Ethan wrote:
> How does a resistive sheet computer work?
Just a quick note for now.
Resistive sheets belong to a category of analog
computing called network analyzers.
> In the same vein (pun intended)... how would fluidic computers
> stack up? Digital? Analog? Mixed?
Fluidics (or fluid logic) can have both analog
and digital processes. You can perform boolean
operations, but you also can have fluid amplifers.
--Doug
=========================================
Doug Coward
@ home in Poulsbo, WA
Analog Computer Online Museum and History Center
http://dcoward.best.vwh.net/analog
=========================================
The Design Fort DTP wrote:
> I would be interested to learn more about the Heathkit EC-1
> analog computer. So far I only found pictures and specifications
> on the net. Is there a website that actually explained how
> this machine worked and/or what it could/can do.
> Even more are there informations about "programs" that this
> machine could run?
Most computer applications are simulations of one
kind or another, word processors, spreadsheets, drawing
programs, even a desktop GUI. Analog computers are the
masters of the art of simulation, but they are not used
for mundane simulations like these.
Analog Computers run mathematical simulation of physical
systems. Everything from the decay of subatomic particles
to the interaction of two colliding galaxies.
Do you want to:
* See the results of a chemical reaction?
* Test the design of an automobile tire?
* Study the effects of pollution on a fish population?
* Model blood flow through an organ?
* Understand the effects of lowering the interest rate?
* Fine tune the design of the Space Shuttle main engine?
* Control flooding on a major river?
* Explore new types of music?
All of these are physical systems governed by mathematical
equations.
Analog computers are PURELY parallel and can run programs
slower than real time, real time or faster than real time.
Simulations can be halted at any point and all aspects of
the simulation can be examined. Changes can then be made
and the simulation can then be continued from the point it
was halted or restart from the beginning. So, analog computers
can not only simulate a fixed systems, but can also test
'what if' cases very easily.
Analog computers can be a hardwired special purpose type or
flexible general purpose type.
The EC-1 with only nine amplifiers can be limiting in the
size of simulations it will handle. But analog computers
don't have the compatibility and the connectivity problem
of digital computers. Ten EC-1s could be connected together
to form an EC-1 with 90 amplifiers. The only problem would
be if more than 9 integrators were used then a slight
modification would have to be made to each EC-1 using an
integrator to allow one EC-1 to control the mode.
An EC-1 can also be directly connected to another brand
of analog computer. No problem other than the mode control
of integrators.
The lure of the EC-1 is that it a inexpensive and compact
example of vacuum tube computing.
The world is analog. The human mind is analog.
Digital computers make a nice hobby, and work just fine for
tasks composed of sequential steps, but they are just an
over hyped fad.
--Doug
=========================================
Doug Coward
@ home in Poulsbo, WA
Analog Computer Online Museum and History Center
http://dcoward.best.vwh.net/analog
=========================================
>From: "Don Maslin" <donm(a)cts.com>
>
>On Tue, 29 Apr 2003, Dwight K. Elvey wrote:
>
>> Hi
>> I've been looking at a pile of disk that I'd
>> collected over a period of years. Most are the
>> typical 10 hard sectored disk, formatted in the
>> same way as HDOS uses. In the pile, I found a
>> few that are marked "format 96". These have the
>> 10 plus index holes but they don't seem to be
>> the normal format. When I attempt to read them,
>> I can only read the first sector. All of the rest
>> don't seem to read. Does anyone know what this
>> was all about?
>> Dwight
>
>Dwight, I would assume that they were done on a 96tpi
>floppy drive.
> - don
>
Hi Don
That is what I figured. I've been working on my serial
bootstrap and transfer program. I'm able to read and
write an image to the H89 but I'm still having issues
getting the formatting to work. I copied some old
code that I have in the Fig-Forth that I did but it
is still missing something. I even went back and ran
the Forth FORMAT and it works fine. I suspect there is
some other initialization that I'm missing. I looked at
one stretch of code and there is an operation that should
always hang. Can't figure why the original works. It
may be something connected to the timer interrupt that
isn't normally there. I wish I'd made good notes when
I did the original but this was one of my first computer
projects, after working on my Poly88, and brain rot
is now catching up with me.
Once I get the format working, I can work on cleaning
up the user interface. Looking at the 96 stuff is a
little later on the list.
Dwight
Oops!
Got to look at where I send things.
Dwight
>From: "Dwight K. Elvey" <dwightk.elvey(a)amd.com>
>
>Hi Jim
> I would be interested in the H11 system, H-10 punch
>and especially the Poly 8813. I was at the VCF when the
>smoke came out. I loved it. Sellam had put my talk
>at an overlapped time with your event so I only saw
>the first part. I have a Poly 88 but have been looking
>for a 8813 for some time.
