< First off.. am I making a semantic error? The exact wording on
< the badgeplate of the 'good' machine reads 'VAXSTATION II/RC' and
< the dead one reads just 'VAXSTATION II'... all this time I have
< been refering to them as 'MicroVaxes'. Dumb? Irrelevant? Crucial?
Similar save for VAXstation was the marketing thing for a workstation
configuration and Microvax generally meant terminals for IO unless there
was a /GPX or /SPX then it was a workstation. Confused... so was
marketing.
< Upon power-up, the LED display on the back shows 'A'. The fixed
< disk, a Micropolis RD53-A, spins up and coasts down continuously.
The RD53 has a problem, there is internally a rubber bumper and the head
is stuck to it! Common problem on the Micropolus 1325s. The fix, open it
HDA, unlatch the head lock and force the arm to move then apply power and
close. recover data and dispose or if you nuts like me do surgery to
remove the peice of gum that used to be rubber and button it up and use it
a few more years.
< Cycling 'HALT' on the front panel causes the usual 'break' monitor
< printout and the pc state. The LED displays '8' and that's it... I
< have let it go for 10 minutes....
I think it's waiting for a terminal.
Allison
This snippet I grabbed last year as I was compiling my Commodore 8-bit write
up for Vintage Computer Festival 1.0 at least it's a lead... (my scrapbook
doesn't get cleaned much) I think it was a writeup on an awards ceremony for
the innovators of the microcomputer industry.
> One of the awards went to William D. Mensch, Jr., president and CEO, The Western
> Design Center Inc. Mensch was fundamental to the development of the Motorola
> 68000 microprocessor, and he went on to help invent and develop the 6502 chip at
> MOS Technology in the early 1970s. The 6502 was eventually used in Apple,
> Commodore and Atari computers.
>
> The second award in the category was presented to Chuck Peddle, president, Thstyme
> Ltd., and another MOS Technology veteran. Peddle pioneered the phenomenally
> successful 6502 microprocessor, and, under Commodore, led the development of one
> of the first personal computers: the PET (Personal Electronic Transactor), which put the
> 6502 chip to practical use.
Hope that helps!
--
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Larry Anderson - Sysop of Silicon Realms BBS (300-2400bd) (209) 754-1363
Visit my Commodore 8-Bit web page at:
http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare/commodore.html
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
I just picked up an Apple SoftCard /// still shrinkwrapped. I almost
hate to open it up but I want to use it in my Apple /// since I collect
to learn and use instead of reselling. I'm pretty sure this is the
original shrinkwrap looking it over and the stickers on it but it made
me wonder. Is there any way to really know if someone is selling
you something that is in the original wrap or something they just re-
wraped? Guess you just have to follow the old "buy be ware".
-----
David Williams - Computer Packrat
dlw(a)trailingedge.com
http://www.trailingedge.com
> I just picked up an Apple SoftCard /// still shrinkwrapped. I almost
> hate to open it up but I want to use it in my Apple /// since I collect
> to learn and use instead of reselling. I'm pretty sure this is the
> original shrinkwrap looking it over and the stickers on it but it made
> me wonder.
Woha. Dont open. At least that what's I would do
(especialy since my Apple /// was stolen 2 weeks ago :().
Try to get a second one.
> Is there any way to really know if someone is selling
> you something that is in the original wrap or something they just re-
> wraped? Guess you just have to follow the old "buy be ware".
Yes, or at least there are some hints. First, the type
of platic film is changing constantly (but you need a bit
experiance, since not only the material is different over
time, also for example, at the same time, companies in
Europe liked different material than those in the US).
Second the aging is visible thru the consistence. While
the years it gets harder and harder. Even if you get the
same material as uses when original, it takes some years
to get the softener out. And third: In a lot of cases
there are stickers on top. If you rewarp the card you
loose them. And most visible, forth: if you juse it
there will be dust on the card and traces on the books.
I always try to keep original packt items as they are,
althru I have some early singleboarders (i.e. 6800),
where I have to fight myself every time I see them :)
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
At 21:55 10/09/98 EDT, SUPRDAVE(a)aol.com wrote:
>I tested the three C64s i got and none are getting video on a known working
>composite monitor. im also not getting a beep when i try ^G (assuming a
>speaker is inside the computer) do these systems need an rf modulator or
>require a tv?
If you're plugging the composite monitor into the RCA plug on the back of
the C64 you're not going to have much luck. That's the RF output. The
composite video is, if I remember correctly, on pin 4 of the AV DIN socket.
The C64 does not have an internal speaker. Sound is modulated on the RF if
you connect it to a TV, otherwise it's present on pin 3 of the AV DIN
connector. Either way, ^G does *not* give you a beep on a C64. To get
sound out of it you need to resort to POKEing (I can't remember exactly
where you need to POKE, but I'm sure someone else on the list can).
Regards,
| Scott McLauchlan |E-Mail: scott(a)cts.canberra.edu.au |
| Network Services Team |Phone : +61 2 6201 5544 (Ext.5544)|
| Client Services Division |Post : University of Canberra, |
| University of Canberra, AUSTRALIA | ACT, 2601, AUSTRALIA. |
> On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 19:23:11 +1, "Hans Franke" <franke(a)sbs.de> wrote:
>>>does anybody know who has right now the rights for
>>>the KIM-1 design and the respective ROM code?
>>>Or more in general - is there any successor for
>>>the Commodore Semiconductor divison ?
> I did some research on this about 18 months ago in preparation for
> contacting Commodore's bankruptcy counsel to see about purchasing the rights
> to Commodore's 8-bit technology.
> Even though I read the Chapter 11 reorganization plan and Chapter 7
> liquidation motion, and my corporate counsel looked at the docs, it's really
> hard to trace the chain of asset transfers, since I could not find a
> specific list of those assets sold; only broad "all intellectual property"
> language was used.
> Collectively, Commodore's assets were sold to Escom (a German computer
> manufacturer) for $14 million, $4 million of which realted to CBM and $10
> million related to Commodore International Bahamas, Ltd. an affiliate of
> CBM. The former CSG operation located at 950 Rittenhouse Road in Norristown
> PA was purchased by GMT Microelectronics Corp., a company formed by former
> CSG management in order to purchase the chip-making assets. The purchase
> price was $4.3 million plus another $1 million to clear EPA liens. Assets
> included the plant, equipment, other inventory items at that location. Last
> year, I made a field trip to GMT and verified that they exist and are
> operating out of the old CSG building.
Did you talk to them ? Their website (http://www.gmtme.com/index.html)
presents only a few new products - noting of the old stuff.
> The non-CSG assets stayed with Escom until they filed for receivership
> (bankruptcy), in 1996. The assets were then sold to a Netherlands-based
> company (Commodore NL??), who then sold the Amiga assets to Gateway (the
> Holstein cow people). I don't think that anyone truly knows who owns the old
> 8-bit assets. Commodore NL sells PeeCee compatible machines under the
> Commodore name, so I'd bank on Gateway owning them. If anyone on this list
> knows anyone at Gateway, now may be the time to use the relationship.
I think this is a formidable example for all our old (pre 1980)
toys - Almost all of the small (and even some of the big)
manufactiurers/designers have vanished. So who owns the design,
the ROM code, the spechial chip designs, the manuals and any
other soft ?
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
--- Paul Grammens wrote:
If it is the same drive as the Mac
drives, you should be able to pick up a replacement for a dollar or two,
worst case.
--- end of quote ---
As far as I know, it is the same in almost all respects, right down to the model number. But, the Lisa version supports the Lisa's auto-eject feature when shutting down from the front button, whereas the Mac version does not.
-- MB
Try taking the output of the VIC through the inputs of a VCR. I'm not sure
about this, but if I remember the monitor that was with my C64, there were
two audio, and two video jacks, or a special cable that would combine
everything into one plug. There was also another cable that would allow
the computer to connect to a TV (had a converter and Audio/Video in one RCA
jack, like a Nintendo). However, I no longer have the computer, so I can't
be sure, but I do remember the four RCA jacks and the single multi-plug on
the back of the monitor. There was also a switch to change from 60-75Hz (I
think). The monitor would NOT work with a standard composite computer,
such as an apple.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Marion Bates <Marion.Bates(a)Dartmouth.EDU>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: VIC-20 -- no sound
> Date: Thursday, September 10, 1998 6:55 PM
>
> They didn't, so I made one to match your description here. It checks out
fine with the multimeter, but I still get video with no audio. Leads me to
believe there's a problem with the VIC itself.
>
> Or maybe my TV is really weird. There's been an anomaly with the C64 for
as long as I can remember, which is that when I use the video cable (the
one that splits into three RCA's, one for video and two for sound) with the
video-in jacks on the TV, I get a nice, sharp, black and white display, no
color. If I use the composite port and a TV/game modulator box, I get
(cruddy) color. I've checked every setting I can find on the TV for
color/B&W stuff, but everything looks right. ???
>
> Thanks again for the help.
>
> -- MB
At 09:37 PM 9/9/98 -0500, Doug Yowza wrote:
>
>Note the smiley. I liked it, though. It's almost believable. You can
>construct an entire alternate reality on this kind of stuff.
I recently saw a web site with dozens of fake press releases like this
one about TeX. Some were funny, many were not. I forget where it was,
and my bookmarks aren't telling.
>What do you think it would take for Linus to sell out?
Sell out? To me, the more interesting prospect is that there's no
reason to buy him out, or anyone else out. For that matter, he may
have already sold out; see below.
I've been cultivating a pet theory lately regarding the assimilation
of Linux by Microsoft.
I believe it would be possible to refine a layer of compatibility
into WinNT that would allow more and more Linux software to be
recompiled to run under WinNT as-is (or someday, even running the
executables directly.)
I like tossing this idea on the table at programmer lunches just
to see the reactions it provokes. Because of the freeware nature
of Linux, as long as Microsoft abides by the rules of releasing
the *relevant* source code, they'd be free to assimilate as many
freeware tools as they like. Today they'll ship you a service pack CD
for $9.95; tomorrow they might ship a $9.95 Linux compatibility CD,
or even give it away as a promotion.
The average Linux-head has a hypocritical hatred of Microsoft
when considered in the light of their devotion to portable,
run-everywhere source code. Why shouldn't Linux freeware run
under NT, too?
Of course, Linux is many different components. The bulk of it,
as Richard Stallman tries hard to remind us, is based on GNU tools.
Linus made the kernel, and hordes of programmers have refined
the drivers and many other parts.
For a while, there's been a project to make a Unix compatibility
layer for GNU tools, at <http://www.cygnus.com/misc/gnu-win32/>.
Steve Chamberlain <sac(a)transmeta.com> was the original author of
this CygWin32 software. Note the e-mail address - Transmeta,
Silicon Valley's mystery company of the moment. Oh, that's
where Linus works now, too. Speculation about Transmeta includes
the development of graphics chips and emulator chips that mimic
various CPUs and OSes.
When I present this possibility to Linux-heads, their first reaction is
a fearful "But why would Microsoft want to do that?" I respond,
"To run all that great Linux application software," a double-whammy
that underscores the lack of anything truly comparable to
Microsoft Office in the Linux market. To ask why Microsoft would
assimilate Linux forces one to consider which Linux apps are most
useful to anyone but the most nerdy.
