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101090 discussions

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

Has anyone been to the Computer Museum of America? It's near San Diego, California. URL is http://www.computer-museum.org/. Looks interesting, but I'm using Lynx at the moment and can't see anything. --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/

27 years, 11 months

VCF mentioned in UK newspaper

by pjoules＠joules.enterprise-plc.com

There was write up of the VCF in todays Guardian, it included a picture of an Altair and a wooden Apple, along with an account of Ray Holt's talk. It also says the it was organised by "...Sam Ismail, a goateed, hyperactive young programmer who started his own collection of 200 machines 11 years ago...". Is this a fair description Sam? ;-) Regards Pete PS Congratulations, Sam, on what seems to have been a very sucessful event.

27 years, 11 months

Robot Odyssey?

by kaikal＠MICROSOFT.com

http://members.aol.com/Fractal101/odyssey.htm Kai -----Original Message----- From: D. Peschel [mailto:dpeschel@u.washington.edu] Sent: Friday, October 02, 1998 4:08 PM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: Robot Odyssey? I hope I didn't mention this before... I'm looking for any versions of a game called "Robot Odyssey". It was written by The Learning Company and is a very unusual combination of an electronics simulator and a 2-D adventure game. The Apple ][ version sold especially well; there were three versions (1.0, 1.1, 2.0). I own an original copy of 1.0. I _had_ an original copy of 2.0 and sold it, and still feel really stupid. The only pirated copies are 1.0. However, there were also versions for: the IBM PC (definitely exists), the Tandy CoCo (almost definitely exists), and the Commodore 64 (probably exists). TLC may have promised others (Atari?) which were never released. I'm posting here because: - The kind of geeks on this list would probably love this game. :) - The Apple newsgroups are a waste of time. - No one at the VCF had any idea what I was talking about. - Maybe someone knows the authors of the program? The receptionists at TLC are (obviously) clueless, but I've heard that even talking to higher-up people there is a waste of time. (This is from a Web site I found.) So if there's any chance of getting "inside" info on the program, the authors are it. Thanks, -- Derek

27 years, 11 months

Tandy 1000's

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

Is there any interest in Tandy 1000's? As far as I can tell, they all look like basic systems with 2 floppies. May have some matching monitors. Local non-profit has a bunch (from a school) and doesn't know what to do with them. --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/

27 years, 11 months

DOS Floppy format (Was: Universal drive

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

Since this is about DOS, which is >10, I think it's postable. What I'm wondering about is the entire format description, like the FAT, sector headers, everything. >> OK, next question. While I look for weird expansion cards, is there >> any book that I stand a chance at finding which details the DOS flopy >> format? > >Are you looking for the DIRectory structures, track layout (sector >headers and the like), or explanation of MFM? > > >ADMIN Q: Should those items get posted here, or taken private? > >-- >Fred Cisin cisin(a)xenosoft.com >XenoSoft http://www.xenosoft.com >2210 Sixth St. (510) 644-9366 >Berkeley, CA 94710-2219 > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 11 months

FS: Aquarius Personal Computer, Model 5931R

by oajones＠bright.net

I recently aquired a Aquarius computer. http://www.chez.com/samurai/ORDIS/aqua.htm This computer is working and is in good condition. It can be yours for $20 plus shipping costs. I don't have any documentation or software to include--sorry. If anyone is interested in it please send me email. --Alan -- Computing since: 1982, VIC-20, CoCo, PC, CP/M Military Computers: COMTRAN 10, Nida 250 Amateur Radio since: 1971, WN8JEF, KA6EXR, N8BGR, AA4ZI BASIC, dBASE, Assembly, C++ http://www.bright.net/~oajones

