>> I just picked up a Tektronix 4041 computer. I think it's a general
>> purpose HP-IB instrument controller similar to a HP 9915. How close is it
>> to your 4052? I HAD a Tektronix 4046 disk drive unit for the 4041 a few
>> months ago but I traded it off (A_ S___!) Does anyone know anything
Not at all similar, I'm afraid.
The 4051 was a 6800 machine, and the 4052 used four 2901 chips and a
homebrew sequencer to give you a 25MHz 6800 with some extra
instructions. More about this - and the disgusting piece of
pessimisation they included - at my talk at VCF...
Philip.
Tony Duell qouted Jeff as having written:
>> Maybe you would have been better off using an HP IEEE disk drive:
>
> Problem is, I don't think Philip has the CS/80 protocol (mainly because
> I'm looking for it, and he's not offered it to me ;-)). And without that
> impossible-to-find document, it's almost impossible to use HP drives.
True. The reason was, I have _no_ HP disk drives, but I have _three_
8050s (one working, one in bits, one badly mangled), not to mention a
4040 and a 2031 (which would also work), and at least six PETS. So the
Commodore stuff was the obvious choice.
And Tony is also right: I don't have the CS/80 protocol.
Besides, most of the problems were with the Tektronix lacking facilities
for opening files, loading and saving named files, etc.
Not to mention its asserting of IFC just when I didn't want it to...
> The Commodore protocol is pretty well documented in a number of books
> ('Programming the PET' has enough info, I think).
by Raeto West? Exactly what I used.
>> In this neck of the woods anyway, Commodore IEEE related 'stuff'
>> is pretty scarce . . .
>
> It's not that rare in the UK. I've got an 8050, 8250LP and a number of
> printers here.
Agreed. Lots of PETs were used in commercial/scientific applications -
probably because of the GPIB - and there are even books like West or
Osborne & Donahue in the library here at work.
Philip.
I want to apologize to you for accidentally sending you an anti-spam
message. When I first set up my auto-reply spam filter it was acting
quite funky.
Again, I apologize.
Tony
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill/Carolyn Pechter [mailto:pechter@shell.monmouth.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 1998 7:48 AM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Re: What the hell is a NightHawk 5800?
>
>
> >
> > At 09:26 PM 8/19/98 -0400, you wrote:
> > >Almost sounds like something from the government - even
> the name.
> >
> > Very likely. Harris does a LOT of government work. Their satellite
> > division (and others) are literally right around the corner
> from this place.
> >
>
> Harris had a number of computer lines. I can't guarrantee the
> following
> info -- but I think it's accurate. The Nighthawk was a
> (mostly) military
> real-time Unix machine based off the Masscomp 500 and 5000
> line and RTUv3
> (they started as OEM's doing a secure version of the OS and
> then began using
> stuff of their own design).
>
> Masscomp was eaten by Concurrent Computer (formerly Perkin
> Elmer, formerly
> Interdata) which was swallowed by Harris about 4 years ago. Harris
> took the Concurrent name, though.
>
> Harris also came up with both a firewall application (now
> sold by a different
> company now -- at the merger Harris spun off the firewall
> operation and
> the secure Unix, I think). They now do real-time Unix and are trying
> to crack the Video Server business.
>
> Masscomp and Concurrent used the 68000 family (Masscomp folks
> used to be
> DEC and DG types with Real-time experience on 11/23 Mincs).
>
> Masscomp kind of filled the need for small lab real-time
> stuff when DEC
> went off to chase the Vax $$$ and let real-time slip away in the mid
> 80's. They added DEC's AST's to System III to get a soft real-time
> system for labs and instrument and industrial control.
>
> HISTORY...
>
> Concurrent did real-time on their proprietary systems (OS/32) and
> saw a need to get away from OS/32 and into real-time Unix so
> they bought
> Masscomp. Concurrent failed in every small machine they tried to
> put together before Masscomp and pretty much put the last
> nail in Masscomp's
> coffin. Concurrent failed to come up with a good software
> development
> environment on OS/32. DEC cleaned their clock on everything but
> hardware price/performance. They had the most hardware bang
> for the buck and needed the OEM's to make them a winner (where
> DEC moved more into a systems and SOFTWARE company). I worked for
> DEC and later Concurrent (at the time of the Masscomp deal.)