Do we really need to reproduce the kernel? WinNT already has a
microkernel architecture that, in theory, allows different OSes
to be placed on top - that's how Win32, OS/2, POSIX and DOS/Win16
live there. See <http://www.sysinternals.com/ntdll.htm>
and other pages there for a nice discussion of this.
Implement a layer of HAL that talks to Unix-style device drivers, add
an X Window server to the top layers, expand the present POSIX support,
enhance the GNU Win32 effort, make a more Unix-like shell, and presto,
Microsoft assimilates a great deal of Linux. All the Linux programmers
are working for Microsoft, unless they explicitly do something to
prevent it.
Think I can sell the idea to Uncle Bill, or do you think he's already
Microserfs working on it? And perhaps even Ballmer is thinking about it:
<http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/zdnn_smgraph_display/0,3441,2134010,00.ht
ml>
Freedows is an interesting effort to run Windows apps under Linux:
<http://www.freedows.org/english/high/index.html>.
As for the ten-year-rule, I think the assimilation of Linux into
WinNT will be good for emulators in general, making it possible
to download old Apple II executables and double-click on them
and automagically start the right emulator.
- John
If no one has the LCD, I have a color/mono (switchable) Magnavox
Professional CGA/composite (switchable) monitor with built-in sound that I
can use. Does anyone have the pinouts for the LCD? I have an old CGA LCD
that I may be able to use to make my own (maybe).
ThAnX,
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Jim <jim(a)calico.litterbox.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: Apple // (I think)
> Date: Thursday, September 10, 1998 12:09 AM
>
> You're looking for an apple IIc. Unfortunately the LCD screen is a VERY
rare
> perepheral commanding a multi-hundred dollar price. The 9 inch diagonal
> green monochrome screen isn't MUCH bigger and is far more common.
>
> You can get them refurbished (I think) from alltech electronics
(www.allelec.com)
> or go to comp.sys.apple2.marketplace - I think the basic 2c is going for
> around US$22 for the machine and the power supply.
>
> The 9 inch monitor goes for $49US from Alltech - refurbished. Probably
> less on comp.sys.apple2.marketplace.
> --
> Jim Strickland
> jim(a)calico.litterbox.com
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there?
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why was the LCD so rare, anyway?
It seems that with a battery, this could be a real laptop.
How much did the LCD cost then?
>
>You're looking for an apple IIc. Unfortunately the LCD screen is a
VERY rare
>perepheral commanding a multi-hundred dollar price. The 9 inch
diagonal
>green monochrome screen isn't MUCH bigger and is far more common.
>
>You can get them refurbished (I think) from alltech electronics
(www.allelec.com)
>or go to comp.sys.apple2.marketplace - I think the basic 2c is going
for
>around US$22 for the machine and the power supply.
>
>The 9 inch monitor goes for $49US from Alltech - refurbished. Probably
>less on comp.sys.apple2.marketplace.
>--
>Jim Strickland
>jim(a)calico.litterbox.com
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there?
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
MICROSOFT BUYS TEX, PLANS NEW PRODUCTS
STANFORD PROFESSOR REAPS WINDFALL
PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA, USA (CNEWS/MSNBC) --- In a major move into the
scientific publishing market, Microsoft Corporation announced today that it
has purchased all rights to the computer language and document compiler
known as TeX (pronounced, "tech"), and plans a major new product line based
on the 20-year-old software.
Stanford Professor Donald Knuth (pronounced, "kah-nooth"), the author of
the widely-used TeX software, in a joint press conference at the university
campus with Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, acknowledged that the two had
been negotiating for some months. "I felt that two decades of TeX in the
public domain was enough. I am reasserting the copyright to my original work
in TeX. Microsoft will carry the ball now, and I can get back to my
computer science research." Knuth acknowledged he was paid a "seven-figure
sum" from Microsoft, which he will use to finance his work on a project he
has code-named "Volume 4".
At the press conference, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said the acquisition
was "the kind of cooperation between academia and industry that builds
prosperity for both." He added that TeX would "finally give Microsoft a
foothold in mathematical desktop publishing" that has eluded the software
giant since its founding. Drawing gasps of surprise from the college
audience, Gates asserted that "TeX will soon be biggest jewel in the
Microsoft crown."
Apparently the jewel metaphor will include a hefty, unavoidable price tag
for future TeX users. Gates outlined plans whereby all existing TeX
compilers would be phased out, to be replaced by a new Microsoft master
implementation written in C++. Beta versions for public testing on Windows
95 and NT platforms are expected in late 1998, issuing from a new
205-programmer project laboratory at Microsoft's Redmond campus. Microsoft
TeX for other platforms, such as Unix workstations, will follow at an as-yet
unspecified date. According to Gates, "the master TeX from Microsoft will
ensure that the incompatibilities across platforms are once and for all
eliminated." TeX software is widely used due its portability, although
variations among operating systems have been troublesome due to
uncoordinated development.
Unlike the technical aspects of the project, Gates explained that pricing
for Microsoft TeX has already been firmly set. The single-user retail
product is expected to have a street price of about $600 and consist of
three CDs. When heckled by an graduate student complaining about a high
price for a formerly free product, Gates seemed startled, explaining that
a "student edition at $299 is likely" and that "Microsoft will use the
revenue to make TeX better."
Most current users of TeX have paid nothing for their implementations,
derived from Professor Knuth's formerly-free work. Before leaving the
podium, Gates made a final comment that "TeX hasn't changed in years. What
kind of a product can that be?", and then handed the microphone to an
assistant, introduced only as the project leader for Microsoft TeX.
The assistant displayed an overhead presentation using the current test
version of Microsoft TeX. Equations and tables could be seen dissolving into
each other in a morphing action between frames. "No one has ever done that
with TeX," Gates announced from an audience seat at one point. "It's the
kind of sizzle that can really enliven a dull paper at an academic
conference." Some onlookers were not convinced, especially when the program
crashed midway through the demonstration, resulting in a five-minute delay
while Windows 95 was restarted. Microsoft technicians later blamed a
third-party display driver.
The impact on the large base of existing TeX users was unclear. During a
question-and-answer period, Gates said that the "TeX" trademark would be
registered as the exclusive property of Microsoft, and could not appear in
any competitive or free software. "We are granting of our own good will
until the 3rd quarter of 1998, free use to any existing TeX vendors or
public-domain authors. That's plenty of time for an orderly phase-out and
change-over to Microsoft TeX, or no TeX at all. After that, our legal
department will be contacting them."
A Microsoft attorney added that some of the project personnel would be
dedicated to searching the Internet to find non-Microsoft TeX software.
"Archives and collections of TeX-related programs will not be permitted.
The standards must be enforced, or they become meaningless. We are rescuing
a fine piece of work from being diluted into worthlessness. You would not
believe the number of programs that have been based on TeX without any
central, controlling authority. We will stop this infringement."
Some large organizations dependent on TeX were stunned by the announcment
and had not yet formed plans for dealing with the change. At the American
Mathematical Society, whose publications largely depend on TeX for
typesetting, editor Barbara Beeton was incensed. "I can't believe Don
[Professor Donald Knuth] sold us out like this. We should have never based
a publishing enterprise of this scope on so-called public-domain software.
What were we thinking?" Publication schedules for the rest of 1998 were on
hold, and journal editors scrambled to reassure their authors that deadlines
would not slip more than a few months.
Certain small businesses are also expected to feel the impact of the
Microsoft ownership of TeX. Palo Alto restaurant owner Wu Chen appeared
unhappy at the news, stating that "for ten year I print new menu every day
with TeX, now I will pay big time." He displayed a crumpled, grease-spotted
take-out flyer, and with tears in his eyes explained how multiple columns,
exotic typefaces, and daily price changes could all be printed by TeX in a
multi-lingual format. "In Wordperfect this would be a long journey."
Commercial vendors of TeX software stand to lose everything in the face of
the new Microsoft monopoly. While most derivatives of TeX were freely
published, several companies had made a business of publishing proprietary
versions. One anonymous source from a leading TeX firm said that "publishing
TeX was a gold mine while it lasted, and the Internet let us mine it deeper
and deeper. Now this is a cave-in right on our heads. TeX was a monumental
work of beauty and utility, freely given to the world by one of the finest
and most generous minds of the 20th century. Now it belongs to a lucky
dropout. We're finished."
>> There's nothing better than mixing computers and Lego!
>
>Nonsense!. A Fischertechnik robotics kit controlled by a calculator is
>infinitely more fun :-) :-) :-)... And yes, I have done that.
Well that figures! ;-)
What kind of calculator? Something simple, or more like a TI-86 (which I
consider a computer)?
Tom Owad
--
Sysop of Caesarville Online
Client software at: <http://home.earthlink.net/~tomowad/>
Hi,
Well, Microsoft has been in the Unix camp before, with Xenix and
SCO. [Witness my Trs-80 Mod 16 runs it].
But speculation aside, Apple is the one gobbling up both Unix and
[Windows application functionality] into their new OS. That's scary
in a very comfortable way. The old NeXT underpinnings with Linux
innovation, etc. is turning out to be ultra-powerful!
Thomas
> Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 00:04:13 +0100 (BST)
> Reply-to: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
> From: ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell)
> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: robots?
> > There's nothing better than mixing computers and Lego!
>
> Nonsense!. A Fischertechnik robotics kit controlled by a calculator is
> infinitely more fun :-) :-) :-)... And yes, I have done that.
So, what ? Isn't there a logo for your calculator ?
Just one more step of fun!
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Hello readers.
I have two questions which are in a sense related.
I have a problem with my PDP-11/35 and withn XXDP+.
When I boot my 11/35 it reports RT11-SJ (S) V04.00E. This version
runs perfectly. When I try to boot RT11-FB V5.4 the VIRTUAL LED on
the console goes on and at that moment the system hangs.
I did check all the required jumper changes on the other CPU boards
but the memory management unit M7238 was already installed in the
system and the jumpers all seem to be correctly set.
Anyway, when I boot that RT11-FB version on my PDP-11/34 it runs
just fine. Needless to say that both are _real_ machines.
When that RT11 version is booted on the 11/35 the ADDRESS LEDs show
076602 and the DATA LEDs show 177620. The MMU occupies address range
777600-777676. Is this a coincidence ?
Last week I got the RL02 drives connected to the 11/35. I have a
pack with XXDP+ on it and I hoped to run the diagnostics for the
CPU and the MMU. When I have XXDP+ booted (that goes well) and enter
the command "R BKTGD1.BIC" the READY light and on the 11/35 the ADDR
and DATA LEDs blink a few seconds but then the system hangs.
ADDR LEDs show 001156, DATA shows 000767. On the console terminal is
the text "KT11-D EXERCISER DBKTG-D".
Does anybody have any clues on how to proceed?
How do I use XXDP, any manual anywhere ?
TIA,
Henk Gooijen
gooi(a)oce.nl
Hello.
Please forgive me if I mess up on any model numbers or names here. I'm not
all that familiar with Apple computers.
