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

by Robert_Feldman＠jdedwards.com

For long-term storage, I would worry that the coating on the cardboard might stick to the drive's head, especially if it was humid when the drive is bagged. (I know a number of museum conservators who do not use plastic bags for protecting artifacts because of problems with static and humidity. They only use closed plastic bags when there is a question of insect infestation.) It would probably be a good idea to put a _fresh_ packet of silica gel desicant in the plastic bag with the drive. And, yes, I still have some of the shipping cardboards for my old drives :) . -----Original Message----- From: Fred Cisin [mailto:cisin@xenosoft.com] Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2003 8:01 PM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: Re: Storing floppy dirves <snip> Does EVERYBODY discard the shipping cardboard that 5.25" drives came with? NOBODY ever expects to have to ship or store a drive ever again? Your choice is NOT between a open (heads unloaded) v a disk loaded. Your choice is between a open (heads unloaded) v a proper shipping cardboard (or disk rotated 90 degrees to use the JACKET of the disk as padding).

23 years

1
0
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Simplest (practical) file system?

by mbg＠TheWorld.com

>It's a LOT easier (and much more efficient) to just implement an >allocation map. But not at all needed if you use a flat, contiguous file system. And remember, the question was asking for the simplest file system... and a block/sector/whatever allocation map and the associated code to handle it is not as simple as one can get. Not to mention the fact that you need tables of pointers to the blocks so that a file can be reassembled, or read in order... and the risks to the whole file if the pointers are lost... I can't tell you how many RT disks I've been able to recover >from truly bad blocks in the directory by virtue of the fact that the RT directory structure is so simple... Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | email: mbg at world.std.com | | Member of Technical Staff | megan at savaje.com | | SavaJe Technologies, Inc. | (s/ at /@/) | | 100 Apollo Drive | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Chelmsford, MA 01824 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (978) 256 6521 (DEC '77-'98) | required." - mbg KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

23 years

2
1
0 0

More Acorn finds + Numonics graphics tablet

by Robert_Feldman＠jdedwards.com

My AutoCAD 2.18 Installation manual (March 1986) gives serial cabling for Numonics 2200 Series plotters to PC as: Tablet End Computer End 3 -------------------- 3 4 --| 5 --| 7 -------------------- 7 6 --| 20 --| To use with AutoCAD, set the tablet for binary data transmition at 9600 baud, 8 bits, one stop bit. Switch settings are: Switch Open(Down) Closed(Up) Doesn't matter A 2,5,7 1 3,4,6,8 B 5 3 1,2,4,6,7,8 C 1 2,3,4 Lastly, the AutoCAD notes say that the tablet can be configured to emulate other brands by changing the PROM chips. Bob -----Original Message----- From: Jules Richardson [mailto:julesrichardsonuk@yahoo.co.uk] Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 5:04 PM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: More Acorn finds + Numonics graphics tablet <snip> Numonics 2206 graphics tablet still in its box <snip> *Any* info on the Numonics tablet would be great. It appears to be complete (minus manuals - grr!) and supposedly works, but I don't even know what it plugs into and I don't have any driver software for it. (I'm not even sure how old it is :) <snip>

23 years

1
0
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Storing floppy dirves

by ernestls＠comcast.net

For long term storage, is it better to store a 5.25 inch floppy drive with a disk in the drive and the lever closed, or is it better to leave the door open and no disk in the drive? Either way, the drive will be in a sealed plastic bag to keep the dust out but I was just curious about whether or not to keep a diskette locked in the drive during storage. I've heard arguments for both. Thanks!

23 years

4
3
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Texas Insturments 1975-1979 computer research help needed please.

by nsa＠ureach.com

Hi Folks, I'm new to this group and didn't know I wasn't allow to post jpeg pictures. But anyway I have some new questions on TI computers. One what TI computer came out about 1975-1979 That had a large removable hard drive and was better than the DEC PDP's ? Which had very limted RAM and used slow magnetic tapes for programs and data storage ? Second what would be in this binder as the outside reads: TI-MIX Microcomputer Information Exchange ? The computer came out before 1979. My father wrote an OS for it. The last time he used it was 1979. Any help would be great. Thanks ________________________________________________ Get your own "800" number Voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more http://www.ureach.com/reg/tag

23 years

1
0
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FWD: FS: RARE black Bell & Howell Apple ][ Plus with drives

by ba600＠freenet.carleton.ca

> FS: RARE black Bell & Howell Apple ][ Plus with drives > > Selling an excellent condition black Bell & Howell Apple ][ Plus with > matching black drives. This is a genuine Apple computer, distributed > through Bell & Howell (has both companies logos on the nameplates of the > computer and disk drives). > > Asking $499.00 US or best offer. > > Please email me for more details at: > pmode4(a)mts.net -- Collector of Vintage Computers http://www.ncf.ca/~ba600/

23 years

17
24
0 0

List shenanigans?

by vcf＠siconic.com

Is it just me or is the list dumping the same messages over and over again? -- Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

23 years

6
5
0 0

Simplest (practical) file system?

by mbg＠TheWorld.com

>When a file is deleted, its directory entry is changed to indicate that >the file no longer exists, If a shorter file is then stored on the disk, >then the directory entry is changed again for the new file. THis then >leaves some unused blocks on the disk which can't be used becuase there's >no way to create a directory entry in the right place in the directory. RT handles this by adding a directory entry to describe the unallocated portion of the previous free space. This might mean having to move directory entries in a segment, and may require a segment split. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | email: mbg at world.std.com | | Member of Technical Staff | megan at savaje.com | | SavaJe Technologies, Inc. | (s/ at /@/) | | 100 Apollo Drive | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Chelmsford, MA 01460 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (978) 256 6521 (DEC '77-'98) | required." - mbg KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

23 years

1
0
0 0

Differences in the Z80 processors?

by ernestls＠comcast.net

I have seen z80, z80a, and z80b processors, and I'm curious about what the differences are between the different versions of the processor? Is each newer version faster than the earlier model, like a 486-33/66/100 or are the differences more along the lines of additional commands (or something like that?) Or a combination of both? Also, can I use a Z80a or Z80b in place of the original Z80 if I want to replace a bad CPU? Thanks. E.

23 years

2
1
0 0

Manx [was: Re: scanning booklets for archive]

by aek＠spies.com

Thanks for indexing all of this. A flat text file of all of the entries would be of use also. Do you know if this can be put on line? Someone was asking about it on alt.sys.pdp8 recently DEC-8I-H2CA-D PP8/I High-Speed Paper-Tape Punch Option Functional Description DEC-8I-H2DA-D PR8/I High-Speed Perforated Tape Reader and Control Option Functional Description DEC-8I-H8NA-D KT8/I Time-Sharing Option Functional Description DEC-8I-HOCA-D KE8/I Extended Arithmetic Element DEC-8I-HODA-D KB8/I General Input/Output Interface Option Description

23 years

2
1
0 0

Pet 2001, (6550 unobtainium!) ??

by bdegnan＠degnanco.net

Hello - I read your text from... http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2003-January/014761.html I have a similar problem, the screen is full of characters, and I am trying to figure out what is the cause so that I can attempt to fix. I am going to try the 2114s from bgmicro.com as you mentioned. Any advice? It's a shame if I can't fix this thing, it's in nice cosmetic shape. Thanks in advance Bill Degnan Wilmington, DE

23 years

2
1
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Need Computer History Info Research Help 1965-1979 DEC pdp 8E

by nsa＠ureach.com

Hello folks, I have been trying to research and find out what certain computers and accessorys.I have wriiten below questions I have to the veries parts in the pictures in which I tring to figure out. I will be only sending out two of the pictures of these computers to start with. These computers where used in submarine dectection ASW. I'm trying to help the US Navy Historical Center out with info on the breakdown of the hardware. Any information would be of great help. Thanks ---------------------------------- Above where it reads FIELD-8E SYSTEMS 1 looks like some type of signal generator ? an analog output ring ? Are Some type of Data Transmitter that can send test signals for either teletypewriter or data communications. In the middle I would guess is a computer battery maybe ? And at the bottom you have a bunch of LCD lights there in the center above and also a lot of headphone jacks and looks like for each set of headphone jacks equals the amount of knobs to turn same in the center right headphone jacks to and up or down switch. Above MARKSMAN plotter-printer notice the numbers above Array recorder ? Center Above is duel Tape recorders Center Bottom is some type of Oscillator possible used as a computer monitor as then I guess that is what was used as computer monitor as today’s also use frequencies. The knobs on the oscillator would be used to see the frequency that the tape is recording from picking up the sound from the signal generator ? And at the bottom is the DEC PDP-8E Computer PDP-8E CPU with extended arithmetic element. KL8E 2400 baud communications port ________________________________________________ Get your own "800" number Voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more http://www.ureach.com/reg/tag [demime 1.01a removed an attachment of type image/jpeg] [demime 1.01a removed an attachment of type image/jpeg]

23 years

1
0
0 0

RL02 Assistance...

by cvendel＠att.net

Hi, I've got an RL02 connected to my Vax 4000-200 through an RLV12 QBus controller. The Drive is spinning up fine and the Ready light is Lit, the Fault light goes off once power to the Vax is started and doing a SHO DEV at the Chevron prompt and within OpenVMS both show: RLV12 Controller 0 (774400) -DLA3 (RL02) Which looks great from my perspective, the drive ID plug is a 3, so DLA3 makes total sense. In the SHO DEV within OpenVMS does display the drive as being online. So my problem is with MOUNT, everytime I go to mount the drive the system simply hangs and never seems to complete the mount, I end up having to CTRL- BREAK to Halt the system back to Chevron and b up again from my DSSI DIA0: Anyone have any idea's what I'm doing wrong or what may be wrong??? I've tried with a /FOREIGN too since this platters are from an 11/730 and many of the handwritten labels on the disk paks say RSTS on them, so I wasn't sure if it was a format issue or something, I could really use some help/advice from anyone with a lot of experience with the quirks of the RL's. Thanks much, PS: If anyone has an RK05 or RK07 DECPack for sale and possibly an RKV11D Qbus controller I am in the market for one. Curt

23 years

1
0
0 0

Soldering Iron

by teoz＠neo.rr.com

I need a precision soldering iron (long needle like tip) for electronics use, any suggestions? I found one made by GOOT a CS-30 in an old radio shack catalog but they no longer have them and I cant find a website in the US that still sells them. I have an scsi chip on an amiga addon board that got wacked in shipping and a few of the pins have broken off from their solder pads (its a surface mount chip and none of the pins are broke just desoldered). My current 23 watt soldering iron has a tip thats just too big for this kind of work. Thanks for any help (I assume one can be found for around $20)

23 years

6
6
0 0

Delayed messages to this group

by ernestls＠comcast.net

Has anyone else been experiencing posting delays for the cctalk list. I'm seeing delays of from 2 to 4 days, and I'm not sure why. I am posting this message at 10:30am on 7/24. It'll probably show up on the list right away because I made a point of asking. LOL. E.

