At 12:42 PM 7/22/97 -0400, you wrote:
>argument that minicomputers are too large to collect easily. I have one
>word: "hogwash".
My HP3000 (with HD's and cart tape) is in a case slightly larger (wider,
possibly a bit deeper) than a standard full tower. The 9-track tape drive,
of course, is in it's own 6-ft enclosure, but if I were smart, I could fit
all the other 3000 bits inside the (empty) bottom. Hmmm... Wonder why I
never thought of that before?
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
sinasohn(a)crl.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/
At 03:57 PM 7/23/97 +0000, Daniel A. Seagraves wrote:
>Lucky for me the man who runs it is a nice guy. And for about $100-200, I
>may be able to get my hands on an 8550. Assuming I can re-assemble it,
>it's been taken apart.
This may be a real challenge. The Nautilus based systems (8800, 88x0, 8700,
85x0) have an interesting back plane using zif sockets. When the systems
run they run, but when they go bad, they're horrible to fix. I spent a fair
part of the last three years doing user maintenance on 8800s and an 8820
and I can tell you now that fixing these beasts can be a real pain. In
particular, the diagnostics are unreliable at best. Even the professionals
have problems, we had a Digital maintained 8800 die and after two weeks of
three engineers they finally decided to ship a new system down from Sydney.
Fortunately we managed to convince management to upgrade to newer systems.
Huw Davies | e-mail: Huw.Davies(a)latrobe.edu.au
Information Technology Services | Phone: +61 3 9479 1550 Fax: +61 3 9479
1999
La Trobe University | "My Alfas keep me poor in a monetary
Melbourne Australia 3083 | sense, but rich in so many other ways"
Fellow in SoCal's trying to get rid of some worthwhile-looking books.
Anyone interested?
-=-=- <snip> -=-=-
I was surprised to receive no response whatsoever to my original post.
When
I started collecting PDPs, I grabbed all the documentation I could get my
hands
on. Maybe nobody runs RSTS any more. Maybe V9.0 manuals are too old. In
any
case, the manuals I described in my original post (below) go in the trash
if
not spoken for by Friday July 25.
----------
Greetings.
Unfortunately, my interest in PDP-11s exceeds my available storage. I
picked
up a partial set of RSTS/E manuals a while back, but find I now need the
space
they occupy.
These are the standard orange DEC binders, and most of the contents are
still
in shrink wrap. The partial set is as follows:
----------
System Management (Volume 2)
System Manager's Guide
System Usage (Volume 3)
System User's Guide
Guide to Writing Command Procedures
Utilities (Volume 4)
Utilities Reference Manual
Introduction to the EDT Editor
SORT/MERGE User's Guide
RUNOFF User's Guide
Utilities (Volume 4A)
EDT Editor Manual
Utilities (Volume 4B)
Task Builder Reference Manual
Programmer's Utilities Manual
RT11 Utilities Manual
TECO User's Guide
BASIC-PLUS (Volume 5)
BASIC-PLUS Language Manual
System Programming (Volume 6)
Programming Manual
MACRO Programming (Volume 7)
System Directives Manual
ODT Reference Manual
MACRO Programming (Volume 7A)
MACRO-11 Language Manual
RMS-11 MACRO Programmer's Guide
RMS (Volume 8)
RMS-11: An Introduction
RMS-11 User's Guide
RMS-11 Utilities
----------
These manuals are located in Southern CA. Shipping would be pretty
expensive,
and I would prefer not to have to pack them (e.g. preference granted to
those
who could pick them up).
I am not looking for much (if anything) in return for these; I really just
want them gone and suspect someone might need them. If you want me to
pack
and ship them, though, I will probably want something to offset my time
and
trouble (and shipping, of course). I am always looking for Q-bus
hardware,
and right now specifically for S-box (BA213) cabinet kits for a KA650 and
a
VCB02.
Please send email to slinker(a)primenet.com if interested (NOTE: The email
address in the header has an underscore "_" appended to foil spammers).
Jeff.
--
Jeff Shirley slinker(a)primenet.com
Remove the underscore ("_") from the end of my email address when
replying
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Welcome!
Which Lisa model do you have? I have a Lisa 2/10 that is almost
working. The hard drive install of Sun's version of MacWorks is
apparently corrupt and it doesn't boot completely (or needs a boot
floppy that I don't have). I'm loathe to fix the MacWorks install
because I'd rather run the Lisa Office System.
Problem is, the Lisa Office System is serialized, and, once installed,
it will only reinstall on the same Lisa. There are some outfits around
that will sell copies of the uninstalled disks for $170, which is a bit
steep. I have an acquaintance at a local computer recycler who has a
set and is willing to let me borrow them, but I'll have to set up a PC
with two 720K drives (which I don't have handy) and a Copy II Option
Board (which I do have) to dupe them.
Kai
> ----------
> From: Rob Bedeaux[SMTP:bede0005@gold.tc.umn.edu]
> Reply To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
> Sent: Monday, July 21, 1997 7:25 PM
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
> Subject: Apple Lisa Owners??
>
> Hi all:
>
> This is my first post to ClassicCMP. Let me just start by sayin it is
>
> great to see how much interest there is out there in different Classic
>
> Computers!!
>
> I recently aquired an Apple Lisa and was wondering if anyone out there
>
> also had a working model. So far, I have a copy of the Lisa Office
> System, the Lisa Tools, and MacWorks XL. What I'd like to find out is
>
> what other software for it was available and if anyone wants to get
> rid
> of it :) I know there is the workshop environment for programmin in
> Pascal, and I think a version of Unix and Basic were realeased. But
> what
> about Fortan? Also on the hardware side. Does anyone know of any
> cards
> that were made for the expansion bays. I know that a parallel card
> was
> available, and also something called a Priam Card. Anything else?