I'm looking for an old Apple // (?) - The small portable type. I'm looking
for the older model with the 5.25" built-in disk drive (external p/s). I'm
looking for the type with the LCD display. If you have one without one,
let me know anyway. I don't want to pay all that much for one (w/o LCD),
because they're fairly common (my school probably has about 20 on each
floor, but they don't want to get rid of any of them).
I need it to replace an old Franklin Ace 1200 that's a little too big for
the limited space that I have. All I'm basically looking for is the main
computer. I'm not looking for any manuals, disks, monitors (unless it's
LCD), or anything like that. I'll I'm asking is that it works (I have a
monitor).
As for the Franklin, if anyone's interested in it, make me an offer
(+shipping). It's an Apple ][+ compatible w/dual built-in 5.25" disk
drives, 80-column and 40-column card, joystick, Amdek 13" color composite
monitor, Original system disks, AppleWorks, and all the manuals. The
computer works great, but it's just too big. You can see what it looks
like at:
<http://www.ncsc.dni.us/fun/user/tcc/cmuseum/ace.htm>
It's not a very good picture, but it is the same unit that I have. The
printer card, however has been switched in mine (I think), and was used
with a Star Gemini 10-X printer (until it died). I'll also include the
printer cable (connects to Centronics -standard printer). The version of
AppleWorks also takes care of the missing open and closed-apple keys.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
< > While browsing several old BYTE magazines, I came across an ad for
< > Signetics Instructor 50 SBC. Althoug the ad wasn't very good, it looks
< > it could be an SBC style S-100 Altair clone with a hex keypad, display
< > data switches. Sort of an Altair-KIM hybrid (if one can imagine such
< > thing).
<
< There was at least one other SBC like this. I have an Explorer 85 that
< has room for two S-100 slots (mine has one S-100 connector soldered in)
< And I believe my SD Z-80 Starter System SBC can also accomodate an S-10
< board.
As someone with an actively used Netronics Explorer 8085, yes that one
had two s100 slots and a 5 slot extender (level E) as well.
That class of machines was not uncommon. There was a front pannel
replacement with display and keypad (8080 too!) for s100 machines.
Allison
In response to bill's final comment about, "what kind of product can that be?"
hmmm, perhaps a less buggy and workable product?
david
In a message dated 9/9/98 9:50:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, yowza(a)yowza.com
writes:
<< Most current users of TeX have paid nothing for their implementations,
derived from Professor Knuth's formerly-free work. Before leaving the
podium, Gates made a final comment that "TeX hasn't changed in years. What
kind of a product can that be?", and then handed the microphone to an
assistant, introduced only as the project leader for Microsoft TeX. >>
I'll take them. Are they complete? monitor and kbd? It doesn't make a
difference though.
Francois
-------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the desperately in need of update
Sanctuary at: http://www.pclink.com/fauradon
-----Original Message-----
From: John R. Keys, Jr. <jrkeys(a)concentric.net>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Wednesday, September 09, 1998 8:17 PM
Subject: Mac's for Sale
>Before I place these on eBay let me know if anyone wants them for 20.00
each
>(my cost) asis not tested. I purchased 3 machines for someone and then they
>cjhanged their mind and only took one of the three. one is IIvx with 230
meg
>HD in it and the other is a IIcx with a ony 40meg HD in it, again these are
>ASIS I have not tried to test them at all. I already have 2 vx's and 3 or 4
>cx's in storage.
>
Before I place these on eBay let me know if anyone wants them for 20.00 each
(my cost) asis not tested. I purchased 3 machines for someone and then they
cjhanged their mind and only took one of the three. one is IIvx with 230 meg
HD in it and the other is a IIcx with a ony 40meg HD in it, again these are
ASIS I have not tried to test them at all. I already have 2 vx's and 3 or 4
cx's in storage.
Hi All:
Anyone have the specs for the DIP switch settings for the 8 DIP switches
on a DEC M8357 TX01/RX02 controller?
Thanks,
Kevin
--
Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD
mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca
Hey guys anybody want to follow-up with this MacPlus offer
-----Original Message-----
From: mkreutz(a)brook.edu [mailto:mkreutz@brook.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 1998 4:32 PM
To: jrkeys(a)concentric.net
Subject: Your post on ebay
Hi there,
I'm replying to your post on ebay.
I have an Apple Mac Plus computer purchased in 1988/89. It's in
excellent condition!!! I have all the software, the system 7 upgrade
and other goodies that came with it (plus a hard drive that was custom
built for it). I also have an ImageWriter printer and unopened
ribbons. If you are interested, please let me know and we can discuss
it further. I think I may still have some of the original boxes. I'd
like to find it a good home!!! :)
Best regards,
Mica
(ebay ID is mek2)
<<<<Posted by jthecman (37) on 09/09/98 at 14:14:54 PDT
Auctions
Wanted: old or new computer demos used by the dealers to get your
attention as you walk into the store. Looking for any
brand of computer starting back in 1956 to present For hand held
devices also like the apple newton palm pilot's. email me
with your price private collector so my funds are limited. Also
looking for old computer toys from the 1950's to 1980's.>>>>>
I was thinking about this the other night {it was a slow night :-)} --
how does the DC option on the PDP-11 work (besides the obvious)? My 11/34
has a DC light on the panel, but I know that my unit did not come with a
battery backup unit.
What was involved with the DC option? Was it a special PSU and
batteries? Or was it a board and separate UPS?
Just curious...
Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com>
- ClubWin/CW7
- MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
- Preserver of "classic" computers
<<<< ========== reply separator ========== >>>>>
>Similarly, does anyone remember a truck-like thing (big trax?) that you
>could program sorta like LOGO? I remember the commercials showed it
>bringing a soda (or beer?) to one lucky owner. Unfortunately, my family's
>gift budgets never would have covered such a nifty gadget... 8^(
I have one of the 4.5v Lego/Dacta Robotics kits that hooks up to my Apple
IIe (conveniently making this post on-topic). I bought it through the
school when Lego discontinued the kits last year. The system is based on
Logo. The motors and sensors connect to the external interface box,
which is connected to the Apple IIe via a 20 pin ribbon cable and
interface card (which I think is really just a scaled down serial card).
There are touch sensors, optosensors, motors, and lights for the kit. I
currently have mine set up around my 9v Lego train, using the sensors to
detect when it passes, the motors to raise and lower the crossing gates.
There's nothing better than mixing computers and Lego!
Tom Owad
--
Sysop of Caesarville Online
Client software at: <http://home.earthlink.net/~tomowad/>
At 12:08 AM 9/6/98 -0400, you wrote:
> I was just watching a thing on robots and they mentioned some of the early
> 80s attempts. Does anyone have in their collection a H.E.R.O, or other
robots
> of that vintage?
There's been a few HERO's on ebay lately. (Don't ask what they sold for.)
Similarly, does anyone remember a truck-like thing (big trax?) that you
could program sorta like LOGO? I remember the commercials showed it
bringing a soda (or beer?) to one lucky owner. Unfortunately, my family's
gift budgets never would have covered such a nifty gadget... 8^(
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
While browsing several old BYTE magazines, I came across an ad for the
Signetics Instructor 50 SBC. Althoug the ad wasn't very good, it looks like
it could be an SBC style S-100 Altair clone with a hex keypad, display, and
data switches. Sort of an Altair-KIM hybrid (if one can imagine such a
thing).
Does anyone have any info on this beast?
Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com>
- ClubWin/CW7
- MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
- Preserver of "classic" computers
<<<< ========== reply separator ========== >>>>>
> I'll give a LIFETIME PASS TO THE VINTAGE COMPUTER FESTIVAL to the first
> person who successfully gets me in touch with CHUCK PEDDLE of
> 6502/Commodore PET fame.
The last thing I remember is his role as some kind of chairman for
Tandon - somewhen around 1989 or 1990.
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
I need to test a possibly bad PSU for an Apple II+. Can anyone
(tony?) tell me what I should use for a dummy load?
Thanks.
-----
David Williams - Computer Packrat
dlw(a)trailingedge.com
http://www.trailingedge.com
Heh heh, this took some doing, but I got it for ya, phone # coming in
private mail.
Kai
-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Ismail [mailto:dastar@ncal.verio.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 10:45 PM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: NEED HELP FINDING CHUCK PEDDLE!!!
I'll give a LIFETIME PASS TO THE VINTAGE COMPUTER FESTIVAL to the first
person who successfully gets me in touch with CHUCK PEDDLE of
6502/Commodore PET fame.
Sam Alternate e-mail:
dastar(a)siconic.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Ever onward.
September 26 & 27...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0
See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 08/25/98]
>> I really don't know what to call a SMP PC, though. Microsupercomputer?
> These days, a mini. Look at one of Suns Ultra Enterprise systems -
> essentially as many UltraSPARC CPUs that you want to shove in one box.
So this PC, I'm curently working on, on my desktop with 4 CPUs
and Win 3.51, is a Mini ? Gosh - I always thought is was just an
ordinary PC for my dayly Tasks with Word & co.
:)
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Hello all.
If you're not aware of this, Don Tarbell, of the famous Tarbell Cassette
standard, died earlier this year. Someone posted about this on the list
around the time he passed on.
I'd like to display an "obituary" at the Vintage Computer Festival. I'll
give a free pass to this (or a future) Vintage Computer Festival and a VCF
t-shirt to anyone who wants to write up an obituary for Mr. Tarbell.
Ideally, the write-up should include his contributions to the world of
computing, including a good historical account of his cassette standard
and other technical acheivements, as well as what companies he founded,
etc. The requisite obituary information such as date of birth/death,
hometown, etc. should also be included.
I would need to have this by the 20th or so. Please contact me by private
e-mail if you are interested. Thanks!
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ever onward.
September 26 & 27...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0
See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 08/25/98]
> I need to test a possibly bad PSU for an Apple II+. Can anyone
> (tony?) tell me what I should use for a dummy load?
I don't know what the Apple ][ or // used in the way of current, but
Commodore PETs of that date used 2 to 4 amps, I think. (Early PETs,
iirc, had 4 1A regulator chips on different bits of 5V rail).
You want something to draw around 1/2 to 1 amp. 6V torch (flashlight)
bulb - one of the nice krypton ones that runs of a big rectangular
battery would be ideal. 12V 10W car lamp bulb would do, though it won't
glow more than dull orange when working. 10 ohm resistor would work,
but it probably needs to be a really big fat one - in a rectangular
ceramic package or with built in alumin(i)um heatsink.
Hope this gives you some ideas.
Philip.
It could be, as in the case of the adapter, a transformer. It could also
be a capacitor. I don't know how they make sound, but when I used to turn
off my old Leading Edge, there was a high-voltage Cap that would make a
loud *Chirp!*, then whistle, and the whistle would die down in a few
seconds. It did the same thing when it was turned on, but backwards. It
would start out as a soft whistle, get louder, then disappear, as the sound
probably went out of the range of human hearing. It sounded sort of like
when a computer would power up in an old Sci-Fi movie.
Is the computer otherwise working fine? if it is, and there's no smoke or
crackling sounds (like heating of coils or other components) after it's
been on for a while, I wouldn't worry.
