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

by ZGE＠aol.com

Does anyone remember seeing adds in popular electronics back during the 1970's about the NRI computer . A few examples were on page 37 of the 3\77 issue , .page 15 , 11\76 page 11 , 2\76 . thanks, zge(a)aol.com

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

MFM drives

by engine＠chac.org

>From: SUPRDAVE <SUPRDAVE(a)aol.com> >Subject: MFM drives >has anyone else had a fantastic failure rate with mfm controller cards? >seems like i have better luck with reviving hard drives.... For "fantastic" substitute "legendary." During my years as a support tech (roughly 1986 to 1994) it was an article of faith in my firm that a "bad disk" was a failed controller about two times out of three. This could be difficult to explain to end-users, who generally knew what a hard disk was, but rarely what a controller was, or even that they owned one. It was also entertaining telling an end-user that, once they had a new controller, they'd have to low-level the -- kc

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Cleaning TK-50 Drives

by healyzh＠ix.netcom.com

I've got some TK-50 drives that I want to use a couple of in my MicroVAX II, they are all filthy, with big dustbunnies crawling out of them. I've picked up some of the proper foam swabs for cleaning tape drives, and a bottle of "Radio Shack Professional Tape Head Cleaner Fluid". I took the worst one tonite and striped it down, gave it a good cleaning, blew it out good, got it nice and spick and span. I've got it put back together now, and it _looks_ great. My question is, was this a good idea? I started thinking about this when I went and put the thing that looks like it has two magnets back in from of the tape drive head. By taking this apart like that have I messed up the drive alignment or anything? Are there any particular gottcha's that I need to be aware of. I'm already aware of how the tape leader needs to be attached and what to do if it gets sucked into a drive (had a tech show me on a DLT4000 drive a few months ago). Of course my plan is to install it tomorrow night, and give it a try. It's called I really want to get a good backup of this machine prior to starting to play with it (I know nothing about VMS, but have the System Manager, and User's manuals). Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ | | For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html |

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Firsts

by scott＠isd.canberra.edu.au

At 22:01 20/01/98 -0500, Ward Griffiths wrote: >Daniel A. Seagraves wrote: >> >> Linux has a termcap for the TRS-80 Mod. 100. >> I think it trs80 or trs-80 >> ------- > >Not on my Caldera distribution. Terminfo either. Not hard to edit >the vt52 entry though, that's what I did when the 100 first came out >before Xenix directly supported it -- and I emailed the entry I'd >made to Fort Worth but never compared it to the official release. Here's the Model 100 entry from my termcap (on a SunOS 4.1.3 machine): zn|trs100|Radio Shack Model 100:\ :am:bs:le=^H:li#8:co#40:ku=^^:kd=^_:kl=^]:kr=^\:up=\EA:\ :nd=\EC:ho=\EH:ce=\EK:cd=\EJ:cl=\EE:xt:cm=\EY%+ %+ :\ :so=\Ep:se=\Eq:al=\EL:dl=\EM: Hope that helps. Regards, | Scott McLauchlan |"Sometimes the need to mess with their heads| |Information Services Division| outweighs the millstone of humiliation." | | University of Canberra |__________Fox_Mulder_"The_X-Files:_Squeeze"_| | scott(a)isd.canberra.edu.au |http://www.canberra.edu.au/~scott/home.html |

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Firsts

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 09:43 PM 1/19/98 -0500, you wrote: >I print 'em out on stone using an HP 7140 plotter with a knife attached and >use the pony express to get them to my cave. And I thought dialing into my ISP at 2400 baud with my Atari Portfolio was roughing it. Or before that, on a TRS-80 Model 100 at 300baud. Had to find a 40 column termcap for that one. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

5
5
0 0

Sinclair Kit for Sale

by cgregory＠lrbcg.com

Seems to me these kits are still available from some distributor on the net for around $30. I'll see if I can dig up the exact URL. Cliff Gregory cgregory(a)lrbcg.com -----Original Message----- From: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> To: Cgregory <Cgregory> Date: Sunday, January 18, 1998 7:46 PM Subject: Sinclair Kit for Sale > >A friend of mine has an original unbuilt Sinclair kit for sale at what >looks like an interesting price. If you're interested, contact him >directly at squest(a)cris.com and tell him Anthony Clifton - Wirehead sent you. > >Anthony Clifton - Wirehead > >

28 years, 2 months

4
4
0 0

Portability (was: Firsts)

by fmc＠reanimators.org

Uncle Roger <sinasohn(a)ricochet.net> wrote: > I can do better than that -- I've got a Zenith that makes the Kaypro look > pocket sized. *But* both fold up conveniently, and can be carried with one > hand. The IBM 5100 (and RS mIII, Commodore Pet, HP 85, etc.) is *not* > convenient to tote around on a regular basis. OK, you've mentioned the HP 85, so I'll write about it a bit. Was the 85 portable? That's a good question. HP apparently thought it could be pressed into service that way -- I remember the CEs bringing out a largish travel case containing an 85 with (at least) an HP-IB interface and some tapes that made it a diagnostic tool and exerciser for CS/80 disc drives. Of course, they also brought some other similarly sized travel cases full of 7933 kit and a hand truck to help move the lot from station wagon to computer room. But I didn't see that case come up to the computer room unless the CEs thought they were going to use it to deal with the problem at hand. Make of that what you will. I read it as: it's easily movable, but it's not convenient enough to be carried everywhere. I'm thinking that the 85 was designed at HP's Corvallis site. Were those responsible thinking of themselves as "Portable Computer Division" back then? -Frank McConnell

28 years, 2 months

3
2
0 0

New Finds

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Well over the last few days I've found a Multi-Tech Systems FM30 Data Coupler with cord for .80; a Heathkit Digital Design Experimenter model ET-3200-B for .80 no doc's where with it, will play around this weekend with it; 2 SUN spreakerboxs' for $5 each this place has about 50 of them for sale; Apple PC 5.25 ext drive for free not tested yet; a EPSON P.I.C. parallel interface cartridge #8620A no way to test it for now; IBM pc convertible printer and adapter unit for free got get convertible going to test unit; a Apple plotter model A9M0302 for $15 need s some clean and maybe parts before I can test it; Lisa with keyboard for .80 not tested yet card slot in back were open as if someone too them out at the thrift store; another Toshiba T1000 that works has carrying case power supply and manuals; HP IIIsi for $15 needs work; Laserwriter II $15 needs work; Kodak Diconix 150Plus free and not tested yet; LattisNet Synoptics model 102 $15 and not tested yet; a stripped Mac IIsi for free; and several other units and parts that do not meet the ten year rule. I hope to have better luck when all this snow goes away until them Keep Computing !! John

28 years, 2 months

2
2
0 0

Firsts

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 11:57 AM 1/19/98 -0800, you wrote: >YEAH! And not all of us have Windows to read email with - >I got to ^Q thru all that... Don't have windows??? How'd that neanderthal get in here?!? :) (Ow! I'm kidding! Ow! I said I was kidding! OwOwOwOw!!!!) Seriously, some people just assume that everyone else can support their standards. I've been partially guilty of it too. I send all my attachments as MIME, mainly because that's the standard in my main working environment (win95/NT). I'm a graphic artist and web page designer. I could only do 30% of my job in a text based environment if it came down to that (sometimes it does). Then again, everyone I know that I send attachments to have mail clients than can handle MIME. (I check the message headers for X-Sender before I do) Still, that doesn't make it right to send attachments to a list. It could have been worse. It could have come out of a "rich text" or HTML compatible mail client. (Then all heck would break loose, Dogar, the Many-Handed One would hand out the proper punishments, and all zeroes would flow across the lines, as the backbones crumble from their fury! So it was written, so it shall be!) (Uhh, was there ever a point in this message where it was on topic? Uh oh. Better fix that.) So, uh, speaking of Commodores... Anyone know where I can pick up an Amiga 500 or 1000 real cheap? :) -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

5
11
0 0

Firsts

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

> SO what? I read my messages from TOPS-20. > Beat that. I print 'em out on stone using an HP 7140 plotter with a knife attached and use the pony express to get them to my cave. manney

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

USMO rip-off

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Who was the joker that posted the message a week or so ago stating that usmo.com had good prices? I checked thir website and found a couple of printers for the HP 41 calculator, so I E-mailed and asked their price. They didn't knopw what they were, I had to send them the URL. Then they wrote back wanting $650 for them!!!!! That's more than double HP's original price and at least 15 times the maximum price now. usmo is a rip off and a waste of time! Joe >Return-Path: <kseeker(a)usmo.com> >From: "c" <kseeker(a)usmo.com> >To: "Joe" <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >Subject: Re: more prices >Date: Tue, 20 Jan 1998 09:36:17 -0000 >X-MSMail-Priority: Normal >X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4 > >Those printers we currenlty are asking $650 > >-----Original Message----- >From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >To: c <kseeker(a)usmo.com> >Date: Monday, January 19, 1998 1:31 PM >Subject: Re: more prices > > >>They're at "http://www.usmo.com/~kseeker/webdoc3.htm". They're listed as >>Thermal Printers. >> >> Joe >> >> >>At 09:36 PM 1/18/98 -0000, you wrote: >>>Where did you see these, at what link, I do not recall these part numbers. >>> >>>-----Original Message----- >>>From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> >>>To: kseeker(a)usmo.com <kseeker(a)usmo.com> >>>Date: Friday, January 16, 1998 1:46 AM >>>Subject: more prices >>> >>> >>>>I'm interested in the HP 82161 and 82162 printers advertised on your >>>>website. Tell me what you want for them and their condition. >>>> >>>> Joe >>>> >>> >>> >> > >

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Someone told me....

by thedm＠sunflower.com

That the PCjr had some demo tutorial type programs in rom. Is this true? anyone know how to get to them, or have I been misinformed? Bill

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

ID help (Commie, IBM, Nissho?)

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 98-01-19 23:14:51 EST, you write: << >> Oh, they also had a few IBM PS/2 style monitors with a single RCA jack >> > What denotes a PS/2 "style" monitor ? I haven't heard this term >before and have several P/S2 s. The RCA jack would suggest a >composite monitor. It's the kind of case; the PS/2 style is rather different from the old 5150 style. what was the model number? first generation ps/2 machines were 85xx. second generation ps2 models were 95xx, known as the premium line. david

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Apple ][+

by TOwad＠aol.com

Hi Jim, I'll give you $30 shipped. I'm in PA 17347. Sincerely, Tom >I have an Apple ][+ that needs a good home. I've never seen anything >quite like this; every slot filled! I don't know it it works though; >no boot floppies. Here's what's inside: > >Applied Engineering 16k Pocket Rocket (?) >Asynchronous Serial Interface >MountainComputer A/D+D/A >PTM-1 Programmable timer module (with kludge of unknown function) >Parallel Interface board >ThunderClock Plus >Disk ][ Interface Card (FDC) >APL Board (with centronics cable attached) > >Included are a pair of Disk ][ drives, an Apple Joystick, and some >misc cables dangling from the back. E-Mail me at: > > Jeff.kaneko(a)ifrsys.com > > _or_ > > banzai(a)worldnet.att.net > >if interested. Will sell for a very reasonable price, plus shipping >from Wichita, Kansas.

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Sinclair Kit for Sale

by cgregory＠lrbcg.com

I wasn't try to ruffle any feathers here, or undercut anyone's price. Your post simply jogged my memory as to the availability of these kits. FWIW the URL is: http://www.users.interport.net/~zebra/ts/ I was just there; it's still a live link. Kind of interesting browsing what they have to offer. BTW, I'm not affiliated with the sellers in any way, nor have I ever purchased from them. Cliff Gregory cgregory(a)lrbcg.com -----Original Message----- From: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> To: Cgregory <Cgregory> Date: Monday, January 19, 1998 10:17 PM Subject: Re: Sinclair Kit for Sale > >Yeah ok. I just report what I'm told. I'm not a salesman. I'm not an >apologist. If you want to negotiate price with the guy contact him >directly at squest(a)cris.com. I'm not making any money off them. I don't >care if sells any. I don't care if anyone buys any. > >Anthony Clifton - Wirehead > >> Seems to me these kits are still available from some distributor on the net >> for around $30. I'll see if I can dig up the exact URL. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >> To: Cgregory <Cgregory> >> Date: Sunday, January 18, 1998 7:46 PM >> Subject: Sinclair Kit for Sale >> >> >> >> > >> >A friend of mine has an original unbuilt Sinclair kit for sale at what >> >looks like an interesting price. If you're interested, contact him >> >directly at squest(a)cris.com and tell him Anthony Clifton - Wirehead sent >> you. >> > >> >Anthony Clifton - Wirehead >> > >> > >> >

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

A Request for Assistance

by dastar＠crl.com

Hello Fellow Classic Computer Collecting Nerds. If you've checked out the Vintage Computer Festival web page then you know that there will be an exhibition of over 100 computer systems as part of the event. Just having the computers without any accompanying literature would probably leave a lot of attendees wondering what it was they were looking at. Therefore, I would like to have a short, one-page write-up for each machine on display giving summary information about the machine. I figured there is probably no better resource for general and historical information on old computers than this discussion group. As you know, 100 computers is a lot. So I am asking for a favor from anyone interested. I need write-ups done for the machines which will be on display! Aside from my undying gratitude, anyone who contributes write-ups will receive a free Vintage Computer Festival 1.0 t-shirt and a free pass to the show either this year or for whatever year you will be able to make it out (this WILL be an annual event). A list of the systems on display will follow. If you would like to do some write-ups for a particular system or series of systems, please e-mail me and I will let you know if a write-up is required for that system. The write-up should ideally include: The company which created the computer The founding year of the company The year the company went out of business The founder(s) of the company What the company's main market was (ie. who was their customer?) The year the computer was developed/released How many were manufactured (if known) What computer (if any) preceded this computer What computer (if any) followed this computer What operating system(s) could it run? What language(s) if any were built-in or available for it? What kinds of peripherals were available for this computer What were the attributes of this computer What processor did it use? How many bits was it? How much memory did it come with standard? How much total memory could it be expanded to? What kind of bus architecture did it use (if any) or how could it be expanded (if at all)? Did it have a carthridge slot? What other computers was it compatible with (if any)? What peripherals were specifically available for it (if any)? Disk drives or other storage devices? Printers? Displays? Other stuff like speech synthesizers, graphics tablets, etc.? What (if any) graphics capabilities did it possess? What was the resolution (of all graphics modes)? How many colors were available? Any special features of the graphics? Any special graphics hardware? What (if any) sound capabilities did it possess? How many voices did it support? Any special features of the sound? Any special sound hardware? What other significant attributes did it feature? Again, it would be ideal to have all this information, but it is not mandatory. I realize that some stuff is just a mystery. Hopefully having Vintage Computer Festival's will clear up these mysteries by getting the information flowing about old computers. If you would like to contribute a write-up, please e-mail me with what you want to contribute and I will let you know if I need one for that system or not. Thanks! (list to follow below) Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass Attend the First Annual Vintage Computer Festival See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details! MANUFACTURER PRODUCT MODEL ---------------------------- --------------------------- ------------ Altos Apple Computer Apple /// A3S2 Apple Computer Apple //c A2S4100 Apple Computer Apple IIe A2S2064 Apple Computer Apple IIe A2S2128 Apple Computer Apple ][ A2S0016 Apple Computer Apple ][+ A2S1048 Apple Computer Lisa 2 Apple Computer Macintosh Plus M0001A Atari Atari 1040ST 1040STF Atari Atari 1200XL Home Computer 1200XL Atari Atari 130XE 130XE Atari Atari 400 Home Computer 400 Atari Atari 520ST 520ST Atari Atari 600XL Home Computer 600XL Atari Atari 800 800 Atari Atari 800XL 800XL Atari Falcon 030 Callan Data Systems Unistar 300 Commodore Amiga A1000 Commodore Amiga A500 Commodore CBM 2001 Series PET 2001-32 Commodore Commodore 64 64 Commodore Commodore 64 Personal Compu 64C Commodore Commodore 128 128 Commodore Commodore Plus/4 Plus/4 Commodore PET 4016 Commodore PET 4032 Commodore PET 8032 Commodore VIC 20 Computer VIC 20 Compaq Portable CompuPro 8/16 Computer Power & Light Compal 80 Minicomputer Corona Data Systems M18P-2 Corvus Concept Cromemco Z2 Computer System Data General Data General One 2514A Epson Geneva PX-8 Epson Portable Computer HX-20 Exidy Inc. Sorcerer Computer Fortune Systems Corporation 32:16 Forward Technologies Sun 1 Clone GCE Vectrex Heath H8 Heath Hero I Hewlett-Packard Computer HP3000/37 Hewlett-Packard Computer HP85A Hewlett-Packard Computer HP86B Hewlett-Packard Portable HP110 Hewlett-Packard Portable Plus Hewlett-Packard Integral PC HP9000/207 Hewlett-Packard Workstation HP9000/520 Hewlett-Packard Computer HP9915 IBM 3270 Personal Computer 5271 IBM Personal Computer 5150 IMSAI Manufacturing Corporat IMSAI 8080 Microcomputer Sy Interact Micro Video Intertec Data Systems SuperBrain II Kaypro Corporation Kaypro New 2 Macintosh 128 Mattel Electronics Aquarius 5931 Mindset Mindset Morrow Designs MDT 60 Morrow Designs Pivot Portable Non-Linear Systems, Inc. Kaypro II North Star Computers Horizon OSI C4P MF Olivetti M10 Osborne Computer Corporation Executive Osborne Computer Corporation Osborne 1 Osborne Computer Corporation Osborne 3 Osborne Computer Corporation Vixen PMC Inc. PMC 81 Processor Technology Corp. SOL 20 Quest Electronics Super Elf Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 Radio Shack TRS-80 64K Color Computer 2 26-3127B Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer 2 26-3027 Radio Shack TRS-80 Micro Color Computer MC-10 Radio Shack TRS-80 Micro Computer Syste 26-1006-1 Radio Shack TRS-80 PC-1 SWP Microcomputer Products ATR8000 SWTP 6800 SWTP 6809 Sanyo MBC-550 MBC-550 Sinclair ZX80 ZX80 Sinclair ZX81 Personal Computer ZX81 Sun Microsystems Workstation 2/50 Synertek VIM-1 Tandy TRS-80 Model 2000 26-5103 Tandy Tandy 1000EX 25-1050B Tandy Tandy 100HX Personal Comput 25-1053A Televideo TS1603 Texas Instruments 99/4A Computer PHC004A Texas Instruments Silent 700 745 Portable Timex Computer Corporation Timex-Sinclair 1000 M 330 Timex Computer Corporation Timex-Sinclair 1500 Toshiba T1000 PA7027U Vector Graphics Inc. Vector 1 Victor Technologies, Inc. Victor 9000 412 Video Technology Ltd. Laser 50 Visual Computer Inc. Commuter COMMUTER US

28 years, 2 months

5
6
0 0

Boot disk images possible?

by scottk5＠ibm.net

Let me ask some of you wiser heads here on the list a question if I may: Is there a way to archive boot-disk images on my DOS file server? I'm trying to archive some of the DOS versions that are on my older machines. I'm thinking of that .exe format that IBM uses to produce bootable reference disks for the PS/2's.....is there anything comparable to that I can use to make a storable boot-disk image? I do make disk copies of the operating systems I want to save, but would also like to back them up on the server. Can anyone recommend anything that would be simple enough for a newbie like me to use to do this? Kirk Scott scottk5(a)ibm.net Net-Tamer V 1.09.2 - Test Drive