> Let's
> see one final question. What about printer support. Was it limited
> to
> the Imagewriter I, Apple DMP and the daisy wheel one (can't remember
> the
> name). Can one use the Imagewriter II? How about other printers?
> Well
> thanks to anyone with any info
>
> Rob
>
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000
^^^^
From: Marvin <marvin(a)rain.org>
To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers"
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Minicomputer Storage Myths
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.01 [en] (Win95; I)
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Is that win 1895?
:-)
m@
[...]
> My experience is that most computer hobbiests/hackers/engineers/etc.
> tend to keep everything, especially when they have used to the stuff
> before. As such, most people I know would much rather give it away than
> throw it away ... and unless they have already given it away, they
> probably still have it :)!
--
/* Matt Sayler -- mpsayler(a)cs.utexas.edu -- Austin, Texas
(512)457-0086 -- http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/mpsayler
Have you ever imagined a world with no hypothetical situations? */
In a few assorted threads I've seen under various names like "RSTS/E
Manuals" and "Minis not 'Trendy'", several folks have put forward the
argument that minicomputers are too large to collect easily. I have one
word: "hogwash".
For the most part, your typical minicomputer fits securely in a 19"
wide rack. They're typically either around 5.5" or 11" high, or there-
abouts, and they're usually 22-30" deep with some going a little
deeper. They stack nicely for the most part as all the surfaces are
at right angles to one another. They do weigh a certain amount, but
usually do not top 100 pounds or so.
Yes, collecting them does take creative space management.
I noticed that one chap has installed his pdp11 under his bed; good
call! I hadn't thought of that one...
Another guy gripes about putting a mini in his Honda Civic for
transport. My wife did just that when she came home with a DG Nova 1200
for me a few years back; it fit very comfortably in the trunk. I just
got back from a trip to the US Midwest with two minis in two 6' bays
in the back of my minivan (story coming on my website).
Kevan has room in his loft for a half-dozen minis or so (looked
at the pictures) once he gets things organised (sorry, Kevan) with
space left over.
I keep three minicomputers (half-height Novas) on a kitchen counter
underneath our coffee-pot (I really should get a picture of that). I
also have a small rack with three of my pdp11s in it living in the
dining-room of our house - it makes a wonderful stand-up terminal
stand. Smaller racks can be utilised as end-tables.
The ultimate space-management tool in dealing with minis is the
six-foot rack. In one of them you can mount an easy half-dozen
machines; if you share peripherals, they can all be used too. Un-
fortunately, my wife drew the line at that one, so I use the "scatter
method" of space management.
The bottom line is that _it's not as big a deal as it's made out
to be_! It can be done, it should be done, and not enough people are
doing it. The machines are disappearing - and that's a shame.
______________________________________________________________________
| | |
| Carl Richard Friend (UNIX Sysadmin) | West Boylston |
| Minicomputer Collector / Enthusiast | Massachusetts, USA |
| mailto:carl.friend@stoneweb.com | |
| http://www.ultranet.com/~engelbrt/carl/museum/ | ICBM: N42:21 W71:46 |
|________________________________________________|_____________________|
Well, have you heard? Gilbert Amelio has stepped down and Steven Jobs
has taken on an "expanded role". Interesting. Perhaps they'll
re-introduce the Apple ][ line...perhaps the Apple IV???
(sorry, mostly off-topic but, hey, it's STEVE JOBS!!!)
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
I have some unfortunate news to pass along to everyone interested in the
Panasonic HHCs. The deal is now off.
Due to a lack of communication within the company that had the units,
they were all, in the words of Mike Westin who was the go-between in the
deal, "shit-canned". The company simply threw them out because they did
not know there was an offer tendered.
On the positive side, there are still roughly 50-75 units still left
within the company that are still being used by employees, and will be so
for about the next two months. Mike is currently developing a new product
for the company, at which time they will no longer use the remaining
units, and they will then, hopefully, be sold to us.
So for now, no HHCs. Its disappointing, mostly because the thought of
all these nice systems being simply thrown out is a damn shame. However,
we may yet be able to acquire the remaining units in a couple month's time.
Stay tuned.
Sorry all.
Sam
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass
> Offhand, and I may offend a few sensibilities here, that folks who
>care for computing's history should be willing to bear such short-
>term inconveniences as medium-sized monetary expenditures. If you
>don't save a machine, it might be the _last_one_! (The odds of this
>happening in the near term with micros is vanishingly small.)
Depends on the micro.
While IMHO it's true that Apple ]['s, PET's, TRS-80, etc are not exactly
hard to find, there are some rather rare machines, like the Tandy Deluxe CoCo
(something like 2 exist), a prototype Acorn that I can't remember the name of
(M4???), the HH tiger (Prototype only), etc that are somewhat hard to find.
It's quite possible that the next one of those that you see is the last!
>| Carl Richard Friend (UNIX Sysadmin) | West Boylston |
-tony
>For those still confused, the 1/2 RK07 was just the actual drive
>mechanism. An entire RK07 is about 4 feet tall, the bottom is which is
>basically empty.
One design of RK07 stand can be modified to mount the drive about 12" hight
than it should be. In my case this gave me a mounting for an EMI magtape and 4
flip-chip backplanes with no extra floor area.
Not quite original DEC, of course....
>
>William Donzelli
-tony