Is it a constant, high-pitched whistle? Not being familiar with the
Osborne 01, dose it have a built-in CRT? It could be that that's
whistling. Try booting it with the CRT and control board (the thing with
the high voltage transformer with the wire going to the side of the CRT)
TOTALLY disconnected, and see if it still whistles. If it doesn't, then
you've found the problem.
As for fixing a whistling CRT, I haven't figured it out, yet (If anybody
knows how, could they please tell me?). The only problems that I've seen
the whistling do is possibly make your ears hurt. My current solution:
wear ear plugs when using my Tandy 1000.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Sam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Osborne 01 computer smoked..
> Date: Friday, September 04, 1998 9:53 PM
>
> But what part is making such vibrations that it actually causes sound
> waves to be emitted?
>
> Sam Alternate e-mail:
dastar(a)siconic.com
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
> Ever onward.
>
> September 26 & 27...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0
> See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!
> [Last web site update: 08/25/98]
>
----------
> From: David Williams <dlw(a)trailingedge.com>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: TRS-80 stuff.
> Date: Monday, September 07, 1998 2:24 AM
>
>
> On Tim's page (I believe) there is also a Linux TRS-80 Model 1/3/4
> emulator (called xtrs) that can use the Linux box's floppy drives as
> the emulator's drives. A couple of days ago, I setup an old 486
> with a 5.25" floppy and installed Linux. Set up the emulator and
> downloaded the LDOS from Tim's page. Used the emulator to
> make a new LDOS boot disk using the floppy drive. Took the disk
> to my Model III and it booted right up. I've used that technique to
> move several pieces of TRS-80 Model III software now and I'm
> working on Model I software using the Model III as a go between.
> Works great and is just one more example of some useful software
> for Linux. At least for collectors of old TRS-80s. :-) The xtrs
> emulator is pretty good although it isn't really easy to swap
> emulated disks. Next I'm going to try it out with my Model 4.
>
O.K. I saw that. Now-- Where do I get a copy of Linux??
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
>>> Ahhh. I guess it shows that I've done very very little with mainframes and
>>> learned everything I know on Micros and Mini's. I stand corrected. :)
>> I hope my message did not come across as a flame, but there are a lot of
>> misconceptions about mainframes (the biggest is that they are dead!). They
>> are different beasts, certainly. Almost everything about them is in some
>> way different than the rest of the computing world (micros, minis) - from
>> benchmarks and architecture to fabrication and networking (compare SNA to
>> TCP/IP and you will see black and white).
> Well, as an old DEC guy who later worked for IBM... I agree, although
So, there are at least tree of us holding the
banner for the real (big) guys :)
> with Posix Compliant mainframe software that meets the Unix spec
> and runs the Apache webserver... mainframes aren't mainframes anymore.
Oh-Oh, did you ever took a look at the resulting ASSM code ?
Did yo uever trace the extreamly inperformant I/O calls for
unix like file systems ?
A mainframe can only produce it's marvelous throughput if
the data is well prepared - handling every byte of a string
inside a loop and check for zero is like using a using a
truck for moving a pice of paper.
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
> The rule I use is simple :
> If the CPU is one chip (like a Z80, or a pentium) or a chipset that's
> always used together to make that CPU (like a F11, or the early IBM 6000
> CPU) -> It's a micro
> If the CPU is a lot of standard chips (gates, flip-flops, ALUs, bit-slice
> stuff), and it fits into at most a couple of 6' racks -> it's a mini
> If the CPU takes up most of the room -> it's a mainfame.
> If it meets the 3M critera (Megabyte, Megapixel, Mips) -> it's a workstation.
> Now, this leads to some interesting ones. By that definition, a PDP11/23
> is a micro. But a PDP11/34 is a mini. The 370-on-a-card is probably also
> a micro.
> Note that 'workstation' says nothing about the CPU. I'd claim a Sun3 is a
> worktation _and_ a micro. A PERQ 2 is a workstation and a mini.
> Those definitions aren't perfect, but they seem to work for me.
I think ruling the CPU isn't exatly the way to describe this
classes, since even a mainframe type computer can have singe
chip processors, and a micro can consist of a whole chip graveyard.
But your Note leads a trace: try the design goal as class.
So, a mainframe is a general purpose computer specaly designed
to transport, merge and modify data like a big steel plant
modifies iron. Using only a small number of programms but serving
the same task a _huge_ mass of users. Usualy these are just /370ish
designs.
A Mini is some kind of 'big' computer designed to serve
a lot of people in an individual sense, giving every
user (and sometimes even every single programm) the
feeling of a complete independant computer. The OS is
wasing a lot of resouces (not needed on mainframes) to
ensure coexistence, fast programm change etc. The OS is
mostly unix-like.
A Workstation is 4M (you just missed the Megabucks :).
A workstaton serves the needs of only one user.
The OS is in most cases very graphic-able orientated.
An average PC is just a workstation on a lower level, running
several different application (maybe even at the same time)
to serve every person as his own computer like a mini, but
without sharing anything. The OS is almost complete graphic
orientated.
I think this sceme is sufficient for all GPC. If you miss
the micro, its just because it represents no class of its
own. The micro can be just a very small mini, or he is a
PC(Workstation). Didn't the Wozniak once state that every
micro before the A2 was just a small singe user mini ?
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
At 10:07 AM 9/9/98 -0400, you wrote:
>
>A previous employer of mine bought a cool mini/PC several years ago: An
>NCR 3000 series. Could handle something like 8 CPU cards with multiple
>pentiums, had a UPS in the cabinet, 50 some hot-swappable SCSI bays, 512MB
>of ram, multiple micro-channel buses and SCSI adapters, SVr4, etc.
>
>On the back of the small-refrigerator sized box were a PC-style VGA and
>keyboard connector! It would boot and run MS-DOS ;) hahaha.
>
> -Wayne
>
Geez, I'll bet that that one smoked! Sounds like just what you need to
run Windozes '95 effectively.
Joe
>On Wed, 9 Sep 1998, Tony Duell wrote:
>
>> > Workstation: a computer designed to run Unix with a bitmapped display.
>The problem with this definition is that it would include a PC running
>Windows. Very few seem to be willing to call that a workstation.
>
>A workstation has to be *designed* to be networked, graphical, and
>multitasking. The Amiga would have been a workstation if it has
>networking built-in. If somebody built a PC that had networking built-in
>and ran Windows NT, but could not run MS-DOS, I might be willing to call
>that a workstation.
>
How about the iMac it has networking built in and AFAIK doen't run MS stuff.
I think that todays machines are so versatile that it is pretty hard to
differenciate them out of the box, The way they are used makes them a
workstation, a server, a personal computer or what not, not the hardware
itself.
I'll give a LIFETIME PASS TO THE VINTAGE COMPUTER FESTIVAL to the first
person who successfully gets me in touch with CHUCK PEDDLE of
6502/Commodore PET fame.
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ever onward.
September 26 & 27...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0
See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 08/25/98]
Hi Group:
Thanks to Rick Murphy, I have the answer to my query. Turns out that the
info was also on my own website, in the RX01/02 maintenance manual. I
should've looked there first!
See http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/pdp8 for pdp-8 docs, software, and other info.
Kevin
At 11:02 PM 98/09/08 -0400, you wrote:
>At 07:37 PM 9/8/98 -0700, Kevin McQuiggin wrote:
>>Hi Group:
>>
>>Anyone have the specs for the DIP switch settings on the M8357
>>RX01/RX02 interface board? There are 8 switches in the block.
>
>Switch 7 and 8 are not connected. S1-S6 set the IOT (device code).
>
> S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8
>Normal (75) 0 1 0 1 0 1 NC NC
>Other (76) 0 0 1 1 1 0 NC NC
>
>On the RX02 M7744 module, set S1-1/S1-2 to off.
> -Rick
>
>
>
---
Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD
mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca
I spotted this in a newsgroup - thought someone might want to contact
him about these mags. I have no connection with them or with him.
>
>Hi,
>
>I have a set of the first year+ BYTE mags from
>1975-1976. I have issue #1 (Sept. 75) complete
>through Dec. 76. Is there a market for these
>or should i just toss em? It is kinda interesting
>looking at the PC world before there were PCs
>and the evil empire did not exist.
>
>Opinions welcome,
>kbt
>
>P.S. If you email direct make sure the address is:
>
>keith.thompson(a)east.sun.com
-Bill Richman
bill_r(a)inetnebr.com
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/bill_r
(Home of the COSMAC Elf microcomputer simulator!)
Don't know if I'd actually classify this as a 'rescue', since probably the
worst that would happen would be that the gear would end up buried in my
warehouse, but...
A couple of items that could use a new home. (just cause I don't have
time to get to them at present) I won't attach a specific price to either
but would like to see either a little $$ or something interesting in trade
for them. (see the 'wish list' on my web pages for ideas)
Both items are considered to be in 'as-is' condition. I've not had time
to try to fire them up or do any check out since they came to me.
Either would need to be picked up as they are too large (&/or) heavy to be
practical to ship economically.
1) Cypher 9 track tape drive. 800/1600 bpi, 125IPS transport. Just the
drive, no cabinet.
1) DEC PDP11/84. CPU only in 4ft. cabinet suitable for mounting drive in
top bay.
Drop me a note if interested. Note: my ISP is having problems with their
dial up lines (darn US West anyway!) so my access to email is a bit
sporadic at present... So don't panic if I don't get right back to you...
-jim
---
jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com
The Computer Garage - http://www.rdrop.com/~jimw
Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174
BIG TRAK
grrr, i always wanted one of those things! it had a keypad where you punched
in coordinates and then it would carry them out. it also had lazer guns which
you could also program to flash i think. there was an optional dump trailer
too. im sure you could probably find one on epay.com for serveral hundred $.
came out in the early 80's i believe.
david
In a message dated 9/8/98 10:24:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
sinasohn(a)ricochet.net writes:
<< There's been a few HERO's on ebay lately. (Don't ask what they sold for.)
Similarly, does anyone remember a truck-like thing (big trax?) that you
could program sorta like LOGO? I remember the commercials showed it
bringing a soda (or beer?) to one lucky owner. Unfortunately, my family's
gift budgets never would have covered such a nifty gadget... 8^( >>
At 08:07 8/09/98 PDT, Max Eskin <maxeskin(a)hotmail.com> wrote:
>Well, the C64 had a schematic in the reference manual, as did the
>Apple ][. I would be willing to photocopy either.
If you're after schematics for Commodore micros, check out
http://www.funet.fi/pub/cbm/schematics/index.html
There are schematics for the C128, C64, VIC-20, Plus-4, PET2001, PET8032,
KIM-1 and various peripherals such as floppy disk drives, printers,
datasettes, etc.
Regards,
| Scott McLauchlan |"Sometimes the need to mess with their heads |
| Client Services Division| outweighs the millstone of humiliation." |
| University of Canberra |___________Fox_Mulder_"The_X-Files:_Squeeze"_|
|scott(a)cts.canberra.edu.au| http://www.canberra.edu.au/~scott/home.html |
I must comment that the real distinction is how they are marketed.
