- test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org - classiccmp.org

by guykd＠optusnet.com.au

>They confirmed my order. Fingers crossed they actually ship them, and it doesn't >turn into an argument about honoring transactions. Though probably, a higher postage >cost would be fair. 88 floppies and covers will weigh a bit. (Should have bought 100.) >4 Pack of 5.25" Floppy Diskettes with Sleeves >COM1147 22 $0.89 $19.58 >Subtotal: $19.58 >Shipping & Handling: $6.95 >Tax: $0.00 >Order Total: $26.53 They DID ship them. Just received notice of shipment. You know, the postage from Garland, Texas to LA, CA for a box of 88 floppies would have been more than $6.95. How much more, I don't know. Could they have made a loss on that transaction, hence the price bump? > That's not the same BG Micro we bought stuff from in the > early 80's, is it? > bill >The one with the yellow photocopied catalog? That's the same one. >The owner/founder passed away a year or two ago and I believe his daughter is running it now. >Will Can anyone estimate the likely US postage for that package? Please let me know. If BG Micro are badly out on that transaction, I'll contact them and make it up to them. Would not if it was some big corp, but BG Micro are clearly honest. Such a rarity. Funny, I was thinking of Diogenes and his lantern just the other day. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes Guy

7 years, 1 month

2
2
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Seeking documentation for Tallgrass Technologies "Shortcut"

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

Hi, All, Another recent find, a Tallgrass Technologies "Shortcut", 80286 upgrade for 8-bit PCs. I've found several reviews online but no docs and no software (to enable the onboard 16K cache). One thing that concerns me is that on this unit, the 24-pin socket at U18 is empty. It might be nothing. This one does not have the memory daughtercard on J1, so perhaps they are related. If anyone has docs or has one and could tell me if their U18 is empty (and if not, what goes there), that would be great. Thanks! -ethan

7 years, 1 month

1
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Posting of set of boards from a data General nova 3 triple option

by jeffreybirkin＠hotmail.com

I have a set of boards from a data General nova 3 triple option Location: Vancouver Island Canada If interested please email Jeffreybirkin at hotmail.com Sent from my iPhone

7 years, 1 month

2
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What connector is this?

by mattislind＠gmail.com

I am looking for the mating male connector. Anyone that has an idea what connector this is? There is nothing indicated on the connector itself about what the manufacturer it is. https://i.imgur.com/YzAfB2g.png /Mattis

7 years, 1 month

1
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Anyone have any docs on Termiflex handheld terminals?

by ethan.dicks＠gmail.com

Hi, All, I recently picked up an item I've been looking for for quite some time, a handheld configuration "terminal" for a LeCroy 1440 HV chassis, called a "Model 1447 Local Diagnostic Controller". It's superficially like the DEC hand-held used in the field for internal RA81 diagnostics but it's not the same model. The 1447 is described in the 1440 docs, so I have the pinout (DA-15 with TxD and RxD on pins 2 and 3, plus ground and +5V on certain pins). A sticker on my 1447 indicates it's a "Termiflex" product but all I can find online are pictures and docs from the later LCD display units. This one has a 1x16 LED alpha display. Does anyone have any docs on older LED Termiflex units? Again, I have the pinout but I'm curious about the innards. Unfortunately, the 4 case latches are difficult to unlock without some magic shim tool or I'd just open mine and reverse-engineer the PCB (there are four 2mm x 8mm slots with some sort of metal barbs at the bottom that seem to need a specific tool to open - a small blade has been unhelpful so far). Pinouts (cf J3) https://prep.fnal.gov/catalog/hardware_info/lecroy/high_voltage/images/fig2… >From the LANL docs for the 1440 I've found so far, it's unclear at the moment if TxD and RxD are +/-12V or +5V and GND but that's easy to check on the TxD line before I put anything on the RxD line. Thanks for any info. -ethan

7 years, 1 month

1
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KL10-A/KL10-B differences

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Eric Smith > two separate backplanes that are combined for the RH20s (if > present), one backplane for the A through D positions (upper 2/3 of > each module slot), and one for E and F. How odd. DEC was quite happy to do hex backplanes elsewhere, and it looks >from the photo (EK-108OU-PD-002, pg. 3-8) like the MASSBUS connector are wired to both backplanes, so they had to stay together. >> On the -PA to -PV upgrade, could the backplane really be done with >> some wraps? I ask because I saw in one manual, talking about a >> KL10-C to -PV upgrade, it calls for a backplane swap-out. EK-0KL20-IN-001 ("KL10-Based DECSystem-20 Installation Manual"), in Section 10.2 "KL10-PV Upgrade Procedure for KL10-C", if anyone wants to look. > I'm not entirely sure, so I easily could have been mistaken. I know > -PV to -PW just needs some wraps. -PA to -PV may have required more > significant backplane changes. Definitely they have different part > numbers for the -PA and -PV backplane assemblies. Yeah, DEC was quite happy to have the FS guys do wirewrap on install (e.g. for the NIA20). So my guess is that if the default upgrade for at least one -PA to -PV (above) was to replace the backplane, that would have been the standard way, because of some issue. Whether it was just too many wires to do manually, or if there were also trace issues, it would be interesting to know. Oh, it's also possible that since the -PA to -PV involved a faster clock, I wonder if some backplane lines turned into twisted pair, or coax? Noel

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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16-bit ISA tape controllers

by sales＠elecplus.com

These do not come available very often. Not affiliated with seller, etc. WTS EVEREX SYSTEMS PCT04, REF, qty 5, CALL, TAPE CONTROLLER 16 BIT ISA Sajjad Mukhi Sales/purchasing FML Computers Inc Phone: 407-637-2922 Toll: 407-637-2922 Fax: 407-362-7826 Cell: 407-718-8778 Mukhi at fml-computers.com Cindy Croxton Electronics Plus 1613 Water Street Kerrville, TX 78028 830-370-3239 cell sales at elecplus.com --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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RALGOL - A PDP8 ALGOL 60

by boris＠summitclinic.com

Thanks for that link Charles and also thanks to Mark Kahrs for obituary on Roger Abbott. I started out on PDP-8 in 1968 which was the first time I had hands on access to a computer at UofCalgary. Would have loved to have had access to one when I did my MSc in neurophysiology in 1975 but obviously Oxford in 1972 had much better funding than Uof0 (University of Ottawa). Roger Abbott had a PDP-8 to acquire data from his insect muscle preparations and noticed that 1972 Journal of Physiology papers no longer behind a paywall when was looking what type of research he was doing. Uof0 was still using rotating smoked drum cylinders to record muscle twitches in some labs and the lab I was in had a high speed oscilloscope camera which one could use to shoot long strips of neuron spike activigy >from a mouse cerebellar culture. A technician was available to measure the time intervals between spikes and that's how I was supposed to do my project to look for connections between simultaneously recorded cells in the cultures. My request for a computer was denied and I was given $200 to build an electronic device to time the spikes and send them to the Uof0 360 mainframe where my FORTRAN code generated cross-correlograms and other neat graphs on a line printer http://drgimbarzevsky.com/Computers/UofOTerminal/TerminalCircuitBoards1.html Despite comments that I seemed to be working on a graduate degree in electrical engineering rather than neurophysiology, what I learned doing large scale TTL state-machine devices was invaluable when I moved to Vancouver and worked at UBC Pharmacology where lab computers were the norm and did my last bit of PDP-8 programming on a PDP-12 to speed up gathering data from a mouse diaphragm preparation which was easily done by rewriting the whole thing in PDP-8 and Link-8 assembler. The researcher whose machine it was used FOCAL for everything which made for horrendously slow data analysis. That done, I finally got to play on what I still view as one of the best computers ever made, the PDP-11. Fortunately at UBC there were a lot of researchers who mixed writing code and building their own hardware with doing their electrophysiologic experiments. That was a neat time when dicussions we'd have were whether a particular bit of data acquisition was to be done with optimized assembler code vs building our own dedicated board which would plug into Unibus on 11/34. I liked the latter approach but it was easier to debug PDP-11 ASM than chasing down bugs on a custom interface board having to spend time writing custom diagnostics to see if things were really working as designed. Have an old Algol book around from early 1970's and remember reading it then but liked FORTRAN more but most of my code was FORTRAN calling PDP-11 ASM functions on a PDP-11. All my PDP-8 programs from early 1970's are on paper tape and have never been transferred to other media. Algol 60 looks interesting enough to use given compact code and neat architecture that will try running it on PDP-8 simulator someday. Problem with simulators is that almost all of PDP-8 and PDP-11 code I wrote was to interface to A/D's and D/A's or parallel ports to run experiments. Once got a C64, wrote graphing code in C64 Basic and photographed my TV which was way faster than writing code in PDP-11 ASM to display graphs and data on oscilloscope screen from D/A's. Got into VB once PC's were cheaper than Macs and notice there's a lot of VB5 and VB6 code on Roger Abbott's final code. VB6 is something I still use and once I get my VB6 code running under Wine, windoze will be a distant memory. Was neat to see where other physiologists had been in early 1970's where it seemed I spend more time building the tools I needed to get the data I wanted than to do the experiments. Boris Gimbarzevsky >I played around with this algol 60 compiler for the PDP8 and succeeded in >getting it to run. I have not found any other notes, so I thought that I >would give a leg up to the next one that wants to work on it. > >-chuck > >-------- > >This ALGOL 60 implementation for the PDP8 was written by Roger H. Abbott >while he was at Oxford. > >The bits are here: >http://www.bitsavers.org/bits/DEC/pdp8/papertapeImages/russ.ucs.indiana.edu… > >A copy of the manual here: >https://archive.org/details/hack42_ROG_ALGOL_Compiler > >A paper here: >http://pdp8.de/download/RogAlgol.pdf > >Mr. Abbotts business is here: >http://www.angelfire.com/biz/rhaminisys/index.html > >The website or the host is a bit sketchy. The business is probably defunct. >I found a link that said Mr. Abbott died in the early 2000. > >The system is two parts: the compiler and the runtime. > >This is all assuming the use of OS/8. > >To create the SV file for the compiler: >.R ABSLDR >*INTRUN.BN,ALGCOM.BN,COMOS8.BN$ >.SAVE SYS:ALGCOM.SV >.R ALGCOM.SV > >To create the SV file for the runtime system/loader: >.R ABSLDR >*FPP.BN,ALGRUN.BN,RUNOS8.BN >.SAVE SYS:RALGOL.SV >.R RALGOL.SV > >There are other options for the FPP.BN for other hardware possibilities. >FPEAE8.BN for the classic pdp8 EAE and FPPEAE.BN for the PDP8/e EAE. This >needs some testings. > >Running an ALGOL program: > >.TYPE FLOAT.AL >'BEGIN' > 'REAL' A,B; > TEXT(1,"HELLO WORLD!"); > SKIP(1); > A := 3.141592; > B := COS(A); > TEXT(1,"A = "); > RWRITE(1,A); > SKIP(1); > TEXT(1,"B = COS(A) = "); > RWRITE(1,B); >'END' >$$$$$ > >.R ALGCOM > >ROGALGOL MK40 >OUT<IN*FLOAT<FLOAT > >SIZE 39 > >.R RALGOL > >ROGALGOLOADER >INPUT FILENAME ?*FLOAT.AC > >ENDS 0251 >^^PHELLO WORLD! >A = +0.314159E+001 >B = COS(A) = -0.999999E+000 >^^PHELLO WORLD! >A = +0.314159E+001 >B = COS(A) = -0.999999E+000 >^^C >. > >The source AL file must end with a few $$$$ or an odd fault code will >result. The fault codes are embedded in the source files as addresses. > >The compiler output file has the AC suffix. > >After the loader runs it will pause with a ^ prompt and the user will have >to enter a ^P to proceed or ^C to quit. > >The manual is the best description for the user.