>Dwight
>
---snip---
Hi Jim
I would be interested in the H11 system, H-10 punch
and especially the Poly 8813. I was at the VCF when the
smoke came out. I loved it. Sellam had put my talk
at an overlapped time with your event so I only saw
the first part. I have a Poly 88 but have been looking
for a 8813 for some time.
Dwight
>From: "James Willing" <jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com>
>
>Finding myself (yet again) in the unenviable position of needing to
>free up both some space and a fair chunk of money in a (very) short
>amount of time, it is time to release a few more items from the 'Garage'
>to new homes...
>
>As I'm still having problems with getting (large) things shipped out, I'll
>be making one run out to the 'big city' to seek a shipping place for
>packing and shipping, so everything will go out at once...
>
>Items up for purchase:
>
>--------------------------------------
>
>Heath H-11a / H27 system
> H-11a Chassis
> M7270 LSI 11/2 CPU
> WHA-11-16 16x16 RAM (2)
> H11-5 Serial card (2)
> WH11-5 Serial card
> H11-2 Parallel card
> H27 Floppy Interface
> H27 Dual Drive unit
>
>Untested, no docs or disk based software.
>Includes Heath paper tape based software.
>
>$600 plus shipping
>
>--------------------------------------
>
>Heath H-10 paper tape reader/punch
> includes manual
>
>Runs but needs cleaning/alignment
>
>$150 plus shipping
>(or $100 if purchased w/H-11 system)
>
>--------------------------------------
>
>Heath H-8 / H17 / H37 system
> H8 Chassis
> HA8-6 Z80 CPU
> WH8-64 RAM
> Multi Port Serial Card
> H17 Floppy Interface
> H37 Floppy Interface
> H17 Dual Drive unit
> H37 Dual Drive unit
>
>Runs, but has issues with formatting floppys...
>Includes hardware manual set, some software.
>
>$400 plus shipping
>
>--------------------------------------
>
>Heath 8 inch drive chassis
>
>Not real sure of the ID on this one, but someone has
>suggested that it is H207-40
>
>Drive chassis with one half-height 8 inch floppy drive
>installed. Blank panel suggests room for a second drive.
>
>Untested... no docs.
>
>$40 plus shipping
>
>--------------------------------------
>
>Polymorphics Systems 8813/2 System
>
>Unopened, in original factory packaging!
>
>This unit is a twin of the 'amazing smoking computer'
>seen in the 'This Old Computer' presentation at VCF IV
>
>Dual drive, 64k RAM, original manuals and software.
> System 88 User's Guide
> System 88 Software
> Wordmaster
>
>This unit has not been out of it's box since it left the
>Polymorphics factory probably 20 years ago!
>
>Untested... (at least by me) obviously...
>
>$300 plus shipping
>
>--------------------------------------
>
>All items are first come, first served...
>If you are in the area (SE Kansas) and can pick up then
>all the better.
>
>-jim
>---
>jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com
>The Computer Garage - http://www.rdrop.com/~jimw
I've just finished listing a bunch of HP computer and software manuals on E-bay. A lot of the manuals cover HP-UX and are likly to be applicable to the IPC. Don't just go by the titles, look through the HP-UX manuals to see which one you think are applicable. Also listed HP pascal and Fortran manuals and a DATA I?O Setsite module for the Unisite programmer. see <http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=rigdonj> if interested.
Joe
Finding myself (yet again) in the unenviable position of needing to
free up both some space and a fair chunk of money in a (very) short
amount of time, it is time to release a few more items from the 'Garage'
to new homes...
As I'm still having problems with getting (large) things shipped out, I'll
be making one run out to the 'big city' to seek a shipping place for
packing and shipping, so everything will go out at once...
Items up for purchase:
--------------------------------------
Heath H-11a / H27 system
H-11a Chassis
M7270 LSI 11/2 CPU
WHA-11-16 16x16 RAM (2)
H11-5 Serial card (2)
WH11-5 Serial card
H11-2 Parallel card
H27 Floppy Interface
H27 Dual Drive unit
Untested, no docs or disk based software.
Includes Heath paper tape based software.
$600 plus shipping
--------------------------------------
Heath H-10 paper tape reader/punch
includes manual
Runs but needs cleaning/alignment
$150 plus shipping
(or $100 if purchased w/H-11 system)
--------------------------------------
Heath H-8 / H17 / H37 system
H8 Chassis
HA8-6 Z80 CPU
WH8-64 RAM
Multi Port Serial Card
H17 Floppy Interface
H37 Floppy Interface
H17 Dual Drive unit
H37 Dual Drive unit
Runs, but has issues with formatting floppys...