Earlier, the size of the machine denoted its power and utility. Now,
it's not possible to classify as easily. Plus, hardware gets outmoded
so quickly, it's not likely for anyone to buy a 'mainframe' these
days. PCs are pretty disposable now. Tony's rules are adequate, as
these distinctions closely mirror the target market of the machine.
>> mainframes? The minis are getting small(take a look at the AS/400
line,
>> about the size a a PC server for the smaller models), and you can
even fit
>> a miniature version of a S/370 into a PC(actually in two ways, IBM
has a
>> PCI card and I seem to remember a software emulator from
somewhere)...
>
>The rule I use is simple :
>
>If the CPU is one chip (like a Z80, or a pentium) or a chipset that's
>always used together to make that CPU (like a F11, or the early IBM
6000
>CPU) -> It's a micro
>
>If the CPU is a lot of standard chips (gates, flip-flops, ALUs,
bit-slice
>stuff), and it fits into at most a couple of 6' racks -> it's a mini
>
>If the CPU takes up most of the room -> it's a mainfame.
>
>If it meets the 3M critera (Megabyte, Megapixel, Mips) -> it's a
workstation.
>
>Now, this leads to some interesting ones. By that definition, a
PDP11/23
>is a micro. But a PDP11/34 is a mini. The 370-on-a-card is probably
also
>a micro.
>
>Note that 'workstation' says nothing about the CPU. I'd claim a Sun3 is
a
>worktation _and_ a micro. A PERQ 2 is a workstation and a mini.
>
>Those definitions aren't perfect, but they seem to work for me.
>
>-tony
>
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
< Oh boy, taxonomy again! OK, here's my stab:
<
< Microprocessor: a single-chip CPU.
What if the cpu is multiple chips aka LSI-11?
< Microcomputer: a computer based on a single microprocessor.
What if there are several performing different tasks in the same box.
< Workstation: a computer designed to run Unix with a bitmapped display.
What if it's a VAX running VMS? Yes the VS3100s were definatly
workststions.
< Minicomputer: a timesharing computer that can support fewer than 100
< simultaneous users.
VAX and minicomputer that could and often did have more than 100 users.
< Mainframe: a timesharing computer than can support 100 or more users
< simultaneously.
Generally big iron and most that had that distinction where physically
large. AKA univac 1180.
< and some finer grain classes:
<
....
< Embedded computer: a computer that requires cross-development in order t
< reprogram.
Maybe, or it can be a single board computer installed into a dedicated
application. Generally term embedded means dedicated to a task(or set of
tasks). One possible embedded machine is a national Nibble Basic or
intel 8052ah (basic or forth) chip with a keyboard, LCD and EEPROM.
Allison
At 07:37 PM 9/3/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Finding old characters like Chris Crawford? Sheesh, doesn't anyone
>try a web search (via www.hotbot.com, etc.) before asking a question
Whups, sorry. I was just sort of reminiscing, while replying, not really
thinking. Besides, I'm currently running windoze, and can't load Eudora
and Netscape at the same time.
>of the endlessly patient oracle known as this mailing list? Crawford
>is still quite active as an old wise man in the gaming industry.
I'll check it out -- Thanks!
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
I just found an old fax machine in the trash. It has two connectors
on the back: one is a DIN-6 labelled coupler. The other is DIN-8
marked NCU. The question is that I have neither coupler nor 'NCU',
and does anyone have any idea how to wire this thing to a phone line?
Is a coupler necessary, or can I wire the line right into the machine
if I figure out the DIN-5 connector's pinout? This is a PERSONALFAX II
, BTW.
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
If the article William is refering to is on the Retro-Computing
Society of RI, go to the Providence Journal home page then do a search
under computers. The article for the Retro museum will be first up in
line.
Marty
______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: Re: Check this out...
Author: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu at internet
Date: 9/8/98 10:43 AM
> That came up "not found", with and without a trailing "l". Did they move
> the story somewhere?
Sorry, it seems that article has expired. Made me mad, too...
William Donzelli
william(a)ans.net
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From: William Donzelli <william(a)ans.net>
To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers"
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Check this out...
In-Reply-To: <01J1K51O9WEQ8YI8SZ(a)AC.GRIN.EDU>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
X-To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 beta -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
Both the Prime systems I have are old 2250s (2044-90 & 901). I havn't looked
at the cards but one is a low cabinet with CPU and Hard drive. The other is
two low cabinets, the second holding a 1" Cipher Tape drive. Is there any
interest in them or parts from them. Unless someone is interested they are a
week or two from becoming parts & scrap. I am closing my warehouse shortly and
need to get rid of them. If you have more questions or interest in them
contact me directly at
Innfograph(a)aol.com
Thanks for your interest,
Paxton Hoag
> I was going thru a bunch of old material and I ran across this IBM
> manual that I had squirrelled away from a garbage find in the early 80s
> that also included a bunch of Bytes. It's a 6th edition (Mar 79) and says it
> applies to Release 4 of OS/VS1, Release 3 of OS/VS2 ,Release 2 of VM/370,
> DOS/VSE, and all other releases
> A descrptive heading says "This manual describes the OS/VS -DOS/VSE-
> VM/370 assembler language. It's a 450 page XEROXed copy.
> I know ziltch about non-micros and am wondering if this is of any value
> (in the intellectual sense) ?
/360, /370 ASSM is an brilliant example how simple, clear
and beautiful a (CISC) processor can be. I know now other
assembler so simple, so strikt and easy to implement (and
I'm still an Assm programmer since 20 years).
With exraordinary simple thinking one can easy develop all
stages of an execution pipline for this opcode. Staight
forward. Did I say develop ? There is noting to develop -
reading the opcodes is like reading a step by step instruction
to build the CPU.
Ok, maybe I'm overemphasing, but I love this structure.
I did almost any microprocessor (from 1802 to 9900 and Z80)
in the past 20 years, and some of the bigger architectures,
but none equals the /370.
So, if you want to have fun, take the OP-Code table and
solve the puzzle - or just keep the manual for 'real world'
tasks, since this Assm is still valid for IBM (and compatible)
Mainframes. I bet your taxes are calculated on one of 'em.
Gruss
H.
P.S.:
I did several interpreters for micros - first on the KIM :).
P.P.S.:
Shure there have been some realy genieous extensions to the
/370 architecture (like maybe the stack engine in the SIEMENS
X calss CPUs), beautiful and powerfull themself, but they are
still don't met the elegance of the basic instruction set.
P.P.P.S.:
And of course there are several good Microprcessors - but again:
not as elegant, simple and beautifull than the /370.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
>> I think the Computer Journal folk also have Kaypro parts and docs...
> Was someone looking for Commie schematics? Sams has a ton of them from the
> Vic20 through the Amiga 500. Not sure how cost effective it might be to spend
> the $$$ on a schematic for a $20 machine thoough.
Maybe pure fun ? I just recently browsed the KIM Manuals :)
But USD 20 ? Expensive box huh ?
Gruss
H.
BTW:
Anybody willing to host some 100 MB of
scans ? While browsing I just decided
to scan the KIM-1 USER MANUAL.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Well, the C64 had a schematic in the reference manual, as did the
Apple ][. I would be willing to photocopy either.
>>> Was someone looking for Commie schematics? Sams has a
>>> ton of them from the Vic20 through the Amiga 500. Not sure how
>>> cost effective it might be to spend the $$$ on a schematic for a
>>> $20 machine thoough.
>
>So, what's the deal with copyright on schematics? If someone can sell
>them and make money out of them, is there any reason why they can't be
>scanned and put on the 'net for free? Or do companies that sell such
>information pay royalties for every schematic sold or something??
>
>Jules
>>
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Who does not remember the 'teletype' art, which was made by
people during the night shift?
I'm looking for these drawings. So if you have one (ore more)
of them please feel free to email them to me directly, unless
you want to please other readers as well...
Thanks,
Ed
P.S. can somebody help me with a 'chat' container or knows
an address where to get one?
--
The Wanderer | Geloof nooit een politicus!
wanderer(a)bos.nl | Europarlementariers:
http://www.bos.nl/homes/wanderer | zakkenvullers en dumpplaats voor
Unix Lives! windows95 is rommel! | mislukte politici.
'96 GSXR 1100R |
See http://www.bos.nl/homes/wanderer/gates.html for a funny pic. of
Gates!
> Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 14:15:41 +0100
> Reply-to: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
> From: Julian Richardson <JRichardson(a)softwright.co.uk>
> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: RE: Service Manuals & Schematics needed
> X-To: "'classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu'" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
>>> Was someone looking for Commie schematics? Sams has a
>>> ton of them from the Vic20 through the Amiga 500. Not sure how
>>> cost effective it might be to spend the $$$ on a schematic for a
>>> $20 machine thoough.
> So, what's the deal with copyright on schematics? If someone can sell
> them and make money out of them, is there any reason why they can't be
> scanned and put on the 'net for free? Or do companies that sell such
> information pay royalties for every schematic sold or something??
Don't know in this case, but its still money to earn.
Every cent is at least 1/100 of a dollar.
:)
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
>> Was someone looking for Commie schematics? Sams has a
>> ton of them from the Vic20 through the Amiga 500. Not sure how
>> cost effective it might be to spend the $$$ on a schematic for a
>> $20 machine thoough.
So, what's the deal with copyright on schematics? If someone can sell
them and make money out of them, is there any reason why they can't be
scanned and put on the 'net for free? Or do companies that sell such
information pay royalties for every schematic sold or something??
Jules
>
As a retired moneychanger turned storyteller, fighting against government
exploitation, often winning the un-winnable but definitely loosing the war,
I need to dispose of 'assets' to pay Sancho Pansa's wages.
'Assets'? available:-
COMPUTER - INTEL CORPORATION
Intellec 8
Model No. 8 - 84
Serial No. 245
S.D. 4.75 (Production Date?)
STAND ALONE TAPE READER/TRANSMITTER - ADDMASTER CORPORATION
ADDMASTER 606
Model No.606 - (Parallel Output)
Serial No.606136
Production Date 1975?
DESKTOP PUNCH STATION - LITTON - SWEDA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
ROYTRON 528 PUNCH
Model No. 528
Serial No. 528 - 23 - 3382.
CASSETTE TAPE UNIT - MESONIX AUTOMATION LTD.
CASSETTE UNIT.
Model No. - Fitted DCR-3 Tape Unit (Phillips?)
Serial No. - Mesonix Tape Storage Unit.
Production Date 1976?
I have recently dug out the above items which were purchased new in 1975/6
(whilst working as a moneychanger) and were working when put into storage
in 1980. There is also a quantity of advertising literature and
instruction manuals relating to all but the Mesonix Tape unit
(a U.K. company that no longer exists?)
Still in store there are also three complete Cromemco systems one System 1
(or 2?) and two System 3's with four or five terminals, a stand alone
double 8" disk drive, a Cromemco Spinwriter and Quime daisywheel printer
plus a mass of Cromemco software, manuals and disks.
S100 - a bit like tilting at windmills.
I'm thinking of eBay for disposal of anything of any real value but would
appreciate the helpful comments of any classic computer cognoscenti
/collectors/dealers out there, willing and able to assist.
James S. Bunting
Campaign Against Statutory Exploitation (C.A.S.E.)