28 years, 2 months

3
2
0 0

RD-53 ?54 RETRY

by healyzh＠ix.netcom.com

OK, I got a MicroVAX II with a working RD-54 yesterday! I'm finally up and running with VMS. It's one of the Big ones on casters, I think it's what's called a BA-123 enclosure. I'm happy :^) There is something incredibly cool about a system that has the ability to bill users based on CPU usage! Along with this I got a LOT of other stuff. Amongst it all were several RD-53's, which when I connect them up and try to boot the system from them it gives me a ?54 RETRY. Does this mean that they are bad, or that they are simply not bootable disks? Yes, I realize that the RD-53's are some of the worst disks ever made, but I've got a lot around here right now. I'm hoping to use one of the 53's in my VAXstation II/RC (I also got a full fleged backplane yesterday to swap out with the resin filled one). While I'm asking questions, I also got three non-DEC Hard Drives, I gather they can be used with the MicroVAX's. One is a Imprimis Hard Drive Model Number 94166-182, I've determined it's a ESDI 182Mb HD, I've got at least one or two Plessey ESDI controllers that I picked up a couple weeks ago. How do I go about formating these drives? Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ | | For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html |

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

Portability (was: Firsts)

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 05:17 AM 1/17/98 +0000, you wrote: > I've got a Kaypro "portable" that I lift occasionally to keep fit I can do better than that -- I've got a Zenith that makes the Kaypro look pocket sized. *But* both fold up conveniently, and can be carried with one hand. The IBM 5100 (and RS mIII, Commodore Pet, HP 85, etc.) is *not* convenient to tote around on a regular basis. I still maintain that any reference to portability IBM might have made (aside from outright lie-- I mean marketing) simply refers to not needing a moving company, air conditioning installer, electrician, etc. when moving the office. I cannot accept that anyone at the time would have expected someone to lug it around it with them. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

Cordata parts, software

by cgregory＠lrbcg.com

I recently purchased a computer from a gentleman in Indiana. During our correspondence he mentioned that he had a bunch of parts for the Cordata. To quote him: >I also have enough Cordata pieces/parts to start my own repair shop: >Powersupplies, MB's, cards of all sorts, keyboards, little springs, etc. >etc. Know anyone wanting to suppliment their parts supplies? Somewhere >out there is someone who would give their eye teeth for this stuff! > >If you would like any other old software - I got it! I'm not interested, but maybe someone out there is. His name is Keith Hoffman; his email address is kehoffman(a)juno.com Contact him directly if interested. Like I said, I bought a computer from him, and he was extremely reasonable and easy to deal with during that transaction. Cliff Gregory cgregory(a)lrbcg.com

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

SoCal/TRW Swap Items

by jpl15＠netcom.com

Hello all on The List; I have been a Lurker here for several months but this is the first opportunity I have taken to actually POST something. For PDP11 folk in the Southern California area, I will have several items of related gear at the TRW Ham Radio Swapmeet in El Segundo, on Saturday Jan the 31st, 7:30am to 11:30am. (The meet is always held the last Saturday of the month) I have several Plessey pieces, including a MicroII which boots into ODT - but I have no disk OS for it.. and a Plessey dual 8" drive module... a Kennedy 5360 Hard Disk with a lucite see-thru cover.. it spins up and comes into ready, but the drive-to-I/F card was mechanically smashed. I have an RA60 that looks good but is untested and an RL02 junk for parts. Also many other bits and pieces and boards.. I am trying to thin out and concentrate my PDP collection. I WOULD LIKE: a formatter/interface card(s) to hook a Kennedy 9300 9-trk to an 11/34a... also A/D and D/A cards for the MINC11, and/or 70's vintage stand-alone or DEC-specific D/A converters. All items I have are for sale/trade/free to good home, and transportation in the SoCal area is included... longer distances according to value of bribe offered. :) AT TRW I am in spaces J21-J23, near the east side of the lot and across from a blue tent with CDroms all over. White Toyota P/U Truck full of Old Stuff, you probably can't miss it. I know this is CA-specific, but one never knows who might be traveling and would be interested. A URL with pix of my stuff is available, but waiting for renovation of the Old Computer section. Please feel free to write to my e-mail address if you would like more info or just to chat... I don't wish to take up ListSpace with personal communications. ;} Thank you for all the great info... many posts have helped me get my own jun^H^H^H systems working thru others giving good advice. Cheers, John

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

NeXT Cube

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 08:23 PM 1/18/98 -0600, you wrote: >> If anyone knows where I can buy a NeXT cube at a decent price, please >> let me know. Okay, I know NeXT was the baby of Steve Jobs, but what exactly is it based on? Is it an entirely new animal? If anyone can point me to some info, I'd appreciate it. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

5
4
0 0

Mini & Mainframe Power Requirements

by jrbrady＠mindspring.com

Having an IBM mainframe would be great provided you have a direct connect to the nearest power station! Here's several messages from knowledgeable folks that posted to alt.folklore.computers awhile back: [Message 1 of 4 in thread 148 of 176] alt.folklore.computers Re: IBM Mainframes: Power & Coolant Requirements From: Alan Greenberg <ALAN(a)VM1.McGill.CA> Date: Wed, 23 Aug 95 20:33:11 EDT (Page 1 of 2) In article <BNIDrJa.jrbrady(a)delphi.com> Jason Brady <jrbrady(a)delphi.com> writes: > >Does anyone have any insights as to the power requirements for the >beasts? How about the liquid coolant (I think one of the many system >components was the PDU "power/coolant distribution unit"?) We just replaced a two processor 3090 with a new CMOS-based system. The new systems was cost-justified partly on the energy savings. The processor complex ate up about 55 KVA, mostly in 415 Hz power (which is what the motor-generator created from 60 Hz - just as with airborne equipment, the higher frequency makes for smaller DC power supplies). Onto that, you need to add the cost of removing the heat - perhaps another 25-50% for a total power consumption of about 60-70 KVA. A complex with more processors would of course take more power. I should point out that this was a 9 year old machine.... We replaced it with a new box that draw less than 1,500 watts! Alan Greenberg Re: IBM Mainframes: Power & Coolant Requirements From: Joe Morris <jcmorris(a)mwunix.mitre.org> Date: 24 Aug 1995 14:42:30 GMT (Page 1 of 2) Jason Brady <jrbrady(a)delphi.com> writes: >I never got involved with the facilities support side of the place, but >remember one day when an emergency shutdown was attributed to a "motor- >generator failure." A lot of the big systems used MG sets, both as frequency translators (some circuits were designed for 400 Hz supply) and as an isolation mechanism to prevent garbage on the power feed from getting into the computer. The rotating mass of the MG provided excellent ride-through for short outages of the commercial power. At a PPOE in the mid-1970s we had an IBM 370/148 (with MG), an IBM 360/65 (no MG) and a DEC DECsystem KL10 (no MG). We also had a Dranitz power line monitor tied to the power mains; based on its output we could show how well the systems handled dropouts in the power. The DECsystem 10 never survived more than about 3 or 4 cycles outage; the 360/65 died at about 16 cycles, and the 148 could tolerate almost a full second. (We got lots of opportunities to collect data points ... thanks, TVA.) Of course, the peripherals on the 148 would usually die on an outage of one second, but the CPU itself would survive without taking a power check. (The shop didn't have the funds and/or will to buy a UPS, even though I managed to include a room for one in the building when it was designed.) The problem with the DEC box didn't surprise me at all. There were a lot of nice features in the design, but the impression I got was that DEC designed the power circuits on a day after the engineers had spent the previous night in a bar. At one time I found that the box was dumping almost 8A of current down the *ground* line, yet the DEC CE insisted that the box was installed and working correctly. It also was dumping over 20A down the neutral line on a 3-phase circuit; not the safety issue of ground current, but still indicative of poor design. Joe Morris / MITRE [Message 3 of 4 in thread 148 of 176] alt.folklore.computers Re: IBM Mainframes: Power & Coolant Requirements From: Joe Morris <jcmorris(a)mwunix.mitre.org> Date: 24 Aug 1995 15:04:21 GMT (Page 1 of 2) Responding to: <41e5j3$id(a)news.iadfw.net> mcw(a)gateway.airmail.net (Mike Wommack) writes: >I used to work as an Electrician at an IBM site a few years back. I know >the 3380(?) DASD strings took 220v at 100A. The plugs were huge. I also >recall what looked like 3/4" water lines used to cool the main processor. >(Which was either a 3090 or ES9000.) If it was a US site, the 3380 box probably was being fed with 208VAC, 3-phase power at no more than 60A; the box is spec'ed at requiring no more than 8.2 KVA. In the case of the 3380 the power connector is an R&S 7328 plug, which is rated at only 60A. (You could get the box wired for other voltages, so a 220 VAC feed is possible but if that was the voltage the current draw would have been even less than at 208.) The size of the connectors in the power lines is often mandated by NEC (National Electric Code) and/or local code requirements, which for underfloor installation often require watertight connections (and thus increase the size of the connector). Joe Morris / MITRE

28 years, 2 months

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Toronto-area comp museums ?

by chrish＠knet.kootenay.net

Not in toronto, but I live in Castlegar British Columbia, Canada Nice Computer website. Chris :) >On 18 Jan 98 at 16:50, Unusual systems wrote: > >> Did any one ever reply? I believe I'm the chap in the K-W area. We once had >> Canada's first computer museum, but it has since closed. Have you seen our >> web site? www.sentex.net/~ccmuseum. >> >> Please let me know what I can do to help you. >> >Not a peep !! It's amazing that the 5th largest city in N.A. has nary >a one. Only you and Charlie Fox in Windsor TMK. Thanks for the URL >I had a reference to it at one time but misplaced it. > Any other TO area folks on the list ? > >ciao larry >> >> >lwalkerN0spaM(a)interlog.com > >

28 years, 2 months

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computer collectors index

by bmahoney＠sprint.ca

Isaac, Did this list get anywhere? I just found this discussion today, although I have been collecting and have had a collecting page on the web for two years. If it has amounted to something, please add my name and email. Brian Mahoney in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. bmahoney(a)sprint.ca Thanks

28 years, 2 months

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ID help (Commie, IBM, Nissho?)

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 05:04 PM 1/19/98 +0000, you wrote: >> Oh, they also had a few IBM PS/2 style monitors with a single RCA jack >> > What denotes a PS/2 "style" monitor ? I haven't heard this term >before and have several P/S2 s. The RCA jack would suggest a >composite monitor. It's the kind of case; the PS/2 style is rather different from the old 5150 style. Dunno if it was actually part of the PS/2 line-up or not. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

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Kaypro's Available

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 08:31 PM 1/18/98 -0600, you wrote: >Would any collectors be interested in Kaypros. > >I have four -- some complete with original advertisement, software, >manuals, etc. Definitely! Where and how much? Which models? 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.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 2 months

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Sinclair Kit for Sale

by zmerch＠northernway.net

At 09:30 PM 1/19/98 -0600, Anthony Clifton wrote: > >Yeah ok. I just report what I'm told. I'm not a salesman. I'm not an >apologist. If you want to negotiate price with the guy contact him >directly at squest(a)cris.com. I'm not making any money off them. I don't >care if sells any. I don't care if anyone buys any. >Anthony Clifton - Wirehead > Cliff Gregory Wrote: >> Seems to me these kits are still available from some distributor on the net >> for around $30. I'll see if I can dig up the exact URL. [snip] Sir Anthony, I don't believe that Sir Cliff was undermining your post -- for you posted no actual prices. All you stated was: "at what looks like an interesting price." An interesting price to me is $5.00. An interesting price to another could be $500.00. Frankly, I wouldn't pay either price right now due to lack of spare time to actually build the kit (which is what I would do -- I *like* trying to burn my fingers with a soldering iron (thank goodness I'm horrible at it - the burning, that is ;-)). I believe Cliff was just mentioning the URL just in case the Sinclair kit that you mentioned was already gone -- there may be a source for more so that others could enjoy them to. [Of course, I'm an optimist...] Anyway, that's my take on this situation -- now back to the rest of my (short) 12-hour shift. See ya, and chin up, eh? Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- Roger Merchberger | Why does Hershey's put nutritional Programmer, NorthernWay | information on their candy bar wrappers zmerch(a)northernway.net | when there's no nutritional value within?

28 years, 2 months

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ID help (Commie, IBM, Nissho?)

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

Spotted a few things that someone might be interested in, and that I wasn't sure what they were... First, and oddest, was a pizza box labelled Nissho Electronics. Looked like a workstation, one 3.5". Almost got it, but for $26... Anyone know what it might have been? Commodore 64 for $5, 64c in the box for $15 -- Anyone interested? I know what a 1541 disk drive is, but what about a Vic-1541? Is it worth $10? I did pick up a C modem/300 (model 1660) for $.99 and an Osborne 1 keyboard (only!) for (I know, too much, but it's an Osborne!) $5. Oh, they also had a few IBM PS/2 style monitors with a single RCA jack input on the back; they were mounted on little stands, kinda like (I think) the Apple IIc monitors. Possibly Composite? Possibly from some POS terminal/cash register? A little steep at $26 though. (Looked new though!) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

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ID help (Commie, IBM, Nissho?)

by chemif＠mbox.queen.it

At 08:24 19/01/98 -0500, you wrote: >The Vic-1541's are somewhat more uncommon that the >C-1541's, and are in a little more demand among Commodore collectors for >that reason. ..omissis.. >Now then, should you happen across one labled "Vic-1540", you had better >grab it as they are ultra-rare. I've only heard that they exist, I've never >actually seen one. Who saw a C=1570? How much would worth? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? Riccardo Romagnoli,collector of:CLASSIC COMPUTERS,TELETYPE UNITS,PHONE ? ? AND PHONECARDS I-47100 Forli'/Emilia-Romagna/Food Valley/ITALY ? ? Pager:DTMF PHONES=+39/16888(hear msg.and BEEP then 5130274*YOUR TEL.No.* ? ? where*=asterisk key | help visit http://www.tim.it/tldrin_eg/tlde03.html ? ? e-mail=chemif(a)mbox.queen.it ? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

28 years, 2 months

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Kaypro's Available

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

Sure -- I'm interested. btw, might I (humbly) suggest that anyone offering something for sale include his (her) e-mail address in the message? Then the subsequent hail of offers will stay off the LISTSERV. manney(a)nwohio.com

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 10:26 PM 1/16/98 -0500, you wrote: >>Haddock says (now that I'm home) the Compass was early 1982, $6000-8000. > >Forgive me, my ignorance, O Wise One, but what is this Haddock? I think that's the first time anyone's ever called me wise (except, of course, myself, who knew it all along.) 8^) Haddock, Dr. Thomas F., author of "A Collector's Guide to Personal Computers and Pocket Calculators", ISBN # 0-89689-098-8. It's an excellent first go at a refernce book on collectible microcomputers; incomplete, and inconistant, but a good start. (I can't speak for the calculator part.) Prices are not realistic (some too high, others too low) and missing a lot of machines, but good for what it's got. I think I got my copy from amazon (http://www.amazon.com/) but other bookstores (like powell's (http://www.powells.com/) might have it as well.) His PhD, btw, is in physics, and he's also the author of a book on Jag E-type restoration. Go figure.

28 years, 2 months

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Cleaning out my storage room...

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

I dibs the 486 and/or the VLB card, if it has drivers. manney(a)nwohio.com

28 years, 2 months

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PDP-11/73 -- VT220

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

Have you set the communications protocols correctly? Baud rate, parity, stop bit(s), word size? That's the usual reason for gibberish. manney(a)nwohio.com ---------- > From: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu > To: Manney > Subject: PDP-11/73 -- VT220 > Date: Sunday, January 18, 1998 2:45 PM > > I picked up a VT220 yesterday, as I was getting tired of using another > computer for a terminal. The question is how do I connect it? I'm > assuming the DB25 on the back of the VT220 is the comm line (especially if > I read the back correctly), I gather the DB9 is for a printer (from what I > found in my web searches last night). > > I took a cable and ran it from the Comm port on the /73 to the Comm port on > the VT220, and get nothing. I then added a Null-Modem adapter and got > gibberish. Does this need some kind of special cable to work? I don't see > any switch settings on the back of terminal or anything. > > Oh, and the VT220 say's it's OK when I power it on. > > Zane > > > | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | > | healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | > | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | > +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ > | For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | > | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ | > | For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. | > | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html | > >

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by chemif＠mbox.queen.it

At 03:58 11/01/98, you wrote: Someone At 01:44 PM 1/11/98 -0500, wrote: >>> >First programable calc >>> >>> Then there is the "first solid state electronic calc" which I think goes to >>> the Busicom from Japan that employed the first production run of the intel >>> 4000 chip set: the 4001 (2048 bit ROM), 4002 (320 bit RAM), 4003 (10 bit >>> shift register), and the 4004 (4 bit CPU). That chip set was shipped to >>> Busicom in March 1971 according to Michael S. Malone's "The >Microprocessor: >>> A Biography" ISBN 0-387-94342-0 Then William Donzell added: >>Wang's first (or quite near their first) product was an all electronic >>calculator, introduced in the late 1960s. They are big, but could be >>lugged around. Then Joe: > HP's first calculator, the 9100a, was introduced in 1967 or 68. It had >no ICs, used core memories, and used logic gates made of diodes and >resistors. It did have transistors but they were mainly used as amplifiers >for the core memory. I guess it still qualifies as "solid state".) It was >fully proggramable and used RPN. I have a 9100B with a 1969 date code. > > I believe the Japanese Busicom calculator is even older and dates from >about 1966. Let see if I' m able to go more back: I translate from the URL page of the Pisa University Scientific Instruments Preservation Dept. < http://www.difi.unipi.it/museo/calcolat/miniepc/miniepc.html > Olivetti Programma 101 Olivetti Programma 101 Programma 101 comes introduced in 1965 during the BEMA elecronic show,in New York.It represents the first "desktop calculator" ever constructed in the world. 40.000 exemplary were constructed at the price of 3.200 $ The machine offered the possibility to carry out arithmetical operations in direct way, or of being programmed for the calculation of complex functions. The programs could be stored in magnetic stripes. It was entirely planned and realized in the Olivetti research laboratories of Pregnana, from a group of researchers guided from the Ing. Piergiorgio Perotto, the design was from the Arch. Mario Bellini. Attacment:picture of the machine "olip101.jpg"

28 years, 2 months

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ID help (Commie, IBM, Nissho?)

by cgregory＠lrbcg.com

The Vic-1541 was the disk drive with the colors of the Vic-20. These were marketed at about the time of the introduction of the C64 and could be used with either the Vic-20 or the C64. Internally the Vic-1541 and the original beige Commodore 1541 (the one with the pull down door latch) are essentially the same. The later versions of the C-1541 (flip down latch) were changed internally with different drive moters, etc. Functionally they are all the same. Is it worth $10.00 ? The Vic-1541's are somewhat more uncommon that the C-1541's, and are in a little more demand among Commodore collectors for that reason. I would put their value at between $10 and $20. In other words, if I were in San Francisco I probably would have picked it up, but it's not worth shipping across country. Now then, should you happen across one labled "Vic-1540", you had better grab it as they are ultra-rare. I've only heard that they exist, I've never actually seen one. Supposedly they were introduced for a short time before the Vic-1541 and the drive speed is set for the Vic-20, and therefore will not work with the later Commodore machines. Cliff Gregory cgregory(a)lrbcg.com -----Original Message----- From: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> To: Cgregory <Cgregory> Date: Monday, January 19, 1998 5:01 AM Subject: ID help (Commie, IBM, Nissho?) >I know what a 1541 disk drive is, but what about a Vic-1541? Is it worth $10? > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/ > >

28 years, 2 months

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Transformer theory for computer hackers.

by Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk

This would be easier with some diagrams, but I'll do my best. This is not strictly on topic but I think I'd better clear up some of the confusion since I caused it! The equivalent circuit of a transformer is an "ideal transformer" in series with an impedance and in parallel with a magnetising impedance: O---------------+----------UUUUUU----/\/\/\/----)||(-------------O | )||( / Xs Rs )||( O I \ Rm )||( U N / )||( T P | )||( P U ) )||( U T ) Xm )||( T ) )||( | )||( O---------------+-------------------------------)||(-------------O The ideal transformer merely changes voltage. Xs = series reactance (inductive) Rs = series resistance (copper loss - due to resistance of windings) Xm = magnetising reactance Rm = magnetising resistance (iron loss - due to hysteresis of core) There are two things limiting the power you can shove through a transformer. First (and quite easy) is the thermal limit - the current flowing in Rs. In reality, the thermal limit is the current flowing in _any_ winding, which might burn out that winding. Next is the flux in the core. The two windings of the ideal transformer carry equal and opposite ampere-turns, and their flux cancels out. The flux in the core is determined by the current in Xm, which depends on voltage and frequency (remember it's an inductor - more current at lower frequencies) Usually the transformer has a primary winding with a rated voltage (so you don't over-flux it. It also has a VA rating which determines the current (so you don't burn out the windings) If you are trying to kludge things, there are some special cases to worry about. 1. 50Hz MAINS. If your transformer is designed for 60Hz mains and you want to use it at 50Hz, the lower frequency will meaan that Xm is lower. (X=2*PI*f*L). The magnetising impedance will draw more current, and the flux in the core will be higher. From a practical point of view, this means that the rated VOLTAGE must be lower. For example if it is designed for 240V, 60Hz, at 50Hz the rating is 200V. This is called DERATING. Since the rated voltage is lower, and the rated current is the same (excessive current will melt copper whatever the voltage), the VA rating is also less. Most small commercial transformers are designed for 50Hz anyway, so this shouldn't be a problem. However (following the discussion of mainframes and things) most [North American] medium to large power transformers are not! (Medium > 5kVA I suppose. Large probably > 50 kVA. Hard to say - in my job I regularly deal (at least on paper) with 500000kVA transformers) 2. HOME MADE AUTOTRANSFORMERS. An autotransformer has the low voltage end of one winding connected to the high voltage end of another. This saves copper, reduces core size, etc. It is often used for converting between mains voltages and is at its best around the 2:1 voltage ratio. Many small transformers are made with two primary windings, each rated at 120V or thereabouts. The idea is to connect them in series for 240V operation and in parallel for 120V. A trick I mentioned a few days ago is to wire them together as an autotransformer (Windings are W1 and W2 in the diagram: +---------------O | )|| W1 )|| )|| O-----------------+|| )|| IN- W2 )|| PUT )|| | O-----------------+---------------O Call the VA rating of the transformer V*I, where V is the voltage rating of the windings in series (usually 240V) and I is the current that flows in each winding. On the HV (higher voltage) side, we want V and I. On the LV side we must therefore provide V/2 and 2I. (Assuming an ideal transformer for the moment) Now each winding is rated at V/2, so energising one at this voltage is not a problem. But each winding is only rated at I, so what do you do with the 2I you have to supply? 2I must flow in at the junction of the two windings, and I must flow out at the HV terminal. It is easy to see that I will flow through W1; the rest of the current entering at the junction must flow through W2. Simple arithmetic tells you that each winding carries a current of I; the ampere turns are equal and opposite, so the transformer will work. However, once you add the imperfections, you do start to get a few problems. I'd have to do some serious calcs to find out exactly how Zs (= Rs + i*Xs) and Zm affect it, but you may have to take a VA rating 10% or so lower than nameplate. Which is not much of a loss. You also have a regulation problem. Most small transformers have extra turns on the secondary to compensate for the voltage drop across Zs. Here you are only using the primary, so you don't get this. Expect a voltage drop (proportional to load current, of course) of about 10% to 20% (less for larger transformers) at full load. So, in response to Tony's comment, the transformer won't mind if you use it almost up to nameplate rating - but you may not get as many volts out as you expected. Using a transformer at 30% of nameplate rating is as good a way as any to avoid this! In response to (I forget your name - sorry!) I hope this has explained what I was getting at. Finally, SCOTT CONNECTION etc. Someone yesterday(?) tried to perpetuate one of the myths about the Scott transformer, which is used in converting balanced 2-phase to 3-phase power. If you have two phases at 90 deg to each other, you have a balanced 2-phase supply. This is very rare! There will usually be 3 wires - two phases and neutral - and the phase to phase voltage will be about 1.41 times the phase to neutral voltage. The scott transformer (actually two single phase transformers) converts this to and from 3 phase. Most US domestic supplies (and a few UK rural supplies to farms and things) have two phases at 180 deg to each other - phase to phase voltage is twice phase to neutral voltage. THERE IS NO TRANSFORMER THAT WILL GIVE YOU THREE PHASE FROM SUCH A SUPPLY. You need preferably a motor-generator or dynamotor (motor-generator sharing a common rotor winding). As mentioned previously, an induction motor with suitable capacitors and things will do this quite well up to a point. Electronic converters exist and are getting cheaper all the time... Finally, you may have two of the phases of a three-phase system. If you have three wires - two phases and neutral - there is a transformer that will derive balanced 3-phase from this. If not, you're in the same position as with a single phase or unbalanced 2-phase (which is actually single phase centre tapped to earth) supply. If anyone STILL doesn't understand what's going on, ask privately. Who knows? If I get very many questions, I may be posting "3 phase ac theory for computer hackers" before long... Philip. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Philip Belben <><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Bloedem Volke unverstaendlich treiben wir des Lebens Spiel. Grade das, was unabwendlich fruchtet unserm Spott als Ziel. Magst es Kinder-Rache nennen an des Daseins tiefem Ernst; Wirst das Leben besser kennen, wenn du uns verstehen lernst. Poem by Christian Morgenstern - Message by Philip.Belben(a)powertech.co.uk

28 years, 2 months

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System/34

by Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk

Someone asked about power requirements for IBM S/34. All I can say is it's less than 7 kVA (ours was plugged into 30A, 240V single phase circuit. The other one at IBM Bristol was plugged into a 3-phase 415V socket but I don't know whether it used all 3 phases) If there's one going begging, I want it as long as (a) it's within 200mi of Coalville, England and (b) it can wait a week or three while I get my truck back on the road. Philip

28 years, 2 months

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Toronto-area comp museums ?

by kstumpf＠unusual.on.ca

Did any one ever reply? I believe I'm the chap in the K-W area. We once had Canada's first computer museum, but it has since closed. Have you seen our web site? www.sentex.net/~ccmuseum. Please let me know what I can do to help you. Yours in good faith.

28 years, 2 months

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One question was: Re: Cleaning out my storage room...

by jpero＠cgo.wave.ca

Oh, About lunchbox, I nearly forgot, To anyone who knows the Canadian-USA border well, could anyone tell me what is proper proccedures to let border guys know that I'm ridding of this lunchbox? It has the small yellow serial label that border person stuck on my lunchbox when I was travelling to visit my friend. The empty lunchbox was originally privately brought used by mail from a person in USA during last summer. Thanks! Jason D.

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by bmpete＠swbell.net

At 07:39 PM 1/18/98 -0500, you wrote: ><You could use the "skip big messages" option that most mail program have ><Anyway I will refrain from sending attachements to this list in future. > >not all mailers have that! My email prog never saw the message; many times the ISP timed out and closed the connection. _______________ Barry Peterson bmpete(a)swbell.net Husband to Diane, Father to Doug, Grandfather to Zoe and Tegan.

28 years, 2 months

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Bubble Memory

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

Bubble memories were once available as a kind of disk emulator for SwTPC 6809 machines with the FLEX OS. The package was called "DISKBUB", and was based on a bubble memory by Texas Instruments, IIRC. Didn't sell terribly well; cost something like $1000 for 128K bytes. God, I wish I'd saved those old program listings. Bill.

28 years, 2 months

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Uncles/PC-C64c file transfers

by scott＠isd.canberra.edu.au

At 10:26 17/01/98 -0800, Larry Anderson wrote: >>Okay, so I have a C-64c, 1541 floppy, and monitor. Now how exactly would I >>go about downloading programs from the internet on my PC machine and >>porting them over to the Commodore? Will I need a special serial cable? I >>have the 64 boxed up at the moment so can't really tell what I need. [Snip!] > Finaly (if nesessary) convert the file, it it is .D64 there are a few >d64 to 1541 utilities out there for both the 64 and 128. T64 is a >different story, it will need to go to tape, and even though I know it >can be done I am unsure whether or not a utility exists yet for the 64. Actually, you can transfer .T64 files to disk without any problem. .D64 is a disk image format, .T64 is simply a single file. Just transfer it as a PRG file and it should work fine. Regards, | Scott McLauchlan |E-Mail: scott(a)isd.canberra.edu.au| | Admin/ISD IT User Support Team |Phone: +61 2 6201 5544 (Ext.5544)| | Information Services Division |Post: University of Canberra, | |University of Canberra, AUSTRALIA | ACT, 2601. |

28 years, 2 months

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Mini & Mainframe Power Requirements

by pvhp＠forte.com

classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Subj: Re: Mini & Mainframe Power Requirements William Donzelli wrote: >OK, running a big mini or a mainframe class machine is not for everyone. >However, running a processor plus a single disk and perhaps a tape may not >be all that bad. Water cooled machines, however, would be too much to >handle. > >For those that only want to plug things into the wall, turn back now! > >A typical mainframe machine from the past is going to want 3-phase power. <more scary power specs snipped> Well not necessarily. Of late IBM has been putting effort into making S/390 (note: less than 7 years old and not quite a classic) available to small shops: via the P/390 (a 7490 mainframe on a chip hosted by a pentium running OS/2) and the R/390 (also a 7490 with an AIX host - RS/6k or PPC). I must apologize: in a previous message I had referred to the mainframe on a chip as a "3490" which is a tape drive not a CPU model number. To the extent that S/390 derives its heritage from S/370 and S/360 such a box may serve the needs of the mainframe hacker with a small power capacity/budget. IBM's amazing efforts at preservation of backward compatability are a big plus here: to a first approximation S/390 simply adds features to S/370 (the parallel sysplex clustering ability allegedly being quite highly advanced nowadays e.g.). Unfortunately the purchase price won't help the budget minded hacker: a new P/390 runs $50k to $100k and the R/390 a bit more. I've used a P/390 and must say that it is quite a machine: all DASD communication channels are actually handled via a software emulation that runs under the host OS/2 machine, but other than that it seems much like a mainframe. You can run with RAID 0,1,3,5 using PC type drives. The 7490 can run OS/390 (the new name for MVS), VM/ESA, as well as VSE/ESA (the new name for DOS since about 1987). Interestingly enough IBM recently upgraded their P/390 production line to move from 90 MhZ Pentiums to 200 MhZ Pentiums and touted that customers could expect throughput rates to increase a whopping 10% (this gives you an inkling of how much the host OS adds in overhead). According to an IBM technical contact there are shops that are actually running P/390s in a production environment: doing payroll, accounting and whatnot. This despite the fact that the intended market was primarily for software shops porting code to S/390. Perhaps the most unusual thing about S/390 are the OpenEdition environments that run under the various OSes. They give you unix on the mainframe and the OpenEdition environment under OS/390 is now known as "UNIX System Services for OS/390". The irony being that MVS is actually 3-4 years younger than UNIX: UNIX started in 1969, MVS was announced in 1973 and shipped in 1974. At any rate keep an eye out for P/390 on a PC Server 500 (maybe the P90s will wind up on the used market?) and the equivalent R/390 machine - they take only wall plug 110 AC and will let you hack JCL, assembler, and CLISTs to your heart's content - destined to be classics. Peter Prymmer

28 years, 2 months

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Kaypro's Available

by strategy＠winning.com

Would any collectors be interested in Kaypros. I have four -- some complete with original advertisement, software, manuals, etc. Time to free them from the storage bin.

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 98-01-18 17:11:29 EST, you write: << Just acquired a Compaq luggable (don't know the model, but it's an XT) that's pretty hefty. I forgot how much I love mono screens, though. The case reminds me of an airline carry-on cat container...stands on end, with the handle on top. >> ive got two IBM portable pc's (5155 i think) which are the same thing. also has built in handle and a 5 inch screen. both that i have are upgraded to 640k, and one has one floppy removed and a hard drive in its place. david

28 years, 2 months

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Round-up of classic HP stuff

by fmc＠reanimators.org

Sam Ismail <dastar(a)wco.com> wrote: > (2) 21MX E computers (one having 1MW of memory, the other with 256MW) For Joe: MW == megawords. These being 2100-family machines a word is 16 bits. > (1) HP1000A Um, no, I think that is an HP1000 F-series. (I have trouble keeping 1000 M/E/F-series straight though, really should copy those pages out of the test equipment catalog and paste them to my monitor or something.) > (1) HP1000 model 600A (hard drive, 3.5" floppy) Cute little thing, in a deskside tower chassis. And a 2621P terminal that I am guessing was last used as its console: it's got the fiber-optic console interface attached. > (1) Tape Reader Reroller (the 8th of only a few ever made) Well, that's what the seller told us. Definitely 1960s stuff though. The idea was that the reader would re-roll your tape into its canister as it read. I gathered that that part didn't work too well. There were also some drafting erasers, um I mean hand-held re-rollers in a box nearby. > (2) 2647F terminals (these are actually computers running Basic with > built-in tape and external 5.25" disk drives but are used as > terminals to the 21MX) Take a close look at the label on the front. They say "HP3000". That's because these 2647Fs were originally meant to be used as consoles for HP3000 series 64/68/70 systems. (Though, in April 1984 when the shop I was at got a brand new 3000/64, the 2647F console with it had a 2647F badge on the front.) It's been a while since I had one of these to play with, but I'm thinking that the BASIC was loaded from diskette. There is a sort of command/script interpreter in the terminal though. > (2) Mag-tape drives (Frank will provide the specs and model #s) I think one of them has a 7970B tag and the other doesn't have a model tag but behaves like a 7970E, meaning nine-track 1600 BPI read/write. It's been modified, though, and I gather it started life as a read-only drive that could read 7-track tapes, and that we may have the parts to convert it back. Some of the parts are definitely there, but I can't judge their condition or completeness 'til we do a decent inventory of the lot and I try to wrap my head around the service manual for that drive. > (1) Big-assed line printer and stand HP 2608A. Needs work, doesn't feed paper right. As line printers go it's kinda dinky. E.g. you can take it off its stand and then two people can carry it without too much trouble, so long as there aren't stairs or doorways or RVs in the way. So if you have Sam's attention and are near a proper line printer please show it to him so he can get properly calibrated. > (2) HP racks No, two 19" HP racks on a pedestal. Apparently from an engine test system of some sort. HP used to embed 2100-family CPUs in all sorts of specialized test equipment and that's what these look like they were, once upon a time. > The guy was more interested in getting rid of it and having it go to a > good home than getting money for it. We paid him $200. Of course Frank > now has an invaluable contact for discussing his HP passion (the guy we > bought the stuff from is a 26 year HP veteran). Yeah, y'all really should have hung around a bit longer before zipping off to unload. > I think when it was all done Frank basically had an accident in his pants > as he could not contain his excitement over his good fortune. No, I was just dazed'n'confused because I really hadn't expected we'd be moving it that day, just looking and dealing to come get it in a couple weeks' time. So today I am playing catch-up, then maybe going off to rearrange /dev/closet02 in the hope of making a hole that some of this stuff can fit in. Catch-up? Um, yeah, I have a bunch of IBM manuals and stuff to sort through and inventory. They go with an IBM RT PC (6150). Got that too. Up to my butt in alligators, I remain, -Frank McConnell

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by chemif＠mbox.queen.it

Hi, Barry, At 04:03 18/01/98 GMT, you wrote: >>Attacment:picture of the machine "olip101.jpg" > >PLEASE! No more attachments, especially of that size. >It took me dozens of tries to finally get it. (It blocked all my >other emails.) Hmm, sorry but I thought that 77 k attachment file would not make any problem (it took 45 sec. to send it). You could use the "skip big messages" option that most mail program have. Anyway I will refrain from sending attachements to this list in future. About my messag on Re: Firsts/programmable calculators, I received back from classicmp only one part of the whole message wrote (very strange). Here follows a copy without attachement: ------ Someone At 01:44 PM 1/11/98 -0500, wrote: >>> >First programable calc >>> >>> Then there is the "first solid state electronic calc" which I think goes to >>> the Busicom from Japan that employed the first production run of the intel >>> 4000 chip set: the 4001 (2048 bit ROM), 4002 (320 bit RAM), 4003 (10 bit >>> shift register), and the 4004 (4 bit CPU). That chip set was shipped to >>> Busicom in March 1971 according to Michael S. Malone's "The >Microprocessor: >>> A Biography" ISBN 0-387-94342-0 Then William Donzell added: >>Wang's first (or quite near their first) product was an all electronic >>calculator, introduced in the late 1960s. They are big, but could be >>lugged around. Then Joe: > HP's first calculator, the 9100a, was introduced in 1967 or 68. It had >no ICs, used core memories, and used logic gates made of diodes and >resistors. It did have transistors but they were mainly used as amplifiers >for the core memory. I guess it still qualifies as "solid state".) It was >fully proggramable and used RPN. I have a 9100B with a 1969 date code. > > I believe the Japanese Busicom calculator is even older and dates from >about 1966. Let see if I' m able to go more back: I translate from the URL page of the Pisa University Scientific Instruments Preservation Dept. < http://www.difi.unipi.it/museo/calcolat/miniepc/miniepc.html > Olivetti Programma 101 Olivetti Programma 101 Programma 101 comes introduced in 1965 during the BEMA elecronic show,in New York.It represents the first "desktop calculator" ever constructed in the world. 40.000 exemplary were constructed at the price of 3.200 $ The machine offered the possibility to carry out arithmetical operations in direct way, or of being programmed for the calculation of complex functions. The programs could be stored in magnetic stripes. It was entirely planned and realized in the Olivetti research laboratories of Pregnana, from a group of researchers guided from the Ing. Piergiorgio Perotto, the design was from the Arch. Mario Bellini. ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? Riccardo Romagnoli,collector of:CLASSIC COMPUTERS,TELETYPE UNITS,PHONE ? ? AND PHONECARDS I-47100 Forli'/Emilia-Romagna/Food Valley/ITALY ? ? Pager:DTMF PHONES=+39/16888(hear msg.and BEEP then 5130274*YOUR TEL.No.* ? ? where*=asterisk key | help visit http://www.tim.it/tldrin_eg/tlde03.html ? ? e-mail=chemif(a)mbox.queen.it ? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

28 years, 2 months

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Power Problem (slightly offtopic?)

by higginbo＠netpath.net

I know this is off-topic, but I think someone might be able to help me with this here. If you want, reply privately to higginbo@netpath. net. I haven't got a clue on this one: I was putting together this system the other day at work, got everything setup, turned it on, and it was fine. But when I hit reset or power down, I can't get it to come back up at all. The hard drives would init, the cd-rom drives would power up, but nothing would come up on screen, no memory check, etc. I could then reset a few times and it would eventually come up. The system is getting power, and the motherboard and case/PS are brand new. So I'm throwing this out to you guys: Is it the power supply not providing enough juice for all the drives? It's a 250w PS, and everything works once it's on. Is it the motherboard? (TX Pro chipset, el cheapo, but have had no probs with them in the past.) Not enough power getting to the power supply? I'm at a loss on this one. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

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DECMates

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<A while ago, I mentioned that I had a DECMate III, the one without <the hard drive. It has two DECWrite manuals, a disk set for the same, <Could anyone tell me what OS I can use on this, where I can get it, <and how to install it. The DEC is not at my house, and any mistake will DECMATE-III is a sorta PDP-8 using the harris 6120 chip that is a microprocessor clone of the basic PDP-8 with some added features. With some notable exceptions it will run most PDP-8 software and there are some spcific DECMATE modified veriosn out there like OS/8 and operating system. FYI DECMATEs nominally run WPS a word processing, list management, spread sheet and communications terminal emulation package unique to them. If you can surf the web most of the software for PDP-8 and DECmates are out there along with tech info. To get the OS on the decmate there are two paths... get someone to make a copy of the OS/8 disk set(its permitted) or down load the files from those sites and use PUTR ot teledisk(disk cloner) and a 1.2m 5.25" drive on a PC. Allison

28 years, 2 months

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NeXT Cube

by joel＠usfca.edu

If anyone knows where I can buy a NeXT cube at a decent price, please let me know. Joel

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

Just acquired a Compaq luggable (don't know the model, but it's an XT) that's pretty hefty. I forgot how much I love mono screens, though. The case reminds me of an airline carry-on cat container...stands on end, with the handle on top. manney

28 years, 2 months

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Franklin 1000

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

Anyone interested in a Franklin 1000? What's a good price? manney(a)nwohio.com ---------- > From: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu > To: Manney > Subject: 12 year old scanner needs software > Date: Saturday, January 17, 1998 8:20 PM > > I'm looking for some software for the original HP ScanJet. Since the > scanner is > 12 years old, I thought someone in this group might be able to help. > I need one of the following: > > Caere Omnipage 2.1 > ZSoft Photofinish > and I hate to even type this, but Windows 2.0... > or any other scanning software that supports the 9190A ScanJet > > Thanks, > Don > >

28 years, 2 months

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Round-up of classic HP stuff

by dastar＠wco.com

Frank McConnell and I (and another associate) made a nice haul of great HP mini's yesterday. The tally: (2) 21MX E computers (one having 1MW of memory, the other with 256MW) (1) HP1000A (1) HP1000 model 600A (hard drive, 3.5" floppy) (1) Tape Reader Reroller (the 8th of only a few ever made) (2) 2647F terminals (these are actually computers running Basic with built-in tape and external 5.25" disk drives but are used as terminals to the 21MX) (2) Mag-tape drives (Frank will provide the specs and model #s) (1) Big-assed line printer and stand (2) HP racks (Frank, what did I mess up on?) Plus some software, a bunch of little spare parts, cables, connectors, and a FULL set of manuals, including service manuals and engineering manuals with schematics and all that for everything. The guy was more interested in getting rid of it and having it go to a good home than getting money for it. We paid him $200. Of course Frank now has an invaluable contact for discussing his HP passion (the guy we bought the stuff from is a 26 year HP veteran). I think when it was all done Frank basically had an accident in his pants as he could not contain his excitement over his good fortune. On an unrelated haul, I picked up a bunch of nice IBM manuals. I got the service manuals for the IBM PC and IBM PCjr. I also got the Options and Adaptors manual which describes, of all things, the various options and adaptors available for the PC, including the expansion chassis which I found last year in a thrift shop. Also got an original DOS 1.10 manual and software, a manual for Windows 1.03 (whee!) and a ton of other neat miscellany. Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass Coming Soon...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0 See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!