7 years, 1 month

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5 1/4 diskettes available

by wrcooke＠wrcooke.net

BG Micro, a surplus electronics dealer I buy from sometimes, has diskettes for sale. I don't know anything about them, but thought it may be of interest. I have no affiliation other than being a customer on their mailing list. Here is a link to the site: https://www.bgmicro.com/4-pack-of-5-25-floppy-diskettes-with-sleeves.aspx Will

7 years, 1 month

7
12
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M7819 DZ11 boards and others for parts

by useddec＠gmail.com

I have a ton of DEC boards that I will probably never use. I sell off what I can, when I can, but have large quantities of some and no need for them. I have to do something and I like recycling cans and plastic, but not computer parts. If anyone can use these or any other DEC board, feel free to contact me off list. I would prefer to sell in qty, but will consider all requests. If you are parting them out and don't want them, I will reduce the price and keep the fingers. Thanks, Paul

7 years, 1 month

1
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DEC MS630/M7609 Question

by w2hx＠w2hx.com

Hi there. I just acquired a board with the number M7609. It was advertised as an M630-CA which my research tells me is supposed to be 16MB. How do I tell on the board if this is 8MB or 16MB? There does not seem to be a suffix on the board that I can see. What to look for? 73 Eugene W2HX

7 years, 1 month

5
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cctalk Digest, Vol 58, Issue 9

by athornton＠gmail.com

> On Jul 9, 2019, at 10:00 AM,Tomasz Rola wrote: > > BTW, you would like a ride to the past? I would like a ride to the > future. Although from what I have seen so far, maybe not... Spider Robinson did a story about this, entitled ?The Time-Traveler.? The method, while as easily-implemented now as it was then, is not pleasant. Adam

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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Email delivery protocols / methods.

by cctalk＠gtaylor.tnetconsulting.net

Here's pot stirrer for a holiday Friday afternoon: How many different protocols / methods can we collectively come up with for how email can be transferred? I'm primarily thinking about between servers (MTA-to-MTA). But I'm also willing to accept servers and clients (MTA-to-MUA). Where you can / could run at least one server yourself. ? SMTP(S) ? UUCP (rmail) ? MMDF ? X.400 ? Microsoft Exchange proprietary protocol ? Novell GroupWise proprietary protocol ? Lotus (IBM) Domino proprietary protocol ? FidoNet (FTN) ? BITNET ? Direct file access - group Post Office ? Direct file access - mail spool -- Grant. . . . unix || die

7 years, 1 month

13
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KL10-A/KL10-B differences

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> Erom: Eric Smith Hey, thanks for taking the time to provide all those details. As you no doubt saw, our emails crossed; I had managed to work out my own what the difference was. I'd been looking at this page: http://corestore.org/DEC2065.htm and saw the two backplanes, and assumed one was the EBox, and one the MBox - wrong! But eventually I got it straight... One some other points you covered: > The 1080 was intended to replace a KA10 or KI10 ... It only needed a > single DTE20 for the internal console PDP-11, and it didn't need an > RH20 because the disk would be attached via an RH10 Got it; makes sense. Could an -A be upgraded to a -B by swapping the I/O backplane? (Yes, the wiring to the I/O connectors would have to be changed too, and that might have been too difficult.) But could the APR handle it (perhaps with one or more board changes)? > The -PA and -PV designations .. are for the "arithmetic processor" > (APR), which is the main CPU portion of the KL10. Useful terminology to know. Do you happen to know what 'PV' stands for - or is it just a random letter code? >> my new theory is that it's the MBox ... that is the >> difference between the KL10-A and the KL10-B. > It's not just the MBOX; there are significant EBOX differences as > well. Various modules from the entire CPU are different, and the > backplane wiring is slightly different. It was possible to upgrade a > -PA to -PV by swapping modules and adding some wraps to the > backplane Do note I said "KL10-A and the KL10-B", not 'Model A and Model B'... I assume the APR's in the -A and -B were identical, it was just the I/O backplane, etc which were different. On the -PA to -PV upgrade, could the backplane really be done with some wraps? I ask because I saw in one manual, talking about a KL10-C to -PV upgrade, it calls for a backplane swap-out. I've also got some open questions on the later things like the KL10-R, -PW, and MCA25, which are not covered well in the documentation avilable in bitsavers; do you know about the later variations? Noel

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

by cctalk＠snarc.net

Today I can announce that 10 original Apple 1 computers will be displayed at VCF West, and we're working on getting more. Several of these will be up-and-running. Original and current owners will join early Apple employees in a panel to discuss the computers, why they were purchased, how they were used, and what the owners plan to do in the future. So, buy your tickets online now. :) http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/ -Evan

7 years, 1 month

18
38
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QEMU sparc with networking that works

by dave＠661.org

Does anyone here have any sort of guide on how to get QEMU working emulating a sparc or sparc64 machine WITH networking that actually works? I've been banging my head against zillions of guides that are dreadfully outdated or just don't work. -- David Griffith dave at 661.org A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

7 years, 1 month

1
0
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sun microsystem manuals

by fedorkow＠mit.edu

I have a small stack of Sun 3 Administrator, Networking and Diagnostic manuals, from about 1990.? Contact me if you think anyone would want them? ? Thanks /guy fedorkow

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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ALGOL-60 obit

by mark.kahrs＠gmail.com

For those who like that sort of thing, here's more on the author of the PDP-8 ALGOL: https://ouscr.org.uk/index.php/obituaries?id=54

7 years, 1 month

1
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KL10-A/KL10-B differences

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> So my new theory is that it's the MBox (either the backplane, the > boards, or the wiring from it to connectors, etc) that is the difference > between the KL10-A and the KL10-B. So I wuz confused; the second backplane is not the MBox (which is apparently on the main CPU backplane), but an 'I/O backplane'. The one in the KL10-B is different+larger and holds the RH20s, etc. Noel

7 years, 1 month

1
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KL10-A/KL10-B differences

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

So I'm a little puzzled by something, and I was wondering if anyone here knows the answer. So early KL10's (KL10-A's, to be precise) only support a single DTE20, and no RH20's. Later ones supported up to 4 of the former, and up to 8 of the latter. I always supposed this to be part and parcel of the 'Model A/Model B' CPU difference, but no... EK-0KL10-02 Part 1 (no title, seems to be notes for F/S) pg. 9, says both KL10-A and KL10-B's are PA (DEC jargon for the Model A CPU - below), but the former has no RH20's, the latter does. (A note at the bottom of the page says that a PA is a 'Model A', and describes it as having "internal channels". The PV is a 'Model B' - extended addressing, larger ucode, faster clock.) So my new theory is that it's the MBox (either the backplane, the boards, or the wiring from it to connectors, etc) that is the difference between the KL10-A and the KL10-B. Can anyone confirm this and/or provide details of the differences? Pictures of the MBox in a KL10-A would be good, too. Noel

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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RS232 Communications HP9000 Series 320

by roger.addy＠charter.net

Hi All, First post here.? I have a HP9000 Series 320 computer with a HP Drive system.? It uses the HPL 2.1 (I think) operating system. I'm trying to get some ASCII files out of the system using the RS232 port.? The port is female DB9, so I'm assuming it's DCE.? I got an HP cable DB9 to DB25 which reorients the pins to PC standard RS232 DTE.? I can get a connection with the HP. but when I try to send a file it just shows the word "PROMPT" on the PC. I'm not sure what to do at this point.? I'm currently using Tera Term.? Any advice is appreciated. Roger Addy --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

7 years, 1 month

3
3
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vax stuff

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

2 PrintServer 17 2 PrintServer 17 high-capacity (1500 sheet) paper trays 3 PS17 Maintenance kits (220 V) 2-4 PS17 Toner cartridges 2 LS17 Toner cartridges 1 MicroVax 3100 1 InfoServer 1000 1 vertical SCSI storage rack Apparently in Johannesburg.. If interest contact me off-list. J

7 years, 1 month

1
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Wtd: advice upcoming visit to Bletchley Park / comp museum

by billdegnan＠gmail.com

Hi...I am arriving at Gatwick Airport this weds evening1045pm and I have a 17 hour layover. I'd like to visit the national computer museum at bletchley park about an hour north. I see I can rent a car from the airport and drive to a hotel near the museum. There are a few hotels with 24/7 desks. Concerns? Total time in England is 17 hours, 8 of which needed for sleep, plus travel to and from the airport and museum. Not sure how efficient the car rental return process is, etc. Need some buffer for unknowns Thanks in advance Bill

7 years, 1 month

13
21
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RALGOL - A PDP8 ALGOL 60

by chd＠chdickman.com

I played around with this algol 60 compiler for the PDP8 and succeeded in getting it to run. I have not found any other notes, so I thought that I would give a leg up to the next one that wants to work on it. -chuck -------- This ALGOL 60 implementation for the PDP8 was written by Roger H. Abbott while he was at Oxford. The bits are here: http://www.bitsavers.org/bits/DEC/pdp8/papertapeImages/russ.ucs.indiana.edu… A copy of the manual here: https://archive.org/details/hack42_ROG_ALGOL_Compiler A paper here: http://pdp8.de/download/RogAlgol.pdf Mr. Abbotts business is here: http://www.angelfire.com/biz/rhaminisys/index.html The website or the host is a bit sketchy. The business is probably defunct. I found a link that said Mr. Abbott died in the early 2000. The system is two parts: the compiler and the runtime. This is all assuming the use of OS/8. To create the SV file for the compiler: .R ABSLDR *INTRUN.BN,ALGCOM.BN,COMOS8.BN$ .SAVE SYS:ALGCOM.SV .R ALGCOM.SV To create the SV file for the runtime system/loader: .R ABSLDR *FPP.BN,ALGRUN.BN,RUNOS8.BN .SAVE SYS:RALGOL.SV .R RALGOL.SV There are other options for the FPP.BN for other hardware possibilities. FPEAE8.BN for the classic pdp8 EAE and FPPEAE.BN for the PDP8/e EAE. This needs some testings. Running an ALGOL program: .TYPE FLOAT.AL 'BEGIN' 'REAL' A,B; TEXT(1,"HELLO WORLD!"); SKIP(1); A := 3.141592; B := COS(A); TEXT(1,"A = "); RWRITE(1,A); SKIP(1); TEXT(1,"B = COS(A) = "); RWRITE(1,B); 'END' $$$$$ .R ALGCOM ROGALGOL MK40 OUT<IN*FLOAT<FLOAT SIZE 39 .R RALGOL ROGALGOLOADER INPUT FILENAME ?*FLOAT.AC ENDS 0251 ^^PHELLO WORLD! A = +0.314159E+001 B = COS(A) = -0.999999E+000 ^^PHELLO WORLD! A = +0.314159E+001 B = COS(A) = -0.999999E+000 ^^C . The source AL file must end with a few $$$$ or an odd fault code will result. The fault codes are embedded in the source files as addresses. The compiler output file has the AC suffix. After the loader runs it will pause with a ^ prompt and the user will have to enter a ^P to proceed or ^C to quit. The manual is the best description for the user.