M.V. Great Gull,
C/O Double Locks Hotel,
Canal Banks,
Exeter Ship Canal,
Exeter,
Devon.
EX2 6LT.
Phone No. 44- (0) 1932.493311. (On board)
eMail - headcase(a)eclipse.co.uk
Immediately following my success with the Mac yesterday, I got to work on
'fixing' my portable '286 box with LCD display (which I think is _barely_
classic).
The cable leading to the display had had three of its wires pulled out,
and I figured that this was the reason for the very weak and grungy
display.
I managed to solder little bits of wire into the holes and solder the
stray wires from the cable onto those, but then I realized that I couldn't
plug the thing in anymore as the holes (from the underside) had filled
with solder. :/
And I also realized that my solution was a bad one because the protruding
wires would short against the metal frame that holds the LCD panel in
place.
So I used the connector from the C64 keyboard instead.
Anyway, I got the cable rebuilt. I've tested it with the multimeter and
all the wires make contact and go to the right places.
But now I can't get any kind of display from the LCD panel. It doesn't
light up at all. It looks like it's totally dead.
I put a monochrome display adapter card in the machine, and it will boot
up with that and display fine on a monochrome monitor. So the machine is
_mostly_ OK.
I'm not sure the power supply is OK, though. It squeals now.
So basically, I've turned an ill-looking display into a dead display, and
for some reason a healthy power supply is now sounding sick.
Bleah!
Anyway, the machine has a special card in it for driving the LCD panel.
It is labeled "LCD & HGC CARD". What is "HGC"? It has an external 9-pin
port on it and I tried plugging the monochrome display into it, but the
picture was all distorted so I figured it was using a different frequency
or something. The cursor comes out about an inch wide, and none of the
craracters are recognizable, possibly just from overwritten numerous times
in the same scanline.
I don't know where I'll go from here. I'm just taking a breather
before continuing. I wanted to be rebuilding the TS1016 RAM pack by now
instead of still messing with this damn PC. <s>
Oh, and BTW, I electrocuted myself last night when I touched some exposed
wiring going to the LCD panel. It surprised me that there was that much
juice going through there. My thumb and forefinger are still tender. But
the display was still working at that point, and looking much sharper than
it had been. But the machine wouldn't close up properly because the
connector was too thick and that's why I went back in today, just to
reverse the cable so that the big fat Commodore connector was on the
inside instead of on the LCD panel end. (Which meant pulling the connector
apart and rebuilding it the other way, just so it would fit in.)
I haven't crossed any wires, I haven't plugged anything in backwards, and
I haven't dropped anything into the machine, so I don't know what I've
done wrong.
<s>
Doug Spence
ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca
http://alcor.concordia.ca/~ds_spenc/
Just got a PDP-11/84 into the basement, and after the Series/1 experience I
was ready... Go grab some 2x4 lumber if you ever need to get a rack system
up or down stairs... Now that it's down, I need to get it running. When I
plug it in and turn it on, it turns on the "DC on" light and the boot test
display says "77". And what is the easiest way to hook up a
terminal(probably use a WY-99GT or VT-220, maybe the WY-60)? It's a nice
system with 4MB RAM and a 9-track Cipher tape drive(I noticed that the tape
drive I have with my Series/1 appears to be a Cipher, or based on it as it
needs a Cipher tool to prepare the tape for the autoload feature). Any
ideas on how to hook the tape drive up?
--------------------------------------------------------------
| http://members.tripod.com/~jrollins/index.html - Computers |
| http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/1681/ - Star Trek |
| Orham(a)qth.net list admin KD7BCY |
--------------------------------------------------------------
At 01:43 AM 2/7/98 -0800, you wrote:
>Does any one know what type of printer ribbon can fit onto an original adam
>(Colecovision)printer (ginerec one I thought Was a deablo hytype but it wont
>fit.
>And where to get one from I live in Castlegar, British Columbia Canada.
Try American Ink (<http://www.americanink.com/> I believe); they carry
ribbons for a lot of older printers. (Ran across them while researching
one of the computers in my collection on the web, but have known of them
for years; very highly recommended in local Atari circles.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/
I think I have a Prime 23XX in the whse. I will look and get back to you. I
have one or two systems left. I am a secondary market dealer who is retireing
and getting rid of the last of the inventory.
Paxton Hoag
Hey, my Mac 512K is now working!
In fact, I'm using it to type this message.
Instead of going out hunting for more expensive connectors, I decided to
use a dead C64 for parts. I pulled a male 9-pin D connector out of there,
and while I was doing so, I also noticed that the C64 cartridge connector
might be useful for repairing my TS1016 memory cartridge for my Sinclair.
I don't think I'll go to hell for cannibalizing a C64. Besides, C64s are
cheaper than the useful salvageable parts inside.
Anyhow... I made a Macintosh to Amiga mouse adapter. I got the two
X-direction wires switched around the first time, but it's all working
now. I decided to use the lessons from the Laser 3000 and I poured hot
glue onto the wires after they were all soldered into place, so that the
thing is rigid, and then I wrapped it in electrical tape. :)
So my Macintosh is presently using a two-button 'Pregnant' Amiga mouse. I
should try the three-button optical mouse, but what would be the use of
having TWO useless buttons? :)
This is also giving me a chance to try out that old 1200bps Apple modem I
pulled out of the Goodwill a couple of months back. Obviously it works
pretty well! But I'm not used to this level of slowness anymore.
I'm also not used to using Pico without arrow keys. Who's idea was it to
use ^B, ^F, ^P, and ^N anyway? Couldn't they have at least arranged the
keys in some sensible manner?
It took me a couple of minutes to figure out how to configure the Option
key to work as Control, too.
I don't know what I'll do if I have to use ESC for anything.
Did Apple think they were doing someone a favour with this keyboard? :/
Anyhow, I'm glad to see this thing works. Eventually I'll get around to
fixing the real Macintosh mouse.
Now... my display appears to be squished slightly on the left hand side.
Can I fix that easily, without risk of electrocution?
And what about that MacSnap SCSI board? Do I need special drivers for it
or something? I can't get it to see my Zip drive.
Doug Spence
ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca
http://alcor.concordia.ca/~ds_spenc
> From: Marion.Bates(a)Dartmouth.EDU (Marion Bates)
> Subject: VIC-20 -- no sound
>
> I have a VIC-20 that didn't come with a video cable, but I later found what
> appeared to be the right one. The part that plugs into the computer has a
> half-circle of five connectors, and on the other end there are two RCA-type
> plugs, one red and one black. Regardless of which one I plug into the
> "video-in" port on my TV, I get perfect video (why does it work with both?) --
> but no audio, whether I plug the second RCA plug into the left or the right
> "sound-in" jack on the TV. Is this the wrong cable, or is there a problem with
> using a stereo TV? (Or is there a fault somewhere?)
>
The video cable you have is probably for a Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, or Sega
Genesis. There are two video outputs on the VIC video connector.
You should be able to locate a cable that has a 5-pin din to 4 RCA type plugs
- Radio shack used to sell them - I think they are (were) used in automobile
audio systems... With that you will find both video and audio output (but
watch out, there is also the +5v output in one plug too.) :/
BTW you're not missing much with the VIC-20 sound, the programmer's trick to
get better sound output is to keep the computer controlled sound volume low
(like 2 or 3) then the voices don't mess up each other as much.
--
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Larry Anderson - Sysop of Silicon Realms BBS (300-2400bd) (209) 754-1363
Visit my Commodore 8-Bit web page at:
http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare/commodore.html
-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
Can anyone help him out? Email him directly if you can.
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From: "Scott L. Baker" <scd(a)teleport.com>
To: <dlw(a)trailingedge.com>
Subject: Looking for DG NOVA info
Date sent: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 14:05:59 -0700
I'm looking for any information that you might have on the
Data General Nova series of minicomputers. Specifically a
programmers reference or architecture reference. If you have
any info, I would gladly pay for photocopying and shipping charges.
Thanks in advanced,
Scott L. Baker
scd(a)teleport.com
-----
David Williams - Computer Packrat
dlw(a)trailingedge.com
http://www.trailingedge.com
Thomas Pfaff <thomas100(a)home.com> wrote:
> (View with proportional fonts)
Ewww. Y'know, not all proportional fonts have the same widths
for the same characters. Besides, who made ASCII terminals with
proportional fonts? (Yes, this is an invitation for folks to
inform us all. And make sure you tell us what they were used
for!)
-Frank McConnell
--- Tony Duell wrote:
The Mac PSU is a little marginal and should be tweaked if the load
changes.
How I do it is to connect a DC voltmeter to the +5V line on the logic
board (for example on the mouse port). And adjust the DC voltage preset
on the PSU board for a reading of 5V. I am not sure if this is the
official procedure, though.
--- end of quote ---
What you're doing is probably fine. The "official procedure" at the repair shop where I used to work involved a special little testing adapter (available from Apple, but probably only to authorized service centers) that plugged into the Mac's floppy port and split into four wires, one of which was ground. The other three were some combination of 5V and 12V leads (I think one 12V, one -5V, and one +5V, or something like that). You'd check all three and tweak each of them to within some tolerance, and according to the service manual, if you couldn't get all three within tolerance, then you were supposed to replace the board.
-- MB
September 1998.
I'm looking for this old unit functioning to purchase it, actually I need
the PACK or FIXED PLATE also called HDA, the interface of this unit is SMD
and there may be manufacturers that emulate SMD with SCSI disk, (an
alternative of this type as long as it is transparent and that doesn't
require modifications in hardware or software would do).
BRAND : Ampex
MODEL : 932 (DFR-932)
P/N : 3311637-01
DISC TYPE : Winchester ( 1 FIXED PLATE, 1 REMOVABLE PLATE TYPE BASF CARTRIDGE)
I/O INTERFACE TYPE: SMD/CMD
INTERNAL PROCESSOR : INTEL 8085A - 5 Mhz.
CAPACITY : 32 MByte
FABRICATION YEAR: AGO-1980
WEIGHT : 77 Kgm. - 154 Lbs.
ELECTRICAS CHARACTERISTICS: 60 Hz. - 120 VAC.
FABRICATION PLACE: Redwood City, California USA BY: AMPEX Corp.
NOTE : This Unit model 932 can be reeplaced by models 964 or 966.
We would appreciate if you could suggest where we may find a used unit.
Thanks.
Mexico City.
International Used Components.
I was volunteering for a short time at the Museum of Science, and they
had a Terrapin LOGO turtle stashed away, and some descendants as well.
The LOGO was controlled via an external box by serial cable. The
descendants were programmable by IR connection. They stored them
for lack of display space.I would have asked about the Amiga 500
deal with them too much. These people had no money, and they replaced
an entire computer due to a PSU problem I had asked about before.
Has anyone seen a turtle in action? How rare are these>
>motors have come loose, and a couple of pulleys need replacement..
>
>Phil...
>
>Jim wrote:
>
>> I was just watching a thing on robots and they mentioned some of the
early
>> 80s attempts. Does anyone have in their collection a H.E.R.O, or
other robots
>> of that vintage?
>> --
>> Jim Strickland
>> jim(a)calico.litterbox.com
>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there?