Includes hardware manual set, some software.
$400 plus shipping
--------------------------------------
Heath 8 inch drive chassis
Not real sure of the ID on this one, but someone has
suggested that it is H207-40
Drive chassis with one half-height 8 inch floppy drive
installed. Blank panel suggests room for a second drive.
Untested... no docs.
$40 plus shipping
--------------------------------------
Polymorphics Systems 8813/2 System
Unopened, in original factory packaging!
This unit is a twin of the 'amazing smoking computer'
seen in the 'This Old Computer' presentation at VCF IV
Dual drive, 64k RAM, original manuals and software.
System 88 User's Guide
System 88 Software
Wordmaster
This unit has not been out of it's box since it left the
Polymorphics factory probably 20 years ago!
Untested... (at least by me) obviously...
$300 plus shipping
--------------------------------------
All items are first come, first served...
If you are in the area (SE Kansas) and can pick up then
all the better.
-jim
---
jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com
The Computer Garage - http://www.rdrop.com/~jimw
I was looking around on the internet (mainly decdocs.org and linked
sites, as well as google) and I was unable to locate scanned manuals for
the Vaxstation 4000/90. If anyone has a link to such documents, I would
appreciate it.
My problems revolve around a newly aquired machine which does not appear
to be giving me console access over the MMJ port in the rear of the box.
As I said, this is a newly aquired machine, and I have not really taken
it apart yet, but the manuals would be helpful in any event.
David
--
David de Gruyl <david(a)bhaermandegruyl.org>
Hi Jules,
To my knowledge the largest hard drive platter was 24". IBM the inventor may have produced
an experimental platter of ~1 m as a demonstration project to management and maybe these platters
were 'sold' or distributed to IBM employees?
Murray--
cctalk-request(a)classiccmp.org wrote:
> Send cctalk mailing list submissions to
> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://www.classiccmp.org/mailman/listinfo/cctalk
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> cctalk-request(a)classiccmp.org
>
> You can reach the person managing the list at
> cctalk-admin(a)classiccmp.org
>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of cctalk digest..."
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 17:55:18 +0000 (GMT)
> From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Jules=20Richardson?=
> <julesrichardsonuk(a)yahoo.co.uk>
> Subject: large disk platters?
> To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
> Reply-To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
>
> I just randomly remembered the other day that when I was at uni one of the
> computing lecturers one day rolled out an enormous disk platter to demonstrate
> how hard disk technology has changed over the years.
>
> The platter was pretty huge - around 1m in diameter. Any ideas as to what
> system it may have come from?
>
> Im just curious really - I've not seen much really old hardware up close, but
> the impression I got from the pictures I've seen is that drive technology
> didn't typically use platters *that* large.
>
> (and hell, this beats talking about the war :)
>
> cheers
>
> Jules
> Everything you'll ever need on one web page
> from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts
> http://uk.my.yahoo.com
>
> End of cctalk Digest
I want these IBM publications (especially A18-2317):
GA18-2317 3164 ASCII Color Display Station Description
GA18-2319 3164 ASCII Color Display Station Setup Instructions
SY18-2118 3164 ASCII Color Display Station Repair Center Maintenance Info
SY18-2120 3164 ASCII Display Station Repair Center Maintenance Information
GA18-2563 ALA User's Guide for 3163/3164
GA18-2720 3163 and 3164 Emulating IBM Terminals and DEC VT100/52 Terminals
GA18-2736 3163/3164 Enhanced Emulation of TeleVideo 950
I have A18-2318 so don't want more of that, but if you know of other 3164
publications that I don't know about, do please tell.
I'm in Ottawa ON Canada. As far as I know, international shipping into
Canada is not practical, so I'm interested in antiques that happen to be
already in Canada.
I picked up the following items today while searching the thrifts:
SGI Indigo2 IMPACT cpu only no KB or monitor with it.
HP Visualize C180 cpu only no KB or monitor.
HP apollo Series 700 product # A2286A.
TRS-80 micro computer system Catalog # 26-01006-G. No monitor or power
supply with it.
Apple IIc Plus cpu only.
Tandy 1000SL cpu only.
NBA JAM cassette/cartridge for the Super Famicom.
Panasonic R E A L FZ-10 3DO console.
Hi all,
I got a TRS80 Model 100 in and need some technical info:
-what is the polarity of the DC-input on the socket?
-Is a filtered 6 volt DC voltage ok or has it to be stabilised?