23 years

3
2
0 0

KC Computer Swap Shop?

by bill＠timeguy.com

Can someone supply an address and/or phone number for the Computer Swap Shop in Kansas City? Thanks!

23 years

2
1
0 0

Data conversion (Commodore, 8250 disk drive, superbase)

by semlj001＠hotmail.com

I have 4 disks worth of data saved using a commodore 64 and an 8250 double disk drive. The program that they were saved in used SuperBase as it's database. I'm looking to somehow import this data into a microsoft access database. Converting it into plain text would be great. If anyone has the means to do this or has some pointers as to how I could accomplish this it would be great. Lance. _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail is now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral/signup.asp

23 years

3
2
0 0

Differences in the Z80 processors?

by melamy＠earthlink.net

there is also the Z80H... 2.5 mhz, 4mhz, 6mhz, and finally 8 mhz replacing with a faster z80 should not pose a problem. It should actually relax the timing a bit and work more reliably depending on the original design. best regards, Steve Thatcher >--- Original Message --- >From: "Ernest" <ernestls(a)comcast.net> >To: <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> >Date: 7/24/03 10:20:49 PM > I have seen z80, z80a, and z80b processors, and I'm curious about what the >differences are between the different versions of the processor? Is each >newer version faster than the earlier model, like a 486-33/66/100 or are the >differences more along the lines of additional commands (or something like >that?) Or a combination of both? > >Also, can I use a Z80a or Z80b in place of the original Z80 if I want to >replace a bad CPU? > >Thanks. > >E

23 years

1
0
0 0

at&t 458

by we3＠sprynet.com

Does anyone know anything about the at&t 458? I believe it's a serial daisy wheel printer. What I'm interested in is what the dip switch settings in back of the printer are supposed to be set to. If you have an at&t 458, when looking at it from the back, the dip switches are on lower left corner behind a little door which needs a screwdriver to pry open. Any help would be appreciated thanks.

23 years

1
0
0 0

Backup Tapes

by romboc＠shaw.ca

Hello, If you are still interested, I have a total of 11 compatible tapes (8 Teac CT-600N and 3 Maxell CS-600XD). All are used and have used labels. As far as I know, they all still work. (I still have the tape drive as well, but have no longer an operating Apple system, so I cannot check these). If you are interested, please let me know. romboc

23 years

1
0
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1981 Ohio Scientific C3-B computer-Looking for a good home

by palamara＠comcast.net

I have a 1981 Ohio Scientific C3-B computer looking for a good home. This CP/M based computer has three processors (6502, 6800 and Z80), a Winchester 36 mb hard drive and two 8" floppy drives in a case a bit smaller than a four drawer file cabinet. It also has a keyboard equipped monitor, a Texas Instruments printer and associated software and manuals. It was running fine when it was last used about five years ago. Dave Palamara Atlantic Highlands, NJ 732-291-1444 (day) 732-872-0870 (home)

23 years

1
0
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FW: Exidy software

by bips＠newmex.com

-----Original Message----- From: john [mailto:john@bipsnm.com] Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 7:41 AM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: Exidy software I have an Exidy with S-100 and floppy drives. I have missed placed my floppy disks. They had CP/M, an editor, assembler compiler, and utilities. I would be very interested in obtaining a copy of same. My floppies were 5.25, single sided, 97K. John

23 years

1
0
0 0

Exidy software

by john＠bipsnm.com

I have an Exidy with S-100 and floppy drives. I have missed placed my floppy disks. They had CP/M, an editor, assembler compiler, and utilities. I would be very interested in obtaining a copy of same. My floppies were 5.25, single sided, 97K. John

23 years

1
0
0 0

Technical Magic 8S ?

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

Anybody familar with a "Technical magic 8S" card? I found several of them in a DEC system. They're double width cards and have eight AMI S1602P LSI ICs on them. Chip Directory says that the 1602s are UARTs. Joe

23 years

10
17
0 0

Benchmark test software for the PC?

by vcf＠siconic.com

Does anyone know of any free benchmark test software for the PC? Preferably something that runs in DOS mode that I can boot off a floppy (to avoid having to boot into Windows). I have two PCs that I want to benchmark to determine which one has the better performance for my new web server. -- Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

23 years

4
4
0 0

Osborne Executive disks

by robin.england＠dial.pipex.com

Hello Wayne Excuse the email out of the blue! I have just seen your reply to a post asking about disks for the Osborne Executive. For reference, the URL is :- http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2002-August/004906.html I am also in need of these images, I have one of these computers but no disks at all. Can you help me please? Thanks Robin England

23 years

1
0
0 0

Kaypro PC ?

by ernestls＠comcast.net

Kaypro made a computer that they released after their portables but before their IBM clone. It was in a flat metal case that was shorter and smaller than their AT case. I can't remember what it was called. I've only seen one reference to it but the website is gone. Does anyone remember the system that I'm thinking of? I think (?) that it was an 8086 system but it might have been a single board Z80.

23 years

4
4
0 0

Decwriter II has been taken

by holmberg＠tiac.net

The Decwriter II I offered for taking has been taken. I'm glad I was able to find a home for it. Thanks, Carl

23 years

1
0
0 0

Have any 387Sx-16's left?

by rsteger＠uclink.berkeley.edu

Hi Chris, I am a grad student at UC Berkeley and I could use one of your 387sx-16's on a project I am working on. If you still have some and can spare one, I am in the mechanical engineering department at: Attn: R. Steger 2168 Etcheverry Hall Berkeley, CA 94720 Thanks, Ryan

23 years

1
0
0 0

DEC AD01-A (was: DEC AD0L-A)

by wrljet＠yahoo.com

> Rick Murphy wrote: > > > > I think you've got an AD01-A (the fourth character is a "1", not the > > letter "L".) > > Google searching for AD01-A yields a lot of good info. For example, > > <http://www.psych.usyd.edu.au/pdp-11/ad01.html> You're right. The hyphen between the '1' and the 'A' was shift down to the bottom of the line, making the '1' look like an 'L'. I thought I saw AD0LA rather than AD01-A. Mine appears to be different from the one pictured on that webpage. > In that case, this manual may be some use, though it appears to be > describing a different (later?) model: > > "AD01-D Analog-to-Digital Conversion Subsystem Manual" > > http://208.190.133.201/decimages/AD01_manual.pdf (9.3 MiB) In any case my AD01-A has quite a different card layout than the AD01-D in that manual. Bill

23 years

1
0
0 0

Need Synapse N+1 manuals ($$$)

by vcf＠siconic.com

I'm seeking any manuals for the Synapse Computer Corporation N+1 computer circa 1985. If you've got any please do contact me directly. I've got a bounty out for these! -- Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

23 years, 1 month

1
0
0 0

Soldering Iron

by dwightk.elvey＠amd.com

Hi Use the bigger iron you have with excess flux. If there is too much solder, use wick or sucker to remove excess. With the flux, the solder will not tend to bridge. Dwight >From: TeoZ <teoz(a)neo.rr.com> > >I need a precision soldering iron (long needle like tip) for electronics use, >any suggestions? > >I found one made by GOOT a CS-30 in an old radio shack catalog but they no >longer have them and I cant find a website in the US that still sells them. > >I have an scsi chip on an amiga addon board that got wacked in shipping and a >few of the pins have broken off from their solder pads (its a surface mount >chip and none of the pins are broke just desoldered). My current 23 watt >soldering iron has a tip thats just too big for this kind of work. > >Thanks for any help (I assume one can be found for around $20)

23 years, 1 month

1
0
0 0

List shenanigans?

by Innfogra＠aol.com

Not I. I get single messages only. Paxton Astoria, OR

23 years, 1 month

1
0
0 0

Need to read 8-inch CP/M disks

by grobinson＠transpose.com

I have a need to read some 8-inch CP/M disks. They're pretty old and I'm nervous about sending them anywhere because I'm afraid that post-9/11 package scanning could ruin them. If anybody has any hardware they'd be interested in loaning to me (or selling) for this purpose that would be great. Or if anyone has a machine and lives in the U.S. Northeast, I wonder if I could pay for some of your time to help me get this done. Many thanks in advance for any help! --Gary -- Putting http://wecanstopspam.org in your email helps it pass through overzealous spam filters. Gary Robinson CEO Transpose, LLC grobinson(a)transpose.com 207-942-3463 http://www.transpose.com http://radio.weblogs.com/0101454

23 years, 1 month

4
3
0 0

List shenanigans?

by cpg＠aladdin.de

On 07/25/2003 11:09:10 AM AST chris wrote: > >>Is it just me or is the list dumping the same messages over and over >>again? > >Just you. At least I'm not getting duplicates I do. I thought that due to some local mail system hiccup somehow I was subscribed twice (I probably have sent multiple subscribe mails...). But if someone else gets them too.... ? regards, chris

23 years, 1 month

1
0
0 0

List shenanigans?

by cb＠mythtech.net

>Is it just me or is the list dumping the same messages over and over >again? Just you. At least I'm not getting duplicates -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 1 month

1
0
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Need to read 8-inch CP/M disks

by Robert_Feldman＠jdedwards.com

I remember a cartoon in a photo magazine showing a mangled envelope labeled "Photos Do Not Bend" with "Yes they do!" scribbled below that. ;) Bob -----Original Message----- From: Vintage Computer Festival [mailto:vcf@siconic.com] Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 4:27 AM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: Re: Need to read 8-inch CP/M disks <snip> I also make sure anyone sending me magentic media writes in big, bold, red lettres on the packaging "MAGNETIC MEDIA INSIDE".