28 years, 2 months

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PDP-11/73 -- VT220

by healyzh＠ix.netcom.com

I picked up a VT220 yesterday, as I was getting tired of using another computer for a terminal. The question is how do I connect it? I'm assuming the DB25 on the back of the VT220 is the comm line (especially if I read the back correctly), I gather the DB9 is for a printer (from what I found in my web searches last night). I took a cable and ran it from the Comm port on the /73 to the Comm port on the VT220, and get nothing. I then added a Null-Modem adapter and got gibberish. Does this need some kind of special cable to work? I don't see any switch settings on the back of terminal or anything. Oh, and the VT220 say's it's OK when I power it on. Zane | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator | | healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast | | healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector | +----------------------------------+----------------------------+ | For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ | | For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. | | see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html |

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<From: Riccardo <chemif(a)mbox.queen.it> <Hmm, sorry but I thought that 77 k attachment file would not make any <problem (it took 45 sec. to send it). Generally big is over 49999bytes! Most mailers that is the threshold. While some PC mailers will tolerate anything many do not and a lot of unix based mailers don't like it either. <You could use the "skip big messages" option that most mail program have <Anyway I will refrain from sending attachements to this list in future. not all mailers have that! Allison

28 years, 2 months

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Software needed for Lisa

by MicroAge97＠aol.com

hello, do a search on the web and you can find all the sw you need. you can download the disk image. dave

28 years, 2 months

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DEC Stuff

by IVIE＠cc.usu.edu

> The L2007 is a memory board for the Vaxstation 3510-3520-3540 series. > It's a "M-bus" board. From the fact that you say it has 144 1 Meg chips, > I will hazard a guess that you have the L2007-B variation, which is > 16 Mbytes with ECC. (There's also a L2007-A which is only 8 Mbytes). But there is no VAXstation 3510. The processors came two on a board. > P.S. I'm waiting for someone to say "But there is no Vaxstation 3540...", > then I have a story to tell! I'd rather hear the one about the 3510. Roger Ivie ivie(a)cc.usu.edu

28 years, 2 months

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Anybody know wha this is? DEC

by IVIE＠cc.usu.edu

> They're all full height 5 1/4" drives and they weigh a ton. The first one > is marked "digital RZ55" and has a sticker that says "1041080-08-9" and it > appears to have a SCSI interface. a 300-something meg SCSI drive > The second one appears to have a ST-506 > interface and is a Maxtor drive and is marked "RD54-A" and "30-26245-01" > and "RQDX 3". a 150 meg MFM drive. > I also picked up a couple of keyboards that I think might be for a DEC. > The first one is a large keyboard marked "TS 803". This is from a Televideo 803. It's a CP/M machine. > The second keyboard is from digital and is a model LK 201. Doe > anyone know which machine it's for? Just about anything from Rainbows, DECmates, and Pros up to the DEC 3000 series Alphas (newer Alphas use PC-style keyboards). Roger Ivie ivie(a)cc.usu.edu

28 years, 2 months

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Tandy M100

by hansp＠columbia.digiweb.com

Yesterday I picked up a Tandy M100, complete with the cutest battery powered 3.5" disk drive connecting the the RS232 port of the M100, video/disk expansion box and video screen. included in the package was MS Multiplan on ROM and several other cassette programs. Also lots of user documentation. That's the good news, on the down side, couldn't get the price down below $100 the (marked price was almost $150!) :-( - it was in a commercial second-hand store and they have to make a living too. Anyways, it all seems to operate properly, but I am missing the 5-1/4" system disk for the video/disk expansion box. Anyone know of how I can get a copy Regarding the disk drive, ae the specs on how to drive it availabel anywhere. I would serve very nicely for transferring information between disparate systems. -- Hans B. Pufal : <mailto:hansp@digiweb.com> Comprehensive Computer Catalogue : <http://www.digiweb.com/~hansp/ccc/> _-_-__-___--_-____-_--_-_-____--_---_-_---_--__--_--_--____---_--_--__--_

28 years, 2 months

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Olivetti M21 info wanted

by hansp＠columbia.digiweb.com

I have recovered an Olivetti M21. Its an 8086 based system with floppy disk and 20 Mb hard disk in a case reminiscent of the original Compaq. Anyone have technical info on this beastie? I noticed an extra DA-9 (?) connector on the mother board which is not available when the covers are in place - what's that for?. Also the definition of the two DIP switch blocks on the mother-board which do not seem to follow the IBM spec. And thirdly how to get into setup, or a copy of the setup disk. I have tentativly decided to dedicate this system to an attempt to port the Z80 UN*X kernel that Allison mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Got it all fired up with DOS 3.1 and Turbo C 1.5 at the moment, I will be adding a vintage copy of BRIEF and away I go..... As an aside, in looking through my store of 5-1/4" disks, I see I have IBM versions of DOS 1.0, 1.10, 2.00, 3.10, and 3.30, gosh they go back a ways. Also found some MS disks with old versions of Windows and a GWBasic adaptation kit. Regards, -- Hans B. Pufal : <mailto:hansp@digiweb.com> Comprehensive Computer Catalogue : <http://www.digiweb.com/~hansp/ccc/> _-_-__-___--_-____-_--_-_-____--_---_-_---_--__--_--_--____---_--_--__--_

28 years, 2 months

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Software needed for Lisa

by wirehead＠retrocomputing.com

I need to get boot and other software for an Apple Lisa with an external profile hard disk and a built-in 3.5 inch drive. Can anyone help me out? Thanks... Anthony Clifton - Wirehead

28 years, 2 months

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DEC Stuff

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Bruce, Thanks for the info. Here's more. At 01:10 AM 1/17/98 -0800, you wrote: >Hi, Joe. Let's see if I can help you ID your goodies... > >>They're all full height 5 1/4" drives and they weigh a ton. The first one >>is marked "digital RZ55" and has a sticker that says "1041080-08-9" and it >>appears to have a SCSI interface. > > Correct. This is a 330 MB drive. The RZ56 was a 700 or so, and the RZ57 >was a 1 gigger. They're all SCSI, generally found on the VAXStation or >DECStation line of systems. If you absolutely have to, they should be >usable on PCs with a low-level format. Doesn't sound very useful on a PC. I have two of each drive. If anyone has need for them for an old DEC, let me know. You can swap me something for them. Allison gets first shot since SHE has allready mentioned that SHE can use them. One of the Rd-54s has a paper tag that says "MVE 11A VMS 5.4.2 ACSIM". Does that sound useful to anyone? Of course, it may not still be one thre, but it probably is. > >>The second one appears to have a ST-506 interface and is a Maxtor drive >and is marked >"RD54-A" and "30-26245-01" and "RQDX 3". > > This is a 170 meg MFM drive, intended for use in the MicroPDP or MicroVAX >lines, or any other DEC system using an RQDX3 controller. It is the same as >a Maxtor XT2190. > > The LK201 is the standard DEC keyboard for just about everything from >their VT220 terminals to the MicroVAX, VAXStation, and DECStation line. > > The numbers you're reading off for the boards don't make any sense. DEC >numbers are typically a single letter, usually M, followed by four digits. >Look on the ejector handles and the card bracket. If the board was not made >by DEC, it may not have this marking. I can't find any number that starts with M. One card is marked " L P W R digital GS-2 34888-4909" across the top edge. The second card is marked " L P W R digital GS-2 03789-6028" across the top edge. But both cards look the same. The other number is on a paper label. They have a LOT of ICs on them marked "TC511000AJ-10". And there is a VERY large IC near the center of the board. There is also a red and yellow LED on the top edge. Joe > > >-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- >Bruce Lane, Sysop, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fidonet 1:343/272) >(Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin2(a)wizards.net) >http://www.wizards.net/technoid >"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own >human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..." >

28 years, 2 months

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Firsts

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

-----Original Message----- From: John Higginbotham <higginbo(a)netpath.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, January 13, 1998 9:24 PM Subject: Re: Firsts >At 09:32 PM 1/13/98 -0600, you wrote: > >>>The TRS-80 Model 100 and it's amigos the Nec 8201 and Olivetti ??? had > >>Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradonhat's probably >>why they are called laptops and not portables. > >Shoot, it's not even a laptop. I've seen Pentium notebooks bulkier than a >M100. :) > > >-John Higginbotham- >-limbo.netpath.net- The firsts laptops used to have handle (I'm talking XT's and 286s) but I guess these were removed to make the machine smaller and lighter. By the way they are not laptops either; I always have to find a table to put them on so I can use them. If I put them on my lap I'm always afraid to drop them ;-) I'll try not to insert the signature in the middle of the message this time:) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

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Got an Apple IIgs

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

>You still don't have it working? What problems are you having? If you want, >I'll email you a complete working version. The file should be under .5 mb. Sounds good. The instructions are a little vague, and when I can't get anything to recognise anything else. Just e-mail it to photze(a)batelco.com.bh ; to aviod anyone else recieving .5MB that they don't need/want. Thanks, Tim D. Hotze

28 years, 2 months

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those wacky IBM heads

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

Heh, i bought a surplus monitor from work after they upgraded to g50 monitors and pc330 systems. i got an 8515 with the same sticker on it! i was thinking about removing it, but i think i might keep it now! i think it was really a documented effort to make sure people werent doing non work environment things on their workstations in accordance with business conduct guidelines. (no games, no www.xxx.com, etc) In a message dated 98-01-17 01:57:20 EST, you write: << I saw this label on an IBM monitor in a thrift shop the other day and I thought some of you guys might get a kick out of it. It read: USE OF THIS DEVICE IS RESTRICTED TO IBM MANAGEMENT APPROVED PURPOSES ONLY and they even had a policy number for this mandate: Z229-0444-00 Beauracracy at it's finest. >>

28 years, 2 months

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Somone check my logic here... (Tim? Care to prove me wrong again?)

by DSEAGRAV＠toad.xkl.com

Okay, here I go. I have a PDP-11/83. It boots a very limited version of RSX-11M. (Sysgen is gone, no multi users, etc.) That's boring. I also have a RSTS/E distrib tape. 9-track tape. I don't have a Q-bus magtape controller. But, I do have an MT: emulating controller and drive attached to the PDP-11/34A. It works. I have read and written to the tape. Reading is fine, writing is iffy due to a braindamaged bootdisk (Not the new RT-11 set -an old one with MT.SYS on it) that Caterpillar made. The important part comes here. I have a thing called a DW-11B (I think). Anyway, it's a Unibus to Q-bus converter. One end goes in the Unibus box, and the other goes in the Q-bus box. Putting the Q-bus end in the 83, and the Unibus end in the 34, I'd be able to talk to the MT: controller, right? (I'd have to remove the 34A CPU, so it doesn't screw with the bus, right?) Does this sound OK, or am I missing something? -------

28 years, 2 months

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Got an Apple IIgs

by kroma＠worldnet.att.net

>>>2. Does anyone know how to get the XGS Win32 emulator working? >> >>Sounds obscene. You probably need the ROMs for the IIgs. No, I don't know >>where or how you can get them. >Got 'em. But, I still can't get it working. I'll try it on my 200 MHz "beast". (Well, compared to my former 486/66 28MB RAM 2.1GB HDD, it's REALLY NICE.) > BTW, Zane, sorry for not replying to that Linux e-mail, I've been really busy. I'll respond soon. > Tim D. Hotze You still don't have it working? What problems are you having? If you want, I'll email you a complete working version. The file should be under .5 mb. -- Kirk

28 years, 2 months

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DECMates

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

A while ago, I mentioned that I had a DECMate III, the one without the hard drive. It has two DECWrite manuals, a disk set for the same, and miscellaneous incompatible junk (like Windows 1.0 for the Rainbow) Could anyone tell me what OS I can use on this, where I can get it, and how to install it. The DEC is not at my house, and any mistake will last me at least a week until I can go back to it. Also, a short essay on the OS wouldn't hurt. A supplementary question: how do I get PPP on Minix? Yet another question: what are the power requirements of an IBM System/34? ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

28 years, 2 months

2
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Uncles/PC-C64c file transfers

by foxnhare＠goldrush.com

>Okay, so I have a C-64c, 1541 floppy, and monitor. Now how exactly would I >go about downloading programs from the internet on my PC machine and >porting them over to the Commodore? Will I need a special serial cable? I >have the 64 boxed up at the moment so can't really tell what I need. Let's assume you do not have an IBM clone or access to one... First you would download the file from the FTP site. Second while on the (I assume more powerful) internet connecting machine you uncompress the file if it is compressed (usually ZIPped I've seen). Third, Transfer it to the 64. Now if it is a D64 file you will need to save it to a drive that has a larger capacity then a 1541, such as a 1571, 1581, 256k+ REU w/ramdisk running or a CMD Hard Drive. The easiest transfer would be via modem to modem or a simple null-modem cable (plans are on the net), there are other options including making your IBM, Amiga or whatever act as a slave drive for your 64 and just doing a file copy... (special cable like x1541 needed) Finaly (if nesessary) convert the file, it it is .D64 there are a few d64 to 1541 utilities out there for both the 64 and 128. T64 is a different story, it will need to go to tape, and even though I know it can be done I am unsure whether or not a utility exists yet for the 64. Now you should be able to load and run the program (note some of the programs may have problems due to being either written for NTSC or PAL video modes and your computer being the other... :/ Larry Anderson -- -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- Visit our web page at: http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare/ Call our BBS (Silicon Realms BBS 300-2400 baud) at: (209) 754-1363 -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

28 years, 2 months

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Got an Apple IIgs

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

-----Original Message----- From: Zane H. Healy <healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, January 17, 1998 8:38 PM Subject: Re: Got an Apple IIgs >>Well, I've got a comment and a question. >>1. Yes, the apple software is avaible for download, but I forget where. You >>need to copy it in a special way for it to work on disks. You might be able >>to have a serial link, etc. do it, unless you've got a Mac, which makses it >>SO easy. > >It sounds like no one can remember where it can be found, I know I can't >:^( I've got the OS here, downloaded on my computer, so whoever wants it, just ask, and I'll e-mail it as an attachment, or, I could like post it on my web site, or something. There is a Macintosh utility that is required to write the disks, >called "Disk Copy". Very handy util if you have a Mac. I ran into one >problem when I created my set of disks, I wasn't able to write them using >my PowerMac 8500/180. I ended up creating them using either my SE/30 or >Powerbook 520c, I don't remember which. Basically any cheap 68k Mac with a >1.44Mb floppy can do this. > >>2. Does anyone know how to get the XGS Win32 emulator working? > >Sounds obscene. You probably need the ROMs for the IIgs. No, I don't know >where or how you can get them. Got 'em. But, I still can't get it working. I'll try it on my 200 MHz "beast". (Well, compared to my former 486/66 28MB RAM 2.1GB HDD, it's REALLY NICE.) BTW, Zane, sorry for not replying to that Linux e-mail, I've been really busy. I'll respond soon. Tim D. Hotze

28 years, 2 months

1
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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Thank but since it is an internal PSU I would rather keep it in it's original state. I'll give the step up Xformer a try. >Some PSUs can be easily modified to work off 110V anyway. I can give >typical modifications if you're interested. > >> If so in what conditions? > >[...] > >> Francois Auradon. > >-tony >

28 years, 2 months

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Got an Apple IIgs

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

Well, I've got a comment and a question. 1. Yes, the apple software is avaible for download, but I forget where. You need to copy it in a special way for it to work on disks. You might be able to have a serial link, etc. do it, unless you've got a Mac, which makses it SO easy. 2. Does anyone know how to get the XGS Win32 emulator working? Tim D. Hotze -----Original Message----- From: John R. Keys Jr. <jrkeys(a)concentric.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, January 17, 1998 8:00 AM Subject: Re: Got an Apple IIgs >you can download the gs software from apple's web site for free - John >At 10:50 PM 1/16/98 -0500, you wrote: >> I got an Apple ][gs today form a guy in Georgia. It's a ROM 03 model >>with 1mb of RAM, an RGB monitor and an Apple keyboard. It has no docs, >>floppy drives, or mouse. >> >> Does anyone have a spare mouse, floppy drive, and maybe docs that I can >>buy? Which drives were available for this unit? I have mostly 5-1/4" disks >>right now, so I'd like to get that type first, then maybe a 3-1/2". >> >> I have a copy of ProDOS floating around but I'd like to get a copy of >>GS/OS. Can I run this with 1mb of RAM? >> >> Thanks! >> >>Rich Cini/WUGNET >> <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com> (remove nospam_ to use) >> ClubWin! Charter Member (6) >> MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking >>============================================ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >

28 years, 2 months

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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Well now you've done it! I actually am confused. What do you mean by "must be derated"? Can I use a big step up Xformer to run a monitor and computer without risking to blow both up? If so in what conditions? Thanks -----Original Message----- From: Philip.Belben(a)powertech.co.uk <Philip.Belben(a)powertech.co.uk> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Friday, January 16, 1998 10:44 AM Subject: Re[4]: Amstrads in the US >> OK I'll get an EE to help me out. Did you ever used that with a monitor? is >> the 60 Hz vs 50 Hz a problem? >> >>>When I went to the US recently, I built my own 110/220V converter. I >>>found a small (10VA) transformer that had dual 120V primaries and wired >>>these as an autotransformer. Boxed it up in small wooden box and Bob's >>>your uncle. > >As Tony pointed out, 50/60 Hz shouldn't be a problem. > >HOWEVER, it should be pointed out that the transformer must be capable >of carrying the power. I used a 10VA transformer to power the one or >two devices that had 240V only. To run monitors and things, you'd need >100VA or so. Transformers do exist for just this sort of purpose, upto >about 2kVA, but V. heavy! > >(Rule of thumb for switchmode power supplies - Look at ower consumption >and assume 1VA = 0.6W) > >Finally, a tranformer designed for 60Hz must be derated to a lower >VOLTAGE when used at 50Hz. > >I hope that hasn't got you all too confused. > >Philip. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

2
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Got an Apple IIgs

by pb14＠leicester.ac.uk

On 16 Jan 98 at 22:50, Richard A. Cini wrote: > I got an Apple ][gs today form a guy in Georgia. It's a ROM 03 model > with 1mb of RAM, an RGB monitor and an Apple keyboard. It has no docs, > floppy drives, or mouse. > > Does anyone have a spare mouse, floppy drive, and maybe docs that I can > buy? Which drives were available for this unit? I have mostly 5-1/4" disks > right now, so I'd like to get that type first, then maybe a 3-1/2". The ADB mouse is the same as the ones used on all Macs since the SE and Mac II so you should have no problems finding one. A stock IIGS will work with 3.5" 800K drives or 5.25" 140K drives (the Unidisk 5.25). You can use older Disk II drives using a cable adapter but it may not be worth the effort. Not all external 3.5" drives from Apple work with the IIGS and are Mac only; the one to look for has an eject button, platinum ribbed case and a covered D19 socket for daisy-chaining a second floppy drive. For more information, consult the FAQs which are posted on the comp.sys.apple2 newsgroup (beware of flame wars!) or on the web at http://www.visi.com/~nathan/a2/index.html. > I have a copy of ProDOS floating around but I'd like to get a copy of > GS/OS. Can I run this with 1mb of RAM? Version 6.0.1 of GS/OS is posted on Apple's FTP site. This version will not do anything useful in 1Mb so look around for a memory expansion card. A couple of companies now supply bare boards that will take cheap 30 pin 1Mb SIMMs. Happy Apple II Computing, Phil ************************************************************** Phil Beesley -- Computer Officer -- Distributed Systems Suppport University of Leicester Tel (0)116 252-2231 E-Mail pb14(a)le.ac.uk

28 years, 2 months

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Anybody want an Osborne?