-I found lots of recources on http://www.club100.org/
even a technical manual, this however does not adress this DC input.
Thanks,
Frank
Saw this on spamnet news...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Frank Ebinger" <Frank-Ebinger>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2003 12:44 AM
Subject: Germany: Free RS/6000 !
> Hello!
>
> Is anybody near Karlsruhe interested in RS/6000
> Model 320, 340, 360 and some other Models?
>
> Look at the Newsgroup ka.markt.computer
> The University in Karlsruhe offers RS/6000 !
>
>
> Best regards
>
> Frank Ebinger
On May 1, 23:13, Philip Pemberton wrote:
> If someone wants to send me one or two plotters with bad drive gears,
I'd be
> willing to have a go at repairing them. My technique involves
repairing the
> damage with Araldite (epoxy adhesive - sets rock hard) and then
putting a
> small (#10) staple in across the damaged section.
Er, the gear we've been discussing is very small -- about 3mm overall
diameter, roughly the size of the winder knob on a small ladies
wristwatch! MUCH smaller than a small staple, in fact the bore's
hardly bigger than the staple diameter :-)
Anyway, Araldite doesn't stick to waxy plastic like these gears :-(
> I'd be tempted to take a few 10ths of a mm off the inside of the hole
> for the shaft that the gear fits onto. If they're cracking, the shaft
is
> probably too big for the hole.
Enlarging the hole by 0.1mm would make it spin on the shaft :-)
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
On May 1, 10:14, steve wrote:
> there is tons of stuff on the net, try
>
> http://dcoward.best.vwh.net/analog/
>
> for good introductions, all analog computer are
> basically the same, the biggest difference is how many
> op amps they have, and that limits what you can do.
While that's true for most modern *electronic* analog(ue) computers,
it's not a good generalisation. What about things like Vannevar Bush's
differential analysers, gun directors, Norden bombsights, various
electro-pneumatic or hydraulic computers, or the G-star analog
"computer" used by CalTech at Mt Palomar?
I seem to be in pedant mode today (as Ethan's discovered, possibly) and
I couldn't resist pointing out some alternatives :-)
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
>From: "Ethan Dicks" <erd_6502(a)yahoo.com>
>
>--- "Peter C. Wallace" <pcw(a)mesanet.com> wrote:
>> Actually all analog computers are _not_ the same.
>>
>> For example: Resistive Sheet computers are very different....
>
>I have an idea of how an analog (electronic) computer would work
>(compared to a mechanical analog computer - that's voodoo with cams)...
>
>How does a resistive sheet computer work?
>
>In the same vein (pun intended)... how would fluidic computers
>stack up? Digital? Analog? Mixed?
>
>-ethan
>The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
>http://search.yahoo.com
>
Hi
Another type of analog computers include mechanical ones.
During WW2, they used really complicated mechanical fire
control computer. One would input range, bearing, projectile
and charge. It would also take into account ship roll, speed
and coriolis effect for that target.
Gear ratios would make coefficient multipliers. They had variable
speed transmissions to make multipliers. Differentials made adders
and subtracters.
Dwight
Digital VT420 (+ keyboard) for sale
For pick-up in San Francisco, California, USA, only.
12 inch amber monitor, tested, no burn-in, a little dusty.
Setup screen says: VT420 AV 1.4, Copyright 1989 DEC.
If interested please make an offer.
--
tim lindner
tlindner(a)ix.netcom.com
>From: "The Design Fort DTP" <design.fort(a)ns.sympatico.ca>
>
>I would be interested to learn more about the Heathkit EC-1 analog computer.
>So far I only found pictures and specifications on the net. Is there a
>website that actually explained how this machine worked and/or what it
>could/can do.
>Even more are there informations about "programs" that this machine could
>run?
>
>I have to admit that the "analog" times of the computer age was a bit before
>my time, but I really would love to learn more about it.
>
>Herbert
>
Hi
The Heath kit has 9 op-amps that are connected such that
they are all inverting. It is intended to primarily model
things that are linear systems but one can add such things
as diodes to make limiting functions. They do this for one
of the example programs to put a bouncing ball on an oscilloscope
screen. Other nonlinear functions can be added.
Although, one can model things with differentiators, these
are generally not very stable and tend to require more dynamic
range than integrators. Most linear systems can be described
as a differential equation. If one integrates the equation
a number of times, one can remove all the differentials and
be left with a number of integrals and initial constants.