7 years, 1 month

1
0
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Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Evan Koblentz > what the owners plan to do in the future. Sell the Apple I and retire to a tropical island on the proceeds, if they have any sense! :-) Noel

7 years, 1 month

1
0
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RL01 Platter Removal?

by w2hx＠w2hx.com

?Hi all, I have a crashed RL01 disk (very crashed). I'd like to remove it from the plastic cover to display it. I opened up the case but cannot figure out how to remove the platter? I took 4 philips screws out which only served to remove a metal ring. It seems that the handle is somehow attached to the platter and seems it is preventing me from removing the platter. Whats the trick? Thanks Eugene

7 years, 1 month

1
0
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KDJ11-E issue/info

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Nigel Johnson > Anybody have any docs on the DEC LSI 11/93 (KDJ11-E)? Info on the -E is thin on the ground. The User's Manual (EK-KDJ1E-UG-001) is available online, though, which is a start - it gives info on how to configure it, etc. > I am trying to run it in a BA23 backplane and seemingly geting bus > hangs as is there is something that it is looking for that is not > there! QBUS 11's are pretty resistant to hangs, unless you have an interrupted grant chain. A simple missing device should give a NXM fault. I"d try getting the whole system working with another CPU, and then plug in the -E; reduce the number of unknown variables. Although with memory and console line on-board on the -E, it shouldn't need too much else for at least basic functioning. Noel

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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Wtd: advice upcoming visit to Bletchley Park / comp museum

by harper＠secureoutcomes-hq.com

Bill, If I were on such a tight schedule, I would as you say rent a car, but one-way, from Gatwick - drive that night late to a hotel in Milton Keynes about five miles north of Bletchley. About 90 miles Gatwick to Milton Keyes - two hours or so late at night. Avis has a return site at Milton Keynes. Leave the car there at Avis. Thursday morning, I would take a taxi to Bletchley Park - the place opens 0930. Spend 1.5 hours or some such max at Bletchley - Train back to Gatwick. I know that you can easily get to London Euston from Bletchley - trains run about every twenty minutes I recall, but I do not know how to get to Gatwick from Euston - figure that out. It would all be very tight, but Bletchley Park is an amazing place to see and only 1.5 hours there would be better than nothing. Here is a snap I took of the "Mansion" when there 15 years ago: http://frobenius.com/bletchley/bl012.jpg If I could see only a couple of things: Hut 8 where Turing used to do his thing and, of course, the Colossus rebuild. It is easy to spend two days there, which I did 2004. Best, Jack Harper Evergreen, Colorado USA At 03:54 AM 7/6/2019, Bill Degnan via cctech wrote: >Hi...I am arriving at Gatwick Airport this weds evening1045pm and I have a >17 hour layover. I'd like to visit the national computer museum at >bletchley park about an hour north. I see I can rent a car from the >airport and drive to a hotel near the museum. There are a few hotels with >24/7 desks. Concerns? Total time in England is 17 hours, 8 of which >needed for sleep, plus travel to and from the airport and museum. Not sure >how efficient the car rental return process is, etc. Need some buffer for >unknowns >Thanks in advance > >Bill ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jack Harper, President Secure Outcomes Inc 2942 Evergreen Parkway, Suite 300 Evergreen, Colorado 80439 USA 303.670.8375 303.670.3750 (fax) http://www.secureoutcomes.net for Product Info.

7 years, 1 month

2
1
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Question about Apple ///

by athornton＠gmail.com

I have an Apple /// that I've had for many years; it's never worked. When you power it up, you get a checkerboard screen, where half the squares are solid white, and the other half have a little mosaic pattern in them. Looks like this: https://share.icloud.com/photos/0NHNkEG9ssPsi65ojivBteKaQ Does this failure mode ring any bells? Obviously the video signal is being generated well enough to sync a composite output. Any idea whether I should start by replacing the CPU or the ROMs? Adam

7 years, 1 month

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cctalk Digest, Vol 58, Issue 6

by nw.johnson＠ieee.org

Anybody have any docs on the DEC LSI 11/93 (KDJ11-E)? I have a suspect one and am looking for schematics, configuration data etc. I am trying to run it in a BA23 backplane and seemingly geting bus hangs as is there is something that it is looking for that is not there! cheers, Nigel On 06/07/2019 13:00, 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: gunkies.org is down or?... (Noel Chiappa) > 2. Re: gunkies.org is down or?... (ben) > 3. Email delivery protocols / methods. (Grant Taylor) > 4. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Dennis Boone) > 5. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Diane Bruce) > 6. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Diane Bruce) > 7. Question about Apple /// (Adam Thornton) > 8. Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (Evan Koblentz) > 9. Re: Question about Apple /// (Jecel Assumpcao Jr.) > 10. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Dennis Boone) > 11. RE: Email delivery protocols / methods. > (newsgroups at micromuseum.co.uk) > 12. RE: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Dave Wade) > 13. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Bill Gunshannon) > 14. Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (John Herron) > 15. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Peter Coghlan) > 16. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Peter Corlett) > 17. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Jason T) > 18. Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (ED SHARPE) > 19. Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (ED SHARPE) > 20. Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (Evan Koblentz) > 21. Re: Question about Apple /// (Jim Manley) > 22. Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (Evan Koblentz) > 23. Re: Question about Apple /// (ED SHARPE) > 24. Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (Evan Koblentz) > 25. Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West (Guy Dunphy) > 26. Re: Question about Apple /// (Bill Degnan) > 27. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (Noel Chiappa) > 28. Re: Wtd: advice upcoming visit to Bletchley Park / comp > museum (Mattis Lind) > 29. Re: Question about Apple /// (ED SHARPE) > 30. Re: Wtd: advice upcoming visit to Bletchley Park / comp > museum (Peter Corlett) > 31. Wtd: advice upcoming visit to Bletchley Park / comp museum > (Bill Degnan) > 32. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (David Bridgham) > 33. Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. (David Bridgham) > 34. QSIC, was: Re: Email delivery protocols / methods. > (emanuel stiebler) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2019 13:33:38 -0400 (EDT) > From: jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu (Noel Chiappa) > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Cc: jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu > Subject: Re: gunkies.org is down or?... > Message-ID: <20190705173338.C9ACB18C0B6 at mercury.lcs.mit.edu> > > > From: Tomasz Rola > > > Is it really down? > > I suppose this is actually good news, in a way - someone must have been > trying to use it, to notice that it was down! :-) > > So let me take this opportunity to appeal once again for people to contribute > content; I've added a lot of PDP-11 stuff, and Lars and I sporadically add > PDP-10 stuff (not that very many actually have a hardware -10 :-), but > _everything else_ could use more content. So if you have a particular focus - > please consider contributing your knowledge in that area! > > Noel > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2019 11:46:30 -0600 > From: ben <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca> > To: cctalk at classiccmp.org > Subject: Re: gunkies.org is down or?... > Message-ID: <fef4a9ac-4bee-acee-5bdd-e7fbfbdc5647 at jetnet.ab.ca> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > On 7/5/2019 11:33 AM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote: >> > From: Tomasz Rola >> >> > Is it really down? >> >> I suppose this is actually good news, in a way - someone must have been >> trying to use it, to notice that it was down! :-) >> >> So let me take this opportunity to appeal once again for people to contribute >> content; I've added a lot of PDP-11 stuff, and Lars and I sporadically add >> PDP-10 stuff (not that very many actually have a hardware -10 :-), but >> _everything else_ could use more content. So if you have a particular focus - >> please consider contributing your knowledge in that area! >> >> Noel > It looks up from here. Wow all those banks of EVIL computers behind that > man in the photo. Ben. > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Fri, 5 Jul 2019 15:05:32 -0600 > From: Grant Taylor <cctalk at gtaylor.tnetconsulting.net> > To: cctalk <cctalk at classiccmp.org> > Subject: Email delivery protocols / methods. > Message-ID: > <ff892b2d-b7f1-01e8-a59c-f60f890f4f77 at spamtrap.tnetconsulting.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed > > Here's pot stirrer for a holiday Friday afternoon: > > How many different protocols / methods can we collectively come up with > for how email can be transferred? > > I'm primarily thinking about between servers (MTA-to-MTA). But I'm also > willing to accept servers and clients (MTA-to-MUA). Where you can / > could run at least one server yourself. > > ? SMTP(S) > ? UUCP (rmail) > ? MMDF > ? X.400 > ? Microsoft Exchange proprietary protocol > ? Novell GroupWise proprietary protocol > ? Lotus (IBM) Domino proprietary protocol > ? FidoNet (FTN) > ? BITNET > ? Direct file access - group Post Office > ? Direct file access - mail spool > > > -- Nigel Johnson MSc., MIEEE VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept! You can reach me by voice on Skype: TILBURY2591 If time travel ever will be possible, it already is. Ask me again yesterday This e-mail is not and cannot, by its nature, be confidential. En route from me to you, it will pass across the public Internet, easily readable by any number of system administrators along the way. Nigel Johnson <nw.johnson at ieee.org> Please consider the environment when deciding if you really need to print this message

7 years, 1 month

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Email delivery protocols / methods.