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Nope I have no idea of the type of drives that are installed in there. If you salvage it I would be interested in some parts (one of the keyboard latches on mine is broken and I would like to replace it) Let me know. Thanks. -----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Friday, January 16, 1998 11:08 PM Subject: Re: Anybody want an Osborne? >Francois, > > Well I got the Osborne. It turns out that the dealer had to move and had >to get rid of a bunch of stuff so he was a lot more reasonable on his >prices. I haven't had time to do anything with it yet. I probably won't >for a few days. BTW Do you know what kind on drives are in there? They >look like they might be some of the old Shugart SA 400s. If so I can >probably use them to restore my old Altair. It has a disk controller for >the SA 400s but the drives are long gone. > > Joe >

28 years, 2 months

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What I did this weekend

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

-----Original Message----- From: Uncle Roger <sinasohn(a)ricochet.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Friday, January 16, 1998 9:49 PM Subject: Re: What I did this weekend >At 01:17 PM 1/15/98, you wrote: >> >> >>At 11:48 AM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote: >>>Tat goes without saying: placing a machine in a want list is also an >>>engagement to purchase it. Otherwise the system would not work for too long. > >Things "that go without saying" are usually what screw up the system. >Things like that are best said up front. Better to have someone say "well, >duh" then to have someone get stiffed. > I meant that it goes without saying in the scope of this discussion. Otherwise yes we would need well planned rules. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

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those wacky IBM heads

by dastar＠wco.com

I saw this label on an IBM monitor in a thrift shop the other day and I thought some of you guys might get a kick out of it. It read: USE OF THIS DEVICE IS RESTRICTED TO IBM MANAGEMENT APPROVED PURPOSES ONLY and they even had a policy number for this mandate: Z229-0444-00 Beauracracy at it's finest. Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass Coming Soon...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0 See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!

28 years, 2 months

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Anybody know wha this is? DEC

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Hi, I picked more stuff today and found some DEC hard drives in the pile. Can anyone tell me what size they are and what machines they're for? I *think* they may be out of a Vax, but that's a guess. They're all full height 5 1/4" drives and they weigh a ton. The first one is marked "digital RZ55" and has a sticker that says "1041080-08-9" and it appears to have a SCSI interface. The second one appears to have a ST-506 interface and is a Maxtor drive and is marked "RD54-A" and "30-26245-01" and "RQDX 3". I also picked up a couple of keyboards that I think might be for a DEC. The first one is a large keyboard marked "TS 803". It has 16 Pf keys along the top and a separate numeric keypad. It's gray on top and white on the bottom. The second keyboard is from digital and is a model LK 201. Doe anyone know which machine it's for? Joe

28 years, 2 months

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Anybody want an Osborne?

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

If you can get just the video loopback connector I'll be interested, one of mine is missing it and I would like to replace it with an original. thanks for the post. > I found a non-working Osborne computer at a scrap dealers. I tried to >test it but no lights came on or drives moved so I suspect a power supply >problem. It's probably fixable without too much trouble. There is a >similar one for sale on Auction Web. You can see pictures of it there >"http://iguana.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4212123". The >dealer wants $20 plus shipping. Anyone interested in it? > > Joe ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

3
3
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Amstrad 6400 DD

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

Yes it is a PC compatible -- it's an XT. I suppose the DD referred to Double Disk, but I pulled the second floppy to install the hard drive. It's a peculiar, many-screwed, (phenolic?) plastic case. manney(a)nwohio.com

28 years, 2 months

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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

OK I'll get an EE to help me out. Did you ever used that with a monitor? is the 60 Hz vs 50 Hz a problem? >When I went to the US recently, I built my own 110/220V converter. I >found a small (10VA) transformer that had dual 120V primaries and wired >these as an autotransformer. Boxed it up in small wooden box and Bob's >your uncle. > >PS If you can't work out how to do it from the above, don't try it >yourself, get someone with some more electrical knowledge :-) > >Philip.

28 years, 2 months

3
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Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 01:59 AM 1/14/98 +0000, you wrote: >And, hey, all portable *ARE* bulky anyway even my Luddite is very Not all portables are bulky -- m100, portfolio, Geneva, Starlet, etc. all come to mind. >thick and heavy. Even the T1000 early one is clusmy too. But nowhere like the 5100. >My opinion is that IBM 5100 is the winner for most heaviest and >unprotected portable. Even modern smallest desktops with built-in I dunno about most unprotected, but I used to have a Centronics 101 portable printer that was tough for even *me* to lift! And the Sony 17" portable display unit my atari club has could probably give the 5100 a run for its money weightwise. >I wouldn't have any handles on anyway. Reasonably good idea this way >so users are forced to hold it carefully and stuff their portables >into padded bags/cases. Handles invites accidents and some swing >around too easily, bang into other objects that could crack/break >screens and hard drives like that, handles breaks, *CRASH!* Or you could make it well enough that that wouldn't matter... 8^) Besides, you put a handle on an IBM 5100, turn around quick, and you could *kill* someone! 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.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 2 months

2
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Question

by ZGE＠aol.com

Greetings, I am new to the group , I posted a message a couple of days ago , I was not sure if it got out . Has anyone ever heard of a kx-33b 4-bit microcomputer or any 4-bit microcomputer trainer type units . thanks, Frank.

28 years, 2 months

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Question

by ZGE＠aol.com

Thanks for the response , the Heathkit ET 3400 is a good trainer . The kx-33b had only data switches and I am guessing , possibly only 16 nibbles of ram . Not much you could do with it but I thought it looked interesting . I once saw an add for it in the December 1979 issue of Popular Electronics page 117. I also ran across an add for the NRI computer I had mentioned earlier PE. 3\77 Pg. 37 from the add it looks to be called a model 832 .If anyone has the chance to go to any computer shows\auctions lately and has seen these type of computers I would appreciate hearing from you . Frank

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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apple IIgs cards for lc

by MicroAge97＠aol.com

hello i saw two apple IIgs card for the apple lc for sale at a local computer store and was wondering if anyone wanted them? they appeared to new in box. dave

28 years, 2 months

2
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Got an Apple IIgs

by rcini＠email.msn.com

I got an Apple ][gs today form a guy in Georgia. It's a ROM 03 model with 1mb of RAM, an RGB monitor and an Apple keyboard. It has no docs, floppy drives, or mouse. Does anyone have a spare mouse, floppy drive, and maybe docs that I can buy? Which drives were available for this unit? I have mostly 5-1/4" disks right now, so I'd like to get that type first, then maybe a 3-1/2". I have a copy of ProDOS floating around but I'd like to get a copy of GS/OS. Can I run this with 1mb of RAM? Thanks! Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com> (remove nospam_ to use) ClubWin! Charter Member (6) MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking ============================================

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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More DEC stuff

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Hi, I found some DEC circuit boards. They're marked "ZG91100876" and they appear to be memory boards. Can anyone tell me what they are and what machine they're for? Joe

28 years, 2 months

1
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Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

>>And of course, I'm on the train to work and my Haddock book is at home... >>What year was the compass? > >Compass 1100 1982 (Says it on the case as mfg. date) >GRiDCASE 3 1985 >GRiDCASE 1535exp 1989 (At least that's what the BIOS says) > >I threw the other two in just so I could remind myself to come up with a >timeline for the GRiD page. I'd like to find the original pricing on these >suckers. Anyone know where to look? Haddock says (now that I'm home) the Compass was early 1982, $6000-8000. Doesn't mention the others. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

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What I did this weekend

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 01:17 PM 1/15/98, you wrote: > > >At 11:48 AM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote: >>Tat goes without saying: placing a machine in a want list is also an >>engagement to purchase it. Otherwise the system would not work for too long. Things "that go without saying" are usually what screw up the system. Things like that are best said up front. Better to have someone say "well, duh" then to have someone get stiffed. >>There should be an update prior to each outing to make sure that the >>machines are still wanted. > > That's not practical for me. I went looking (and found :-) last >Saturday, yesterday (found more) and I will go again today ( I know where >there's a keyboard that I need) and again next Thursday (big NASA auction) >for certain. I look a lot, that's why I find a lot. One of the FEW >advantages of living in a big city. The best thing to do is to list what you're after with a price of *what you'd be willing to pay for a second machine.* That way, if I say I want an osborne 1 and I'm willing to pay $50, and I go out and find one at the same time someone else finds one for me, I wouldn't mind paying the $50 for a second machine. Of course, you might miss out on that first machine at $75, but better safe than sorry (until you win the lottery, of course.) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Firsts

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 09:52 PM 1/16/98 -0600, you wrote: >Haddock says (now that I'm home) the Compass was early 1982, $6000-8000. >Doesn't mention the others. Forgive me, my ignorance, O Wise One, but what is this Haddock? -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
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Amstrads in the US

by Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk

> OK I'll get an EE to help me out. Did you ever used that with a monitor? is > the 60 Hz vs 50 Hz a problem? > >>When I went to the US recently, I built my own 110/220V converter. I >>found a small (10VA) transformer that had dual 120V primaries and wired >>these as an autotransformer. Boxed it up in small wooden box and Bob's >>your uncle. As Tony pointed out, 50/60 Hz shouldn't be a problem. HOWEVER, it should be pointed out that the transformer must be capable of carrying the power. I used a 10VA transformer to power the one or two devices that had 240V only. To run monitors and things, you'd need 100VA or so. Transformers do exist for just this sort of purpose, upto about 2kVA, but V. heavy! (Rule of thumb for switchmode power supplies - Look at ower consumption and assume 1VA = 0.6W) Finally, a tranformer designed for 60Hz must be derated to a lower VOLTAGE when used at 50Hz. I hope that hasn't got you all too confused. Philip.

28 years, 2 months

1
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Recording data to a strand of wire?

by Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk

> <These two threads just bumped together in my head. Has anybody got > <an idea of how long data should last on wire? It can't have the same > > If it didn't rust forever or until a stronger field distrurbed it. Assuming one got a wire recorder working, what is the print-through situation like? I'd have thought not too good... Philip.

28 years, 2 months

1
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HP 35 Red Dot calculator for sale

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Hey, just in case anyone's interested in HP calculators there is a red dot model of the HP 35 for sale on Auction Web. For the ones of you that don't know what they are, the red dot is the very first batch of HP calculators that were ever produced by HP. They're very rare and you almost never see one for sale. If any of you have one, I'LL BUY IT! The URL is "http://iguana.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4389154" and no I'm not the seller. Joe

28 years, 2 months

1
0
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Uncles/PC-C64c file transfers

by jfoust＠threedee.com

John Higginbotham <higginbo(a)netpath.net> wrote: >Okay, so I have a C-64c, 1541 floppy, and monitor. Now how exactly would I >go about downloading programs from the internet on my PC machine and >porting them over to the Commodore? Will I need a special serial cable? Browse some C-64 web pages, you'll find lots of info about this. There are one or two emerged-standard parallel to DIN cables like "X1541" that you can easily craft (given the right connectors - I got lucky and found the right DIN in the junk box) that connect your PC printer port directly to the 1541. Works like a charm. I've also used a freeware utility on the Amiga that requires a tweak of the drive speed motor on a 5 1/4 drive, and that works OK, too. The 1541 is better, though, but you'll find a lot of bad sectors and out-of-spec disks on the C-64. - John Jefferson Computer Museum <http://www.threedee.com/jcm>

28 years, 2 months

1
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Dick Smith System 80

by adam＠merlin.net.au

Hi! I think someone on this list is a System 80 expert, and I am hoping I can find them. :) I just picked up a System 80 with expansion box and disk drives, but I'm having some trouble. When I power it up I either get gibberish on the screen (the usual stuff you get before the ready signal) that doesn't go away, or, when I switch the box off,I just jump to BASIC. This happens with or without a disk in the drive. I tried another System 80, and that one didn't seem to notice the expansion box at all - it always went into BASIC, whether or not I had the box switched on. None of the manuals seemed to have anything useful to say, but I suspect that either I am being really stupid and failing to do something basic, or something is broken somewhere. Any ideas? Thanks heaps, Adam.

28 years, 2 months

1
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US Computer Exchange

by LoneWolf＠c3net.net

Rob Campbell is a nice guy. He's located in Troy Michigan. Check out their web page at: uscomputerexchange.com

28 years, 2 months

1
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TRS-80 Stuff for sale

by higginbo＠netpath.net

Found these on an online auction: TRS-80 Expansion Interface http://www.haggle.com/cgi/getitem.cgi?id=201496013 RADIO SHACK TRS-80 EXPANSION INTERFACE-CATALOG NUMBER 26-1140-1 WITH BUFFERED EI CABLE. CONDITION UNKNOWN. SOLD AS IS. BUYER PAYS UPS SHIPPING, AND PAYS BY MONEY ORDER, OR CHECK. CHECKS CLEAR BEFORE ITEM SHIPPED. LOOKS TO BE O.K. OUTSIDE WITH EXCEPTION OF ONE MISSING RUBBER TIP ON BOTTOM. TRS-80 Mini Disk Drive http://www.haggle.com/cgi/getitem.cgi?id=201496017 RADIO SHACK TRS-80 MINI DISK DRIVE-CATALOG NUMBER 26-1160. TAKES 5.25 FLOPPIES. CONDITION UNKNOWN. SOLD AS IS. BUYER PAYS UPS SHIPPING, AND PAYS BY MONEY ORDER, OR CHECK. CHECKS CLEAR BEFORE ITEM SHIPPED. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
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What I did this weekend

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 02:23 AM 1/16/98 -0600, you wrote: >As for me, I'm into portable stuff... Anything, say $20 or less I'll >definitely take it off your hands (or at least send you the $20). More than >that, maybe ask first, unless it's really cool... Same here, as long as it's portable, AND made by GRiD Systems. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
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Looking for a 14 pin DIN cable

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 06:03 AM 1/15/98 +0000, you wrote: >Doea anyone have a spare 14 connector DIN cable? I need one for >connecting a disk drive to my Thomson TO-8 computer. I believe the same >cable is used to connect drives to the Atari ST series machines. Check with one of the many Atari dealers out there... Best Electronics (San Jose) has just released a new catalog that is also supposed to be an excellent reference. Do a search on them and you should find it; several other vendors (Like B&C) also sell the best catalog. You could also try Computer Direct (I think) in Canada; they're a big dealer. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Amstrads in the US

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 08:07 PM 1/14/98 -0800, you wrote: >>We do not keep them! We throw them out as soon as they come in! There is no >>market for that kind of stuff. Just tell them to call you; you'll guarantee them $5 (or whatever) per computer they were going to through out. You'll get some dogs, but you may get some gems too. There's a thrift shop near my house that has a list of stuff people are looking for; I'm on it for old computers. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

What I did this weekend

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 09:56 PM 1/14/98 EST, you wrote: >if this happens, count me in. there's plenty of radio rallies coming up in nc >in the spring. > > Actually I was thinking of starting a collector buying ring: Everybody going > to a hamfest or thing like that let the other ones know and take orders. Count me in too... I dunno how many hamfests I'll make it to, but I can look at thrift shops and such. (Of course, I don't have much luck compared to a lot of youse guys!) As for me, I'm into portable stuff... Anything, say $20 or less I'll definitely take it off your hands (or at least send you the $20). More than that, maybe ask first, unless it's really cool... --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Software archeology

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 12:16 AM 1/15/98, you wrote: >lot of software packages that I've asked around for for quite some time and >cannot turn a copy up to beat the band. (For purchase, archiving or otherwise) If anyone ever comes across the terminal emulator for the ST that had HP terminal emulation, *please* let me know... --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Amstrads (PPC640) in the US

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 06:16 PM 1/14/98 -0600, you wrote: > >>>How much did it go for? Just curious. >> >>$100 >> >>if I were a rich man... > >Funny I paid 100FF for mine (that's about $18) I got mine for $10, but no PS, or case, and a rust stain near the battery case. If you find another one for 100FF, I've got francs... --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Uncles/PC-C64c file transfers

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 08:13 PM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote: >>"Bob's your uncle" is an expression indicating the completion of a >>simple task. Or something. > >I always thought it meant something like "and all is right in the world." >Of course, Bob really is my uncle... 8^) Uhhh, I'll be a monkey's uncle! :P (The following used to keep that comment on topic) Okay, so I have a C-64c, 1541 floppy, and monitor. Now how exactly would I go about downloading programs from the internet on my PC machine and porting them over to the Commodore? Will I need a special serial cable? I have the 64 boxed up at the moment so can't really tell what I need. While we're talking commodores, what's so special about the C-64c besides the C-128 style case? -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

4
3
0 0

Uncles/PC-C64c file transfers

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 07:10 PM 1/15/98 -0800, you wrote: >That was the cheap, but hard way. Now for the easy, but expensive way. >Lay out about $100 and get a Catweasel board either for your PC or better Where's that webpage again? That sounds interesting, even if I don't get one. >>While we're talking commodores, what's so special about the C-64c besides >>the C-128 style case? > >Based on the answers I got a week or two ago, apparently nothing. Ah, progress! Sometimes I wonder what drives computer companies to waste resources like that. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

What I did this weekend

by higginbo＠netpath.net

Does this happen to anyone else? I don't usually frequent the 5 or 6 thrift shops around here, and flea markets and yard sales I don't have time for usually, but sometimes when I'm going somewhere else, I have this "feeling", a sixth sense if you will, that I absolutely have to stop at these places. When I do, I usually find really rare or super deals on old computers, the ones I used to collect anyway, before the GriD bug got ahold of me. I live in a city of 25,000 people, and I believe I'm the only person that owns any sort of GRiD laptop. Any GRiDs I get are usually through deals on the internet. I call this sixth sense my "metal telepathy". (Doh!) At 09:17 PM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote: >I do that too stop at garage sales and couple stores on my way from work. I >guess it was mostly meant for major events. For 'casual' shopping we >probably can E-talk before making a move (the machine is probably not going >to disapear overnight). -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

What I did this weekend

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Tat goes without saying: placing a machine in a want list is also an engagement to purchase it. Otherwise the system would not work for too long. There should be an update prior to each outing to make sure that the machines are still wanted. let's say I'm going to a hamfest next WE, I post the info on that mailing list (for the ones that want to be part of the ring), then I get requests and bring the list of wanted with me. If i find one of the machines I buy it and let the party interested know about it. If I get an I don't want it anymore response I don't thinl I'll be looking for more of the guy's stuff. And I'll make sure that everybody knows about it. > Another problem is knowing if they still want the item. If you tell me >that you want an X-computer and I buy one for you 2 months later I don't >want to hear that you've changed your mind or that you've already found >one. > > If anyone isn't going to take the stuff that they said they wanted then >don't post a message saying that you want it. If you post a "wanted" >message then you're obligated to take it when someone gets it for you. > > Joe >