>
> PROCESSORS...
>
> Masscomp went from 68k to Mips R3000 in the early 90's and then
> merged with Harris.
>
> Harris used 68k and then went to 88k (I think) and then Power PC.
>
> Harris also made commercial supermini's (24 bit machines).
>
>
> Bill
>
> P.S. - If anyone is interested, I'm willing to provide an edited copy of
> my windows cardfile of vendors. have about 1000 pages, w/ contacts for
> alot of diff manufacturers. email privately if interested. :)
Would you still happen to have this cardfile available?
At 12:17 AM 8/19/98 -0400, William Donzelli wrote:
>
>I am also now the proud owner of an SGI 4D/380 (and most of another
>4D/380). Physically it is in very good shape, but apparently it is quite
>sick. 8 processors, buckets of SIMMs, neeto graphics, but the best thing
>is the "CPU Power Meter" on the front of the cabinet...
>Does anyone have IRIX on 1/4" tape?
With SGI, you're dealing with a (barely? :-) still existent company.
You're supposed to buy IRIX, not copy it. On the other hand, is
there any evidence that an IRIX license was transferred to you
as part of the deal on this machine? Buying a second SGI box that
comes with a license will be cheaper than buying it from SGI. :-)
Ask the experts on news at comp.sys.sgi.*.
- John
> Hi William,
> Do you have a URL for the RetroComputing Society? I'm in South
> Central PA. Maybe I could make it down some time.
Try <http://osfn.org/rcs/>.
William Donzelli
william(a)ans.net
On Sun, 16 Aug 1998 17:00:56 -0700 you said to classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
cl>YES YES YES!!!!!! *Jumps about and throws mouse at floor like
cl>football* Oops...
cl>At any rate, I am now successfully logged into the MicroVax II as
cl>SYSTEM!
cl>Thanks to all who helped me out! Now if I just had documentation
cl>other than the built-in HELP database.
cl>Basically, now what I'd like to do is get some assistance (in
cl>private email if it's more appropriate) to make a full backup of
cl>the system so that I can feel safer playing around with it.
For VMS documentation try the links at
http://vaxarchive.ml.org/swdoc/vms/vms_doc.shtml
This is a list of a great deal of VMS documentation available online.
Basically you first create a Standalone Backup tape, which is bootable
tape needed to backup a system disk and restore a backup to a blank hard
disk, and then you boot from this tape and do the backup.
Boot VMS from the hard disk and enter these commands to create the
standalone backup:
$ SET DEFAULT SYS$UPDATE
$ @STABACKIT
The program asks for the name of the device the kit is to be built on,
usually this is MUA0:
To back up the system, boot from the tape with
>>> B/E0000000 MUA0:
When the prompt appears, enter the command:
$ BACKUP/IMAGE/VERIFY DUA0: MUA0:FULLBACK.BCK/REWIND/LABEL=AUG19
This assumes you are backing up the first hard disk on the first disk
controller to the first tape drive on the first tape drive controller.
Kees
--
Kees Stravers - Geldrop, The Netherlands - pb0aia at amsat dot org
Sysadmin and DEC PDP/VAX preservationist - http://vaxarchive.ml.org
Net-Tamer V 1.08.1 - Registered
< Was DEC's EDT text editor ever `ported to any non-DEC platforms, such a
< PCs or unixes? It is still my favorite text and program editor, and I'
< love to have on on some of my "everyday" machines.
No. I do use VEDIT for CP/M configured to use the EDT keypad and function
very similar. It allows me the full screen modes via keypad and also
command line (change) using TECO macros.
Thre are versions (predeccessor) to EDT that run on PDP-11 under RT-11,
RSTS and RSX11.
Allison
allisonp(a)world.std.com (Allison J Parent) wrote:
> < http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=25437342
Well, that's Allison quoting me. I'd been nosing through eBay to see
what else there was to fuss over and noticed someone put up a big lot
of parts for a low price and u-pick-up in Arlington, MA. Thought it
might be of interest to someone out that way as repair parts.
Where folks find time to go through eBay listings is what I wonder.
-Frank McConnell