>>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
--- Tony Duell wrote:
According to the Tech manual, the output from the VIC20 is composite
video and line level audio. There was an external RF modulator that
plugged into that socket and connected via a switchbox to the aerial
socket on a TV, but if you TV has composite video inputs, etc, then
there's no need to use a modulator.
--- end of quote ---
I posted the original question. There didn't seem to be any need for a switchbox since the TV has these inputs already.
Tony, your earlier post (thanks, BTW) describes the pinout for the correct video connector. Except that, um, I don't know the pin numbering scheme you're using. So, in this summary of continuity checks, I am counting pins from left to right, not knowing any better:
Pin 1 -- nothing.
Pin 2 -- tip of black RCA connector.
Pin 3 -- sleeves of both red and black RCA's.
Pin 4 -- tip of red RCA.
Pin 5 -- nothing.
So I guess that pin 3's corresponding with both RCA sleeves must have something to do with the video signal's being present even when I switch them around, right? But I'm not sure what to make of the rest of it. The answer is probably staring me right in the face from your previous post, but I'm pretty ignorant about electronics, so please bear with me. ;)
Thanks again for the help.
-- MB
--- Doug Spence wrote:
my display appears to be squished slightly on the left hand side.
Can I fix that easily, without risk of electrocution?
--- end of quote ---
There are some adjustments you can do with plastic TV-tweaking tools (even demagnetized metal ones distort the display when they're near the board). The easy-to-reach ones are accessible from the solder-side of the analog board (there should be a white plastic sheet that tells you which controls are which). If those don't fix the problem, then you can cut away the blop of glue (more lessons from the L3K!) that's across the adjustment rings on the CRT yoke. Then you twist those rings (they have little "handles," sort of) and see what happens. However, the yoke IS dangerous, and of course you can't discharge it if you need to look at the screen, so watch out. Those rings are right near the Copper Wires o' Death. :/
-- MB
I was given an old Tandy 3 microcomputer. The button on the right side
of the keyboard says "48K." Was this computer a newer version of the
TRS-80 Model III? I am going to try and restore this computer. Right now
it has a video problem. The screen lights up and has zig-zags on the
screen. Also the contrast and brightness knobs are frozen and move just
a little bit left or right.
--Alan
Can anyone help this guy?
>X-Persona: <Roger(a)Sinasohn.Com>
>Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 00:32:39 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Matt Herriot <linkstar457(a)yahoo.com>
>Subject: Panasonic HHC
>To: roger(a)sinasohn.com
>
>Roger,
>
> We came across a Panasonic HHC in the storage room the other day that
>had come frmo an insurance company ages ago with a bunch of eproms
>written with software for their business. We thought it would be cute
>to write a handy little program for it but do not have a manual. Can
>you tell me whether it programs in basic and what form?
>
> I myself have a fondness for the little Pocket Computer II or III
>from Tandy. The one with the white LCD screen, not the yellow. Mine
>was stolen back in the eighties though. If you happen to know where I
>can pick one up for around $30 or less let me know.
>
>
> Thanks,
> Matt Herriot
> linkstar457(a)yahoo.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
----------
> From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: TRS-80 stuff.
> Date: Sunday, September 06, 1998 9:37 PM
>
>
> Well, you'll not be able to read an Apple ][ disk on anything but an
> Apple (or clone), or maybe a PC with a special disk controller board.
>
> And even if you got the program onto a TRS-80 disk, the TRS-80 and Apple
> have different CPUs (Z80 and 6502), different graphics systems, etc. A
> BASIC program might be able to be translated, but if it uses PEEK/POKE,
> or if it uses graphics, or has machine code routines, or anything like
> that, then it would be quicker to rewrite it.
>
> Anyway, Apple ]['s are not exactly rare, are they?
>
>
They're not rare at all. I just thought it would be neat to have a
computer that would run almost everything. I guess that's yet to be made.
I have a Franklin 2000, but it's sort of screwed up in it's own way. It
has two video outputs, that don't work simultaneously. One's 40 column,
one's 80 column. To use an 80 column program, you have to turn off the
computer, connect the 80 column to the monitor, and reboot. To use the 40
column, you need to turn it off, connect to the 40 column, and then reboot.
It also uses Integer Basic, not ProDos, like most of the Apples.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
>
I have a couple of newbie questions re: the uVAX II that has come
to live with me..
One is (and I have looked before asking) where might I find more
technical data than the User's Manual seems to provide? Particularly
sysgen info.... I need to a) find some device drivers and b) make
them available to VMS.. specifically the TK50. There are no
floppies installed. (nor in my other one.. boo!)
Two is.. this old beast got quite cranky on me this morning.. it
crashed loudly five or six time before stabilizing... I managed to
capture the info once or twice, but I cannot verify that it was the
same each time... most crashes came during boot after VMS signed
on and somewhere right before/during the DATE/TIME prompt.. though
it happened at other times too...
FATAL CRASH Bugcheck... PGFIPLHI Pagefault IPL too high
Crash CPU 00 Primary CPU 00
and a ton of other stuff... registers etc. which I will not
reproduce unless asked. ;}
It *seemed* to get better as it warmed up.. the machine is out in
my shop and the ambient is about 68F and foggy... also it is not
retaining the DATE/TIME info... is the uVAX as sensitive to it's
battery state as some other machines? Has the RAM developed mange?
Today I will move it in to the house where it can be given TLC...
by the way, I have been asked re: the cabinet it's in.. it is in
a 4' high roll-around rack, whose top hinges up to allow access to
the Cipher 9trk tape drive. I don't have the cabinet model number.
Thanks to All who have offered comments/suggestions so far!
Cheers
John
Thanks for the info, I'm driving this puppy 850 miles though. Is the
clip permanently attached to the positioner?
-----Original Message-----
From: ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk [mailto:ard@p850ug1.demon.co.uk]
Sent: Sunday, August 30, 1998 10:04 AM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: Re: RL02 Drive Transportaion Questions
>
> Hey folks,
>
> I'm going to pickup a system in a week or two, and it's got RL02
Drives.
> I haven't seen one of these in years. Any shipping hints, locking
> screws,
There is a locking clip on the head positioner, but in my experience the
positioner is stiff enough not to need locking for short moves.
Do make sure there are no packs in them. To open the top cover, either
remove the little plate on the RHS (if it's an old drive) and frob the
solenoid (and replace the plate afterwards), or undo the access cover on
top and release the door that way. Take out any packs you find in the
drives, but keep them, as one may well be a bootable OS.
> etc?
>
> Thanks.
>
-tony
Noticed this on the local forsale list - go for it guys/gals 8-)
Please contact him directly - all info is in the message.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: epement(a)ripco.com (Eric Pement)
Newsgroups: chi.forsale
Subject: free/cheap Kaypro computers
Date: 7 Sep 1998 05:19:38 GMT
Organization: Ripco, Chicago's Oldest Online Information Service
I have 10 Kaypro CP/M computers for sale or for free. Best offer
takes it (I'm hoping $5 or $10 for any working computer; any nonworking
Kaypro is free), but if you don't have any money and can pick them up
here in Chicago, any or *ALL* of them can be yours for free. Probably 3
or 4 of them have FDD problems with drive alignment, one or two has a
bad or missing power supply, one of them has both drives missing.
3 Kaypro II (nongraphics, 2 SSDD floppy drives)
1 Kaypro 2 (graphics, 2 DSDD floppy drives)
1 Kaypro 2x (graphics, 2 DSDD floppy drives)
4 Kaypro 4 (graphics, 2 DSDD floppy drives)
1 Kaypro 10 (graphics, 1 SSDD floppy dirve, one 10 meg HDD)
If anyone wants to pick them all up and cart them away, that would
be fine! I can provide bootable disks, including legit Kaypro masters,
for these computers, but no printed manuals (sorry!).
Email me at <epement(a)jpusa.chi.il.us> or phone at 773/561-2450, 1-2084#.
If I'm not there, leave a message on voice mail. If you need to know
more about Kaypros, CP/M, or have other questions, please ask.
Kind regards,
Eric Pement
-- end of forwarded message --
Well, I fired up my recently-acquired uVAX II/RC up this
afternoon, and whaddaya know... it boots!
Thanks to the reams of information which I have dutifully stored
away, I was able to get the system passwords reset, and I have VMS
V5.4 signed on. Now I need that DECUS Hobbyist license.
This machine originally booted into some kind of communications
software.. but it went by too fast to read much more than TCP/IP
and (I think) Excelan, or EXlan, or something....
This Machine has 1 RD53, 1 TK50(?) and a Cipher Data flatbed 9trk
tape drive. (no floppy)
The cartridge drive is not happy.. it will load the tape, but the
red load light stays on, and VMS reports "device not found", and
SHOW DEV shows it as unmounted.
I would *really* like to discover how to mount/access the Cipher
drive.. I have VMS 4.3 manuals, but I haven't found the right info
yet on where to look for the device drivers and other procedures.
The Cipher came installed with this machine, so I'm assuming at some
point someone was using it... maybe. ;}
ANYWAY: Thanks to Allison and Megan for various bits of wisdom
that I have vicariously snagged and now put to good use.
Now to wedge this thing into the rest of the gear in the Computing
Centre (AKA Rapidly Shrinking Living Room). Sigh. Why did it have to
be Minicomputers??? Why couldn't it have been Stamps?? Bottlecaps??
Toothpicks from Around the World?????
Cheers
John
>> It might be worth mentioning that Apple //e's don't have a slot 0. The
>> "language card" (really just an additional 16K of bank-switched RAM) is
>> built-in. Also, on the //e slot 3 is tied in to the auxiliary slot, where
>> normally RAM and 80-column boards go. If you've got something in the aux.
>> slot, you can't put anything in slot 3, with some exceptions. For
>> instance, I have an AE TransWarp accelerator board in my //e that has a
>> 3.3Mhz 6502 CPU which overrides the motherboard 6502 upon bootup. This
>> board is great in that it plugs into slot 3, in conjunction with my
>> expanded 80-column card in the aux. slot, and therefore does not waste a
>> slot.
> Can anyone explain the reason why Apple put the Aux slot directly in
> line with slot 3 on the European version of the IIe? For example, I
> have a full length Ramworks III board in the Aux slot and this
> completely obscures slot 3 so an accelerator so Sam's trick with the
> Transwarp will not work.
THe AUX slot _is_ slot #3. just some different signals. For
any 'regular' use you can only use the slot #3 connector or
AUX connector. The Transwarp is just (like some other very
special cards) desigend for uste in #3 while AUX is hosting
the 'regular' card. In fact, any card, able to run in slot
#0 (using no slot resources like RAM and (E)PROM space) will
coexist in #3 with a card in AUX.
The location was choosed to avoid that owners will plug in
two cards using the slot resources into AUX and #3, since
this (may) result in address conflicts. A far better solution
than any message in a manual for the usual I-am-an-expert-I-
-never-read-manuals user.
Gruss
H.