28 years, 2 months

6
6
0 0

Score/1

by william＠ans.net

The day started out with no suprises. I arrived at the MCI building intending to finish up an installation. Walking down the halls, I peeked in some of the rooms, packed with all manner of telco equipment. It is 10 AM, and I start working. By noon my work is done. I walked down the stairs, looking for the MCI contact I deal with, and am confronted by a rather beat up looking IBM Series/1 minicomputer, left in the hallway. It is fairly stripped out - all of the processor boards have been removed, many cables have been cut, and some of the front panels of the 6 foot rack are gone. It seems that this beast is headed for the recyclers. I have wanted a Series/1 for some time, and I had been eyeing a few at the Chicago site. Unfortunately, I do not have a way to move the thing. That shot down my idea of grabbing it. Anyway, just down the hallway is the room that had quite a large number of Series/1 racks. They were part of some project that is still running in some parts of the country. I looked around and saw that most of the racks have been raped. Then, one of the racks starts rolling towards me. Behind it is a man, pushing it along. I asked about the fate of the boxes, and he replies that they are indeed scrap, and that he is the scrapper. I told him that I collect computers, and that I have wanted a Series/1 for a while. His expression immediately changed to that of pleasant suprise. He replies that he collects chips. We reached common ground quickly, swapping stories about some of the old beasts. Although he is not very old, it seems that we has seen and scrapped just about every type of big iron ever produced. He then motions me over to a few racks off to the side. They had not yet been raped! For 25 dollars each, I could have them, as they were no longer MCI property. Hmmmmm... I made a quick call to my storage locker company, as they rent vans. The quote is quite reasonable, but they are 25 miles away. Time is very short, as I have a plane to catch in the morning. I decided to go for it - for 100 dollars, I could have two big Series/1 machines to play with, shipping included. By 1:30 PM, it is quite clear that I needed to find a local rental companies. A few stops later, I parked my car and drove off in a big van. Now the fun started. It dawned on me that my storage locker may close up after 6 PM, so I switched into hyper mode. I picked out the two best machines, then started to remove the disk drives, two each at 64 meg, and two each at 200 meg. The things are very heavy, but proved to lighten up the racks remarkably. I then decided to take only one whole rack, and all the bits of another rack for spares. By 4:30 PM, the stuff is all loaded in the van. Now I had to race to the storage locker. By 5:45 PM I arrived at the locker. The place was still open, but time is short. By the time everything is unloaded, the place was closing up. It was 6:50 PM. Greatly relieved, I headed back to retrieve my car. By 8 PM I am finally done, still amazed at what had just happened. And all of this without a plan. William Donzelli william(a)ans.net

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

metal telepathy/Great White Trader

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 10:30 PM 1/15/98 EST, you wrote: > >ive had that happen meself. thanks to it, i got two undisk drives and colour >composite monitor that way for my //e. in another instance, i found a platinum >//e with matching unidisk and colour monitor at a separate place as well as >stopping by a place i went once before and got my atari portfolio. Anyone remember that story about the mouse that wanted some cheese, and he had to go make all these other deals with the other animals, finding the dog a bone, etc, until he finally got the cheese? While flea market hopping one day about two years back, I came across a TRS-80 model 100 in mint condition, included hard plastic carrying case, data recorder, acoustic couplers, and manual. I paid $25 for the whole rig. Kept it until a few months ago, when I saw a message on a newsgroup somewhere. This guy wanted to trade an Atari Portfolio for an M100. I traded him the M100 itself, none of the accessories for it (Since I had an NEC PC8201a too I could use the other stuff with) for the Portfolio, with the serial and parallel modules, manual, 3 memory cards, the works. Then, about a month later, I found another collector that was having a big moving sale. I traded the portfolio for a Zenith 386sx laptop, which I then ended up selling for $176. But I swear if I kept doing the trading loop thing, before too long I would have ended up with a active matrix pentium laptop somewhere down the line, maybe even a car. :) -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Upcoming PBS special on bit rot

by pvhp＠forte.com

classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Subj: Re: Upcoming PBS special on bit rot I wrote: >I saw an advert in the latest issue of Scientific American for >an upcoming special about archiving digital data to appear on >PBS. It is supposed to show on the 13th (tomorrow) and alas OK I have the magazine: there is a Review (not an advert) on page 110 of the Jan 1998 issue of Sci. Am. The television program will be: "Into the Future: On the Preservation of Knowledge in the Electronic Age" A film by Terry Sanders, narrated by Robert MacNeil; American Film Foundation, 1997; Airing January 13 on PBS. I do not know much about the "American Film Foundation" but MacNeil is a PBS regular and PBS quite often offers transcipts and tapes for sale at the end of many (but not all) of their broadcasts. While I have several CRTs for use as monitors I do not own a television tuner or a VCR. (I also note that the schedule posted at http://www.kqed.org/ implies that the main Bay Area PBS broadcaster will not be showing Into the Future.) Could folks who do manage to see it please post a message regarding whether there is an address to which one could write to obtain transcripts/tapes? Thanks. Peter Prymmer

28 years, 2 months

8
12
0 0

Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Well you show me what you have and I'll show you what I can find:) Seriously I would very much like to find an Oric1 and an Atmos, I remember drooling over the Electronique Pratique magazines when I was living in France. There are also a few more that I have not seen around here but it may well be like the amstrads who apparently made to Florida and not to Minnesota (they must pretty smart machines;) I have absolutely no clue as to what shipping from France to the US can cost (the las shipping I did over the ocean was in 1989 when I moved to the US) >I live in France ;-) but it IS my hobby TOO so how do we split the >spoils? > >-- > Hans B. Pufal : <mailto:hansp@digiweb.com> > Comprehensive Computer Catalogue : <http://www.digiweb.com/~hansp/ccc/> >_-_-__-___--_-____-_--_-_-____--_---_-_---_--__--_--_--____---_--_--__--_ >

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

What I did this weekend

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

ive had that happen meself. thanks to it, i got two undisk drives and colour composite monitor that way for my //e. in another instance, i found a platinum //e with matching unidisk and colour monitor at a separate place as well as stopping by a place i went once before and got my atari portfolio. david << Does this happen to anyone else? I don't usually frequent the 5 or 6 thrift shops around here, and flea markets and yard sales I don't have time for usually, but sometimes when I'm going somewhere else, I have this "feeling", a sixth sense if you will, that I absolutely have to stop at these places. When I do, I usually find really rare or super deals on old computers, the ones I used to collect anyway, before the GriD bug got ahold of me. I live in a city of 25,000 people, and I believe I'm the only person that owns any sort of GRiD laptop. Any GRiDs I get are usually through deals on the internet. >>

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

What I did this weekend

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

>At 11:48 AM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote: >>Tat goes without saying: placing a machine in a want list is also an >>engagement to purchase it. Otherwise the system would not work for too long. >>There should be an update prior to each outing to make sure that the >>machines are still wanted. > > That's not practical for me. I went looking (and found :-) last >Saturday, yesterday (found more) and I will go again today ( I know where >there's a keyboard that I need) and again next Thursday (big NASA auction) >for certain. I look a lot, that's why I find a lot. One of the FEW >advantages of living in a big city. > > Joe I do that too stop at garage sales and couple stores on my way from work. I guess it was mostly meant for major events. For 'casual' shopping we probably can E-talk before making a move (the machine is probably not going to disapear overnight). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Uncles/PC-C64c file transfers

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 10:02 PM 1/15/98, you wrote: >Then you just need to find the program that allows the IBM to read/write >Commie progs / files to the drive; which I know is out there somewhere. >(No, I don't watch the X files... ;-) Or maybe there's a program that'll let me read/write commodore disks in a PC 5.25" drive. Anyone? Anyone? >I do have somewhere the circuit that allows you to hook up an Atari drive, >which used a similar arrangement. I never got into building circuits and such. I'm cursed with big, fumbling hands. Some people say I can draw pretty good (http://limbo.netpath.net/art/), I can type, I can mouse, but please, whatever you do, do not put a soldering iron in my hand! If the circuit is the only way to go, I think I'll pass. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Thank you for the info. Now I just need to bug one of the EE's at work and I'm up and running. >AFAIK, no computer (at least no micro or mini) ever used the mains >_frequency_ for anything more than a real time clock interrupt and >running the fans. > snip... >Ditto monitors. Every monitor I've ever looked inside (or read the >service manual for) has used the mains to produce DC rails only. I've got >a lot of 60Hz video monitors here (UK, 50Hz mains) with no problems. > >-tony ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Amstrad 6400 DD

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Could you provide more info on th model, I am not familiar with it. Is it on of the PeeCee compatible type? -----Original Message----- From: PG Manney <manney(a)nwohio.nwohio.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Thursday, January 15, 1998 5:46 PM Subject: Amstrad 6400 DD >Anyone want one? A local charity that I service has one, and would probably >get rid of it. > >manney(a)nwohio.com > >

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Firsts

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 08:12 PM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote: >I think the intended meaning was "production/general purpose" (so as to >eliminate computers created specifically and solely for the shuttle.) The GRiDs were made in production runs, but under govt. contracts. They weren't made specifically for the shuttle or NASA, at least the Compass wasn't. >And of course, I'm on the train to work and my Haddock book is at home... >What year was the compass? Compass 1100 1982 (Says it on the case as mfg. date) GRiDCASE 3 1985 GRiDCASE 1535exp 1989 (At least that's what the BIOS says) I threw the other two in just so I could remind myself to come up with a timeline for the GRiD page. I'd like to find the original pricing on these suckers. Anyone know where to look? -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Power Supply Info

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 08:13 PM 1/15/98 -0600, you wrote: >But while I'm at it, if you are recording info about your classics, >especially those that use wall-warts, do take note of the info for >posterity's sake, as many show up sans original PS. (Especially voltage and >connector polarity!) Thanks! Dang, I knew I was forgetting something on that GRiDSPeC page. Connector polarity. Well, probably alot more I'm missing too from someone else's standpoint, but hey, I ain't getting paid for this project! :) Shameless Plug: And for those of you who haven't seen the GRiDSPeC page, it's at: http://limbo.netpath.net/hw/GRiD -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Power Supply Info

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 02:45 PM 1/14/98 -0600, you wrote: >Gridpad 1910 power supply: Whups! Sorry folks. Netscape died as I was sending John some GRiD info for his web page, so I went to use Eudora, and missent it. But while I'm at it, if you are recording info about your classics, especially those that use wall-warts, do take note of the info for posterity's sake, as many show up sans original PS. (Especially voltage and connector polarity!) 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.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Upcoming PBS special on bit rot

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 08:56 AM 1/14/98 -0800, you wrote: >story of the program. I'm just a natural born archivist (ie. pack-rat) >which is why I never could get myself to delete old copies of source. I >guess I really have a high opinion of myself because I don't think I have >ever deleted any of my own work. Hmmm... I save old versions because most of the time the new version doesn't work. 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.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Amstrads in the US

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 02:50 PM 1/14/98 GMT, you wrote: >> And Bob's your uncle.? What does that mean? I thought Roger was our >>uncle? Aw well, never mind. > >Oops! Sorry. I forgot most of you don't speak English ;-) > >"Bob's your uncle" is an expression indicating the completion of a >simple task. Or something. I always thought it meant something like "and all is right in the world." Of course, Bob really is my uncle... 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.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 05:37 AM 1/14/98 -0500, you wrote: >>If you're talking commercial laptop, I believe it was the Radio Shack Model >>100. It was one of only two commercial laptops ever certified for Space >That's where it gets a little sticky. GRiD Systems started out only making >their laptops for the government, so it wasn't exactly commercial back I think the intended meaning was "production/general purpose" (so as to eliminate computers created specifically and solely for the shuttle.) >GRiD or the other as it's brains. I do know that the Compass 1100 does >predate the m100 by a few years though. And of course, I'm on the train to work and my Haddock book is at home... What year was the compass? --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Etymologies...

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 11:03 PM 1/15/98 +0000, you wrote: >There is no such thing as a DB15 (or a DB9 for that matter). The 'D' >means a D-sub connector (named after the shape?) and the 'B' is the shell >size. For reference, the common sizes are : They may not exist, but there are plenty of monitor and video card manual writers who keep this mythological etymological animal alive. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Anyone interested in old Macs, Wyse or Leading Edge PCs?

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Hi, Went on another scrounging trip today. I found a bunch of old PCs, mostly Wyse and Leading Edge systems. Most of the appear to be 286s or 386s. They're going to be scrapped VERY soon, possibly tomorrow. Is anyone interested in them? I can get them cheap but I have to buy the entire pallet load. I will if there's enough interest in them, otherwise they're history. Oh and there's some Macs in there too. I saw a yellow and a white MacPlus 1 Meg. I think there may be others. I don't know anything about Macs so I'm not much help there. Joe

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

I believe something got lost in the discussion, I was talking about French machines in France! I don't really have a problem finding some computers in the Twin cyties but waht I was looking for during my stay in the Hexagone was machines like the Oric1, Oric Atmos, Sinclair Spectrum, Thompson MO5, TO7, TO8 etc... And I was just saying that they are near impossible to find. I think my inLaw would be willing to help but he also has his own interests and looking for conputers around is definately not one of them. He may let me know if he stumbles on one but I can't blame him for not making it a priority. I guess I was expecting to find systems at every corners and was fairly disapointed not to be able to find one store (junkyard, used computer store, thrift shop) that had at least a few. > Oh I guess you live out in the sticks somewhere. I WISH I had that problem! > > Can you have them call your brother in law and have him pick them up and >save them for you. Or he can take the massages and hold them till you come >to town IF the trift is willing to willing to leave them sitting around >until you come to town. > > Joe ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

2
1
0 0

Amstrad 6400 DD

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

Anyone want one? A local charity that I service has one, and would probably get rid of it. manney(a)nwohio.com

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Etymologies...

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

Where did the following terms come from? -Dongle -Byte (named after nybble, or vice-versa?) -Mainframe (Why not just...like..you know...call it a computer?) -DB (as in DB-15, 25) I've also heard them called D-sub xx) -Mouse manney(a)nwohio.com

28 years, 2 months

9
9
0 0

Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

> Why don't you just leave your phone number with them and ask them to >call you when that stuff comes in. Tell them that you'll take it instead of >them filling up their trash with it. I'll bet they'll do it. > > Joe The problem is that I don't think they would be willing to make a $10 phone call in order to sell a $20 computer. Plus the trip to go get the machines would add an extra $600 to the price of the machine. I live in Minnesnowta:) Otherwise it might be possible (even though some of them told me that instead I should call regularly and maybe I would get lucky) for somebody living in France. I asked my brother in law to check once in a while (but then again this is NOT HIS hobby). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

3
2
0 0

What I did this weekend

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

That's no problem I can wait to complete my collection. Actually I was thinking of starting a collector buying ring: Everybody going to a hamfest or thing like that let the other ones know and take orders. That way we can get machines that were not too popular in an area. Thanks for the help. >I'm in Orlando, Florida. I've added your list to my wish list. There >are several hamfests coming up soon. I'll see what I can find, but it may >take some time. > > Joe ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

5
5
0 0

Anyone with an Ohio Scientific machine?

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

I have a C1P and i discovered someone else at work used to work with them extensively. He might have some parts. I think I might have some disk controller boards, but all my schematics and printed material is out on loan right now. david In a message dated 98-01-15 12:59:46 EST, you write: << I have several Ohio Scientific Challenger ][ machines but none of them are disk based. I'd be willing to trade some of them in exchange toward getting a disk based system up and running. I don't have the inventory off the top of my head but I can sure figure out what I have and see if we have any trading possibilities. George >>

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Science Odyssey on PBS

by dastar＠wco.com

Did anyone catch "A Science Odyssey" on PBS last night? It was great. They did a full 40 minutes or so on the dawn of the computer age. They went into some depth about SAGE and they even got the Altair in there with the obligatory issue of Popular Electronics. A very interesting episode. Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass Coming Soon...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0 See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!

28 years, 2 months

1
0
0 0

Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Well let me tell you a good/disgusting one: I spent 4 full days going from junck store to junk store trying to find Classics. All 30 or so stores visited told me the same story: We do not keep them! We throw them out as soon as they come in! There is no market for that kind of stuff. I only found two classic in my search: the PPC512 through a coworker of my brother in law and an Exelvision EXL100 at an Apple dealer (the guy was stunned to have somebody come in and ask for classics, then remembered that he had one in the warehouse from 10 years ago and had kindof forgot about it). The only other on that I've seen was an atari 600XL at an outdoor junkyard it had about an inch of dust on top of it and when I picked it up some water poured out of it. So I guess that the price I paid is only because the guy was happy to even get money for it. Oh yeah I also met a collector over there he had a used computer sotre (PeeCee stuff) and he said they are hard to find but he knew a few places. He never told me where. If you are looking for french machine you'll have to go to the dumpsters or knock on doors in order to find anything. >Yes, but they aren't so _rare_ in France. Price and scarcity factors apply. >-- >Ward Griffiths >Dylan: How many years must some people exist, > before they're allowed to be free? >WDG3rd: If they "must" exist until they're "allowed", > they'll never be free. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 2 months

6
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WTB: Heathkit H8 computer

by David_Wilson＠StrategicFulfillment.com

Hello, I am looking for a Heathkit H8 computer. If anyone has one for sale, or knows of one, I would appreciate the information. Thanks, David Wilson David_Wilson(a)StrategicFulfillment.com - or - dmwilson(a)worldnet.att.net

28 years, 2 months

1
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Firsts

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

> I don't know if you'd consider it a computer, but the HP 41 was used on > a number of shuttle flights. A friend of mine from HP went to Houston to > teach the astronauts how to use the 41. I've heard that the HP 65 or 67 > was used on some space flights even earlier, but I have not confirmed that. EDUCalc used to advertise that the '41 went on shuttle flights. I always wondered if theirs was more reliable than mine, which was dreadfully prone to static crashes. Why don't laptops suffer from that -- more massive? Better circuitry?

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Demand for old computers by commercial organisations?

by kevan＠heydon.org

Has this happened to anyone else: Tonight someone is travelling half the country to pick up and borrow one of my old computers, so that they can port a legacy system they have to PCs. The computer in Question is a Sage IV, and it appears that their unit has failed and they found me via my web pages. Out of the deal I am getting the rest of the Sage's they have when the port is over and they no longer need them. -- Kevan Old Computer Collector: http://www.heydon.org/kevan/collection/

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Weird Epson HX-20

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

I found two Epson HC-20s today that appear to have GP-IB interfaces. They have indicator lites for most of the GP-IB signals in the plug in module and the module says GP-IB but the connector on it is a female BD-25 connector. Does anyone know for sure what this is? Joe

28 years, 2 months

2
2
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Recording data to a strand of wire? AND Upcoming PBS special on bit rot

by yakowenk＠cs.unc.edu

These two threads just bumped together in my head. Has anybody got an idea of how long data should last on wire? It can't have the same problem with oxide coating that tapes do - the main problem might be to keep any oxide coating from developing. :-) Are the early wire recordings still readable? Maybe CDROMs beat wire in resisting rust, even if they are still not quite perfect on that count. Still, something about the idea of using such an old storage medium appeals to me. Anyone want to try running some fine ferrous wire through an old cassette (or even reel-to-reel) recorder, and see if the result is readable? Given Allison's warning about head-wear, I wouldn't try it on my favorite stereo system. Just what we need, another incompatible storage medium. :-) Cheers, Bill.