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Grant Taylor > How many different protocols / methods can we collectively come up with > for how email can be transferred?' Hey, this is the classic computers list, so you should only list early stuff, (say pre-1990), and leave out all the modern crap (but I repeat myself). So here's one I'm not sure anyone else will catch: TFTP has an email mode! Why? Well, FTP is gargantuan (compared to TFTP) and needs a working TCP to boot, so if all you have is a working TFTP, and no email... Noel

7 years, 1 month

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gunkies.org is down or?...

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Tomasz Rola > Is it really down? I suppose this is actually good news, in a way - someone must have been trying to use it, to notice that it was down! :-) So let me take this opportunity to appeal once again for people to contribute content; I've added a lot of PDP-11 stuff, and Lars and I sporadically add PDP-10 stuff (not that very many actually have a hardware -10 :-), but _everything else_ could use more content. So if you have a particular focus - please consider contributing your knowledge in that area! Noel

7 years, 1 month

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gunkies.org is down or?...

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Diane Bruce > Works fine. Probably a left-over cached entry; neither my ISP's DNS, nor MIT's ("Host gunkies.org not found: 3(NXDOMAIN)") can resolve it at the moment. One year Tore was off hiking or something, and it took a few days, but past experience is that he will get to it. (But I'd like to not have to depend on him.) Noel

7 years, 1 month

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gunkies.org is down or?...

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> Tomasz Rola > However, I have added this line to my /etc/hosts: L-rd, I must be getting old - it never dawned on me to do that. Anyway, that shows the server was fine, it was just the missing DNS entry. Back now. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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gunkies.org is down or?...

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Tomasz Rola > Is it really down? Could it come back? Tore forgot to pay the bill for his DNS entry; this is the third year in a row the exact same thing has happened, on the exact same date! :-) :-( I've already sent him an email about it, this morning; hopefully he'll get with the program shortly. If I knew the IP address for gunkies (it used to be 92.242.140.2, not sure if it's still at that hosting service - the hosting and DNS entry are separate) I'd be really tempted to pay it myself - and switch the registration to myself in the process, so I can pay it in the future! Not sure how long a bill has to be unpaid before you can hijack an entry, though. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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gunkies.org is down or?...

by rtomek＠ceti.pl

I have just noticed that. => (885 3): host gunkies.org Host gunkies.org not found: 3(NXDOMAIN) Looks like it fell off the edge of the world. Gog still has pages in cache, time of caching for one particular page I am reading is May 30th, 09:38:55 GMT. Is it really down? Could it come back? -- Regards, Tomasz Rola -- ** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature. ** ** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home ** ** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened... ** ** ** ** Tomasz Rola mailto:tomasz_rola at bigfoot.com **

7 years, 1 month

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Classic / NOP machines becoming available in Berlin (inc. DECs, Commodores, Apples, HPs, SGIs and more)

by shadoooo＠gmail.com

Hello Peter, you have a nice list of interesting things. I'm very interested in DEC machines, which I collect and repair for preservation purposes. Among others, I could be interested in those: DECmate assorted QBUS boards (do you have a list?) VAX 4000/90A VAX 4000/96 VAX 4000/100A VAX 4000/105 DEC RFxx disks, TK50 and TU58 tapes if available Commodore dual FFDs 4040 or 3040 Possibly Amiga 1000/1200/2000 for a friend of mine. I would have an idea about prices, however... If you prefer, please contact me privately. I see you here a long list of burnable ISOs. I already have several of those, but it would be very nice to merge with yours... could you share them somewhere over the net? Thanks Andrea

7 years, 1 month

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Classic / NOP machines becoming available in Berlin (inc. DECs, Commodores, Apples, HPs, SGIs and more)

by prd＠decarchive.org

Dear all, Apologies for this semi-spam message from a long-time appreciator of classic computers and nostalgic obsolete products, but I hope this will be of interest to at least a few people here. So, yes, by way of context, I?ve been acquiring what I consider to be characterful and/or historically interesting computers for coming up to, maybe, 15 years now, with the intention of being able to curate multiple, interactive temporary exhibits on the history of computing, but since moving continents (amongst other things), my paths and passions have changed, so I am currently in the process of re-testing (and repairing) my machines, and will be trying to sell them off in the coming weeks and months. Under different circumstances, finding people (or groups) with similar interests and plans would have been an equal-first priority, but given my more recent ?life changes', sale price ? and the ability to better pursue my new focuses ? is now more of a factor. But before I list them on eBay (and/or by way of a heads up), I wanted to let people here know, just in case I have something that someone here particularly wants / needs / could use. The current list of systems I will be parting with is accessible at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QqUrO11gnn4fwAPDxqO_phKDt1M0O15G7wJ… but some (hopefully) highlights include (*big breath*): DEC: MicroPDP-11/53+; MicroVAX 2000; VAXstation 4000 VLC/60/90A/96; VAX 4000 100A, 105; DECstation 5000/240, 260 (MIPS-based); DEC 3000/300X; Personal Workstation 600au; AlphaServer 4100; AlphaServer DS20, DS25 systems; Letterwriter 100; VT 101, 220, 520 terminals HP: HP rx2800 Integrity2; 9000 715/100 and Visualize C110 PA-RISC systems SGI: Indy and O2 systems SUN: ELC, SPARCstation Voyager (the portable one), 5 and 20; Ultra 1; Ultra 5; Netra T1-105; Enterprise T5240 Apple: IIc, IIe Platinums, IIgs; Mac 512ke, Mac Pluses; SE/30 and Quadra 700s (also for running A/UX); iMac G3s and a G4 Commodore: PET 3000 systems, PET 8032-SK; various C64 / C64C and 128D systems; SX-64; Music Maker keyboards (the big one, inc. SFX modules); Amiga 1000 Apologies again, please feel free to contact me with any queries or reasonable offers, or even if you?d just like to be kept in the loop as more machines become available, and all the best. Thanks in advance, Peter

7 years, 1 month

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Recovering the ROM of an IBM 5100 using OCR (among other things)

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Liam Proven > This is *epic*. Indeed. I was blown away by the complexity of his technique for reading the digits. I can't believe there wasn't a much easier technique, though, e.g. using a logic analyzer and a small program to read through the ROS! Perhaps the challenge of doing it his way entertained him, though, like George Mallory's famous line about climbing Everest. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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NASA Ames (Moffet Field) Computation Division?

by cclist＠sydex.com

Anyone know what hardware was at NASA Ames in the late 70s? I've got some tapes from there and would like to avoid guessing. --Chuck

7 years, 1 month

5
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Need Fileware twiggy diskette picture for Wikipedia

by dave＠661.org

Someone informed me that the Fileware diskette image I uploaded to Wikipedia has unclear copyright status. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fileware-floppy.jpg. Would someone with a good specimen please scan it and upload to Wikipedia or send it to me? -- David Griffith dave at 661.org A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

7 years, 1 month

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Latest Additions to the Virtual Warehouse of Computing Wonders Sale Inventory

by sellam.ismail＠gmail.com

Greetings Folks! I have finalized the latest batch of items added to the inventory of my Virtual Warehouse of Computing Wonders, and here it is: Commodore 64 Exatron MM800 Internal Memory IBM PCjr Power Expansion Attachment IBM 74F3465 The 3270 Connection Polaroid PerfectData DS/DD 8" floppy disk (10-pack) Xidex Precision DSDD 8" Floppy Disks (10-pack) Diablo Printwheel - APL 10 Diablo Printwheel - Courier 10 Diablo Printwheel - European Elite 12 Diablo Printwheel - OCR A Diablo Printwheel - Pica 10 Diablo Print Ribbon (Carton of 12) SmartPrint Printer Sharing Network Add-on Computer Module Symantec Think C for Macintosh 6.0 (Upgrade) Hayes Personal Modem 1200 Gravis Mac MouseStick II Apple Power Mac Processor Upgrade (APMPU) Orange Micro OrangePC MS-DOS Coprocessor Radius Full Page Display SE Corvus Systems Macintosh OmniDrive User Guide Corvus Systems Qbus Interface RT-11 System Reference Card RT-11 System Reference Card Convergent Technologies WK-100 WorkSlate Convergent Technologies WorkSlate Travel Task Ware Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 Portable Computer Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 Cassette Interface Cable TRS-80 Model 100 Calculator TRS-80 Model 100 Bar Code Drivers TRS-80 Model 100 Bar Code Writer TRS-80 Model 100 Executive Calendar TRS-80 Model 100 Function Plotter TRS-80 Model 100 Personal Finance TRS-80 Model 100 Portable Computing with the Model 100 TRS-80 Model 100 SCRIPSIT 100 TRS-80 Model 100 StarBlaze 100 TRS-80 Model 100 Tandy Code Tandy 102 Owner's Manual/Applications and BASIC Reference Guide IBM Personal Computer PCjr BASIC Reference IBM Personal Computer PCjr Guide to Operations Hands-On BASIC for the IBM PCjr AST VGA Plus Tall Tree Systems AT3-P w/JLaser-3 daughterboard Western Digital WD7000-ASC FASST2 SCSI Controller Ziatech IEEE 488 Interface for PS/2 Computers Everex 24E+ External Modem Epson FX-86e/286e Printer User's Manual Citizen Color Ribbon Okidata Okimate 20 Plug 'N Print for IBM PC and Compatibles Okidata Tractor Feed Option Kit (boxed) Memorex Epson MX-80 Printer Ribbon 3M DS,HD 5.25" Diskettes (10-pack) Dysan 100 MD2HD floppy diskette 10-pack Ohio Scientific 5.25" Mini Floppy Diskette (10-pack) Verbatim Datalife SS/DD 5.25" Minidisks (7-pack) Epson E95D0U External 5.25" Disk Drive Compaq MS-DOS Version 3 Reference Guide DEC PDP-8/L Instruction List reference card Osborne dBase II Version 2.3b (manual only) Altera MAX+plus II Programmable Logic Development System FHR Industries 1200 Intelligent Modem Commodore 64 HP 92220R HPIB Right Angle Cable (1ft) HP10833B HPIB Cable (2m) SunRize Industries Perfect Sound Timex-Sinclair 1000 Sinclair ZX81 case Apple Macintosh Plus (Platinum) Apple Macintosh SE w/Targus Carrying Case (Those are two different Commodore 64 units, one has a case "variation".) Links to the newly arrived items are here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1I53wxarLHlNmlPVf_HJ5oMKuab4zrApI_hi… I have discovered the myriad of Facebook vintage computing groups, so I have begun posting my sale lists there as well. However, I will always post notifications of new lists here and on the VCFed forums 24 hours before I unleash them on the FB groups, which results in a deluge of activity. In this way, I give you guys first stab at the action on the new stuff before the hordes descend upon it. You are welcome. As always, please contact me directly by e-mail to inquire about an item. Thanks! Sellam

7 years, 1 month

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Latest Additions to the Virtual Warehouse of Computing Wonders Sale Inventory

by commodorejohn＠gmail.com

I'll also vouch for Sellam. His prices are a bit higher than I might prefer, but he's a straight dealer as far as I've ever seen; I bought an Apple IIc from him and he gave me no trouble at all about exchanging it when the board turned out to be cracked.

