.uk>, "'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic > Posts'" <cctalk at classiccmp.org>, "'Jason T'" <silent700 at gmail.com> > Subject: RE: Original DEC logo in PostScript > Message-ID: <03de01d59268$ab603240$022096c0$(a)ntlworld.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Stefan Skoglund <stefan.skoglund at agj.net> >> Sent: 03 November 2019 13:37 >> To: rob at jarratt.me.uk; Rob Jarratt <robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com>; General >> Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk at classiccmp.org>; 'Jason T' >> <silent700 at gmail.com> >> Subject: Re: Original DEC logo in PostScript >> >> tis 2019-10-29 klockan 17:48 +0000 skrev Rob Jarratt via cctalk: >>> I know next to nothing about PostScript and fonts, is it possible to >>> convert this to a font that can be installed on Windows? I found a >>> site that says it converts it (convertio.co), but I am suspicious of >>> free sites like that. >>> >>> Regards >>> >>> Rob >>> >> did you solve your problem ? >> >> Either way doing RTFM - .pfm is binary encoded .afm. >> >> I did a simple drawing with the font in a ps and exported to pdf. >> >> > No I didn't. I did a little bit of searching but didn't find anything except the convertio.co site, which I am reluctant to try unless someone knows it to be safe. If anyone knows of a way to get this to a TrueType font that would be nice. I know so little about fonts, I wonder if there is a way to manually convert it to TrueType, are there any free tools for creating fonts? > > Regards > > Rob > https://fontforge.github.io/en-US/

5 years, 1 month

Paleontological data fossilized on IBM 8" floppies

by cclist＠sydex.com

On 11/3/19 1:47 PM, Lyle Bickley wrote: > Antoine, > > It's not too difficult to read most "standard" 8" floppies (DEC RX02's being > the exception). The board below deals with both signal routing between 8" and > standard PC floppy interfaces and the "TG43" signal required by most 8" drives: I believe that the TG43 signal (if required; some drives generate it internally) is only used for writing (reduced write current). You can probably get by just fine if you've got the connectors handy by wiring up your own cable. Micro Solutions, back in the day sold a small adapter PCB with a 34-conductor PCB edge connector and a 50 conductor header for connection to a SA-800 style cable. This assumes that your 8" drive follows the SA-800 pinout convention. Some early drives (e.g. Calcomp, (IBM) do not. Same for the power connections. Many use the Amp (now TE) Mate-N-Lok connector PIN 1-380999-0, but by no means all. AC connections, if needed are subject to the usual 50/60 Hz and line voltage considerations. I use older open-frame linear power supplies, but the +24V/+5V requirement is a lot easier to satisfy today, since inexpensive multi-amp SMPSUs are available (generally less than $15). Even dual- and triple- output PSUs are available for around $20 that should supply more than enough current. Hope this helps, Chuck

5 years, 1 month

Original DEC logo in PostScript

by binarydinosaurs＠gmail.com

Hi folks, An interesting article on adafruit about the digitalisation (hem) of the original hand drawn DEC logo, including the PS file itself - https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/10/28/the-digital-equipment-corporation-dec-… <https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/10/28/the-digital-equipment-corporation-dec-…> This news must have done the rounds back in 2007 though, because I have the file in question (declogo17.ps) on my Mac already?hmm... Cheers, -- Adrian Graham Owner of Binary Dinosaurs, the UK's biggest private home computer collection? t: @binarydinosaurs f: facebook.com/binarydinosaurs w: www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk

5 years, 1 month

OT(?): Emulation XKCD

by mark.tapley＠swri.org

All, my daughter is well aware of my affinity for old computers and software, and, as usual, she pointed out that there?s an XKCD for that: https://xkcd.com/2221/ I found this remarkably accurate. - Mark

5 years, 1 month

50 yrs. ago today

by c.murray.mccullough＠gmail.com

The first inter-computer communication happened 50 years ago today. L. Kleinrock part of that historic moment, said, and I paraphrase here, ARPANET was the instrument that was to enable computers to talk to each other remotely. He sent ?LO? because the system crashed(how surprising was that!) This was the precursor to the inter-net, moving from the intra-net. Happy computing all! Murray ? <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

5 years, 1 month

Best email to reach a human at the centre for computing history (computinghistory.org.uk)

by aek＠bitsavers.org

I've tried several times to email them, and never received a reply. Could someone send me an email adr for a human who might be able to answer if they could scan something which is in their catalog but isn't available on line there?

5 years, 1 month

Estate sale

by technoid6502＠gmail.com

This link was posted on an Atari forum. I noticed a PDP 8 faceplate, a UNIVAC keyboard, and some other seriously retro parts. Might want to Hit this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-n9AUXZAiVw0nvht-JhD4IN8DMZWrAW7YCsS7gv… Jeff

5 years, 1 month

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test-drb November 2019