23 years, 1 month

1
0
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Obscure Fuji Unix Computer

by d_l_mcd＠hotmail.com

Hi Everybody, If you come across the following computer, or know where to find one, or know anything interesting about it, please let me know! Labelled as: Fuji MCS-16F Alleged OS: Unix OS9 Custom User Interface Software: Fuji MCS/2E V3.33 Installed Custom I/O Cards visible on back: 1. VM1161 2. VM1410 3. VM1310 There is one 5-1/4" floppy drive installed. This appears to be a mid-1980's era customized controller, and is being used to control a mid-1980's era Fuji SMT system. The problem is that the system owners are beginning to be very nervous about the long-term feasibility of the computer/controller and are searching for a backup while preparing for a surprisingly expensive software upgrade sometime in the future. Fuji no longer supports the installed software. This is also the type of thing that one may encounter in the usual places... in a dumpster, or in a pile at an auction or, well, you know, where ever. Rest assured that this particular model of obscure computer has some worth left in it, so please let me know if you encounter one! Thanks, Dan M Bellows Falls, Vermont USA

23 years, 1 month

1
0
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Panasonic KXP4400 Laser Printer

by dwightk.elvey＠amd.com

Hi Sellam A while back there was one of these that Patrick Rigney responded to. He got no reply from that person. I have also replied to one such mail without a response. It seems to be a real slow way of fishing for email addresses but maybe that is what it is. It surely is funny since, so far, these seem to be bogus. The questions they ask sound like they almost know what they are doing but they are often right on the edge of being incorrect questions. I don't see what they are up to. Maybe this is used to create an exclusive list for the Nigerian letters. I get more of these now at this mail address then I do with my hotmail account. I'm only on two mail groups with this account. My hotmail is bursting with offers to enhance or reduce various parts of my body. I can't think why anyone smart enough to work on classic computers would be stupid enough to fall for one of these scams. I've even started replying to some of these scammers to let them know that their email address harvesting methods were being used by so many other scammers that they were most likely worthless. I do this in the hopes that they'll find some other method that doesn't include me. Dwight >From: "Vintage Computer Festival" <vcf(a)siconic.com> > >On Tue, 22 Jul 2003, Hanan Friedman wrote: > >> I have the same drum problem. I appreciate very much if you could help me on >> advise of how to put the printer into Service Mode and reset the page >> counter to 00000 > >I've noticed in the past few weeks a lot of messages from newbies that >don't seem to be subscribed to the list, but who are responding to old >messages or just posting general questions and such. Was the list address >posted as some sort of open help forum in some news article or something? > >Or is this just the magic of Google? > >-- > >Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival >------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org > > * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

23 years, 1 month

7
7
0 0

scanning booklets for archive

by cb＠mythtech.net

>It worries me (a lot) that you'd throw anything out after scanning it, >considering that that paper version is easier to read and will last a >lot longer than any scanned version... Space... I'm out of space. I can fits lots and lots of stacks of paper onto a single CD if I scan them all. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 1 month

3
2
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_offline_ scanning.

by cb＠mythtech.net

>Anybody offer a scanner that goes directly to disk, >possibly via TWAIN over USB? Seems possible >since there are digital camera solutions that do that. >My dad wants to do scanning and is computer shy... >the idea is that I would visit him semiregularly and >offload/OCR/organize his work then. >This would involve the destruction of NO manuals. I don't know about directly to disk, but I can say that Adobe Acrobat's "Import from Scanner" feature makes it just about directly to disk. With Acrobat (full version, not Reader), when I choose import, it brings up my scanner control, I click SCAN (or change options if I want, but I have it preset to how I want things and it keeps it how I last set it). My scanner starts, scans the sheets in the sheet feeder, and then Acrobat prompts me to reinsert for the back side, or asks if there are any more pages (depending on if I said it was double or single sided). Once the scan process is done, I'm left with an open new PDF file of all the scanned pages, in order (including properly ordering the double sided pages). I just choose Save, give it a name, and I'm done. So basically, it isn't directly to disk, but it is only about 6 steps to a finished product, and all the steps are fairly simple so a quick cheat sheet of directions might be enough for all but the full fledged technophobes. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 1 month

2
1
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Data conversion (Commodore 64, 8250 Disk Drive, SuperBase)

by ls＠essential.com.au

Teoz, The specs differ a fair bit from the 8250 to the 1571. The 8250 can store 1024k per disk (http://www.zimmers.net/cbmpics/deieee2.html) whereas the 1571 can store 360k per disk (http://www.zimmers.net/cbmpics/d1571s.html) so I don't think this is an option. As far as importing into access goes, I am willing to do a bit of mucking around. Getting the data in plain text would be great. Lance. -----Original Message----- From: TeoZ [mailto:teoz@neo.rr.com] Sent: Friday, 25 July 2003 9:05 AM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: Re: Data conversion (Commodore 64, 8250 Disk Drive, SuperBase) If a commodore 1571 drive can read your disk you can connect the 1571 direct to a pc via parrallel port and use software to dump the files directly to the pc. Converting the database to access might be a problem if the format isnt standard. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2743816122&category=1247 I have used this type of cable to copy files from a pc to a 1541 drive and back , supports 1571 (double sided 5.25) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lance Semmens" <ls(a)essential.com.au> To: "Cctalk (E-mail)" <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 7:19 PM Subject: Data conversion (Commodore 64, 8250 Disk Drive, SuperBase) > I have 4 disks (5 1/4 floppies) full of data that I'm looking to import into > an Access Database. > The data was written on a Commodore 64 with an 8250 double disk drive. The > custom software > that was being used sat on top of a SuperBase database. > > If anyone has the means to convert this data or can offer some tips as to > how I could go about > doing this it would be much appreciated. > > Thanks, > Lance.

23 years, 1 month

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More Acorn finds + Numonics graphics tablet

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Jul 24, 23:03, Jules Richardson wrote: > Details on the A310 cards would be nice - specs of the video digitiser, Can't remember the specs offhand. IIRC it's possible to get colour out of it (all the early Acorn demos were made with one) but I think the native mode of operation is monochrome. I have one, and I have the software on an 800K ADFS E disk, though I haven't used it in at least a decade. I also have some of the colour demos done with it. The only thing I don't have, and which I'd dearly like to find, is the spoof of the BBC rotating globe that was done using images from the digitiser -- Aunty complained and all the copies I had access to got withdrawn. It uses SWIs contained in the EPROM on the card to drive the hardware; the version I have is 2.51, which I remember getting from Mike Harrison (who designed it) specially -- it's not the normal release version. > what > scanner plugs into the scanner card (it has an 8 pin min-DIN, a 20 pin > connector, and what appears to be power output), Sounds like the Beebug scanner, or possibly the Computer Concepts one (which may have used the same scanner head). Mine used a Mitsubishi scan head which was the width of A4 and rolled over a flat sheet, but there was also a sheet feeder available which used the 8-pin miniDIN. The 20-way subminiature D-connector is the connection to the scan head. It could also be used with those little scanner hand units (the ones that look like a fat barcode scanner). IIRC, the power jack is an input, for scanners that take more power than the backplane is supposed to provide. > and what the hell a Nexus card > is / does... If it's what I think it is, it was something that either SJ Research or Lingenuity built to hook a few Archimedes machines onto a SCSI bus to share a hard drive. I could be thinking of something else, though. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

23 years, 1 month

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scanning booklets for archive

by cb＠mythtech.net

>Err, if it's worth scanning, then it must have value to someone, and >therefore it's worth preserving the original. Believe me, if I think there is anything that others might want, I'll offer them before throwing them out. And if I think it is something that has value, I'll be sure to check for takers before doing anything that will remove that value (such as cutting bindings to make sheet feeding easier). At the moment, all I have scanned is "test" items. Things that either were already offered and then thrown out when no one wanted them (such as the amplifier manuals I offered months ago that I was able to recover >from my growing pile of scrap paper), or items that have zero value outside of my direct work (old in-house instruction manuals for equipment or processes). -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 1 month

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scanning booklets for archive

by cb＠mythtech.net

>So are these pdf's on a website or ftp site I can get at them? At the moment, no, none of mine are. But I've just started. Depending on how large of a collection I wind up with (and copyrights to the collection), I may either put them all on a site for download, or put some, or put a list of them with a way to request a copy. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 1 month

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scanning booklets for archive

by julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk

> It worries me (a lot) that you'd throw anything out after scanning it, > considering that that paper version is easier to read and will last a > lot longer than any scanned version... He can always print it out once it's been scanned... ;-) <ducks> J. ________________________________________________________________________ Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE Yahoo! Messenger http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/

23 years, 1 month

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Data conversion (Commodore 64, 8250 Disk Drive, SuperBase)

by ls＠essential.com.au

I have 4 disks (5 1/4 floppies) full of data that I'm looking to import into an Access Database. The data was written on a Commodore 64 with an 8250 double disk drive. The custom software that was being used sat on top of a SuperBase database. If anyone has the means to convert this data or can offer some tips as to how I could go about doing this it would be much appreciated. Thanks, Lance.

23 years, 1 month

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More Acorn finds + Numonics graphics tablet

by julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk

Hi all, I managed to pick over some more Acorn hardware that was awaiting disposal at a school yesterday and today. I only had about an hour to look over everything, and there were well over 100 machines piled into a room and cupboard, so as you can imagine it was a little frantic to sort out the good stuff. (case screws flying everywhere as I was pulling useful ROMs from stacks of dead machines :-) Came away with the following: Two Master Compacts, plus a third system unit for spares use. Two ICL-built BBC B's. (serial #'s 36xx and 38xx I think) Two standard Master 128's BBC B with a Watford DDB3 module plugged into socket for IC78 BBC B with a 3.5" floppy drive + bootable print server disk BBC B with Aries B20 / B12 boards installed Master 128 with a Cox 630B genlock card Two Master Turbo machines Music 5000 synthesizer unit Acorn A3010 Acorn A310 A310 "Computer Concepts Scanner Interface" board A310 Nexus interface board A310 video digitiser board (Watford) Around 30 spare Econet modules for Master / A3xx machines Econet kit (clock box etc) still boxed Aries B20 / B12 board Aries B32 / B12 board 6502 coprocessor board Four 486 DX4/100 processor boards on a small backplane (RiscPC?) Cub monitor (my only previous example caught fire!) Acorn RGB monitor w/SCART connection Numerous floppy drives, video leads, Econet connection boxes, spare keyboards, spare PSUs, ROMs etc. Various manuals - not dug into these yet. Numonics 2206 graphics tablet still in its box Questions: Three of the BBC B machines have an IC/module plugged into one of the ROM sockets with a label saying "RAM". The modules are twice the height of a normal IC and have a red and black wire coming out of them. The red wire is soldered to the system board; the black wire has an IC leg clip at the end of it. Any ideas what these are? What does that Watford DDB3 module do? Details on the A310 cards would be nice - specs of the video digitiser, what scanner plugs into the scanner card (it has an 8 pin min-DIN, a 20 pin connector, and what appears to be power output), and what the hell a Nexus card is / does... Information on the genlock card in the Master would be useful. ROMs / software / whatever for the Music 5000 unit could come in handy! I only have the unit itself. *Any* info on the Numonics tablet would be great. It appears to be complete (minus manuals - grr!) and supposedly works, but I don't even know what it plugs into and I don't have any driver software for it. (I'm not even sure how old it is :) Pretty much everything seems to be healthy; one of the ICL B's needs the chips reseating I think and the other one has a track / joint fault in the PSU but otherwise is OK. The Master with the genlock is dead so I'm hoping the genlock card has survived! Fills in a few gaps in the collection anyway. Quick pics of the room as found are at: www.moosenet.demon.co.uk/temp/bbc cheers Jules ===== Backward conditioning: putting saliva in a dog's mouth in an attempt to make a bell ring. ________________________________________________________________________ Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE Yahoo! Messenger http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/