7 years, 1 month

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IBM PS/2 Model 70 or compatible floppy drive wanted (Or help with current one?)

by mokuba＠gmail.com

Hey all, i'm having a fair amount of trouble with my PS/2's floppy drive... wanted to back up my BBS and none of the disks i put in would read or format! Oddly though, it WILL boot a disk that's inserted on power-on. I hear it try and hit the disk a few times while in dos repeatedly before failing with the R/A/F options ... and format tries to read it, then goes attempts to format it, and can't find sector 0 ..... I'm really confused about those symptoms since it boots the only bootable disk I had on hand - ironically spinrite 6 (I'm aware of how useful it is...) - so i'm looking at replacing it ... or figuring out what's wrong with it that it can boot a disk just fine, but not use one while in DOS ? .... and by wiggling the floppy a bit I just got it to format a disk while in the ... drive, and now it's making the noise it did before and stalling occasionally. Perhaps the disk just isn't catching fully? -- Gary G. Sparkes Jr. KB3HAG

7 years, 1 month

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Latest Additions to the Virtual Warehouse of Computing, > Wonders Sale Inventory

by marvin＠west.net

FYI, it is unlikely there would have been a VCF without Sellam. He basically started it (with his own money) and continued through the first 10 years or so. Many others help support VCF (and continue to do so even though Sellam backed out some number of years ago.) I, for one, fully support Sellam in his effots to move out his inventory, and have never seen him sell anything at 10x prices. Marvin > From: Randy Dawson <rdawson16 at hotmail.com> > > Anybody try business with this guy? > His prices are 10X off the chart

7 years, 1 month

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DNS and Registrar

by cctalk＠gtaylor.tnetconsulting.net

On 6/27/19 12:53 PM, jim stephens wrote: > They don't have to be combined. Agreed. I've been running DNS servers for about 20 years. I /always/ prefer to run my own DNS servers if I can. I have never run across a situation where I was unable to do so for /technical/ reasons. I have had clients that /chose/ to /not/ host their own DNS for a /business/ reason. > I have a friend running his and my DNS on a server at his house with two > DSL feeds for good measure, one is primary DNS for our domains, second > one is published as the secondary. *nod* I'd worry about DSL circuits and stability for DNS. But it will probably work > 98% of the time. If you're comfortable with it, more power to you. I would likely do something more like I'm doing now, run the master name server (MNAME field in the SOA record) on the DSL and have somebody else with a more robust connection (DSL had issues where I'm from) do a slave zone transfer and be the listed Name Servers (NS records) that the world talks to. I actually do that now with my VPS being the MNAME server and my VPS provider doing slave zone transfers off of me. Note how the registrar is not part of that mix. ;-) > The biggest thing to watch for is the lax rules for transfering > domains.? There was a problem with that, but most registrars allow locks > now that impede the movement of domains w/o a bit of work. That sounds like you're talking about moving domains between registrars, which is decidedly different than and independent of where DNS is hosted. Admittedly the registrar has to point (delegate) to the DNS hosting provider. But it's fairly easy to move domains between registrars without even logging into a portal at the DNS host. > Used to take a couple of emails to highjack a domain, as there wasn't > even a notification to verify that the transfer process email was > requested by the owner. Ya. Registrars have had some deficiencies over the years. I think they are getting better. > You are strongly encouraged to use a third party "professional" DNS > service, but it only really need to be up reliably. ~whistling~ ? ~quiet~ ? I'm sorry, did you say something? No. Never mind. I'll go back to what I was doing. ? ~whistling~ I mean that as a joke. I let a LOT of what companies that are trying to sell to me go in one ear, sanity check it, and then go out the other ear. I'm of the opinion that a static IP is the biggest requirement for /most/ DNS service. I.e. somewhere to have the registrar delegate the DNS to. Beyond that, I'm happy to delegate sub-domains to people on dynamic IPs if they want them. It's possible to put DNS a LOT of places that don't qualify as "Best Practice". Most of them will work most of the time. > We have the dual providers for the node my friend runs, as we know from > the phone companies and providers that though the DNS is over the same > 12 pair wire into his house (another trick), the CO actually has the > DNS switches on different racks and UPS's. Which isn't a bad precaution. That's probably okay for most things. But it's still subject to Backhoe Bob and the fade that he can induce. That's why I have my master that I can do anything and everything I want to, and outsource to slave secondaries. Linode, my VPS provider, has five different DNS servers that (I belie) are geographically diverse. It will be quite a bit harder to take out all five of their DNS servers. Plus, I don't have to pay for connectivity in five different locations. ;-) I'm curious, you said DSL. But that could be anything from 1.5 Mbps ADSL to SDSL to VDSL. Each of which have different capabilities and SLAs. Other than the backhoe fade taking out both connections at the same time, higher quality DSL with SLAs is probably okay to do. I think the official recommendation for big (think root level) DNS servers is to have each server in a different network, where network is defined as /24 (or larger), preferably under different ASNs. But that's not a /requirement/, especially for smaller DNS operators. > thanks You're welcome. -- Grant. . . . unix || die

7 years, 1 month

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Anyone have an Ethernet interface card for an AT&T 730 terminal?

by aek＠bitsavers.org

I just finished taking pictures and dumping the firmware from a 730X terminal but it turns out it has a Starlan and not an Ethernet interface. It would be nice to get a firmware dump from an Ethernet card. A start of a 630 driver is in MAME. http://bitsavers.org/pdf/att/730/730X It also appears the keyboards for the 630 and 730 aren't backwards compatible with the other 6xx products and the 5620. 5620 keyboards need -12v which the 630 or 730 don't supply, and the 610 keyboard doesn't appear to work either. Josh took a couple of pictures of his 630 keyboard and even though they look similar, the earlier keyboards were made by Teletype and the 630 is made by Keytronic.

7 years, 1 month

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Identifying some boards

by kylevowen＠gmail.com

I picked up these boards many weeks ago, but haven't photographed them until recently. Some of them are pretty disgusting, but some of the others look alright. Anyone have any idea what these came out of? Some are labeled Gould, others are labeled Encore. http://imgur.com/a/d9iK9qb Thanks! Kyle

7 years, 1 month

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OT: the end of Dyn DNS

by chd＠chdickman.com

Now that Dyn has been absorbed by Oracle I need a new DNS service for my vanity domain. I welcome suggestions for a replacement provider. -chuck

7 years, 1 month

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Recovering the ROM of an IBM 5100 using OCR (among other things)

by boris＠summitclinic.com

That was a very interesting read! The type of thing I could see myself doing over 40 years ago when once I'd come up with a neat idea and either did preliminary coding or hardware design suggesting it would work I'd jump right into it and find optimistic 1 month project timelines stretching to 6+ months. My approach now would be to just use a logic analyzer or a number of Propeller boards to sample all of the lines from ROS as very sedate clock speed that the 5100 uses. Still, this has applications beyond original goal and could use it to acquire patient lab data from hospital EMR's which are increasingly locked down. Used to be I could export a patients lab results to a text file easily to graph them out vs time or look at correlations between various lab values. Now that's forbidden as one is only allowed to look at them on the screen or use the abysmal graphing functionality which is very poorly coded and makes a PDP-8 doing the same functionality seem like a supercomputer. Thus, one could simply point a cell phone camera at the screen, record the lab results scrolling by and then do OCR on the series of images to create a data file of all of the lab results one is interested in. I've just photographed results on a screen as takes less room than another sheet of paper. >This is *epic*. > >https://github.com/stepleton/5100NonExecutableROSDecode/blob/master/WRITEUP… > >-- >Liam Proven - Profile: https://about.me/liamproven >Email: lproven at cix.co.uk - Google Mail/Hangouts/Plus: lproven at gmail.com >Twitter/Facebook/Flickr: lproven - Skype/LinkedIn: liamproven >UK: +44 7939-087884 - ??R (+ WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal): +420 702 829 053

7 years, 1 month

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CDC Cyber 180-960 available

by ggs＠shiresoft.com

Hi, It has come to my attention that a CDC Cyber 180-960 is available. Apparently this is from a supplier that was supporting Vandenburg AFB (California) with spares. Since Vendenburg is decommissioning it?s Cyber systems, the supplier wants to get rid of the spare machine that they have. I think the supplier just want the machine ?to go away? so the price is likely to be negligible. Please contact me off-list if interested and I?ll get you in touch with the relevant folks. TTFN - Guy

7 years, 1 month

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Datapoint 8600 system in Little Rock

by aek＠bitsavers.org

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Datapoint-8600-and-Peripherals/192961883648 anyone nearby? I'd like to get it, but I have no way to pick it up

7 years, 1 month

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Emulex SC11 Documentation Wanted

by nf6x＠nf6x.net

I'm looking for documentation covering a board set which came with my new PDP-11/34A. It looks like an Emulex SC11 disk controller, but it appears to be a newer version than what is covered in the 1979 manual scan which I found on Bitsavers. I have pictures of the board set on my blog: http://www.nf6x.net/2019/06/emulex-sc11-disk-controller-documentation-wante… -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x at nf6x.net> http://www.nf6x.net/

7 years, 1 month

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Recovering the ROM of an IBM 5100 using OCR (among other things)

by jfoust＠threedee.com

At 04:15 AM 6/28/2019, Liam Proven via cctalk wrote: > I don't even know if a half a dollar is a note or a coin, and >that's without getting extra-pedantic and pointing out that about a >dozen countries call their currencies the "dollar". If you were a real pedant, you would've provided a list of dimensions of their half-dollar coins (or bills) in several common systems of measurement. - John

7 years, 1 month

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Recovering the ROM of an IBM 5100 using OCR (among other things)

by lproven＠gmail.com

This is *epic*. https://github.com/stepleton/5100NonExecutableROSDecode/blob/master/WRITEUP… -- Liam Proven - Profile: https://about.me/liamproven Email: lproven at cix.co.uk - Google Mail/Hangouts/Plus: lproven at gmail.com Twitter/Facebook/Flickr: lproven - Skype/LinkedIn: liamproven UK: +44 7939-087884 - ?R (+ WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal): +420 702 829 053

7 years, 1 month

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Big news, re: mobile computing history

by cctalk＠snarc.net

Hello! I have a major announcement. :) It's time for version 2.0 of my book, "Abacus to smartphone: The evolution of mobile and portable computers," which I published on dead trees four years ago. This time, it's going to be a (free!) interactive website: the era of printed books is behind us. Please help me raise funds to make this happen. Funders will get exclusive access for the first month that the website is live (approximately the whole of August 2019). All of the details (such what's new/different) are here: https://fundrazr.com/b1WZ91?ref=ab_74VRia ... please check it out. Thanks!! -Evan

7 years, 1 month

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RSTS collection in the UK

by aek＠bitsavers.org

We received this offer, it probably makes more sense for someone in the UK to get the lot. Is there someone at a collecting institution that would like to take this on? Email me and I can forward your contact information to them. "I have a few disk packs available if you need them. (Please note I am in the UK). I also have a range of PDP-11 interface boards, a mix of dual, quad and Unibus. Is there anything in particular that you need? Finally I have a mass of RSTS related documentation, such as one copy of every edition of the US publication RSTS Porfessional magazine. Plus copies of RSTS and RT-11 operating system manuals, from RSTS Version 4a (1974) through to Version 10.1 (mid 1990s)."