27 years, 11 months

Universal drive

by kaikal＠MICROSOFT.com

Nothing universal. Let me break this down by type: CP/M and Related Formats: Teledisk will read most CP/M and related formats on double-density (MFM) diskettes. Standard IBM PC floppy controllers are physically unable to read single-density (FM) formats (for some reason, even though the Western Digital chip they used supported FM, they never connected the pin. The Teledisk folks have some instructions to modify old IBM controllers). Teledisk can also read CP/M and related formats on FM diskettes with an appropriate floppy controller (e.g. CompatiCard, or modified IBM controller). Some CompatiCard versions will also allow connection of 8" drives to an IBM compatible. If you find a CompatiCard for sale, buy it. Non-CP/M Related, Non-Apple Formats: Teledisk does not read other FM formats that are not similar to CP/M (e.g. TRS-80 Model 1). I'm not aware of a solution to read/write formats such as TRS-80 Mod1, Coleco, Atari 8-bit, etc. Later TRS-80's like the Model 4/4P can read TRSDOS diskettes and copy the files to CP/M format which could then be read with Teledisk. Apple II: There is no physical way to read an Apple II diskette on IBM floppy drives. There are 3 solutions: 1) Use a Trackstar 128 card in an IBM compatible; 2) use a //e emulation card in a Macintosh LC series, then copy to PC format if necessary; 3) Copy the 5.25" Apple DOS files to 3.5" ProDOS format on a //e equipped with 3.5" and 5.25" drives, then use an old Apple File Exchange on a Mac to read the ProDOS disk. Macintosh: All Macs with SuperDrive/FDHD drives can read/write PC format. To read Mac dual-density format on the PC, you can either copy the files to PC format on a newer Macintosh (be SURE to keep the disk write protected or the newer Mac will automatically screw it up so it won't read properly on your old Mac!) or you can use a Central Point Copy II Option Board Deluxe on an IBM compatible. Others: Atari ST uses DOS format in the first place. Amiga can be read on the PC by Amiga emulators. C64, I have no idea, but I know at least you could use a C128 to copy files to CP/M format. NOTE that if you don't want to actually access FILES, but just want to COPY the disk, all you need is a Central Point Option Board in an IBM compatible. I use my "Compaq Computer" (a.k.a. Portable I) with an Option Board to copy any SD/DD format, including Apple II. Kai -----Original Message----- From: Max Eskin [mailto:maxeskin@hotmail.com] Sent: Thursday, October 01, 1998 4:36 PM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: Universal drive Is there a device that would allow _any_ disk, independently of format, including Apple ][ disks, to be read? I know Teledisk can do this for all conventional formats, but not Apple disks. It would be nice to connect one of these and read the disk image into a file. The main reason why I ask is for rescuing messed up floppies... ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 11 months

Robot Odyssey?

by dpeschel＠u.washington.edu

I hope I didn't mention this before... I'm looking for any versions of a game called "Robot Odyssey". It was written by The Learning Company and is a very unusual combination of an electronics simulator and a 2-D adventure game. The Apple ][ version sold especially well; there were three versions (1.0, 1.1, 2.0). I own an original copy of 1.0. I _had_ an original copy of 2.0 and sold it, and still feel really stupid. The only pirated copies are 1.0. However, there were also versions for: the IBM PC (definitely exists), the Tandy CoCo (almost definitely exists), and the Commodore 64 (probably exists). TLC may have promised others (Atari?) which were never released. I'm posting here because: - The kind of geeks on this list would probably love this game. :) - The Apple newsgroups are a waste of time. - No one at the VCF had any idea what I was talking about. - Maybe someone knows the authors of the program? The receptionists at TLC are (obviously) clueless, but I've heard that even talking to higher-up people there is a waste of time. (This is from a Web site I found.) So if there's any chance of getting "inside" info on the program, the authors are it. Thanks, -- Derek

27 years, 11 months

Can anyone identify this vax for sale on Ebay?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< IIRC the Pro 325 uses an F11 as well, although I've not seen one. The pro325 and 350 are the same machine save for the 325 is floppy only and the 350 had floppy and hard disk. < I am not suprised. Although there's a PDP11 CPU in there, the I/O system < and interrupt structure is nothing like any other PDP11... the primary thing was the memory mapped video. the PDT-11 also had strange IO. Allison

27 years, 11 months

Universal drive

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< > this for all conventional formats, but not Apple disks. It would be < > nice to connect one of these and read the disk image into a file. < > The main reason why I ask is for rescuing messed up floppies... Apple used GCR coding for their drives and there are no commonly available chips that do. In fact the apple does not use the traditional floppy disk controller chips at all. The FDC logic on the Apple is rather simple and the CPU provides the brains as a software FDC. It was part of the idea of using software to replace hardware to make the machine simpler and less expensive. < PCs use a disk controller chip based on an NEC 765 design that can not < read ANYTHING other than MFM (some can also do FM), with IBM 3740 style Excuse me! That is patently incorrect! If you qualified that as *most PC controllers cannot read some formats* that would be true. The 765 and all of the chips based on the 765 core can read FM encoded disks. It's not always possible with PC based designs as some are hardware crippled (sloppy data sep circuits) and most of the PC bios code is marginally brain dead. However the 9266, 37c65 and 92c665 have been seen doing FM. In the mean time my S100 card design and the compupro DISK1A both happly read 8" SSSD (FM) disks and even single density 5.25 media. < The Western Digital disk controller chips (179X, before they changed ove < NEC style) could do a reasonably real track read of anything MFM < regardless of sector header structure. Try the 765 read diagnostic command. Hex 02 (fm) or 42 for MFM. <They were used in TRS-80s and a LOT of machines OTHER THAN PC. The TRS80 used the 1771 that was FM only. the WD 177x or WD179x still cannot read an apple disk. Allison

27 years, 11 months

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