23 years, 1 month

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scanning booklets for archive

by cb＠mythtech.net

>He could sell or give away the paper version once it's been >scanned (although slicing it to bits may make this harder and >not slicing it to bits means the scanning takes longer). I guess >selling it might be sufficient motive to take longer over the >scanning and not slice a manual. So far none of the stuff I have scanned I think has any selling value (some of it was already offered on this list and no one took it, I actually pulled it from the garbage to scan them). Anything that I think has value I will certainly either take the effort to scan without damaging it, or find out if there is value BEFORE I destroy it. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 1 month

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[Re: Breaking News] (Oops)

by Mzthompson＠aol.com

Sellam was nice enough to let me know that the email to my son had ended up on the mailing list by mistake. Thank you Sellam. Having not read much of the list traffic since this war started, I probably would have not known for a long time until I go back and do some catching up. I checked and sure enough, I had sent it to the list instead. I am unsure how it happened. The list address and his address are miles apart in the address book. I'll try to blame it on a misbehaving mouse or something. For those that may want to know. My son is near Mosul. His unit is with the 101st. The unit operates a number of OH-58 Kiowa gunships. The news footage of Tuesday's fire fight showed a couple of Kiowa's overhead. I had asked him if they were from his unit and it appears they were. I am thankful that all he does is maintain the choppers and therefore his butt stays back at the unit's base most of the time. I'll ask the list to forgive this intrusion with stuff unrelated to classic computers. Mike Thompson

23 years, 1 month

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Token ring (UK)

by ken＠seefried.com

>And microchannel; don't forget microchannel. The original "plug and play" >(except _it_ worked...) > >On Tue, 22 Jul 2003, Geoff Reed wrote: > >> At 10:24 PM 7/22/03 -0400, you wrote: >> >> >Nosiree. Any PC, any RS/6000, really, any machine with PCI can do token >> >ring. >> >> Token ring didn't require PCI bus, I have some ISA Token ring cards around >> here somewhere > I've seen (at least) Multibus-I, Sun SBus & VMEBus token ring as well.

23 years, 1 month

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Breaking News

by Mzthompson＠aol.com

Wednesday, July 23, 2003, 9:20 PM EST Re: Breaking News Hi Dwayne, > If this happened in Mosul then OH-58's would be ours. Had not heard about > their involvment. OK, I'll bite. How would you not know about their involvement? > Oh...and I am only 1/2 south of Mosul in a Quiet, Quaint, little Quandry > of a place. Did you mean "1/2 hour south". You are still at the abandoned airfield, right? Could you expand a little on "Quiet, Quaint, little Quandry"? > And I went to Mosul on Monday and Today (Wed) In one sense, I would have preferred not knowing that. Yeah, I know there are water runs, mail runs, etc. There have been quite a few news articles in the last 24-36 hours. I saved a lot of them until they got just too repetitive. I was going to say that I stand corrected with regards to the number of soldiers killed since May 1. I read one article iearlier today that reported numbers in the high 80's, low 90's (can't find the article at the moment) and then another article states 41 since May 1. I suspect I/we may be confusing combat versus combat/accident/illness. I am gonna close this out now and start another one. I have been feeling overwhelmed with all this recent news. My reaction is to break it down and deal with it in chunks. More soon, Dad

23 years, 1 month

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8-inch disk drives

by melamy＠earthlink.net

actually, a point of history is that the 320K disks were still formatted for nine sectors. IBM, for some reason known only to them, filled the ninth sector with all "IBM" if I remember correctly. It has been 21 years since I did this, but I remembered wondering why in the heck they didn't bother to use the ninth sector they formatted. Maybe they were holding it close to them so they could release an "enhancement" that boosted the capacity to 360K. best regards, Steve Thatcher > >I am wonderign how on earth you can make a disk controller (note, not the >OS driver software, the physocal controller) that works correctly with a >9-sector-per-track format, but fails with the 8 sector-per-track version, >all other parameters being the same. Because that's the only difference >between the 320K and 360K MS-DOS formats.

23 years, 1 month

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Token ring (UK)

by mikeford＠socal.rr.com

At 10:48 PM 7/22/03 -0400, vance(a)neurotica.com wrote: >What about Thomas-Conrad? I think I have a case of new in the box Arcnet cards etc by them.

23 years, 1 month

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VCF Gazette Volume 2, Issue 1

by vcf＠siconic.com

VCF Gazette Volume 2, Issue 1 A Newsletter for the Vintage Computer Festival July 24, 2003 The VCF Gazette begins its second volume with this extra large issue. We've tried to stay fairly on schedule, but this issue has been delayed a bit due to lots (and I mean LOTS) of stuff going on. So, without further ado... In this issue: Yet Again, a New (Permanent?) Home for the VCF Archives VCF 6.0 Commodore 64 Parallel Super Computer Project Commodore 64 Prototype Up for Auction at VCF 6.0 Coming in August: The VCF Marketplace! Planning for VCF East 2.0 VCF Producer to Speak at XGDX VintageTech Launches e-Cycle PDP-8 Replica Project New VCF Donation Program Latest Additions to the VCF Archives Yet Again, a New (Permanent?) Home for the VCF Archives ------------------------------------------------------- Ok, so some of you might have been eagerly anticipating the planned Open House that we were supposed to have last December, which got delayed due to the move by the Alameda County Computer Resource Center, the fine folks that have been hosting the Archive for the last two years. Well, forget everything we said in the last issue. The VCF is proud to announce its new--and hopefully permanent--home for the VCF Archives. We've acquired a lease on a 4,560 square foot office/warehouse in Livermore, California. The new facility has a grade level roll-up door, a loading dock (for the big stuff), and lots of space to store lots of old computers. The VCF staff has been busily packing and moving the archive from the old facility to the new. As of this writing, most of the collection (60 pallets worth plus an additional 20+ SUV loads) has been moved already, with a couple more truckloads to go to finish the move. The collection has certainly grown much larger than was realized in the time we've been at the ACCRC. Once the remainder of the collection is moved over, the real work begins. It will take several months to a year to fully sort and catalog the collection, something we've been trying to accomplish for years now. However, this time it's different. With a new venture (see below) and a new focus, we intend to achieve this goal and finally establish a world class computer history research facility for hobbyists, researchers, and the business community to utilize and enjoy. We'll keep you posted on our progress. VCF 6.0 ------- Hooray! The sixth annual Vintage Computer Festival has been scheduled for October 11th and 12th. The Computer History Museum will again be hosting the event, but this time at their spacious new home. Being that this is the 20th anniversary of the Commodore 64, it is being honored as the theme computer for this year's event. We expect to have some great Commodore 64 exhibits and, if enough people pull together, perhaps we can finally complete the long-awaited C64 parallel supercomputer. We've also got an amazing auction being planned: a rare Commodore 64 prototype (serial #19) will be auctioned during the VCF weekend. See below for more information on each of these news items. With a larger budget and a desire to push the envelope of the VCF, we expect this year's event to be the best and biggest yet. Help make this year's VCF a success by contributing a talk or exhibiting your favorite old computer. Call For Speakers One of the most enjoyable aspects of the VCF is the series of superb talks we assemble year after year. We've got some excellent sessions already lined up, but we're looking for more. Have you got an interesting computer history topic or workshop you'd like to present at the Vintage Computer Festival? Let us know! Send your abstracts to <vcf(a)vintage.org>. Exhibit at the VCF Exhibitor's at the VCF enjoy a special status. Not only do they get all the attention, as well as ribbons and prizes for their award- winning exhibits, they also get to be part of the behind-the-scenes action at the VCF. Along with the speakers, the exhibitors are the VIPs of the VCF. Learn more about exhibiting here: http://www.vintage.org/2003/main/exhibit.php Buy, Sell and Trade at the VCF Marketplace As always, one of the most exciting aspects of the VCF is the Marketplace, where you can find a large and varied assortment of some of the most fantastical old computer thingies anywhere. Find that odd part you've been seeking out for your collection, then touch, smell, even taste it if you like, before haggling out a deal. There is simply no better place to buy and sell vintage computers than at the VCF Marketplace. For more information on selling at VCF 6.0, please visit: http://www.vintage.org/2003/main/vendor.php Stay tuned for more information about special events at the VCF. Get the latest updates at the VCF 6.0 website: http://www.vintage.org/2003/main/ Commodore 64 Parallel Super Computer Project -------------------------------------------- In 1999, the VCF envisioned connecting 64 Commodore 64 computers together to form one massively parallel Commodore 64 Super-Computer. The project has sputtered and stalled but the vision has never died. So this, being the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Commodore 64, makes it imperative that we finally deliver on this vow to do what no normally sane group of individuals would waste their time on. Power supplies will die, chips will burn out, and nerds will struggle over implementation details, but do this we must! To find out about how you can contribute to this project, please visit: http://www.vintage.org/projects.php Commodore 64 Prototype Up for Auction at VCF 6.0 ------------------------------------------------ What's cooler than 64 Commodore 64's tied together to form a massively parallel supercomputer? How about an original Commodore 64 prototype? At VCF 6.0, the VCF will auction off a pre-production Commodore 64, built in early 1982 just after the Winter CES, and harboring serial number 19. This is perhaps the rarest of all Commodore 64 computers, as no other prototype Commodore 64 units are known to exist. More information about this computer will be made available in the coming weeks, including photos and screen-shots. Auction registration will begin a couple weeks before VCF 6.0. Coming in August: The VCF Marketplace! -------------------------------------- We've been hinting at it for months, nay years, but it's finally come to fruition. The VCF Marketplace--THE place to buy, sell and trade vintage computers on the internet--will be open for business in August. The VCF Marketplace provides many innovative features, including a number of different selling methods. You can offer up an item for sale in several formats, hold an auction in one of several different formats, even list an item for trade, for give-away, or even for lending! You choose the format that best fits your preferences or needs on a per listing basis. The VCF Marketplace will be a veritable vintage computer bazaar. We've deployed one of the most powerful search engines on the net. You'll be able to search on a specific make and model of computer hardware, a specific vendor and title of software, a specific title and author of a book, and so forth. No more will you have to wade through dozens or even hundreds of irrelevant hits to find what you're looking for. Also available are invaluable notification features. You can program the service to alert you the very moment an item you've been desperately seeking gets posted. Take advantage of the personal inventory functions, allowing you to manage your computer collection online and share photos and information with other collectors (a free service!) Future phases will include store fronts for volume sellers, realtime online pricing guides (instantly generated from past sales data) and registry features (track the lineage of your most prized old computers). To celebrate our launch, the service will initially be free to all users for the first six weeks. After that, the site is still free to use for most sellers, with very reasonable fees for volume sellers. A separate announcement will be sent out when the Marketplace is officially launched. Stay tuned for further details! Planning for VCF East 2.0 ------------------------- Knock! Knock! <and you say, "Who's there?"> VCF! <and you say, "VCF who?"> VCF East 2.0! That's who, silly! That's right, the much anticipated follow-up to the first east coast VCF in 2001 is being planned for April of 2004. You poor denizens of the right coast vintage computer collecting scene have been starved long enough. The economy still sucks, and you're probably still out of a job, but we're going to forge ahead and finally fulfill our promise to return. Much more details are of course to come, and we've still got to nail down a date and place, but we've got plenty of time, and we've got to get VCF 6.0 out of the way first. But don't fret, this time we mean it: VCF East 2.0 is coming! Your feedback is warranted at this point. The Boston area is still being considered as the location, but enough noise from enough people in the same place can certainly put other locales in the running. Let use know where YOU'D like VCF East to be. Send your comments and suggestions to <vcf(a)vintage.org>. VCF Producer to Speak at XGDX ----------------------------- VCF Producer Sellam Ismail will be giving a talk on the history of video games at the next Xtreme Game Developers Xpo. The talk will cover the first video game system, Tennis for Two, developed at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1958, plus Spacewar! (1962), the Magnavox Odyssey (the first home video game system circa 1972) and Nolan Bushnell's Computer Space (1970) and Pong (1972), the games that launched the video arcade industry. The talk will include video clips, screen shots, and even actual demonstrations with original hardware of some of the games and systems discussed. The Xtreme Game Developers Xpo is the premier gathering for developers, programmers, designers and anyone with a passion for video games. This year's event is being held September 6-7 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California. XGDX is open to the public and is targeted to all levels of Game Developer, from the new game programmer to the seasoned professional. There will be approximately 20-25 technical lecture sessions and roundtable discussions scheduled each day. If you've attended in the past then you know that this conference is all about people sharing a common passion: the creation ofi video games. How will this year be different? More sessions, more peers, more opportunities to benefit >from the knowledge and experience of others in a select community. What hasn't changed? The belief that providing a forum where people in every aspect of the gaming community can gather, interact, share, and learn, will produce extraordinary results. To celebrate the inauguration of XGDX (formerly the XGDC), all attendees who pre-register online prior to August 1 will receive a $250 library of Game Development books free from Premier Press (you must attend the event to receive your lirbary in person). For more information, or to register online, please visit the XGDX website: http://www.xgdx.com/ VintageTech Launches e-Cycle ---------------------------- VintageTech, the VCF's historical computing consulting firm, has just launched a new service to serve its local community. Electronic waste has become a major issue in California and throughout the nation as well. Discarded computers and consumer electronics--basically anything containing a printed circuit board--can no longer be simply tossed in the trash due to the toxic elements teeming inside of them. To serve the need for electronic waste recycling, VintageTech has launched a new electronic waste recycling service called e-Cycle. e-Cycle serves the electronic waste recycling needs of the Tri-Valley area of California's Silicon Valley. More information can be found on the e-Cycle website: http://www.ecycle.info/ To find out more about electronic waste recycling in your area, your best bet is to do a web search. Not all localities are served by recycling facilities, and there may not even be requirements in your area to recycle discarded electronics. But you should start getting into the habit of finding sensible alternatives to the landfill for your obsolete electronics because there will soon come a day when it will be required. Suggestions for alternatives to the landfill: o Donate to local schools, churches, charities, or non-profits o Donate older hardware to local community college engineering departments for spare parts o Give or sell your old computers to local used computer resellers o Sell your old hardware on the Vintage Computer Marketplace ;) o Donate your vintage computers to a local collector, or to the VCF :) PDP-8 Replica Project --------------------- The VCF was hired to create a replica PDP-8 for an exhibit at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston, Massachusetts. The replica is part of an exhibit that shows how computer technology changed the economy. The PDP-8, which defined the "mini-computer" class, is significant because it made it possible for small- and medium-sized businesses to own a computer. The PDP-8 replica will go on display at the Bank in the next several weeks. In the meantime, a photo gallery documenting the construction of the replica can be found here: http://www.vintage.org/gallery.php?grouptag=PDP-8 New VCF Donation Program ------------------------ In order to help defray the production costs of Vintage Computer Festival events, the VCF has begun a new donation program. Donations at various levels will be rewarded with VCF pins, t-shirts, and VIP passes to upcoming VCF events. Give enough and you can receive a lifetime VIP Pass to all future VCF events! Times are tough for the typical geek today, but if you can help, please visit the VCF donation page to learn more about this program: http://www.vintage.org/donate.php We greatly appreciate your support, in any form! Latest Additions to the VCF Archives ------------------------------------ We've added some very cool artifacts to the VCF Archives in recent months, including: o Sphere 6800 (the "first" all-in-one microcomputer circa 1975) o Basis 108 (German Apple ][ clone circa 1982) o MAC-8 microprocessor trainer (circa 1978) With any luck (and possibly with your help) we'll have the VCF Archives sorted, organized and catalogued within a year. Find out how you can contribute to this worthwhile project by sending an inquiry to <vcf(a)vintage.org>. And remember: almost everything in the VCF Archives is available for loan to hobbyists and researchers. Let us know if you'd like to borrow something for a project or some academic research and we'll be happy to help you out. That wraps it up for this issue of the VCF Gazette! Until next time... Best regards, Sellam Ismail Producer Vintage Computer Festival http://www.vintage.org/ The Vintage Computer Festival is a celebration of computers and their history. The VCF Gazette goes out to anyone who subscribed to the VCF mailing list, and is intended to keep those interested in the VCF informed of the latest VCF events and happenings. The VCF Gazette is guaranteed to be published in a somewhat irregular manner, though we will try to maintain a quarterly schedule. If you would like to be removed from the VCF mailing list, and therefore not receive any more issues of the VCF Gazette, visit the following web page: http://www.vintage.org/remove.php I'M a PEACH ;) -- Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org * Old computing resources for business and academia at www.VintageTech.com *