7 years, 1 month

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One of the deeper dives into RISC vs CISC I've seen

by guykd＠optusnet.com.au

At 12:56 PM 25/06/2019 +0200, Liam Proven wrote: >On Mon, 24 Jun 2019 at 12:31, Tony Aiuto via cctalk ><cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote: >> >> On a related note, a fun talk about ARM >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2045&v=_6sh097Dk5k > >Remarkable. Thanks for the link. Astounding. Very thought-provoking. Yes, it is. Fascinating! And right now jdownloader is fetching me a local copy, as opposed to previously not working with that one video for some inexplicable reason. So thanks for reminding me to try again. Guy

7 years, 1 month

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Origins of nameless semaphores and Apple's non-support thereof

by dave＠661.org

I recently tripped over the fact that MacOS does not support nameless POSIX semaphores. When attempting to use them, I get a complaint that they're deprecated. I can't fathom why Apple would do that. I found this post explaining it, albeit not very well: https://lists.apple.com/archives/darwin-kernel/2009/Apr/msg00010.html. It seems that Apple yanked out support, but elsewhere (https://intfiction.org/t/macos-frotz-users/41553/5) I'm told that Apple did it because BSD 4.4 didn't implement them. I was fairly sure that it did. Does anyone have a more satisfying answer? -- David Griffith dave at 661.org A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text. Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing? A: Top-posting. Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?

7 years, 1 month

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PIC programmer

by brian＠quarterbyte.com

Hi all, I have, surprisingly, a non IBM 1130 related issue to ask about. I have a PIC16C55A-04/P 28 pin plastic MPU that I would like to reproduce --- but don't have a PIC debugger on hand and in fact don't know whether or not the existing device is code protected. (If it's code protected, then the path forward is going to be very different). Does anyone have the ability to check one of the chips that I have here is code protected so I can see if I should pursue this any further? Located in the San Francisco Bay Area but can mail a sample chip. Thanks! Brian

7 years, 1 month

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One of the deeper dives into RISC vs CISC I've seen

by lproven＠gmail.com

Goes a bit over my head but may be of interest: https://userpages.umbc.edu/~vijay/mashey.on.risc.html -- Liam Proven - Profile: https://about.me/liamproven Email: lproven at cix.co.uk - Google Mail/Hangouts/Plus: lproven at gmail.com Twitter/Facebook/Flickr: lproven - Skype/LinkedIn: liamproven UK: +44 7939-087884 - ?R (+ WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal): +420 702 829 053

7 years, 1 month

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Anyone have any info on the obscure MX11 PDP-11 option?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Al Kossow > Does anyone know where Steve Rothman is? And also Bill Weiske, who's listed as the go-to for the KS11. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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Anyone have any info on the obscure MX11 PDP-11 option?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Al Kossow > It is in the Dick Best Options and Modules List 197503 Ah, thanks for the pointer; I see it's listed as a "Memory Extension Control" - not sure that tells me much, alas! Interestingly, it's not in the earlier Options and Modules lists, e.g. June '74, but the KS11 is in that earlier list, so the MX11's a later addition. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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Anyone have any info on the obscure MX11 PDP-11 option?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

While I asking on the TUHS list about the KS11, someone mentioned the MX11 Memory Extension Option, described as "enabl[ing] the usage of 128 KW memory (18-bit addressing range) ... developed by the Digital CSS (Computer Special Systems)". I'm not familiar with this, and I couldn't find anything about it. (It's not even in the Spare Modules Handbook, but then again, neither is the KS11 - although the KT11-B is). Some early UNIBUS device address lists (e.g. the '72 "peripherals and interfacing handbook") list up to six, from #1 at 777600-06 to #6 at 777650-56. I can _guess_ what it did, from the description above (e.g. maps an 8KB block, since there can be up to 6), but I was wondering if anyone had any hard data; e.g. memories based on using one BITD, etc, etc. Even a high level description (e.g. 'sat on the UNIBUS between the CPU and extra memory, and mapped a fixed block of low UNIBUS address space to a block controlled by a register') would be an improvement on what we have now, which is basically nothing. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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Help with a qic data tape

by danr234＠gmail.com

Someone gave me your info. I have a very important tape I need help with. The tape spooled off the end and I need the belt put back on. Maybe getting the data off the tape too. It?s a 3m dc2120 120Megabyte tape. I?ve tried to do some practice tapes with junk tapes but I?m not confident enough to do it.

7 years, 1 month

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unix developed on 11/20 with 20 on panel or machine that just said pdp/11?

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Steve Malikoff >> According to this page that Dennis Ritchie wrote ... >> https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/picture.html > It states that their 11/20 had a KS-11 memory management unit, was > that mandatory for running v1 Unix on an 11/20? Well, the page does say they had two -11/20's, apparently one with and one without the KS11. Also, ISTR that the source for the -11/20 system has been recovered from a listing and run, and IIRC that didn't have the KS11 stuff in it (but it might be worth checking). Next to nothing is known of the KS11. Dennis' page "Odd Comments and Strange Doings in Unix": https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/odd.html has a story involving it (at the end), and that is all I've ever been able to find out about it (if anyone has anything more, please let me know). My original guess as to its functionality, from that, was that it's not part of the CPU, but a UNIBUS device, which perhaps maps addresses around (and definitely limits user access to I/O page addresses). It might also have mapped part of the UNIBUS space which the -11/20 CPU _can_ see (i.e. in the 0-56KB range) up to higher addresses, where 'extra' memory is configured. However, on re-reading that page, I see it apparently supported some sort of user/kernel mode distinction, which might have require a tie-in to the CPU. (But not necessarily; if there was a flop in the KS11 which stored the 'CPU mode' bit, it might be automatically cleared on all interrupts. Not sure how it would have handled traps, though. I'll have to enquire on the TUHS list. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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RK05 indicator lenses?

by mosst＠SDF.ORG

Hi All, I've recently acquired an RK05 that's missing the lenses for its indicator lights. Does anyone know a part number or where I could find replacements? I was hoping there would be a clue in the engineering drawings, but unfortuanetly not. Regards, -Tom mosst at sdf.lonestar.org SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org

7 years, 1 month

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RSS Feeds

by trash80＠internode.on.net

I'm looking for some reliable RSS feeds (I appreciate they seem to be coming rare these days) to do with classic computers, preferably with a TRS-80 flavour but I'm not going to be precious about it. Google didn't seem to produce too many and those it did were either not there anymore or broken or monumentally out of date. If anyone can point me any where I'd be most grateful. Thank you Kevin Parker 0418 815 527

7 years, 1 month

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June 22

by sales＠elecplus.com

My warehouse will be open on Sat, Jun 22, from 10-3 for anyone that wants to come scrounge. I am 1 hour from San Antonio, or 2.5 hours from Austin, or 4-5 hours from Houston or Dallas (in decent traffic and weather). Cindy Croxton Electronics Plus 1613 Water Street Kerrville, TX 78028 830-370-3239 cell sales at elecplus.com --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

7 years, 1 month

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unix developed on 11/20 with 20 on panel or machine that just said pdp/11?

by wkt＠tuhs.org

Paul Koning wrote: >> The 1971 Unix Programmer's Manual mentions their 11/20 had 24 KB >> (surely KW?) memory rather than 28KW. > I would assume kW. In the PDP11 world we didn't normally speak of > bytes or kbytes, certainly not for memory and often not elsewhere either. The PDP-11 Unix source: https://github.com/DoctorWkt/unix-jun72/blob/master/pages/e00-01 says: orig = 0 core = orig+40000 / specifies beginning of user's core ecore = core+20000 / specifies end of user's core (4096 words) So: 40000= 16KB for the kernel, 20000= 8KB for the user program. Cheers, Warren

7 years, 1 month

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unix developed on 11/20 with 20 on panel or machine that just said pdp/11?

by wkt＠tuhs.org

According to this page that Dennis Ritchie wrote, the original PDP-11 they used was indeed an 11/20 but it was before there were PDP-11 model numbers: https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/picture.html And, of course, the PDP-7 Unix development came before the PDP-11 version :) Cheers, Warren

7 years, 1 month

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unix developed on 11/20 with 20 on panel or machine that just said pdp/11?

by wkt＠tuhs.org

Steve Malikoff wrote: > It states that their 11/20 had a KS-11 memory management unit, was that > mandatory for running v1 Unix on an 11/20? I case-insensitively grepped for 'ks.*11' in the Github repository here: https://github.com/DoctorWkt/unix-jun72 and I didn't see a mention. > The 1971 Unix Programmer's Manual mentions their > 11/20 had 24 KB (surely KW?) memory rather than 28KW. 28KB is right. The simh.cfg from the repo says: set cpu 11/20 set cpu 32K Cheers, Warren

7 years, 1 month

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Teac FD55-GF drives wanted for experiments in reading Twiggy floppies

by spacewar＠gmail.com

Is anyone willing to sell me a few Teac FD55-GF or -GFR floppy drives (PC 5.25-in high density) for less than eBay prices? I want to experiment with modifying them to read Apple Twiggy diskettes, primarily by adding a microstepping driver for the head positioning. I specifically want Teac drives because there are reasonably good service manuals on them, and I don't want to deal with multiple brands of drives. The handwritten labels on the Twiggy diskettes I recently acquired make it appear that they were used for prerelease Lisa development. I will be getting more of them in a few weeks, from the same source.

