test-drb December 2021

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

114 participants
75 discussions

by s101885＠outlook.com

Hi ccTalk! My name is Ryan and I may have been in contact with a few of you already (Rich, most notably) about this topic. I am on a pretty wide search of any versions of 86-DOS, or any information regarding it. As of now, I have 7 copies of 86-DOS. They cover a disappointing range of versions ? from 1.00 to 1.14. There are a lot of duplicates. Versions prior to 1.00 were sold ? for example, I know of 2 collectors with versions in the 0.3x range, but both are unable to image it due to technical limitations. I?ve already contacted quite a few people. Most interestingly are 5 former Seattle Computer Products employees, as well as 2 family members of SCP owner Rod Brock. Tim Paterson, the creator of 86-DOS, didn?t have a copy, nor its source code. Pat Opalka, who contributed a bug fix, is in possession of a few copies, though none are prior to 1.00 (he may or may not be able to image them ? if he does, I?ll send another message here). 3 other employees didn?t have any documents from the time, nor any copies of the software. The 2 family members of Rod Brock don?t have any copies, but have relevant documents and recordings that they are in the process of sending over. So, if you have any copies of 86-DOS, even if you don?t want to share or its version is 1.00 or above, please send an e-mail back. I can send over imaging instructions. It was sold with the following computers: - Seattle Computer Products 8086 System - Seattle Computer Products Gazelle - Lomas Data Products LDP88 - Lomas Data Products LDP1 - Lomas Data Products LDP2 There are 8? copies for Tarbell and Cromemco floppy disk controllers, as well as 5.25? copies for NorthStar disk controllers. I will also take other relevant things such as people to contact, manuals, recollections of versions you may have had, etc. Thank you all for your time! - Ryan Ottignon

4 years, 1 month

tamayatech let down

by jacob.ritorto＠gmail.com

I think I should pass on my experience as a warning to others. I googled around for a particular PDP-11 board I needed and tamayatech.com was a hit, with "buy now" option and condition: refurbished. Seemed convincing and the price was in the sane ballpark. So I bought it, paid through their ecommerce routine, etc. Sent a mail thanking them and asking if it would be despatched soon as I had work time off in the coming week.. No reply. Waited a week and telephoned their phone number from the purchase confirmation email. No answer. Left message. Several (well over ten) repeated email and phone contact attempts through the last months (this began early November) to no avail. There has been absolutely no response. So my conclusion: it looks as though they took my credit card and never shipped it, then just ignored me. I hope the fellow's okay but feel quite thoroughly ripped off. So 'buyer' beware. Interestingly their SEO is rather well maintained and punching DEC part numbers into Google, etc. often results in a hit to their site. So they're at least keeping that part of the business updated. Anybody else with similar experience? Any way to rectify the situation? thx jake

4 years, 1 month

Chuck Shimada passed away

by sieler＠allegro.com

Long-time HP3000 programmer/user/evangelist, and friend, Chuck Shimada passed away yesterday, 12/26. Many list members will have seen Chuck at Interex and SCRUG conventions, running the tech side, or as part of the convention staff. He was a major force in the creation of the early "swap tapes" for contributed software. The science fiction fans on the list may have also seen him running tech at many science fiction conventions. >From a facebook post by Michael Donohue: I am very saddened to report that Chuck Shimada passed away this morning, Dec 26, 2021. He had been doing okay but was not feeling great Dec 24/25. I spoke to him Dec 24 and we had a nice conversation. He had some episode in his sleep, the nurse found him this morning alive but unresponsive with weak pulse and he passed away a few hours later. So he likely did pass without conscious discomfort. //