These can be quickly scaled and represented by resistors
and capacitors. This modeling method can solve quite complex
problems. Things like aircraft controls to auto suspension
systems can be modeled this way. I had a friend describe
how it was used to make rail cars that wouldn't oscillate
at the same frequency as the spacing of the track joints,
over normal speed ranges. One can imagine what would happen
to the load and car if it were increasing the oscillation
on each track joint it crossed.
I currently have a EC-1 but a while back, I needed to solve
a control system problem with an oven. There were several
factors that effected the temperature and I needed to make
sure that the system could handle these changes without oscillating
or over shooting. I found an analog modeling program called
TutSim that I used to understand the system. This is just
like using a real analog computer except it used discrete
processing to simulate the analog world. There are potential
problems doing this and one needs to understand the possible
issues.
If you have a spice program, you can build up the equivalent
of a EC-1 in software and see how it works. It wasn't until
the late 80's someplace that digital computers became fast
enough to replace the simpler op-amps for solving these kinds
of problems. In many cases, the analog machines still have
better speed/accuracy tradeoffs.
My biggest complaint with the EC-1 is that they needed more
binding post for the common ( 0 Volts ).
Dwight
Rumor has it that Jason J. Gullickson may have mentioned these words:
>Club100 is the best source I've found, however I run my M100 using a
>cheapo brick from Radio Shack that lets you select from like four or
>five different voltages, so I can't imagine that it needs anything fancy
>(although the battery life is pretty amazing without an adapter).
Just had a couple messages from Rick Hanson this morning... I've known him
(thru email) for nearly a decade, and it's damn hard to find a) a nicer guy
in general, or b) anyone more knowlegable about the inner tickings of
Kyocera-OEMed laptops (including the Tandy Models 100/102/200; NEC 8201a;
Olivetti M10 & friends...)
<MODE=ShamelessPlug>
I also have a mailing list that's available WRT these machines, you can sub
by emailing m100-subscribe(a)list.30below.com -- there's almost 200 people on
the mailing list, so there's quite a following there...
</MODE>
HTH,
Roger "Merch" Merchberger
--
Roger "Merch" Merchberger -- sysadmin, Iceberg Computers
zmerch(a)30below.com
What do you do when Life gives you lemons,
and you don't *like* lemonade?????????????
Reply to the original author, not me.
----- Forwarded message from Joacim Melin <listor(a)melin.org> -----
Date: Thu, 1 May 2003 09:18:23 +0200
From: "Joacim Melin" <listor(a)melin.org>
To: <cctalk-admin(a)classiccmp.org>
Subject: Stuff available for pickup in Stockholm, Sweden
Hi all,
time to get rid of some oldies. This is available for collection in
Stockholm, Sweden, for free :
1. Apple II Euro+. Works great but there is no accessories with it. It runs
on 220v at the moment.
2. Deskstation Raptor3. Works great. Comes with :
Full Tower Case
Alpha 21164
UniFlex Motherboard
4 PCI / 3 ISA slots
Dual SCSI II ports
2 serial / 1 parallel ports
1.44 Floppy Drive
Dual SCSI II Interfaces
Please let me know if you are interested in any of this, otherwise it will
go to some landfill instead.
Joacim
----------------------------------------
who > joacim melin
how > joacim(a)melin.org
where > http://z80.org
----------------------------------------
----- End forwarded message -----
--
Jeffrey Sharp
Are you interested in magtape just for the media [has old National
Library
of Medicine stuff? (this would be at least another box)
==================================================
I have been advised that the above tapes are available, probably about
at least a dozen tapes for either the contents or for scratch. The cost
will be for shipping. They are in New York City, but may need to
first be sent to Buffalo.
If they are of interest, please advise and I will try and find out
what arrangements can be made.
I might also be looking to have 3 or 4 magtapes copied to a TK50
(or other suitable media) and might need some help in this regard.
They have RT-11 file labels if that is helpful information, so probably
RT-11 would be needed to make to copies. Eventually, I would like
to copy the contents to a CD.
Sincerely yours,
Jerome Fine
--
If you attempted to send a reply and the original e-mail
address has been discontinued due a high volume of junk
e-mail, then the semi-permanent e-mail address can be
obtained by replacing the four characters preceding the
'at' with the four digits of the current year.
While looking for something else, I accidentally happened upon a
web site pertaining to a "Symphony for Dot Matrix Printers." The
URL is:
http://theuser.silophone.net//dotmatrix/en/intro.html
--
Copyright (C) 2003 R. D. Davis The difference between humans & other animals:
All Rights Reserved an unnatural belief that we're above Nature &
rdd(a)rddavis.org 410-744-4900 her other creatures, using dogma to justify such
http://www.rddavis.org beliefs and to justify much human cruelty.