7 years, 1 month

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Wanting to get my first classic computer

by raywjewhurst＠gmail.com

Hello all, I have been a student of computer history for years but have only learned how to use classic machines vicariously through emulation. I would really like to get my own classic computer but I don't know where to begin. For one, I am on a very limited income and two I don't have a lot of space and finally I don't have much knowledge on the finer points of the older hardware i.e. terminals networking, etc. I would really like a Vaxstation but I have also considered a '90s workstation such as an SGI Indy or a SparcStation. I am pretty fluent in both VMS and Unix so any of those would work. So where do I look besides e-Bay? I see some available here but none near me. I'm in the Detroit area. Any advice would be appreciated. I do know that I do now want a Mac or old PC. I would like something more exotic. (Although it might me neat to own a Rainbow.) Thanks Ray

7 years, 1 month

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unix developed on 11/20 with 20 on panel or machine that just said pdp/11?

by couryhouse＠aol.com

unix developed on 11/20 with 20 on panel or machine that just said pdp/11? Help - have a? nice? looking? 11/20? plus? a? weird analog? computer and? a? Nike guidance? gyro platform? for? AJAX (? 2? gyros loose? need? prints? to? rewire? correctly)? ? ? in? trade? for? and? extra? ribbon Mike? we? had. so anyway today's? questions -? bell labs? UNIX? machine? ?says? 11? or? 11/20 -anyone have schematics or wiring chart? for NIKE AJAX? Gyro Plantform? Drop offlist? as? not? to? clutter? things thanks? Ed#

7 years, 1 month

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Dumping MC6801 ROM contents.

by mattislind＠gmail.com

I have been asked to dump the ROM contents out of the MC6801 in the Ericsson PC keyboard to get the MAME emulation fully working. The guy that is doing the emulation says this is the only thing missing and would be nice if I could help him getting it finalized. It is supposed to be quite easy. Put the MC6801 in test mode 0 and provide RESET vectors for an external EPROM that has a program that dumps the contents. Maybe in Intel HEX over the serial port. Should be quite straight forward. But I have thousands of other things to deal with so if someone already made such a small program I gladly use it instead of making my own. Even though I done some 6800 and 6809 assembler once upon a time, it was 30 years ago, so I imagine it will take some time to get it working. Is there anyone that already done this? /Mattis

7 years, 1 month

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PDP 11/15

by useddec＠gmail.com

I bought a large package of DEC gear last year and it came with a PDP 11/15. I have no need for this classic, and put it on the list. A few people responded, but because of my problems, I never followed up with them. For those who responded, I apologize for dropping the ball. If anyone is interested in it, please contact me off list. BTW, I have started on pulling a few things out of the warehouse. Thanks, Paul

7 years, 1 month

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vaxstation ii machine check & diags efficacy

by joezatarski＠gmail.com

> It's a VAXstation II/GPX. I'm trying to install VMS 5.5 (from CD if it matters; there is a CMD CQD-200 or -220 as the only storage controller) and routinely getting machine check exceptions. > > Standalone backup always boots. Sometimes I get an exception the moment I hit <enter> on a restore; sometimes in the middle of the restore, sometimes it runs to successful completion. > > VMS never boots. Sometimes I get as far as the date prompt (I took out the battery), sometimes it gets a little farther, frequently it's before anything appears on the console at all. > > The exceptions booting VMS occur the same if I attach another disk with VMS 5.5 already installed; if I replace the KA630 and M7609 with a KA655 and M7622, it all seems to run fine. > > The KA630 power-on diagnostics all pass, but... it smells like a memory fault to me. What are the odds there could be a memory fault that isn't caught by the diags? > > ok > bear. > > -- > until further notice Well, if the KA630 diagnostics are anything like the KA650 diagnostics, the power on self test is not too thorough as I learned. I found 10 bad DRAMs on a KA650, the POST only found 2 of them. The rest I had to test by running tests from the monitor with tighter parameters. You should get into the console monitor on the KA630 and see if you can get a list of tests to be run with the TEST command. Sometimes they have parameters, and you can specify more thorough tests to be run. Keep in mind, they may take considerably longer to run than the POST does. I'm speaking from KA650 experience here, but I was able to run the MEM_Data test on all of memory with an address increment of 1. It took about 4 or 5 hours to complete I think, for 8MB of RAM.

7 years, 1 month

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Apollo Computer Article

by brain＠jbrain.com

Probably too light for folks in here, but maybe some will find some interest (apologies if https://www.fastcompany.com/90362562/this-computer-changed-world-youve-neve… -- Jim Brain brain at jbrain.com www.jbrain.com

7 years, 1 month

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Another disk pack inspection unit on ebay

by bobalan＠sbcglobal.net

See: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Computer-Link-665-Series-600-Disc-Pack-Ins… Bob -- Vintage computers and electronics www.dvq.com www.tekmuseum.com www.decmuseum.org

7 years, 1 month

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DEC QBUS power supply minimum load

by dkgrizzly＠thewaffleiron.net

I have a BA23 chassis that was used to hold 3 DSSI disks. There was a different backplane with the load resistors instead of QBUS slots. There was also a large capacitor bank installed along side the DSSI disk in the place of the QBUS slots. I can dig around next week when I go back home if you still need the resistor sizes DEC used. -David Kuder

7 years, 1 month

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Missing posts in archive and no Subject: line

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Joe Zatarski joezatarski at gmail.com > The posts you mentioned were sent to cctech. .. that list is > moderated .. You'll notice these posts are now in both archives. Ah, that could be it. I thought I'd found them in the Subject: thread archive at the same time they weren't in the other, but maybe my memory is faulty. > From: Eric Christopherson > the reply to the message headed "No subject" .. actually seems to > have a blank subject, as a result of which it doesn't seem to be > possible to even view it (since there's no link to click)! Which is how I discovered those messages which weren't (yet) in the archive; I took the URL for the previous message, edited it to point to the next message, and discovered the 'missing' ones. (Apparently the list software makes messages available via the Web interface before they've been approved and added to the archive.) > John H. Reinhardt > And now I know why your posts always break the threading in > Thunderbird... Hey,I don't want my emailbox clogged up with this stuff! :-) Noel

7 years, 1 month

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vaxstation ii machine check & diags efficacy

by bear＠typewritten.org

It's a VAXstation II/GPX. I'm trying to install VMS 5.5 (from CD if it matters; there is a CMD CQD-200 or -220 as the only storage controller) and routinely getting machine check exceptions. Standalone backup always boots. Sometimes I get an exception the moment I hit <enter> on a restore; sometimes in the middle of the restore, sometimes it runs to successful completion. VMS never boots. Sometimes I get as far as the date prompt (I took out the battery), sometimes it gets a little farther, frequently it's before anything appears on the console at all. The exceptions booting VMS occur the same if I attach another disk with VMS 5.5 already installed; if I replace the KA630 and M7609 with a KA655 and M7622, it all seems to run fine. The KA630 power-on diagnostics all pass, but... it smells like a memory fault to me. What are the odds there could be a memory fault that isn't caught by the diags? ok bear. -- until further notice

7 years, 1 month

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PDP 11/15

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Bob Smith > there have been refs to another more modern unit, based on LSI[-]11 > or later chip set I've never heard of that, and I wonder if DEC would really have released a new product with the same name as an old one (the two PDP-11/10's are different, as I'm not sure many of the first ones were sold, but a ton of -11/15's were). > I wonder if it is one of those or the orig. This one is one of the -11/20 type ones. > From: Paul Koning > I only ever heard of an 11/15 as the 11/20 relabeled for OEM > markets According to the "pdp11/15/20/r20 processor handbook", 1972 edition (i.e. the second edition of the -11/20 proc handbook), the /15 has (table on pg. 2) a "KC11" processor, which seems to be a KA11 with only a single interrupt request line. (Maybe it has a replacement card for the M824, with only a single interrupt line wired up?) There's a 'KF11-A' option which upgrades it to multi-line (pg. 4), for which there claims to be a manual (DEC-11-HKFA-D), but there are none online, but from other traces online it does seem that some people had to get and install it. So maybe the stuff in the proc manual isn't just marketing wibble. That same manual claims that power-fail restart was standard in the KA11; it was an option for the KC11, the KP11-A. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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Teletype 5620 schematics

by aek＠bitsavers.org

came across these this eve, probably only of interest to Seth, since he has one http://bitsavers.org/pdf/att/5620/schematic

7 years, 1 month

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Wanting to get my first classic computer

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Ray Jewhurst > I would really like to get my own classic computer but I don't know > where to begin. Two questions you need to sort out in your mind, to decide, are i) do you want something with a bit-mapped video screen, or are you happy with ASCII serial line only, and ii) what are you prepared to do for mass storage. E.g. if you really want video, you're probably looking at something like a VAXStation or so; if ASCII will do you, a QBUS PDP-11 might be a good start, as with patience eBay can yield a cheap chassis, CPU etc (although in the last year or so the really cheap stuff seems to have dried up, alas). Noel

7 years, 1 month

2
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CC users in Ireland

by ronan.scaife＠dcu.ie

Dear All, At 03:30 PM 17/06/2019 +0100, Ronan Scaife wrote: > Dear All, > > I am particularly interested to make contact with Ireland-based > classic computer collectors or users. on 18 June 2019, Guy Dunphy wrote: > Message: 8 Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 09:34:11 +1000 From: Guy Dunphy > <guykd at optusnet.com.au> To: ronan.scaife at dcu.ie, "General Discussion: > On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk at classiccmp.org> Subject: Re: > irish cctech subscribers Message-ID: > <3.0.6.32.20190618093411.011eaad8 at mail.optusnet.com.au> Content-Type: > text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi Ronan, I know you meant 'in > Ireland.' But I can't resist: I'm of Irish ancestry, though born and > residing in Sydney Australia. Also "My particular interest is in DEC > pdp-8 and pdp11 machines." Never thought I'd actually have any, until > unexpected events of 2018 and ongoing. Now so far I have two PDP-8/S > to restore ( http://everist.org/NobLog/20181104_PDP-8S.htm ) and two > PDP-11: Rack 1: PDP 11/44 and one RLO2 diskpack drive. Rack 2: PDP > 11/34, two RLO2 diskpack drives, and one RK05 disk pack drive. Seems > to be a complete, intact system. I have the side panels, various > blanking panels, and assorted documentation. Still making arrangements > for a long-term space to set them up and work on them. Regards, Guy > Dunphy >> My particular interest is in DEC pdp-8 and pdp11 machines. Dear Guy, good to hear from you! My interest stems from the generosity of DEC Galway, Ireland, who helped start my (DSP, speech) research career in the early 1980s with a generous donation of 2x 11/34s with RL02 and RX02. I also have a MINC (laboratory instrumented 11/23) from Trinity College Dublin. Quite recently, we acquired a pdp8/e (made in Galway) with RK05 and PC04 >from Dundalk Institute of Technology. I haven't dared to power this up, but a few of my students have worked on a replica pdp8/e front panel patched into a simh emulation on a PC. I look forward to reading your blog. My medium term plan is to interest the National Museum or equivalent in a section on (especially Irish-made) technology, so the email was primarily addressed to people on the island of Ireland. However, most of what I have learned over the years has been from guys around the world like you who are so generous with their information. Best Wishes, Ronan Scaife -- -- * *S?anadh R?omhphoist/Email Disclaimer* *T? an r?omhphost seo agus aon chomhad a sheoltar leis faoi r?n agus is lena ?s?id ag an seola? agus sin amh?in ?. Is f?idir tuilleadh a l?amh anseo.? <https://sites.google.com/view/seanadh-riomhphoist>* *This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and are intended solely for use by the addressee. Read more here. <https://sites.google.com/view/dcu-email-disclaimer>* * -- <https://www.facebook.com/DCU/> <https://twitter.com/DublinCityUni> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/dublin-city-university> <https://www.instagram.com/dublincityuniversity/?hl=en> <https://www.youtube.com/user/DublinCityUniversity>

7 years, 1 month

1
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Whose site is 9track.net?

by cctalk＠snarc.net

Does anyone know who owns 9track.net? I couldn't find any contact information there.