23 years, 1 month

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Sunshine EPROM programmer for Apple II

by ian_primus＠yahoo.com

While cleaning, I ran across an old EPROM programmer for an Apple II computer. The only label on it is "Sunshine". Searching on the 'net has turned up nothing on this card, but some information on the PC version of the programmer. An EPROM programmer would be a very useful thing for some of the projects I would like to work on, but I don't have any software or information on this card. Does anyone have the software or manual or any information on this? Thanks! Ian Primus ian_primus(a)yahoo.com

23 years, 1 month

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Data Systems Design DSD-880 8" floppy and hard drive?

by fm.arnold＠gmx.net

>Message: 39 >Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 06:59:49 >To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org >From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com> >Subject: Re: Data Systems Design DSD-880 8" floppy and hard drive? >Reply-To: cctech(a)classiccmp.org > >At 10:19 PM 7/22/03 -0400, you wrote: >>>Bob Shannon wrote: >> >>> The DSD boxes I used do not emulate DEC drives, and made the 45 meg hard >>> drive >>> available as a single device. >> >>Jerome Fine replies: >> >>As far as I know, the DSD 880/8 and the DSD 880/30 all used >>only a Qbus controller. And they accepted the standard DEC >>device drivers in RT-11. >> Ok, I can enhance this info somewhat. I used both DSD 880 -8 and -30. (with great pleasure!) They interfaced via a 26 pin flatcable to a host Adapter, and I had both adapters for Q-bus and Unibus. Q-bus adapter was 22-bit. (in fact, we used a 25 pole data-switch in this flat-cable to switch this storage-system between 2 machines, as desired) I used this storage subsystem under RSX11-M with standard drivers, DSD provided a utility diskette with some handouts about RSX and RT and some driver-patches (eg for 8-meg extended RL01, or RX03) that I never used. Should have this disk still sopmewhere. Any interest? If it is an DSD880 for pdp11, then the emulation is RX / RL. If it is emulating MSCP its probably the DSD 9xx series of devices. DSD440 is a dual 8" floppy, in 5" enclosure (Half RX02-formfactor!) and providing RX01, -02, -03 emulation for all DEC OS's of those days. I remember there were also adapters for other architectures / busses, DSD did not limit the 440 or 880 to DEC-machines. >>There may have been other DSD boxes in addition the the DSD 880 >>and DSD 440, but I had not heard about them, let alone the details. > > FWIW I was looking through my Intel docs last night and found a manual >for a DSD Multibus hard drive controller. > I think there was also an adapter for some Motorola 68k based system... Frank Arnold

23 years, 1 month

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Data Systems Design DSD-880 8" floppy and hard drive?

by mbg＠TheWorld.com

> Actually, for device I/O, it doesn't matter whether >one is using 16, 18, or 22 bit addressing. The PDP-11 >I/O page is defined as from 28KW-32KW, which is entirely >within the range of 16bit addressing. Actually, the I/O page is defined as the highest 8kb (4kw) in memory. For a 16-bit machine, that is indeed 28kw-32kw. But it is not correct for an 18-bit or 22-bit machine. The best way to think of it is simply 8kb which is discontiguous with, and above, the available memory. Access to it is triggered by use of '1' in the high-order 3 places of a sixteen bit address. Of course if you have MMGT turned on, then these bits simply select the appropriate page, which may or may not be the I/O page. Megan Gentry Former RT-11 Developer +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ | Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | email: mbg at world.std.com | | Member of Technical Staff | megan at savaje.com | | SavaJe Technologies, Inc. | (s/ at /@/) | | 100 Apollo Drive | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ | | Chelmsford, MA 01460 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler | | (978) 256 6521 (DEC '77-'98) | required." - mbg KB1FCA | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ Formerly with DEC/Compaq/HP

23 years, 1 month

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Data Systems Design DSD-880 8" floppy and hard drive?

by rigdonj＠cfl.rr.com

Anybody know anything about a DSD-880 8" floppy and hard drive unit made by Data Systems Design? (Black rack mount box about 6" high and 28" deep.) I found several of them today. I'm pretty certain that they came off of a system tester or circuit board tester based on a DEC computer. The units had a Shugart 800-1 8" SSDD floppy drive and a Quantum Q2040 8" hard drive in them and a INTERESTING looking front panel that said "Hyper Diagnostics" or something like that. I bought a HUGE lot of 8" floppy disks from the same place. They almost certainly came from the same systems. The disks contained RT-11 and RSX. I found that some of the disks had the driver and diagnostics for the DSD-880. Also found copies of distribution disks for RT-11 and RSX in the same pile. Joe