4 years, 1 month

"Voltmitten": an amateur overdesigns a DC voltage monitor

by stepleton＠gmail.com

Hi cctalk, Ever since CuriousMarc put out his YouTube horror film last April about a killer HP 9825T power supply <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-eN93L6yX8&list=PL-_93BVApb58Hy846J52DT8Fe…>, I've been worrying about how my own comparably-aged systems might avoid a similar fate, at least until I have the wherewithal to do a Jerry Walker <https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGkakWu37P6CuzIZbTlCmvg>-esque high-quality PSU refurbishment. In the end, borrowing a tactic from Commodore fans, I made a circuit that sits between a DC power supply and a load and cuts off the power if it senses an overvoltage or an undervoltage condition. I'm happy to share it with you now, with the usual anxiety amateurs feel when an audience includes some professionals. I hope at least some elements of the design can be useful! Here it is: https://github.com/stepleton/voltmitten/ (There are two reasons for the name "Voltmitten". One is that the gizmo is shaped a bit like a hand. The other is to remind you that it wasn't really designed by the most serious practitioner.) You can see my cute mock video advert for Voltmitten here: https://youtu.be/hSaAHBhTh_A I hope it's an adequate homage to Marc's inspiring videos. Most of the effort here went into a brief gag view of a carefully rotoscoped <https://twitter.com/tstepleton/status/1475093211983097860> Bob Stern aka "Mr. Fancy Pants", which may not have been the best use of time but is at least a result I can feel proud of :-) With best wishes for a bright 2022, --Tom

4 years, 1 month

Stage 2 Macroprocessor

by peveep＠gmail.com

Guys, Has anyone out there in the big wide world there got a version of the Stage 2 Macroprocessor than is ready to run on a Windows PC? I don't mean the build-it-yourself version. Refer to https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234809181_The_mobile_programming_s… . Many thanks, peter vp

4 years, 2 months

PDP-11/44 gas struts

by Flash688＠flying-disk.com

I have a PDP-11/44 system in the DEC 41" high cabinet. It is designed to be tilted up for service, aided and supported by two gas struts, one on each side. Unfortunately, after all these years, the struts have failed and do not provide any assistance. That box is heavy! Does anyone know where I can get replacement gas struts? Thanks, Alan Frisbie

4 years, 2 months

HP / Agilent 3065 In-Circuit Test System -

by jesse＠cypress-tech.com

Does anyone on this list know of a company or individual that does work (maintenance or anything) on these older 3065 test systems. The internal brain and drives are all HP 1000 stuff. A900 control unit and HP-IB drives. I have a user that needs help installing a drive and software on one. If anyone knows of anyone that can assist, let me know and I'll forward the info Thanks Jesse / Cypress Technology Inc

4 years, 2 months

DEC RF30 Integrated Storage Element Service Guide

by Flash688＠flying-disk.com

Rob Jarratt <robert.jarratt at ntlworld.com> wrote: > I am looking for the service guide for the RF30 DSSI disk. It is not on Manx > and not on BitSavers. Does anyone know of a copy? The part number is > apparently EK-RF30D-SV. If anyone finds one, I would greatly appreciate a copy also. Thanks, Alan Frisbie

4 years, 2 months

WTB IBM Keyboard

by trash80＠internode.on.net

Hi folks - I'm looking for a keyboard for my IBM 3197 Model D Twinax terminal. (My location - Victoria Australia) Thank you!! Kevin Parker

4 years, 2 months

Samsung Ubigate iBG-1000 router

by spectre＠floodgap.com

Well, DSL Extreme is getting out of the T1 business, leaving me high and dry (they've really gone to hell since GTT bought them out) since they don't offer a static IP option on any of their lines anymore. I'll be working around that problem for the next couple months while we move ... Anyway, I have a spare Ubigate iBG-1000 T1 router here set up by the tech, but no password to access it. It appears to be an embedded PowerPC system, around 603 level. I have some possible reset instructions and can access its serial console, but was wondering if anyone out there has the administration manual for it. It might be fun to repurpose it. -- ------------------------------------ personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ -- Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com -- PowerPC inside! ------------------------------------------------------------

4 years, 2 months

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test-drb December 2021