7 years, 1 month

2
2
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Looking for a Intel multibus 88/45... (minor corrections...)

by lbickley＠bickleywest.com

I'm in the process of restoring an Intel 310 system. I had it working to the point where it was trying to boot - when the 88/45 processor began to fail intermittently and then solidly. My debugging seems to indicate that the problem is in a PLD - which is a serious bummer. I have preserved the ROMS (which have built-in diagnostics/debugging and boot capability for both floppy and Winchester hard disks) as files. I will make these ROM files available to Al for posting on bitsavers. If someone on this list has an Intel 88/45 (or Intel 310) who would be willing to part with it, please contact me off list. I can to either do a trade or cash purchase... Cheers, Lyle -- 73 NM6Y Bickley Consulting West Inc. https://bickleywest.com "Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"

7 years, 1 month

2
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Two AT&T Unix PC/3B1/7300 systems available

by nospam212-cctalk＠yahoo.com

I have two AT&T Unix PCs that I am offering up to interested parties as described below: 1) AT&T Unix PC with the standard 67 MB HDD, this is the base system and three button mouse. The right arrow key on the keyboard is broken but the key cap is still included. This unit is also missing the keyboard cable though I should have it around somewhere and so it might turn up at some point at which time I'd send it along. It has been several years since this was last powered on and I don't recall if there are any passwords or what they might be so you may have to hack your way into the system. Had UNIX System V installed but don't recall what other software may be installed as well. Sold as is. 2) AT&T Unix PC. This unit comes in the original box, with keyboard and mouse and the following documentation: a) AT&T Unix PC Owner's Manual b) AT&T Unix PC Getting Started Manual c) AT&T Unix System V Utilities Manual d) AT&T Unix PC Communications Management Manual e) AT&T Unit PC System Software As with the above system, it has been a while since it was last powered up and I don't recall if there were any passwords or what so may need to hack into the OS. Also not sure what software was installed besides the OS. Sold as is. I believe I may have some more documentation around but haven't located it yet, if I do discover it I will offer to send it along to anyone who picks up these systems. If you need any other info please let me know and I'll send it along. Will entertain any offers at all and prefer local pickup but I am fine with packing and shipping if you pay for it. I'm offering them up to the list first though if there isn't any interest here will possibly offer on eBay or if someone knows other good places to list systems please let me know. Would like to move them out. Will also have several other systems for sale/trade/haul away very soon as I am clearing out a lot of stuff. Best regards, David Williams

7 years, 1 month

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Missing posts in archive and no Subject: line

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

So, a couple of posts yesterday did not show up in the date archive: http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/date.html which is how I read the list. They are: Software for Fairy YL-23 IC tester wanted http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048094.html http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048096.html DEC KA650 VAX memory troubleshooting (video) http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048095.html http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048097.html I'm not sure what happened, but I note the next post had no Subject: line, and I'm wondering if that caused it. So best to make sure your posts have Subject: lines. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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Apollo Computer Article

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Jim Brain > Probably too light for folks in here, but maybe some will find some > interest Good high-level view of the importance of the AGC work. For those who want technical details, there's a Web-site (I can dig up the URL if anyone wants) about the recovery of the software, and running it under and emulator; and now there are people doing the hardware too (e.g. the guy Al pointed at). Noel

7 years, 1 month

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DEC KA650 VAX memory troubleshooting (video)

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Joe Zatarski > OK, so where should a thing like this go: ... Anybody got a decent > place to upload that? As always, the CHWiki is available for any vintage computer stuff. I can set up an account for anyone here who wants one. I have posted similar information for PDP-11 memory, e.g. here: http://gunkies.org/wiki/QBUS_memories#Diagnosing_DRAM_memory_failures http://gunkies.org/wiki/MSV11-J#Technical_information which seems to be a direct analogue of the stuff you have. Noel

7 years, 1 month

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irish cctech subscribers

by ronan.scaife＠dcu.ie

Dear All, I am particularly interested to make contact with Ireland-based classic computer collectors or users. My particular interest is in DEC pdp-8 and pdp11 machines. Best Wishes, -- -- ?This Email, and any files transmitted with it, are confidential, and are intended solely for use by the addressee. Any unauthorised dissemination, distribution or copying of this message and of any attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete the message. Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and cannot be relied upon as being those of Dublin City University. Email communications such as this cannot be guaranteed to be virus-free, timely, secure or error-free, and we do not accept liability for any such matters or their consequences. Please consider the environment before printing this Email.? ==== Dr. Ronan Scaife =============== ronan.scaife at dcu.ie ========== School of Elec Eng, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, IRELAND. http://www.eeng.dcu.ie/~scaifer/ phone (office): +353-1-700-5434 fax: +353-1-700-5508 ==================================================================== -- * *S?anadh R?omhphoist/Email Disclaimer* *T? an r?omhphost seo agus aon chomhad a sheoltar leis faoi r?n agus is lena ?s?id ag an seola? agus sin amh?in ?. Is f?idir tuilleadh a l?amh anseo.? <https://www4.dcu.ie/iss/seanadh-riomhphoist.shtml>* *This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and are intended solely for use by the addressee. Read more here. <https://www4.dcu.ie/iss/email-disclaimer.shtml>* * -- <https://www.facebook.com/DCU/> <https://twitter.com/DublinCityUni> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/dublin-city-university> <https://www.instagram.com/dublincityuniversity/?hl=en> <https://www.youtube.com/user/DublinCityUniversity>

7 years, 2 months

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Definicon DSI-020 software?

by cmhanson＠eschatologist.net

I?ve recently come into a Definicon DSI-020 coprocessor card, and would like the software that goes with it. Does anyone know where to find it? There?s a zip file that claims to be the DSI-020 software, but it?s actually the DSI-32 software: The DSI-32 is an NS32032 coprocessor card, while the DSI-020 is an MC68020 coprocessor card. They published an awful lot of information about their cards in BYTE so the DSI-020 shouldn?t be difficult to reverse-engineer but it?d be nice not to have to? -- Chris

7 years, 2 months

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looking for a Intel multibus 88/45...

by lbickley＠bickleywest.com

I'm in the process of restoring an Intel 310 system. I had it working to the point where it was trying to boot - when the 88/45 processor began to fail intermittently and then solidly. My debugging seems to indicate that the problem is in a PLA - which is a serious bummer. I have preserved the ROMS (which have built-in diagnostics/debugging and boot capability for both floppy and Winchester hard disks). I will make the ROM images available to Al for posting on bitsavers. If someone on this list has an Intel 88/45 that would be willing to part with it, please contact me off list. Either a trade or cash purchase work for me... Cheers, Lyle -- 73 NM6Y Bickley Consulting West Inc. https://bickleywest.com "Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"

7 years, 2 months

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Missing posts in archive and no Subject: line

by joezatarski＠gmail.com

> So, a couple of posts yesterday did not show up in the date archive: > > http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/date.html > > which is how I read the list. They are: > > Software for Fairy YL-23 IC tester wanted > http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048094.html > http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048096.html > > DEC KA650 VAX memory troubleshooting (video) > http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048095.html > http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2019-June/048097.html > > I'm not sure what happened, but I note the next post had no Subject: line, > and I'm wondering if that caused it. So best to make sure your posts have > Subject: lines. > > Noel This is a function of the way the two lists work, I think. The posts you mentioned were sent to cctech. As I understand it, that list is moderated to ensure it stays on topic. After they've been approved, they will make it onto cctalk as well. This causes a delay, and sometimes posts don't make it into the archive list until they are hours old. You'll notice these posts are now in both archives. The post with no subject had nothing to do with it, that's just a red herring. This is the behavior of the mailing list for as long as I remember, though I've only been on here a few years.

7 years, 2 months

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IBM PC-RT 6150 looking for help

by technoid6502＠gmail.com

On Sat, 2019-06-15 at 12:00 -0500, cctalk-request at classiccmp.org wrote: > > The hard disk seems to be stuck or the drives electronics are broken, > it > does not spin up. As these drives are quite rare, I'm looking for the > SCSI card (Model 6lX700l). Is it right, the PC-RT can boot off SCSI? > Hi. I have a suggestion. The generation of hard disks you are having trouble with frequently had a linear actuator and were auto-parking. If the parking function failed at power off, not an uncommon fault, the drive will fail to spin on power-on. An example of this sort of drive is the Seagate ST4096. The time-honored fix for this is to take the drive loose from all connections and, holding it in both hands with the face towards you, bring the face of the drive into your thigh as you raise your thigh to meet the face of the drive. The violence of this motion will serve to park the heads and the drive will spin right up when powered. I hope this solves your problem. Best of luck. Jeff

7 years, 2 months

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Modems and external dialers.

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Liam Proven > There was a certain simplicity and understandability about Win9x, > yes, but NT was far more reliable, even back in the NT 3 era. .. > So I moved to NT as soon as my kit could run it, and never looked > back. I was speaking from a user's perspective; I never did much coding under Windows (well, a fair amount under Cygwin, using only the portable I/O library, but that's not really _Windows_ programming). >From that perspective, 98SE was the sweet spot for me (I don't have any reliability issues, with the configs I run). I do have some XP machines, and the Windows 10 laptop, but most of mine run 98SE. Noel

7 years, 2 months

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360/20 retrieval in Nuremberg (Was: No subject)

by jnc＠mercury.lcs.mit.edu

> From: Lawrence Wilkinson > Nothing to report other than what's at https://ibms360.co.uk Any partial results in trying to figure out a way to get all the stuff back from Nuremberg? You all may wind up having to rent a large truck yourselves, alas... Noel

7 years, 2 months

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