23 years, 1 month

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dos 1.0

by karlpaul36＠hotmail.com

Ok somone out there must still have a copy of DOS 1.0. If so could you tell us what the P/N of the set is? I could be wrong. I have been before. :) Thanks, Karl Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 15:49:29 To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com> Subject: Re: dos 1.0 Reply-To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Let me make this REAL clear. I've had both DOS 1.0 and 1.1 and they were identical except for different disks and a paper sticker on the package that said "DOS 1.1". I'm also fairly sure that there was no other mention of hte DOs version anywhere else in the package except of the disks themselves. I specificly checked the part number printed on the packages and they were exactly the same. I didn't go through EVERY page in the manual but the 20 or so pages that I checked, including the title page, indexs, introduction, copyright, etc, were all exactly the same. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think either of them mentioned MS. I did see a LATER DOs 1.1 package that had CHANGE pages added to it that was slightly different. I don't remember if it had the same part number and paper sticker or not. Joe At 02:09 PM 7/23/03 -0500, you wrote: >Joe, Not so. The DOS 1.0 manual has no reference to Microsoft. The first >page of the manual of DOS 1.1 states Disk Operation System, by Microsoft. >The DOS 1.0 just states Disk Operation System. The part number is not the >same either. > >Karl > > > >Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 17:00:22 >To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org >From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com> >Subject: Re: dos 1.0 >Reply-To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org > >If you have a DOS 1.1 manual then you have a DOS 1.0 manual. I've had and >seen several DOS 1.0 and 1.1 packages and the only difference between the >manuals was that the DOS 1.1 manuals had a paper sticker on them that said >"DOS 1.1". Even the part number on them was the same. > > Joe _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

23 years, 1 month

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dos 1.0

by jforbes2＠mindspring.com

> On Wed, 23 Jul 2003, Joe wrote: >> Yes, they describe the \1 switch. It's also described in some "Read Me >> First" pages in the front of the manual. > > It might even be the ONLY change, but that is certainly different > from what is in the 1.0 manual. > > One would have to be very intent on having a COMPLETE collection > to feel a need to have both. There appears to be quite a bit of 1.10 specific info in the manual I have...stuff in the apendices about double sided disks, etc. This is the Second Edition, May 1982, for version 1.10. I have a Columbia MS-DOS 1.25 manual also, which is quite primitive looking compared to the IBM docs. The Columbia manual apparently was written and printed by Microsoft, with a Columbia cover added to make it look oem. This manual is also copyright 1982. I am not quite intent enough to pay $$$ for a PC-DOS 1.00 manual...but if one drops out of the sky, I'll put it on the shelf with the rest of my almost complete PC-DOS collection. -- Jim Visit the Selectric Typewriter Museum! http://www.mindspring.com/~jforbes2

23 years, 1 month

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computer automation...

by LAAG＠PACBELL.NET

new to the dialog here but was just wondering if there were any interest in the computer automation stuff??? I have a couple of lsi-2 systems running and an alpha-16 stored...

23 years, 1 month

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dos 1.0

by jforbes2＠mindspring.com

> At 10:22 PM 7/22/03 -0700, you wrote: > >>>The IBM PC DOS 1.00 manual seems to be quite rare indeed...the 1.10 >>>version is not hard to find. What's fun is getting either running on a >>>hard drive in a 5150 :) > > > That would be interesting especailly since neither version supported > sub-directories! > > Joe I have a 5150 with a Davong hard drive, with an external power supply (the 5150 63 watt ps was not quite up to the task), running PC DOS 1.10. There was software provided by Davong with the necessary modified DOS files to make it work. The drive is partitioned, with no directories, ie. all the files in each drive are in the root area. The computer boots from a special floppy disk, and goes to the a: prompt which is the first partition on the hard drive...and c: is the floppy drive...rather odd for a PC user, but not so odd for a Kaypro 10 user. <http://www.mindspring.com/~jforbes2/old5150/index.html> shows more. -- Jim Visit the Selectric Typewriter Museum! http://www.mindspring.com/~jforbes2

23 years, 1 month

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Benchmark test software for the PC?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Jul 23, 13:56, Vintage Computer Festival wrote: > I need something for Pentium II and higher. Anything that was written > pre-Pentium, such as Landmark which I used quite extensively, would give > meaningless results on anything beyond a Pentium. Well, that depends on what you're measuring, really. But most of the benchmarks mentioned only measure processor speed (mostly, as modified by memory/cache speed) and if you want to know how something will perform as web server, that's not very useful. You want a benchmark that will take into account I/O bandwidth, or more specifically, disk access. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

23 years, 1 month

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Token ring (UK)

by julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk

>>Nosiree. Any PC, any RS/6000, really, any machine with PCI can do token >>ring. > >Token ring didn't require PCI bus, I have some ISA Token ring cards around >here somewhere Yep, Madge and IBM (obviously) made ISA boards. I believe they both made PCMCIA cards too (IBM certainly did, I still have one somewhere). My old company were exclusively 16Mbit token-ring up until about three years ago (and crying out for leads on spare parts back then). Support for anything other than a Windows/DOS PC was pretty much non-existant though and as we started using more and more Unix hardware (and the odd Mac, and Linux on x86) on projects I ended up throwing a bit of Ethernet into the pot, and things gradually started going that way by the time I left. cheers Jules ________________________________________________________________________ Want to chat instantly with your online friends? Get the FREE Yahoo! Messenger http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/

23 years, 1 month

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Dec RA60 Drives and HSC40 Controller... worth rescuing?

by CordaAJ＠NSWC.NAVY.MIL

Hey guys, I just ran across a couple of DEC RA60 (removable pack) drives and a HSC40 controller at a local dealer. They know _nothing_ about this stuff, save that it's _heavy_. I was able to find some docs on the controller, but nothing on the drives. As I recently acquired a VAX6630, I am considering latching onto the HSC40, but am vacillating on the drives... they _are_ heavy, and the dealer has no disk packs unless, god forbid, they are still in the drives 8-( ... I need to go back sometime this week and open 'em up for a look-see. Not being familiar with the RA60, and being unable to find any docs on-line, I have no idea how to open these up... does anyone have any experience with these critters? Can they be opened without power (i.e. is the top door locked with a solenoid?) I found a usenet post that indicated how to lock the heads, but I would be greatful for any info/insights on how to open the drives, things to watch out for when moving 'em, what to look for to indicate damage, etc... BTW how susceptable are they to damage if moved with the packs in them? (I _would not_ do this myself, but I know that they were not handled gently by the folks who sold them to the dealer... probably dropped off the back of a U-haul or something equally gentle. They apparently came from an unclamed storage lockup) Also, in the overall scheme of things, are these even worth saving? I have no idea where to get disk packs for them (I do have some 5-platter packs from CDC, model 9877, 877 and 877-51... would these possibly work? was there some sort of disk-pack standard?) Normally, I would not hesitate, but my collection is starting to get out of hand, and I have to start limiting myself...eventually ;-) -al- -acorda(a)1bigred.com

23 years, 1 month

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Dec RA60 Drives and HSC40 Controller... worth rescuing?

by rogersda＠cox.net

> > The HSC would need its bootable media, probably CRONIC on 5.25" floppies. > > CRONIC for sure. On a HSC40 or 50 the boot media would be a DEC tape, TU58

23 years, 1 month

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dos 1.0

by karlpaul36＠hotmail.com

Joe, Not so. The DOS 1.0 manual has no reference to Microsoft. The first page of the manual of DOS 1.1 states Disk Operation System, by Microsoft. The DOS 1.0 just states Disk Operation System. The part number is not the same either. Karl Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 17:00:22 To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com> Subject: Re: dos 1.0 Reply-To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org If you have a DOS 1.1 manual then you have a DOS 1.0 manual. I've had and seen several DOS 1.0 and 1.1 packages and the only difference between the manuals was that the DOS 1.1 manuals had a paper sticker on them that said "DOS 1.1". Even the part number on them was the same. Joe At 01:31 PM 7/22/03 -0500, you wrote: >I have DOS 1.1, in fact I have ALL of the IBM/PC DOS versions but for a >complete 1.0. > >Karl _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail

23 years, 1 month

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computer automation...

by aek＠spies.com

> new to the dialog here but was just wondering if there were any interest in the computer automation stuff??? -- I'm interested in getting copies of any software and documentation that you might still have.

23 years, 1 month

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help! shugart 801

by aek＠spies.com

> For other drive I have prints but not for the Siemens. www.spies.com/aek/pdf/siemens/

23 years, 1 month

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Token ring (UK)

by geoffr＠zipcon.net

At 10:24 PM 7/22/03 -0400, you wrote: >Nosiree. Any PC, any RS/6000, really, any machine with PCI can do token >ring. Token ring didn't require PCI bus, I have some ISA Token ring cards around here somewhere

23 years, 1 month

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IBM system 3 Re:PDP-12 on eBay (IBM 650) on ebay)

by roll＠stupi.se

"Mysterious PDP-10's in Stockholm". There is lot's of stuff in the wharehouse... KA10 2 (110V, complete, unknown condition gift from SC-group) BBN Pager 1 Sails's KA pager KI10 4 Three complete, Simon, UCI, Medecindata, Aarhus KL10A 1 "MIT-MC" complete with T300 disks on PDP11 KL10B (1090) 2 Oden (QZ Stockholm) (complete) KL10B (1091) 1 Tempest (Foa studielabb) (complete) KL10B (2065) 1 Vera (KTH) KS10 3 SC-group, TSL-data Clones; SC30 3 One in working condition (gift from SC-Group) TOAD-1 1 Working With the exception of A PDP-6 (have only one card Pulsed BUS Transceiver 1665D) the Foonley's and the Minnow and a SC40, I beleive there is a complete collection of PDP-10's. Lot's of stuff, like a SA-10 IBM chanel adapter, cards, manuals, spares, perpherials: TU77, TU78, TU45, RP07, RP20, RP06, TU70, TU71, DN87, DN200, TU55, TU56, RH10, DF10, DC10 DS10, RM05. And enough IO-bus, Memory-Bus, Massbus etyc cables to put it together. There is other related stuff like one of the original CADR's, PDP8/E, PDP9, PDP12/LINC12.. I don't remember what hapened to "Katia", when the Stacken management decided to destroy the PDP10's, some equipment and tools (like my 2020- extender-card, 7-trk ITS distribution, Rp06 aligment pack) was lost. Pices of Katia might be in the warehouse. Idea was to attach the BBN-pager to a working KA. As for proof, here are some pictures, as you can se it's packed, and unless someone provides a very compelling argument, it will stay packed. http://www.stupi.se/Bilder/pdp-10/index.html -Peter Ps: I'm not a member of the mailinglist, so please send me questions direct.