28 years, 2 months

2
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Original IMSAI Board and Documentation for sale

by phunkchyld＠usa.net

First of all, let me apologize to anyone receiving this email who considers it garbage. Have several items related to the IMSAI computer for sale: Vector Graphic, Inc. [Rev 3] PROM/RAM BOARD w/cable and connector/pins. MAY 1976 IMSAI Complete Product Catalog - "The Complete Microcomputer System". Original price $1 IMSAI Domestic Price List for November '77 Invoice dated '78 (from IMSAI). Comes in what I assume is the original box, but this cannot be verified. Card has never been used and accessory items are still in original packaging. If you are interested, please make an offer an all items. JPEG's can be sent upon request, and I will try to answer any questions. Thanks Andrew By the way, although I don't collect computers, I might trade for an interesting old Apple or Atari. ____________________________________________________________________ Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com

28 years, 2 months

2
1
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Upcoming PBS special on bit rot

by jfoust＠threedee.com

Tim Shoppa <shoppa(a)alph02.triumf.ca> wrote: >I've sold several S-100 based systems with 8" >floppy drives, paper tape readers, etc., to Microsoft employees who >are hoping to make backups of the first ten years of Microsoft >software in the archives there. I'd love to exchange e-mail with them, if you still have their addresses. On my web page is the source and Win32 executables to Claus Giloi's Altair / IMSAI emulators. I think these are fun because they're GUI re-creations: you even have to click on the power switch to turn them on. In my Copious Spare Time, it would be fun to add virtual peripherals and sound effects: a Lancaster TV typewriter, ASR-33, disk drives, etc. I'd also like to archive some sample programs that people could toggle in... anyone out there have some in electronic form? I don't have real IMSAI/Altair just yet, but I'm working on it. >And Paul Allen just bought a XKL (PDP-10 clone), in >part to recreate their original software development environment - I think! Actually, that's Allen's company. Wouldn't it be nice to have nearly unlimited resources in order to fund your daydreams? Or is it more fun to dumpster-dive to save nifty bits? I'm not sure. :-) - John Jefferson Computer Museum <http://www.threedee.com/jcm>

28 years, 2 months

1
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The IBM PS/2 model 70 again! -E61

by jfoust＠threedee.com

Uncle Roger <sinasohn(a)ricochet.net> wrote: >My main problem with PS/2's is cost and scarcity of MCA cards and >memory and such. At the UW-Madison surplus shop, they have several banquet tables full of boxes of PS/2 MCA junk cards, all at ~dollar prices. I don't know what's in there, though. - John Jefferson Computer Museum <http://www.threedee.com/jcm>

28 years, 2 months

1
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Anybody want an Osborne?

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

That is totally understandable. Oh well. >>> Joe >>I don't think I would pay $20 for just a connector. It' the little thingy on > > It may be a little thing but the owner's not going to let me start taking >pieces off. Sorry. > > Joe ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

1
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Etymologies...

by pvhp＠forte.com

classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Subj: Re: Etymologies... PG Manney wrote: >Where did the following terms come from? > >-Dongle ? >-Byte (named after nybble, or vice-versa?) In support of Eric Raymonds's Hacker's Dictionary Dennis Shasha and Cathy Lazere* attribute the coinage of the term byte to Werner Bucholz who was chief architect of the IBM Stretch project. That being the late 1950's/ early 1960's I suspect that spellings such as "byte" and "nybble" were also puns of another sort: at that time a good deal of comedy material was floating around concerning the fad that had sprung up after world war II to name various small businesses along the lines of "Ye Olde Cheese Shoppe", "Ye Olde Liquore Store", "Ye Olde Flowere Shoppe" and such like. The intent was to convey some old world charm and respectability but by the early 60's "Ye Olde Used Carre Lotte" had a humourous ring to it and was lampooned in cartoons (I think things like Hanna-Barberra's Flintstones poked fun at "Ye Olde..."). Hence the "binary digit" -> bit (from the 1930s) became "byte" a larger and more respectable measure of storage (BTW in IBM speak one never mentions 'memory' it is 'storage'). At that time (early 60's) a four bit instruction set was not unheard of for computers hence the half byte or nybble came into being (simple pun on bite/nibble). *"Out of their Minds: The lives and discoveries of 15 Great Computer Scientists" (c) 1995 ISBN: 0-387-97992-1 >-Mainframe (Why not just...like..you know...call it a computer?) One of the basic units of IBM packaging is the "frame" which _roughly_ translates to four squarish 19" racks stuck together in a square. A given computer installation may have one or more frames for DASD (pronounced Dazz-dee meaning "Direct access storage device" or disk drive), a DASD controller (no kidding these things occupy a whole frame) and the Central Electronic Complex (CEC or CPU - a.k.a. the "Main" frame) >-DB (as in DB-15, 25) I've also heard them called D-sub xx) ? >-Mouse Apparently invented around 1964 by Douglas Englebart - according to Time/Life books "Understanding Computers" series. In the "Input/Output" volume on page 67 referring to equipment used at The 1968 Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco: Technically known as an "x-y position indicator for a system," it was something Englebart had invented four years earlier and had named - because of its small size and tail-like cable - a mouse. Peter Prymmer

28 years, 3 months

1
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Availability?

by zmerch＠northernway.net

This was just sent to me, and I am forwarding it unto you in case any of y'all can help this guy out -- sounds like a good guy to me. Please respond directly to him if you can help him out. Thanks! ----------------------------------------------- >Delivered-To: zmerch(a)northernway.net >Delivered-To: m600(a)list.northernway.net >X-Authentication-Warning: rac6.wam.umd.edu: kosack owned process doing -bs >Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 22:18:51 -0500 (EST) >From: Daniel S Kosack <kosack(a)wam.umd.edu> >To: m600(a)list.northernway.net >Subject: Availability? > > >Howdy, > > I'm curious to know how available used T600's are. I have a T1400, but >I think a T600 would actually be more useful considering I have no hard >drive and DOS apps are large. I'm a big MS-Works 1.0 fan (I have the DOS >version, which fits on multiple disks) so I think I would get along with a >T600 just fine. I remember when they first came out, and I've got a few >100's, so I'm somewhat familiar with the line. > > Thanks for any info. I'm in the greater Washington DC metro area >(United States). If there are any used/refurb computer places you know of >in that vacinity that may have one, I'd be interested. I'd be even more >interested if I could possibly trade my 1400LT for one (it's not in the >best of shape, bad battery and not so hot screen anymor and manuals are >lost, but it works). > >Dan Kosack. -- Roger Merchberger | If at first you don't succeed, Programmer, NorthernWay | nuclear warhead disarmament should *not* zmerch(a)northernway.net | be your first career choice.

28 years, 3 months

1
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firsts (guis)

by pvhp＠forte.com

Regarding the first GUI: It would seem that Douglas Englebart's work at the "Augmentation Research Center" (ARC) of the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) in Menlo Park was the first GUI and was demonstrated at the Fall 1968 Joint Computer Conference in the San Francisco Civic Auditorium by Englebart. The computer used was the one at ARC (model unknown?) and was microwave linked to the display in the Auditorium. Input devices included a keyboard, a 3 button mouse (invented 4 years earlier by Englebart), and a chord keyset - described as an input device that resembled a five key segment cut from a piano keyboard. Alan Kay was in attendance at that show and drew inspiration for his later work at Xerox PARC on SmallTalk and the Xerox Alto (released in 1973, 2000 were made and it is credited as "a contender for the title of world's first personal computer"). The reference with all these claims is none other than the "Input/Ouput" volume of the Time-Life "Understanding Computers" series (c) 1986 (L.O.C. QA76.1486 1986 004 85-28832; ISBN: 0-8094-5666-4 or 0-8094-5666-2 (library binding)). There is a picture of Englebart conducting "a reprise" of his Joint Computer Conference show on page 65. Peter Prymmer

28 years, 3 months

1
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Looking for a 14 pin DIN cable

by hansp＠columbia.digiweb.com

Doea anyone have a spare 14 connector DIN cable? I need one for connecting a disk drive to my Thomson TO-8 computer. I believe the same cable is used to connect drives to the Atari ST series machines. -- Hans B. Pufal : <mailto:hansp@digiweb.com> Comprehensive Computer Catalogue : <http://www.digiweb.com/~hansp/ccc/> _-_-__-___--_-____-_--_-_-____--_---_-_---_--__--_--_--____---_--_--__--_

28 years, 3 months

2
1
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HELP!!!!!! MS Dos

by fbgte＠cibola.net

Hello, My name is Mario Soto and I am looking for a version of MS Dos 5.0 or earlier. The catch is I need it on 720k disk can you help? Thanks Mario

28 years, 3 months

4
3
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Recording data to a strand of wire? AND Upcoming PBS special on bit rot

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<These two threads just bumped together in my head. Has anybody got <an idea of how long data should last on wire? It can't have the same If it didn't rust forever or until a stronger field distrurbed it. <Anyone want to try running some fine ferrous wire through an old <cassette (or even reel-to-reel) recorder, and see if the result is Wouldn't work. The gap in the head is too narrow, the media speed is too slow and the shape of the head would not favor it. Also wire requires a strong bias to work as your magnetizing a tougher medium. In real terms as a data storage medium it would be poor becuase of bit density and reliability. Even disks/drums of the time were very low density even though some were oxide coated or even a few cobalt plated. Allison

28 years, 3 months

5
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WTB: SDS/XDS Sigma 7 and Honeywell CP-V manuals

by michael_wilson＠geocities.com

I am looking for manuals for the Sigma 7 computer system and the Honeywell CP-V operating system. Would appreciate any information about, or leads to help find these items. Thanks, David Wilson dmwilson(a)worldnet.att.net or David_Wilson(a)StrategicFulfillment.com

28 years, 3 months

1
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Anybody want an Osborne?

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

-----Original Message----- From: Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Wednesday, January 14, 1998 7:56 PM Subject: Re: Anybody want an Osborne? >At 08:21 PM 1/14/98 -0600, you wrote: >>If you can get just the video loopback connector I'll be interested, one of >>mine is missing it and I would like to replace it with an original. >>thanks for the post. > > I can get the connector if you're willing to buy the computer to get it >and can tell me where it is in the machine. > > Joe I don't think I would pay $20 for just a connector. It' the little thingy on the right below thew storage under the floppy, it has white writing on it that says "do not remove while power is on". this is where you plug in an extenal monitor but if you want to use the internal one, you have to have this loopback. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

2
1
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Etymologies...

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 98-01-14 22:46:14 EST, you write: << Where did the following terms come from? -Dongle -Byte (named after nybble, or vice-versa?) -Mainframe (Why not just...like..you know...call it a computer?) -DB (as in DB-15, 25) I've also heard them called D-sub xx) -Mouse >> well, i'm sure we've all heard of how the story of how the dongle got it's name. at least the version i heard is that the "thing" was created by a character called Don Gall, and the name came forth from that. Sometimes i'll tell the story at work, and have almost gotten several people to believe it. lol. david

28 years, 3 months

1
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What I did this weekend

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

If the price is too low then the item is not bought, if it is too high then there is some magin to negociate with the seller. I've almost never paid the asking price for anything (unless bought in a store) but usually hamfests garage sales and flea markets are pretty flexible. Let's say that I am looking for machine X and my max for it is $22, if you find one for $25 it is possible to negotiate. Or we could set a price range. Then there is the shipping, if I go to a hamfest with a list of 25 machines that others are looking for and find let's say 7, they won't fit in my car for one thing (I'll probably by stuff for me too;), and I have to package them all and ship them etc... Like I said I was only thinking about it. It may be feasible for a small group of people but I don't think it could be open to all. (no discriminations intended just practical stuff) Anyways I believe that it is possible but you have to trust the people you work with and limit the wishlist. >The problem with this is determining how much one wants to pay for a >particular system. You have to make sure in advance you know everyone's >limit. Some people may not know what a reasonable price is, and may >over-pay or put an unreasonable low limit on something they might want. > >Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

1
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Question

by ZGE＠aol.com

Thanks for the response Sam . Frank

28 years, 3 months

1
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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

>>How much did it go for? Just curious. > >$100 > >if I were a rich man... Funny I paid 100FF for mine (that's about $18) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

2
1
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IBM 5100 was Re: Firsts

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

> > >>>I would not be suprised if IBM had a travel case. >> >>I thought someone here said they didn't? > > I said they didn't but I don't know that for certain. I can find out >though. > > Joe >> I did find out. IBM did offer a travel case for the IBM 5100. It was feature code # 1501. Joe > >

28 years, 3 months

1
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What I did this weekend

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

if this happens, count me in. there's plenty of radio rallies coming up in nc in the spring. In a message dated 98-01-14 21:49:23 EST, you write: << That's no problem I can wait to complete my collection. Actually I was thinking of starting a collector buying ring: Everybody going to a hamfest or thing like that let the other ones know and take orders. That way we can get machines that were not too popular in an area. Thanks for the help. >I'm in Orlando, Florida. I've added your list to my wish list. There >are several hamfests coming up soon. I'll see what I can find, but it may >take some time. > > Joe >>

28 years, 3 months

1
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Recording data to a strand of wire? AND Upcomi

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

> The reels are amazing - the film was about > 3 inches (70 mm?) wide, Yes. Standard film width (altho' a lot is done on 35mm nowadays, due to improved film. 70mm is for when a lot of special effects are needed.) That's where Leica came up with 35mm, btw -- they cut 70mm cine film in half.

28 years, 3 months

1
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Need doc: Sony/Tek Model 308 Data Analyzer

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

I can make a copy for you for the cost of shipping. >So, I'm looking for information on, or a set of manuals for a >Sony/Tektronix Model 308 data analyzer. > >Thanks >-jim ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

1
0
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Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 09:36 PM 1/13/98 -0600, you wrote: >MAC toaster style Handle (yes on top of the unit)(Oops does that make it a >portable?) Actually, an excellent point -- if the IBM 5100 is a portable, then, so too is the compact mac? Even more so I would think (what with the considerably lesser weight and addition of a handle?) In case y'all haven't guessed, I'm strongly against the idea of the IBM 5100 being considered the first portable computer. 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.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 3 months

5
4
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The IBM PS/2 model 70 again! -E61

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

this PS/2E is a desktop machine, but in a very small form factor, a bit bigger and thicker than a modern laptop. it's a isa bus machine with one slot that is used for the pcmcia adaptor. it was supposed to be marketed with an lcd, but i've never seen one. the owner's manual shows it. with the two that i got, they came with original boxes, documentation and disks and even a never opened copy of pcdos 5.0! the good thing about ps2 machines is that not many know about them. the seller thought they were no good and sold at a cheap price. the first needed its passwoid jumper reset and the second machine's floppy drive cable wasnt connected good causing a 165 post and wouldnt boot from the start disk for a reconfig. it was still under warranty, so i just called in where i worked, and had a floppy drive sent out under warranty. the machines also have the keyboard with the mouse pointing stick built in which i like. i gave one to my brother and the other i'm keeping. win95 not supported though, but os2 2.1 and dos/win work fine. once i figure out pcmcia stuff, i plan to ethernet it to the two modern wintel machines i have going now. it has power management built in, and even locks in pcmcia cards for security. like most ps2 machines, also has xga built in. In a message dated 98-01-14 18:11:47 EST, you write: << A quick questions: Is that one of the "first Green Energy pc version" in a notebook sized tiny black box with a flat display panel? Well, we got excited over it but it was so weird and that weak 486SLC 33 cpu, I do have similar chip on a tiny motherboard by cyrix and it's dreadful slow even in DOOM, I had to keep it under half the size compared to my Luddite it did well one or two step above half way size o/c'ed to 25mhz and 4-way 4k cache enabled. But I did not remember this PS/2E cpu speed do you have the mhz speed? To have it that costs you 30 bux each for only about 5 years old thing, that is pretty lucky. What did you got with this pc in this deal? Funny, this Luddite is LTE 386s/20 sold as discontiuned in that '93 because you brought this year up reminded me. This notebook was first announced around early '92 or late '91. This notebook is still in use and sells around 100 to 200 with some s/w and stuff thrown in. Jason D. >>

28 years, 3 months

1
0
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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

>>I have the complete set on mine: software neat case, manual (in French > >And where do you live? 8^) > Minnesnowta

28 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Need doc: Sony/Tek Model 308 Data Analyzer

by jimw＠agora.rdrop.com

A new tool acquisition, but as is often the case, no docs... So, I'm looking for information on, or a set of manuals for a Sony/Tektronix Model 308 data analyzer. Thanks -jim --- jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com The Computer Garage - http://www.rdrop.com/~jimw Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174

28 years, 3 months

1
0
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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

>>:) )and Power supply (220v :( )I would be interested in finding a US power >>supply as I don't think the machine can run for very long on the 10 alkaline >>bateries. > >Me too. I would think a generic ps from Radio Shack would work, but since I >haven't tried that I dunno... The PS says output 13V 1.9A (Ouch...) I don't think it is that standard. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

1
0
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Hey, I can read these tapes!

by DSEAGRAV＠toad.xkl.com

I plugged my reader into my PC, set it for 2400 baud, and pushed READ. *WHIRR!* Big mess on the floor! We try this again at 300 baud, (Where I can catch the tape as it comes out) and it works fine. For the source tapes. When I assign PTR: to my new tape under E11 2.0, and boot, it says ?INVALID FORMAT or something along those lines... But I can read them! Takes about 15 minutes to read in a 1.5" thick tape. But, I should have images of all the tapes shortly... -------

28 years, 3 months

1
0
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Anybody want an Osborne?