--
Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
On 4 Sep 98 at 18:24, Sam Ismail wrote:
> It might be worth mentioning that Apple //e's don't have a slot 0. The
> "language card" (really just an additional 16K of bank-switched RAM) is
> built-in. Also, on the //e slot 3 is tied in to the auxiliary slot, where
> normally RAM and 80-column boards go. If you've got something in the aux.
> slot, you can't put anything in slot 3, with some exceptions. For
> instance, I have an AE TransWarp accelerator board in my //e that has a
> 3.3Mhz 6502 CPU which overrides the motherboard 6502 upon bootup. This
> board is great in that it plugs into slot 3, in conjunction with my
> expanded 80-column card in the aux. slot, and therefore does not waste a
> slot.
Can anyone explain the reason why Apple put the Aux slot directly in
line with slot 3 on the European version of the IIe? For example, I
have a full length Ramworks III board in the Aux slot and this
completely obscures slot 3 so an accelerator so Sam's trick with the
Transwarp will not work.
Phil
**************************************************************
Phil Beesley -- Computer Officer -- Distributed Systems Suppport
University of Leicester
Tel (0)116 252-2231
E-Mail pb14(a)le.ac.uk
Cool. where would I get a copy of LDOS, and would I still be able to run
my TRS-DOS programs? Is there any program for the IBM PC that will allow
disks from a TRS-80 to be read on the PC? Is there one that will allow the
same to read TRS-80 Model 600 disks on the PC? Or on the Model III?
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: TRS-80 stuff.
> Date: Sunday, September 06, 1998 7:19 PM
>
>
> That's probably a double-sided drive. If you modify the cable slightly to
> connect up the side select line (I will have to look up the details), and
> run somthing like LDOS, then you can have 360K on a disk.
>
> -tony
>
I was going thru a bunch of old material and I ran across this IBM
manual that I had squirrelled away from a garbage find in the early 80s
that also included a bunch of Bytes. It's a 6th edition (Mar 79) and says it
applies to Release 4 of OS/VS1, Release 3 of OS/VS2 ,Release 2 of VM/370,
DOS/VSE, and all other releases
A descrptive heading says "This manual describes the OS/VS -DOS/VSE-
VM/370 assembler language. It's a 450 page XEROXed copy.
I know ziltch about non-micros and am wondering if this is of any value
(in the intellectual sense) ?
ciao larry
lwalker(a)interlog.com
It's not a newer version. My TRS-80 Model III also has 48K. It was the
top-of-the-line Model III. When I first got mine, it had been sitting in a
basement for 2 years, and the basement had been flooded when the septic
tank backed up. when I cleaned it all out, and turned it on, I had the
same problem with the screen. I gave it a good, solid whack on the back,
and it's been working fine ever since (not too hard, though - you don't
want to put a hole in the back). I think that the problem may have been
that a couple of the chips got either corroded or slightly unseated, and
smacking the back of it reseated them. That may not be your problem,
though.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: oajones <oajones(a)bright.net>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Tandy 3
> Date: Sunday, September 06, 1998 11:17 PM
>
> I was given an old Tandy 3 microcomputer. The button on the right side
> of the keyboard says "48K." Was this computer a newer version of the
> TRS-80 Model III? I am going to try and restore this computer. Right now
> it has a video problem. The screen lights up and has zig-zags on the
> screen. Also the contrast and brightness knobs are frozen and move just
> a little bit left or right.
>
> --Alan
----------
> From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: TRS-80 stuff.
> Date: Sunday, September 06, 1998 8:22 PM
>
> http://www.research.digital.com/SRC/personal/Tim_Mann/trs80.html/
>
> I seem to remember that you can't make a bootable LDOS disk by just
> copying the files onto it, and that some of the files have to be in the
> right place (or their directory entries do).
>
Thanks. I'll have to check it out.
> What version of TRS-DOS are you running at the moment?
>
I think it's 1.3. It's on an old Mortgage investment program disk that's
been sitting in my garage loft for three years (temperature ranges from -10
to 120 degrees F). I'm surprised that it even worked.
> > > There used to be a commercial program to do the opposite (allow
TRS-80s
> > > to read/write MS-DOS disks). No idea where you'd get that from now,
> > though.
> > >
> >
> > Do you remember what the name of it is?
>
> TRSCROSS, I think. Maybe HYPERCROSS (I think they were both programs to
> read 'foreign' disks on the TRS-80).
>
O.K. I'll try to see if I can find it or not. Was there a program that
would let you run Apple ][ Programs? I have about 100 program disks
without a working apple (I actually have a Franklin 2000). Or does the
disk controller thing come into play?
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: TRS-80 stuff.
> Date: Sunday, September 06, 1998 8:03 PM
>
> I believe it's available from Tim Mann's TRS-80 web page. The author has
> allowed it to be copied for personal use. Of course getting it onto a
> disk is another problem.
>
What's the address? I may be able to use Telcom to transfer the files.
> Does anyone in the States on this list have it, and would be prepared to
> copy it, I wonder?
>
> There used to be a commercial program to do the opposite (allow TRS-80s
> to read/write MS-DOS disks). No idea where you'd get that from now,
though.
>
Do you remember what the name of it is?
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
I got a new drive (well, to me at least). It was from an XT clone, and
works great. When I took the fried one apart, I found out that the spindle
bearing was rusted, so I took the heads, motor, and everything else that
looked good out, and junked the rest.
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
----------
> From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: WTB: TRS-80 stuff.
> Date: Sunday, September 06, 1998 1:27 PM
>
> I have the schematics for that drive (both in the Tandy and IBM tech
> manuals). So I could probably identify the burnt components. What chips
> are they near (either type - like NE592, or circuit reference - like U1).
>
> Burnt traces can be repaired - I do it all the time....
>
>
> > --
> > -Jason
> > (roblwill(a)usaor.net)
> > ICQ#-1730318
> >
>
> -tony
>
Does anyone have any doc's or info on a "Pixel 80"? A nice fellow in
Guelph Ontario was kind enough to pass one on to me and I'd like to get it
running. On quick perusal, it has a 5.25" drive on the front, and at the
back a centronics output, 9- 9pin and 4- 25 pin D shell connectors. The
date says 9/83. Its the size of the bar fridge I had in university and
weighs a bloody ton. It was manufactured by "Instumentation Labratory
Inc." Dominique who gave it to me says that he contacted them but they
say they know nothing about it. There is a web site for IL but its no
help.
Colan
Hello everybody.
I'm in the process of restoring a submerged TRS-80 Model III. It was
sitting in my friend's basement when his septic tank backed up (yuk.), and
it was sitting on the basement floor (double yuk.). However, his solution
to fixing it was to drag it up the steps on sheet of plywood and let it sit
in the rain for three weeks. Then he gave it to me because he was afraid
to plug it in. I started by taking it apart, and hosing the whole thing
down. Then I took all the boards out, and set them in front of heater/fan
to dry (low power). I did the same to the disk drives, the keyboard, and
the picture tube.
After everything had dried for about a week, I put it all back together,
and turned it on. The tube came on with a bunch of crazy characters on the
screen. I took the main board out, propped it up behind the computer,
tried it again, and the screen came up with the "Diskette ?" prompt. I put
in a copy of TRS-DOS (unsubmerged), and hit reset. ERROR came up in
40-column letters. I shut it off, and pulled the drives. I stuck (well
more like jammed- it was too wide) a 5.25" 360 half-height drive in it (it
ended up at an angle and upside down to fit), and tried that. That time it
worked, booting to the TRS-DOS screen, asking for a date. I typed
"09/01/98". Nothing. I took a key off the keyboard to try to clean it,
and they are the sealed-switch type. I had to unsolder each switch, take
each one apart, clean it, put it back together, and solder it back to the
board. However, I just cleaned the <1>, the </>, and the <Enter> key-
enough for me to enter the date. It worked.
Now's where I need the help. Here's what I need:
-5.25" full-height 360k disk drives (any type but Apple - doesn't need to
be TRS-80).
-External TRS-80 disk drives.
-Cable to connect external drives to the computer.
-TRS-80 Model III hard drive (can be a clone)
-Internal cable connecting RS-232 adapter to the main board.
-TRS-80 Model III software (can be on tape or disk)
I'm also looking for anything for the CoCo Model I and II - ESPECIALLY disk
drives and a printer.
As always, ThAnX in advance,
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
> Stage 1 : LART the cousin....
>
> Stage 2 : It may not have done that much damage. Remove the coin and
> clean up the board. What components did it seem to have come into contact
> with?. There's not a lot on that board that can't be replaced,
actually...
>
I took it off, and it looks as though some resistors (I think) had burned
up (can't recognize the value coding), and some of the traces and also been
cooked (broken, and blackened).
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
> The original Tandy drives were normally made by a company called 'Texas
> Peripherals', and are identical to Tandon drives.
>
They're both actual Tandon drives, dated from 1981.
> Start by taking them apart a little way.
>
> Unplug all the cables going to the PCB on top of the drive, take out the
> 2 screws and slip off the PCB. If there's a separate motor control board
> on the back (old drives have this), then remove that as well.
>
> > -Cable to connect external drives to the computer.
>
> That's easy to make. It's just a length of 34 way ribbon cable with edge
> connectors crimped to it. Most people these days don't pull pins as Tandy
> did, but instead select the drive using the links on the drive PCB.
>
<snip>
I did this to one drive, and got it working, but the other is beyond
repair. A penny was once dropped into the computer by my friends 4 yr. old
cousin. The penny landed on top of the top drive PCB, shorting some stuff
and fusing the penny to a few components. I need at least one drive.
> > -Internal cable connecting RS-232 adapter to the main board.
>
> If you're _really_ stuck for this, remove the connectors from the CPU
> board and RS232 board and solder some 0.1" SIL headers in place. I seem
> to remember it's 20 pins. Then use a 40 pin (or whatever) IDC ribbon
> cable + connectors (like a very short IDE cable) to link them up. Just
> use the same row of holes in the 2 connectors.
>
I may just try making my own cable out of an old piece of ribbon cable,
some clear plastic, and some Super Glue. That's basically what the
original one was, anyway.
ThAnX,
--
-Jason
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#-1730318
Maybe I shouldn't post this.... O wot'th'ell, here goes.
I have discovered recently a very dangerous on-line book service,
which, in my *very* humble opinion, just beats the bloody tar out of
the 'major' ones.. (Amazon, Barnes, etc). Some of you Listmembers
may already be aware of these folks.. if not, the URL is;
www.abebooks.com
I'm *definitely* in Big $$$ Trouble. I have a very large library,
around 10K volumes, journals, periodicals, papers... collected over
many years. A lot of it is old, wierd, rare, fringe-science,
technology, engineering, computing, etc.
Now I find ABE (American Book Exchange) and they've got titles
I've been searching for for *ages*... including a book I read in 4th
Grade and never heard of since... oh dear: most of the booksellers
on ABE take credit cards... damn, damn, damn...!
I've already found over $1K of stuff I must have.. NOW!
Anyway, I hereby disclaim and hold myself inurred and harmless
>from anyone who goes bankrupt because I turned them on to ABE.
Just try searching with Van Nostrand or Wiley or Howard Sams
entered in the 'Publisher' slot... or pdp-11 in the 'keywords'
section....
I'm in **trouble** !
Cheers ;}
John