23 years, 1 month

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Looking for an S-100 system

by mhstein＠canada.com

Well, I imagine you'll get quite a few offers, but FWIW I do happen to have a few S-100 systems, to wit, a number of Cromemcos and a couple of Vector MZs. I do also have all the documentation for them, system manuals and manuals for all the individual cards, as well as the system software (CDOS and CROMIX, CP/M and Unix wannabes) and some applications, also with manuals. Mind you, being multi-user systems, they're not quite as simple in design as most of the S-100/CP/M systems out there. I don't think I have the original cards for the Vectors, as I also populated them with Cromemco cards, but I could look; in any case no docs. The problem as always is the shipping; I'm located in Toronto, and S-100 systems tend to have rather heavy linear power supplies. A couple of other list members in my part of the world have expressed interest and of course they will have priority as soon as I find the time to sort it all out, and I'm assuming that shipping will probably make it impractical for you, but if not and you don't get any better offers, let me know and we'll see what we can work out. Good luck, mike -----------------------------Original message-------------------------- From: "Ernest" <ernestls(a)comcast.net> To: <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> Subject: Looking for an S-100 system Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 08:23:07 -0700 Reply-To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org I am interested in acquiring an S-100 CP/M system and I'm hoping that someone here might have one that they might sell or trade to me. I've never had an S100 type computer but I've always passively wanted one to tinker with. I don't have a particular make or model in mind but I have a general idea of what I'm looking for. Basically, I'm looking for one that I won't be afraid to work on, like an Altair or some other very rare or valuable old computer. An example that I was thinking of was a Northstar Horizon, since it's not rare, has floppy drives, and it follows the standard s100 bus architecture (I think.) The Vector Graphic Vector 1 is another system that seems to be fairly simple in design but I'm not sure how rare/expensive they are. I don't want to spend a fortune, and I'm not looking for anything highly collectable -just something simple and ordinary that I can work on and play with, and repair if something breaks. Thanks, E

23 years, 1 month

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dos 1.0

by jforbes2＠mindspring.com

> From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com> > Subject: RE: dos 1.0 > > At 11:13 PM 7/21/03 -0500, you wrote: >>>-----Original Message----- >>>From: Karl Paul [mailto:karlpaul36@hotmail.com] >>> >>>I'm looking for the dos 1.0 manual and binder. I have the disk and nothing >>>else. Anyone out there have a manual and binder they would like to sell? >>> >>>This one shows up on e-Bay from time to time, but at outrageous prices... >>>-sigh- > I have one that I'll sell at an outragous price :-) Mine even has thet > "rare" sticker on it that says "Version 1.1" and comes equiped with the > "rare" DOS 1.1 disks. The IBM PC DOS 1.00 manual seems to be quite rare indeed...the 1.10 version is not hard to find. What's fun is getting either running on a hard drive in a 5150 :) -- Jim Visit the Selectric Typewriter Museum! http://www.mindspring.com/~jforbes2

23 years, 1 month

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dos 1.0

by fmc＠reanimators.org

Fred Cisin <cisin(a)xenosoft.com> wrote: > 3.xx added support for path in executution (you could run a program that > was in a different directory than the one that you were in) Typo? I remember MS-DOS 2.11? on the HP150A in 1983 supporting a PATH environment variable which COMMAND.COM would use to search for executable programs. -Frank McConnell

23 years, 1 month

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FREE for Pickup

by mail.list＠analog-and-digital-solutions.com

Anyone in Central Florida want a 4 camera printed circuit board inspection machine missing it's cards? Was working before stored, but now not firing up. Free for pick up if this happens.

23 years, 1 month

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help! shugart 801

by n8uhn＠yahoo.com

Did you check the drives opto sensor's light path to make sure that no dust bunnies are blocking the path? i have an osi/macom that uses the same drives and after troubleshooting three good drives - i discovered that the drive interface card and 1 cpu had been pluged into the molex plug backplane backwords! one of these days i'll have to re chip and re cap both boards. anyhoo, you may want to check out your controller to insure that it is sending a head load signal. also on those drives,there are some wire jumpers that may need to be set and soldered. if i remember correctly - there is two different boards used on those drives too - one is for hard sectored and one is for soft sectored thier may be another for mfm vs another standard too - double check the boards on the drive's with your orignal - your looking for the missing or complete parts on the fm data sep and other silk screened areas and the wire jumper location's at the back of the card edge connector. just rememebered my drives were siemens fdd 100-8 e hope this helps anyway. Bill Message: 31 Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2003 21:40:07 To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com> Subject: help! shugart 801 Cc: Dave Mabry <dmabry(a)mich.com> Reply-To: cctech(a)classiccmp.org I have several systems that use Shugart 800-1 SS 8" disk drives. I've got several defective drives plus I've been wanting some spares. Last week I picked up 10 Shugart model 801 SS drives. Today I tried to use them on the same systems but I can't make them work. I've set all the jumpers and straps exactly the same as in the 800-1 drives but the 801s aren't working. The system knows the drive is there and detects the disk being in place and rotating and that the drive door closed but the drive never gets the head load signal. I'm using the same system, cables, power supply, etc with both drives so the only difference is the drives themselves. I've tried a couple of 801s and gotten exactly the same results with all of them so I don't think that it due to a drive failure. Anybody have any experience with these or have a good idea of what's wrong? Joe --__--__--

23 years, 1 month

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Panasonic KXP4400 Laser Printer

by mec＠012.net.il

Hello Hello Phil, I have the same drum problem. I appreciate very much if you could help me on advise of how to put the printer into Service Mode and reset the page counter to 00000 Thanks, Hanan Friedman

23 years, 1 month

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Using a Mac mono monitor with PC VGA

by Robert_Feldman＠jdedwards.com

It's an MO400, Apple High-Res Mono, 35 kHz Horizontal scan, 66.7 Hz vertical scan. Looks like it won't work :(. -----Original Message----- From: Ian Primus [mailto:ian_primus@yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 3:26 PM To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org Subject: Re: Using a Mac mono monitor with PC VGA If it's a monochrome monitor, chances are that it won't work. A lot of those old monitors were fixed frequency, and can't be driven by a PC VGA card. <snip>

23 years, 1 month

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WTD: 2114 RAMs

by philpem＠dsl.pipex.com

Hi all, Has anyone got six (or more) 2114 RAMs they feel like parting with? John Honniball (coredump at gifford dot co dot uk) was supposed to be sending me some, but for some reason he's stopped answering my emails. At this moment in time, the only thing I want to do is see my Jupiter Ace running. Unfortunately the RAMs are totally stuffed (Tony Duell was right about them dying if you look at them wrong!)... I know BGMicro still sell them - is anyone placing an order with them in the near future? Thanks. -- Phil. | Acorn Risc PC600 Mk3, SA202, 64MB, 6GB, philpem(a)dsl.pipex.com | video mods, 10BaseT (i3 EtherLAN600), http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/ | 8xCD, framegrabber, teletext REALITY.SYS corrupted: reboot universe?

23 years, 1 month

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scanning booklets for archive

by cb＠mythtech.net

>Why cut them in half? When I needed to copy some booklets like this, I >pulled out the staples, then took each sheet and folded it back in half. >I then scanned/copied each side of that, folded it back the other way and >scanned/copied the 2 sides of it in that configuration (this got copies >of all 4 booklet-pages that made up a single sheet). After I'd done all >the pages, I put them back in the right order and put the (original) >staples back in. This is a valid approach for things that are important... but it is FAR more time consuming then my current method. By cutting them in half I can load them into the sheet feeder and do the entire first half of the book (I tell Acrobat I'm scanning dual sided pages, it scans all the first sides, then prompts me to put them back in and scan the back sides, then it puts them all in order for me... I repeat the process with the back half of the book, and when I am done, everything is in order and I've had very little user interaction with it). So really, cutting them in half is just a huge time saver. If I do the folding method, I have to scan them all way out of order and worry about putting them all back into order. Certainly valid and worth the time for things I want to not destroy. But not worth it for things that are being thrown out right after scanning. -chris <http://www.mythtech.net>

23 years, 1 month

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Getting Mac OS X to play nice with DEC OS's

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

Since there seem to be a few people on CLASSICCMP besides me running Mac OS X, I figure the following might be of interest. One of my chief remaining complaints with Mac OS X has been getting X-Windows to play nicely with OpenVMS and other DEC OS's. Normally I use a shell script to start up a xterm with the properly configured keyboard mappings, but that doesn't work under Mac OS X. I'm used to having a fully functional keypad for editing files, and I can't live without it. Well, I think I've finally got it about solved. Simply do the following. Dump your existing keyboard layout (twice): xmodmap -pke > ~/.Xmodmap xmodmap -pke > ~/.Xmodmap.orig Change to the following keycodes in the ~/.Xmodmap keycode 79 = KP_F1 keycode 89 = KP_F2 keycode 83 = KP_F3 keycode 75 = KP_F4 keycode 127 = Select Load your new .Xmodmap: xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap Add the following to ~/.Xdefaults xterm*VT100.Translations: #override \ <Key>BackSpace: string(0x7f) If you actually need the normal X-Windows keyboard layout for some reason you can get it back by doing: xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap.orig So far I've tested this with TOPS-20, OpenVMS, and RT-11 and it seems to be working great. I'm not sure if the function keys work right, as I don't really use them, but all the keys I use for editing do work. My only complaint is that it doesn't support double-height text, but it's a lot cheaper solution than going out and buying a commercial terminal emulator that offers full support. Zane -- -- | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator | | healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast | | | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | PDP-10 Emulation and Zane's Computer Museum. | | http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |

23 years, 1 month

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Token ring (UK)

by nedry＠mail.bedlambells.com

My company is still all 16 meg token ring. The cards (both PCMCIA and PCI) are still available from Madge (we just bought five PCI Cards) and cost over ?100 each. Ouch. I've got my laptop set up with both e-net and token ring PCMCIA cards, and it works great, with both Slackware and Windows 2000... although making Slackware work ment some manual editing of config files... Take Care, Mark ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Jules Richardson<julesrichardsonuk(a)yahoo.co.uk> Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2003 18:10:34 +0100 (BST) >Yep, Madge and IBM (obviously) made ISA boards. I believe they both >made PCMCIA cards too (IBM certainly did, I still have one >somewhere). My old company were exclusively 16Mbit token-ring up >until about three years ago (and crying out for leads on spare parts >back then). > >Support for anything other than a Windows/DOS PC was pretty much non- >existant though and as we started using more and more Unix hardware >(and the odd Mac, and Linux on x86) on projects I ended up throwing a >bit of Ethernet into the pot, and things gradually started going that >way by the time I left.