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

I found a non-working Osborne computer at a scrap dealers. I tried to test it but no lights came on or drives moved so I suspect a power supply problem. It's probably fixable without too much trouble. There is a similar one for sale on Auction Web. You can see pictures of it there "http://iguana.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4212123". The dealer wants $20 plus shipping. Anyone interested in it? Joe

28 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

HP 9816 keyboard

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

Who was asking for a HP 9816 keyboard a while back? I have one now. Joe

28 years, 3 months

1
0
0 0

Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 11:29 PM 1/13/98 -0500, you wrote: >I used mine NASA-style sometimes: Velcro'd to any flat surface. Slight >change of subject: Does anyone know exactly what the first laptop to >accompany shuttle astronauts into space was? I hear it's the GRiD Compass >1100. I had that very model up until last week when I traded for a GRiD I've been told that the m100 is one of two commercially produced computers certified for use on the shuttle. Never heard what the other was, but perhaps it's the grid? >GRiDSPeC Page: http://limbo.netpath.net/hw/GRiD See <http://www.mint.net/grid/> (I know you probably know about it, but others mightn't.) (P.S. heard back from Ryan; he left my stuff with a friend to ship it when he moved, and the friend didn't. Meanwhile, he's stuck in the ice storms without power/heat/'net. At least its not lost!) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

3
2
0 0

Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 09:48 PM 1/13/98 -0500, you wrote: >> I think it's only portable in comparison to the mainframes of the time -- [...] >> that's really enough. You wouldn't have really taken it home to finish up >> or to a client's office to do an audit. > >Why not? In fact, my unit traveled around Chicago for the movie theaters. >It would be very reasonable to get a nice fibreglass or aluminum transit >case made that would protect the screen. Well, I suppose it's possible (I mean, there are still a lot of wierdos out there who haven't upgraded to Win95! 8^) but I can't go for it. I think we'll have to agree to disagree. Of course, this means I need one for my collection, so I can show folks what some people think is a portable computer... Wanna send me yours? 8^) >I would not be suprised if IBM had a travel case. I thought someone here said they didn't? --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

2
1
0 0

Firsts

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

I own a grid laptop; a compass II 1129 to be exact. I got if from my brother who claimed it came from some nasa engineer and the computer played some major part in shape shuttle flight/development or whatever. mine works fine, and even has some apps in some extra roms. it's not much of a portable machine though because it still has to run on ac power. gotta love the bouncing balls screen saver though! In a message dated 98-01-13 23:31:20 EST, you write: << I used mine NASA-style sometimes: Velcro'd to any flat surface. Slight change of subject: Does anyone know exactly what the first laptop to accompany shuttle astronauts into space was? I hear it's the GRiD Compass 1100. I had that very model up until last week when I traded for a GRiD 1535exp w/docking tray. Speaking of GRiDs, any people out there collect them or am I alone? I've made GRiDs my collection specialty since they're small, tough and stackable. GRiDSPeC Page: http://limbo.netpath.net/hw/GRiD >>

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

Dunno if my message got out before netscrap died... FOr the web page: Gridpad 1910 power supply: Part No. 106286-00 Input: AC 100v - 240v ~ 50/60 Hz 1.0a Output: 17.25v .-. 2.0a + -o)- - --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

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Getting off this list.........

by Bill_Opalka＠notes.intdata.com

Alright.. I've tried every incantation I could to get off this list including: 1) unsubscribe classiccmp opalka(a)intdata.com 2) unsubscribe classiccmp opalka(a)notes.intdata.com 3) unsubscribe classiccmp bill.opalka(a)intdata.com 4) unsubscirbe classiccmp bill.opalka(a)notes.intdata.com 5) unsubscribe classiccmp Bill.Opalka(a)notest.intdata.com 6) Sending mail to the list manager (@notest.intdata.com bcw(a)u.washington.edu ) Can someone help me get off this list.......... Thanks, /Bill

28 years, 3 months

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Bubble Memory

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<Yeah, I remember bubble memory. It seems like Fujitsu actually got <to work halfway decent. Despite the cost and speed limitations, Intel manufactured 1mb and 4mb parts with control chips. The BPK72 was the 1mb part on a card with all the control to make a 128k storage system. I have two, bought in '85. they still owrk and have proven quite rugged too. <instrument controllers. SLow, expensive, but for awhile it was about <all you could use for mass storage in certain hostile environments. I used them in cpm based systems and they are faster than floppy on average. The byte transfer rate is slower but the seek time is real fast. They work well. AS to cost they compared well with floppy systems of the time considering they were able to take shock and vibration. Allison

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts/lasts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 11:01 PM 1/13/98 -0500, you wrote: >You shouldn't have oughta done that. ;-) Calling me microspooge is >frighten words. Oh heavens the lost data. I'm sorry! It won't happen again! For penance, I will not use my Portfolio (Dip-DOS, not MS-DOS) for 24 hours, and no Freecell for 3 days. 8^) Hail Gary, full of genius, the code is with thee. Blessed art though among programmers, and blessed is the fruit of thy labor, CP/M. Holy Gary, father of CP/M, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our disk crash. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

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Amstrads in the US

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 09:53 PM 1/13/98 -0600, you wrote: >>btw, there was another PPC640 that sold on eBay this weekend, but it was >>complete, with power supplies, software, and a really neat case. I didn't >>get it, though. 8^( > >How much did it go for? Just curious. $100 if I were a rich man... --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

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Amstrads in the US

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 09:42 PM 1/13/98 -0600, you wrote: >I have the complete set on mine: software neat case, manual (in French And where do you live? 8^) >:) )and Power supply (220v :( )I would be interested in finding a US power >supply as I don't think the machine can run for very long on the 10 alkaline >bateries. Me too. I would think a generic ps from Radio Shack would work, but since I haven't tried that I dunno... --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

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The IBM PS/2 model 70 again! -E61

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

the best compact computer for this would be a PS/2E (9533) it doesnt apply to this list because the announce date was ~1993 but its small, quiet (no fan), and has 4 pcmcia card slots. even though its only a 486slc, its quite snappy. i bought two for $30 and fixed them both. david In a message dated 98-01-14 13:44:22 EST, you write: << My main problem with PS/2's is cost and scarcity of MCA cards and memory and such. What I'd really like to find is an *affordable* compact notebook/laptop/lunchbox with 1.5 (i.e., for a thick card) ISA expansion slots to use as my voicemail machine. I thought I had that in my Altima 2, but the *%$#@^% voicemail card has some components that stick out too far to fit. My current machine ('286 desktop + composite monitor) is too noisy and sucks up too much juice. (Oh, and battery power would be nice for when the fuse blows.) >>

28 years, 3 months

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Original IMSAI Board and More for sale

by atomicandrew＠earthling.net

First of all, let me apologize to anyone receiving this email who considers it garbage. Have several items related to the IMSAI computer for sale: Vector Graphic, Inc. [Rev 3] PROM/RAM BOARD w/cable and connector/pins. MAY 1976 IMSAI Complete Product Catalog - "The Complete Microcomputer System". Original price $1 IMSAI Domestic Price List for November '77 Invoice dated '78 (from IMSAI). Comes in what I assume is the original box, but this cannot be verified. Card has never been used and accessory items are still in original packaging. If you are interested, please make an offer an all items. Best offer by 2/1/98. JPEG's can be sent upon request, and I will try to answer any questions. Thanks Andrew By the way, although I don't collect computers, I might trade for an interesting old Apple or Atari.

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

>some of the 98xx > calculator/workstations, but I think those were either programmed like > calculators or in HPL, not BASIC. I just shipped off an HP 9831, which ran BASIC. manney ps Hey, Joe -- I still haven't received the $10,000 check for it yet. Remember, I'm selling at original HP prices! <g>

28 years, 3 months

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Bubble Memory

by zmerch＠northernway.net

At 11:21 AM 1/14/98 -0500, you wrote: >A type of non-volatile memory composed of a thin layer of material that can >be easily magnetized in only one direction. When a magnetic field is >applied to circular area of this substance that is not magnetized in the >same direction, the area is reduced to a smaller circle, or bubble. One of the differences with bubble memory is that it has to be accessed in a serial / sequential manner -- on a 1 megabit bubble device you cycle thru all the bits, then grab a certain set of bytes from the device according to an index or FAT. Tho the devices are rather quick, they do not have the speed of hard drives. I believe you could put 8 devices in parallel, and that would increase your access 8x, tho. > It was once widely believed that bubble memory would become one of the >leading memory technologies, but these promises have not been fulfilled. >Other non-volatile memory types, such as EEPROM, are both faster and less >expensive than bubble memory. The cost of manufacturing bubble memories did not drop in price much unlike other technologies of the day. You are correct, tho. Bubble memories are completely non-volotile and require no power to preserve their memory -- I have no clue as to the bit-rot spec's, tho. (A decent magnet will squanch your data.) I have an article in Rainbow magazine on how to build a 128K byte device as a near-line non-volotile storage unit for the CoCo -- designed by that great master Dennis Bathory Kitsz. (apologies to Dennis if I misspelled.) HTH, Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- Roger Merchberger | Why does Hershey's put nutritional Programmer, NorthernWay | information on their candy bar wrappers zmerch(a)northernway.net | when there's no nutritional value within?

28 years, 3 months

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ISIS-II - what to do with it?

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

R, I'm also sending this to the classic computer mail list since several people there have asked abou this stuff. At 06:54 PM 1/13/98 -0500, you wrote: >Joe: > > I found another guy that has an ISIS-II system, but it's centered on the >MCS-48/51 series. I was really more curious as to what the thing was used >for. I'm not sure, it's not in any of my Intel catalogs but I think it's specificly for developing software and hardware for the 8048 CPU. > > The stuff that the guy has is extensive. Yes, Intel made lots of this stuff. At least two different Intellec CPU units, several different ICE (In Circuit Emulators), several different disk drive units, one or two different EPROM burners, additional memeory units, a bread board unit and more. My OLD catalog shows 42 different hardware pieces. AND they were a number of different assemblers and high level programming languages available. They called it "Intellec". Most of the units can be used with any Intellec system and for any target CPU. If you have any specific questions I will try to answer them. Joe

28 years, 3 months

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Amstrads in the US

by Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk

Francois Auradon wrote: > I have the complete set on mine: software neat case, manual (in French > :) )and Power supply (220v :( )I would be interested in finding a US power > supply as I don't think the machine can run for very long on the 10 alkaline > bateries. When I went to the US recently, I built my own 110/220V converter. I found a small (10VA) transformer that had dual 120V primaries and wired these as an autotransformer. Boxed it up in small wooden box and Bob's your uncle. PS If you can't work out how to do it from the above, don't try it yourself, get someone with some more electrical knowledge :-) Philip.

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts

by manney＠nwohio.nwohio.com

> >Good Composer: Handel ...so are we bach to making jokes here?

28 years, 3 months

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The IBM PS/2 model 70 again! -E61

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 11:05 PM 1/13/98 +0000, you wrote: >If you give me the model number, it's on your label somewhere with 4 >number, a dash then 3 number code, I will tell you what it's usually >stock configuration and it's speed? I have the hefty book on this >and too much info to take. I'll check it out and let you know -- It's actually in Concord (about 35 miles from here) being used to run an engine dyno something-or-other program that my mechanic has. (His main computer's a mac.) >One comment: I wished....IBM did: >None have produced in early generation of PS/2 series faster than >25mhz anything. And design PS/2 ISA or PCI with 486 and has cache >but it did not pan out as I wished! :) But 90 models and XP series >uses processor card with different designs for each CPU type, XGA >that no one likes. Weirdo PS/2 and $$$. :( Those PS/1 and My main problem with PS/2's is cost and scarcity of MCA cards and memory and such. What I'd really like to find is an *affordable* compact notebook/laptop/lunchbox with 1.5 (i.e., for a thick card) ISA expansion slots to use as my voicemail machine. I thought I had that in my Altima 2, but the *%$#@^% voicemail card has some components that stick out too far to fit. My current machine ('286 desktop + composite monitor) is too noisy and sucks up too much juice. (Oh, and battery power would be nice for when the fuse blows.) >> Y'know, I once saw an honest-to-god IBM stand-alone plasma monitor in a >> surplus shop. 17" I think (or thereabouts). Pretty neat, but priced a >> little high. >Price? If you could recall? :) I think it was about $150. I might pick it up now, at that price, but I saw it before I started collecting computers. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

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Amstrads in the US

by Philip.Belben＠powertech.co.uk

>>When I went to the US recently, I built my own 110/220V converter. I >>found a small (10VA) transformer that had dual 120V primaries and wired >>these as an autotransformer. Boxed it up in small wooden box and Bob's >>your uncle. >> > > And Bob's your uncle.? What does that mean? I thought Roger was our >uncle? Aw well, never mind. Oops! Sorry. I forgot most of you don't speak English ;-) "Bob's your uncle" is an expression indicating the completion of a simple task. Or something. Philip.

28 years, 3 months

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What I did this weekend

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

>That sounds like the machines that I've seen. They're fairly common around >hamfests and other sales. If you're interested in them let me know which >ones you want and an idea of what they'e worth and I'll see about picking >them up. > > Joe > Well basically I would like one of each model that came out ;) Depending on the location where you are shiping cost will probably add a bit to the total.

28 years, 3 months

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ISIS-II - what to do with it?

by zmerch＠northernway.net

At 03:49 PM 1/13/98 -0500, you wrote: >I got a line on an Intel ISIS-II development system with lots of >accessories. What do I do with it if I get it? Send it to me for the cost of shipping!!!! ;-) (Just kidding...) Actually, I've always wanted to get my hands on one of those heathkit gibbyframmers (with the Moto6800 CPU, six digit 7-segment LED display and hex keyboard, etc. etc.) as I used one in college and had a barrel o' monkeys interfacing things to it 'cause it was so easy. Anyone here got a few extras of those??? (Heathkit used to still sell those just a few (up to 5) years back... but they still wanted top dollars for them, too. :-( ) Later, "Merch" -- Roger Merchberger | Why does Hershey's put nutritional Programmer, NorthernWay | information on their candy bar wrappers zmerch(a)northernway.net | when there's no nutritional value within?

28 years, 3 months

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IBM Displaywriter

by jolminkh＠c2.telstra-mm.net.au

I acquired a pair of IBM Displaywriters today, complete with a printer, disks and documentation. One surprise was that the copyright dates on the various (first edition) manuals was 1982 and 1983. I had been under the impression that these machines predated the PC.

28 years, 3 months

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Recording data to a strand of wire?

by dastar＠wco.com

I was talking to this guy I met at a flea market and he said he has a storage device that writes data to a spool of wire. Can someone elaborate on this? Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Historian, Programmer, Musician, Philosopher, Athlete, Writer, Jackass Coming Soon...Vintage Computer Festival 2.0 See http://www.siconic.com/vcf for details!

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 12:57 AM 1/14/98, you wrote: >If you're talking commercial laptop, I believe it was the Radio Shack Model >100. It was one of only two commercial laptops ever certified for Space >Shuttle travel. Heck, lots of the newer Puntium laptops can't even be used >on airplanes anymore, for criminies sake! How can you play cribbage across >the Atlantic if you can't even spark 'er up??? ;-) That's where it gets a little sticky. GRiD Systems started out only making their laptops for the government, so it wasn't exactly commercial back then. I;ve seen plenty of photos of GRiDs being used in the shuttle, as well as lots of NASA projects and experiments on the internet that use one GRiD or the other as it's brains. I do know that the Compass 1100 does predate the m100 by a few years though. -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 3 months

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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

-----Original Message----- From: Uncle Roger <sinasohn(a)ricochet.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, January 13, 1998 8:31 PM Subject: Amstrads in the US >Well, Amstrad wasn't really big over here, but they did sell a few machines. >Other Amstrad's I've got (second hand) are the PDA600 "PenPad" and the PC-20 >(sort of a CoCo-ish/Atari ST-ish one-piece PC). > >btw, there was another PPC640 that sold on eBay this weekend, but it was >complete, with power supplies, software, and a really neat case. I didn't >get it, though. 8^( I have the complete set on mine: software neat case, manual (in French :) )and Power supply (220v :( )I would be interested in finding a US power supply as I don't think the machine can run for very long on the 10 alkaline bateries. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 10:01 PM 1/13/98 -0600, you wrote: >By the way they are not laptops either; I always have to find a table to put >them on so I can use them. If I put them on my lap I'm always afraid to drop >them ;-) I used mine NASA-style sometimes: Velcro'd to any flat surface. Slight change of subject: Does anyone know exactly what the first laptop to accompany shuttle astronauts into space was? I hear it's the GRiD Compass 1100. I had that very model up until last week when I traded for a GRiD 1535exp w/docking tray. Speaking of GRiDs, any people out there collect them or am I alone? I've made GRiDs my collection specialty since they're small, tough and stackable. GRiDSPeC Page: http://limbo.netpath.net/hw/GRiD -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts/lasts

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<Oh no! It's the new MicroSoft Allison! No more intelligent posts about <non-MS computers/software Arrrgghh! 8^) < <(Sorry, couldn't resist!) Oh Roger, You shouldn't have oughta done that. ;-) Calling me microspooge is frighten words. Oh heavens the lost data. Allison

28 years, 3 months

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Amstrads in the US

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

-----Original Message----- From: Uncle Roger <sinasohn(a)ricochet.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, January 13, 1998 8:31 PM Subject: Amstrads in the US >btw, there was another PPC640 that sold on eBay this weekend, but it was >complete, with power supplies, software, and a really neat case. I didn't >get it, though. 8^( How much did it go for? Just curious. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 3 months

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Recording data to a strand of wire?

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<On the show, they spliced the wire to reformat a message on the wire... d <you know what type of wire was used on these types of voice/data recorder <and how would you splice them? < <(oh, and could you re-record over a previously used piece of wire?) Lessee, yes you can re-record on used wire. In fact if you didn't erase it you would get a overdub! Oh, the wire is soft iron, though any wire of a magnetic alloy can be used. The technology date t before WWII to some time in the late 40s-early 50s. It's problems were poor frequency response, knots/kinks in the wire and head wear. Allison

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

-----Original Message----- From: Uncle Roger <sinasohn(a)ricochet.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, January 13, 1998 8:32 PM Subject: Re: Firsts >At 09:45 PM 1/12/98 -0800, you wrote: >>> No handles??? 'Tain't a Portable then! > >Whups, forgot the 8^) > >>Hmmm, maybe having handles isn't the best criteria for determining if a >>machine is portable. > >Hmmm... > >Panasonic Sr. Partner: Handle >Apple Mac Portable: Handle >HP LS/12: Handle >Altima 2: Handle >Good Composer: Handel >Amstrad PPC640: Handle >Bondwell B310+: Handle >Osborne 01: Handle > >(Sorry, couldn't resist.) > Commodore Sx-64 Handle Kaypro I Handle Kaypro II Handle Kaypro16 Handle IBM portable PC Handle Compac Portable Handle MAC toaster style Handle (yes on top of the unit)(Oops does that make it a portable?) (I couldn't resist either) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Francois Auradon. Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon >>It seems that portable machines are those which the manufacturer built >>to be easily picked up (in some cases without grunting too loudly) and moved >>to another location to be used. This holds for suitable values of "easily". > >Yep. > >>Yes, Roger. I know you were kidding. > >Aw, shucks. I thought I had ya fooled. 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.crl.com/~sinasohn/ >

28 years, 3 months

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Recording data to a strand of wire?

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 98-01-13 22:25:52 EST, you write: << Kevin McQuiggin wrote: > > Wire recorders predated tape recorders. They were in use from the early > 1930s, as I recall. >> interesting topic. anyone care to describe exactly how it works? david

28 years, 3 months

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HELP!!!!!! MS Dos

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

uh, right! theres no way IBM is gonna put copyrighted software out on the net for free. only way to get it is to acquire a copy from someone. In a message dated 98-01-13 19:44:45 EST, you write: << >Hello, > My name is Mario Soto and I am looking for a version of MS Dos >5.0 or earlier. The catch is I need it on 720k disk can you help? I think IBM has disk images available either on the WWW or via ftp. I've only heard about such things and haven't found/downloaded them >>

28 years, 3 months

1
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Firsts

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 09:32 PM 1/13/98 -0600, you wrote: >>The TRS-80 Model 100 and it's amigos the Nec 8201 and Olivetti ??? had >Visit the SANCTUARY at http://home.att.net/~francois.auradonhat's probably >why they are called laptops and not portables. Shoot, it's not even a laptop. I've seen Pentium notebooks bulkier than a M100. :) -John Higginbotham- -limbo.netpath.net-

28 years, 3 months

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Firsts

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 10:05 PM 1/12/98 -0500, you wrote: >> I think if you consider the 5100 a portable, then so should you consider the >> PDP-8. The 5100, while more *convenient* to move, perhaps, than, say, an >> Altair, is hardly all that portable. It's listed as 50lbs (a stretch even >> for me) and has no handle. You tell me how that's a portable? (It's much >> like a TRS-80 Model III, only flatter. I think the III is lighter though.) > >Even if the implementation may be poor (ie. no handles), I think IBM >really did try to make the thing truely portable. After all, all you >needed to do was lug around _one_ 50 pound box to do useful things, rather >than a processor plus a tube or printer, and perhaps an external power I dunno... The 5100 was heavy, did not include a case, offered no protection for the screen, didn't run on batteries... I think it's only portable in comparison to the mainframes of the time -- that is, you could move it from room to room because it didn't need air conditioning or special power or anything. But that's true of most of the computers of the time. Yes, it was a one-piece unit, but I don't think that's really enough. You wouldn't have really taken it home to finish up or to a client's office to do an audit. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

28 years, 3 months

2
1
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Firsts

by pvhp＠forte.com

classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Subj: Re: Firsts Allison J Parent wrote: !<> >First programable calc !<> !<> Then there is the "first solid state electronic calc" which I think goe !<> the Busicom from Japan that employed the first production run of the in !<> 4000 chip set: the 4001 (2048 bit ROM), 4002 (320 bit RAM), 4003 (10 bi ! !No, this was not the first by a long means. I vaguely remember a desktop !HP job that was years earlier. ! !There were designs that were RTL and utililogic and even earlier designs !that were about the size of a desk drawer that were both totally !electronic and to some extent programable. A complete braino on my part: I had wanted to say some like either "first LSI electronic calc" or perhaps "first microprocessor application". Sorry I goofed. As you pointed out in this and a subsequent post there were many "solid state electronic" calculators available by 1971. Hey, for that matter IBM's S/360 shipped transistorized general purpose transistorized computers (running DOS and TOS among others) by 1964, and by 1971 they were even beginning to incorporate integrated circuitry into what would become S/370 computers. Interestingly the architecture (or its modern desecndant) was not put on a single microprocessor until just a few years ago (1995 saw the 3490 CMOS mainframe on a chip). I would not for a moment call these devices mere calculators though (despite the early reluctance of IBM's marketing department to call things like the 701 a "computer" for fear of upsetting the folks employed in that occupation in the 1950's). Peter Prymmer

28 years, 3 months

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