23 years, 1 month

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Commodore CBM/PET in Terminator 3

by palazzol＠comcast.net

Anyone else spot that one near the end of the movie? It was one of the 80-column models. Not sure what any of the other "30-year old" computers were. -Frank

23 years, 1 month

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scanning booklets for archive

by classiccmp＠vintage-computer.com

> I finally have a scanning system setup here for archiving documents. On a tangentially related note, we've just started an effort at the VC Forum to track scanned documents. Think of it as an index to available online documents of interest to vintage computer collectors. It's just in its infancy, but I think it's a great idea and I hope we have success with it. The thread at http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/viewtopic.php? t=241 covers my interpretation of the effort. I'm sure it will evolve somewhat over time. Please feel free to drop by and comment or help out! Thanks, Erik Klein www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum The Vintage Computer Forum

23 years, 1 month

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Vairan Data Machines

by aek＠spies.com

I got a lot of manuals and schematics - I'll prepare a list. Since my brother got a powerful scanner at work, he might be able to scan the documents, which are not at your site already. -- I have quite a bit of material also which I will put up now that there is someone who needs it. What I don't have that would be very handy would be documentation on the fixed head disc, and disc interface.

23 years, 1 month

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Varian Data Machines

by aek＠spies.com

I got a Varian(Univac) Data Machines 620L100 in very good conditions including a fixed-head disk, a teletype and a Tektronix storage display. This machines is dated to 1974. -- Is it an ADAPTS system (is there an A/D panel just below the CPU) ? I have one. It is very likely that there is a lab oriented BASIC (possibly still in core!) If there is any way to save the contents of memory before you fiddle with trying programs, it would be a GOOD THING. I haven't touched my machine because I don't want to destroy what may be the only copy of that program. I would also suggest not spinning up the disc right away. I assume you aren't getting any documentation or external software with it?

23 years, 1 month

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Data Systems Design DSD-880 8" floppy and hard drive?

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Jul 23, 1:34, <rogersda(a)cox.net> wrote: > Jerome Fine <jhfinexgs2(a)compsys.to> wrote: > > > [...] In addition, > > I also added a bounce buffer in DYX.SYS so that > > a user buffer above 256 KBytes could be used > > with the 18-bit hardware addresses in the floppy. > > Actually, for device I/O, it doesn't matter whether > one is using 16, 18, or 22 bit addressing. The PDP-11 > I/O page is defined as from 28KW-32KW, which is entirely > within the range of 16bit addressing. It's true that the I/O page always appears *to software* at *logical* addresses 160000-177777. This is fine for the processor, which has logic to deal with it. Nevertheless, the *hardware* addresses which appear on the bus need to be 160000-177777, 760000-777777, or 17760000-17777777 depending on whether the system uses 16, 18, or 22-bit addressing. To make life easier, DEC provide a "Bus Bank Select 7" signal, which most I/O devices use to detect access to the I/O page. What Jerome is referring to, however, is the DMA operation. An RXV21 or RLV11 (and some other devices) can only perform data transfers to 18-bit addresses. Data is transferred only by DMA; you can't transfer data from the device controller, only commands and status. Most DEC operating systems expect data transfers to be able to load/save from data buffers at arbitrary (physical) addresses; therefore drivers in some operating systems have the option to use a bounce buffer mapped to low memory, for 18-bit devices. They therefore transfer the data in two stages: under program control between the bounce buffer and the required address, and letting the DMA transfer between bounce buffer and actual device. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Network Manager University of York

23 years, 1 month

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Data Systems Design DSD-880 8" floppy and hard drive?

by rogersda＠cox.net

Jerome Fine <jhfinexgs2(a)compsys.to> wrote: > I agree there needs to be a SYSGEN to be able to use > all 3 * RL02 drives with the DL(X).SYS device drivers > and the hardware handles ONLY 18 bit addresses for > both the DYX.SYS and DLX.SYS device drivers. > > BUT the RLV11 and the RXV12 from DEC also > managed to handle only 18-bit addresses. So the > DSD box was completely compatible with the stock > (distributed) V4.00 of RT-11. > > However, V4.00 code in DY.MAC contained the > extra instructions to use a double-sided media which > would probably have been called an RX03. And > although those extra instructions had bugs (after all > they had never been tested) and were removed by > V5.00 of RT-11, I did fix the bugs and ran a DYX.SYS > device driver under V5.03 of RT-11 using the DSD > 8" floppy as a double-sided drive. In addition, > I also added a bounce buffer in DYX.SYS so that > a user buffer above 256 KBytes could be used > with the 18-bit hardware addresses in the floppy. Actually, for device I/O, it doesn't matter whether one is using 16, 18, or 22 bit addressing. The PDP-11 I/O page is defined as from 28KW-32KW, which is entirely within the range of 16bit addressing. Dale Rogers DEC/Compaq/HP

23 years, 1 month

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Website down?

by kurtk7＠visi.com

Just a quick question for the group, Anyone heard of a website called olddos.org? Thanks Kurt

23 years, 1 month

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DEC AD0L-A

by wrljet＠yahoo.com

Does anyone know what a DEC AD0L-A is? Looks like some sort of A/D equipment. Mounting panel holds a number cards and has a small power supply near one end. Cards present (looks like a bunch are missing, from the amount of wiring on the backplane) are: A220 A708 A862 bipolar high speed A/C convertor G701 M100 M111 invertors M161 binary to octal convertor M216 flip-flops M602 pulse generator M636 Anybody know what the mystery cards are? Thanks, Bill

23 years, 1 month

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apology for the delay

by jwest＠classiccmp.org

Sorry all the email got backed up on cctech for a few days. I just got back >from the Great Oklahoma Excersion(tm) with Guy to pick up Jeff Sharp's collection - hence I was away from the list for a few days. God was Oklahoma HOT!!! Lots of pictures of the move were taken. I'm shipping my pictures off to Guy and he'll put them up on his website sometime I'm sure. Regards, Jay West

23 years, 1 month

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Dec RA60 Drives and HSC40 Controller... worth rescuing?

by rogersda＠cox.net

The RA60's should be opened with power on. However, unlike RL02's, the solenoid can be overridden with a thin blade. > From: Corda Albert J DLVA <CordaAJ(a)NSWC.NAVY.MIL> > ... As I recently acquired a VAX6630, I am considering > latching onto the HSC40, but am vacillating on the drives... You have to really *want* one of these. They are power hungry little beasties. > they _are_ heavy, and the dealer has no disk packs unless, > god forbid, they are still in the drives 8-( ... I need to go > back sometime this week and open 'em up for a look-see. > > Not being familiar with the RA60, and being unable to find any > docs on-line, I have no idea how to open these up... does anyone > have any experience with these critters? Can they > be opened without power (i.e. is the top door locked with a > solenoid?) As far as what to look for, hold the pack so that light is passing through the side of it. Every surface should be completely smooth. If you see any rings, it's had the head touch it. The heads should be white to yellowish white with a dark bar in the middle. If there are black or brown smudges on the head, they've been crashed. If they clean up smooth with 95% alcohol, they ~may~ be okay. I'd have to look, but I think good heads ohmed out at 4-6 ohms. (It's been a while since I last worked on one.) Dale the DECdude

23 years, 1 month

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Microchannel Ethernet

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 7/22/2003 10:26:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, nedry(a)mail.bedlambells.com writes: > Don't need that... but, anyone got any microchannel ethernet cards? I have > an IBM PS2/95 server, with only token ring. It's that or I have to build my > own token ring segment. Kind of a drag... > They can still be found fairly easily. Check ebay as they are for sale all the time. If nothing else works out, I might be able to help. -- Antique Computer Virtual Museum www.nothingtodo.org

23 years, 1 month

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dos 1.0

by karlpaul36＠hotmail.com

I have DOS 1.1, in fact I have ALL of the IBM/PC DOS versions but for a complete 1.0. Karl Message: 35 Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2003 06:43:16 To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org From: Joe <rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com> Subject: RE: dos 1.0 Reply-To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org I have one that I'll sell at an outragous price :-) Mine even has thet "rare" sticker on it that says "Version 1.1" and comes equiped with the "rare" DOS 1.1 disks. Joe At 11:13 PM 7/21/03 -0500, you wrote: >This one shows up on e-Bay from time to time, but at outrageous prices... >-sigh- > >Cheers... > >Ed Tillman >Store Automation Tech Support Specialist > Valero Energy Corporation >San Antonio, Texas, USA >Office: (210)592-3110, Fax (210)592-2048 >Email: edward.tillman(a)valero.com <mailto:edward.tillman@valero.com> > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Karl Paul [mailto:karlpaul36@hotmail.com] > >I'm looking for the dos 1.0 manual and binder. I have the disk and nothing >else. Anyone out there have a manual and binder they would like to sell? > >Karl _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

23 years, 1 month

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looking for......

by healyzh＠aracnet.com

> HP 9122D floppy drive unit > > Anyone have one they're willing to trade? > > Jay West > Maybe, what exactly is it? Is it by chance an 8" drive with an HPIB Interface? Zane

23 years, 1 month

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looking for......

by fmc＠reanimators.org

Zane H. Healy wrote (after Jay West): > > HP 9122D floppy drive unit > > Maybe, what exactly is it? Is it by chance an 8" drive with an HPIB Dual 3.5" double-sided drive with HP-IB interface. -Frank McConnell

23 years, 1 month

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8-inch disk drives

by luv2craftca＠jaydemail.com

Thanks everyone for your very helpful suggestions. We had originally planned to do the transfer via serial cable but someone suggested the hardware solution, which sounded interesting, but obviously would require more work. We are looking into the kermit solution. If that fails then we will be looking at logging data displayed on the monitor. Jo -- _______________________________________________ Another FREE service from Jayde Online http://www.jayde.com Private, Web-based email accounts at http://www.jaydemail.com Powered by Outblaze

23 years, 1 month

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IBM Displaywriter

by art＠gardnerbusiness.com

Lawrence Walker, I would like to purchase an IBM Displaywriter. Can you help? Thanks Arthur S. Gardner Gardner Business Services 866-321-6611

23 years, 1 month

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Looking for an S-100 system

by ernestls＠comcast.net

I am interested in acquiring an S-100 CP/M system and I'm hoping that someone here might have one that they might sell or trade to me. I've never had an S100 type computer but I've always passively wanted one to tinker with. I don't have a particular make or model in mind but I have a general idea of what I'm looking for. Basically, I'm looking for one that I won't be afraid to work on, like an Altair or some other very rare or valuable old computer. An example that I was thinking of was a Northstar Horizon, since it's not rare, has floppy drives, and it follows the standard s100 bus architecture (I think.) The Vector Graphic Vector 1 is another system that seems to be fairly simple in design but I'm not sure how rare/expensive they are. I don't want to spend a fortune, and I'm not looking for anything highly collectable -just something simple and ordinary that I can work on and play with, and repair if something breaks. Thanks, E

23 years, 1 month

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