www.timco-computers.com
Wow,
Great prices. Looks like they have an awful lot of worthless junque for
people who regularly crave such things. Been looking for a MAC board
for my 2page display, Guess I know where to get one...
Thanks for the ref..
-Mike
In a message dated 98-01-26 23:36:11 EST, you write:
<< The grease on the eject rails hardens and causes this behaviour. You -can-
get it out with the paper clip if it moves at all, but you have to push
hard. >>
turns out that's exactly what it was! thankfully the drive mechanism separates
>from the rest of the drive with screws. i had some head and disk cleaner
(alcohol) in a spray can, so i just sprayed it on the parts and worked them
back and forth until they were loose. i've no grease, but at least its working
just fine now.
david.
Well, I found out that Atari is kicking. Has anyone heard about the game
"Primal Rage" It's copywrighted to Atari Games.
Tim D. Hotze
PS-It's my opinion that OS/2 (there making a new version) and DEC will be
around, in one form or another, for quite awhile.
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Prymmer <pvhp(a)forte.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Tuesday, January 27, 1998 4:59 AM
Subject: Re: DEC Sold to Compaq!
>classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
>Subj: Re: DEC Sold to Compaq!
>
>Richard A. Cini wrote:
>
>>Well, you could see it coming. Poor financial performance (and hence, weak
>>stock price) over the last few years. Weak products. Then, DEC sells-out
the
>>Crown Jewels (its Alpha procesor) to Intel.
>>
>> After listening to an interview with Eckhard Pfeiffer of Compaq, they
>>paid $9.6 billion for DEC's customer list, not its products. He mentions
>>nothing about DEC's products.
>
>According to the scoop on DEC web pages and in comp.os.vms and various VMS
>mailing list he said:
>
> We are committed to...investing in Digital's strategic assets,
particularly
> its worldwide service organization, as well as its 64-bit leadership with
Alpha
> microprocessors, OpenVMS, Digital UNIX and Windows NT enterprise systems,
> open storage, and software products," Eckhard Pfeiffer, president and
chief
> executive officer of Compaq, said in a statement.
>
>And all the VMS geeks are tickled pink that he mentioned VMS first on the
list
>of OSes and point out that DEC CEO Bob Palmer hasn't been known to do that.
>
>> It's a shame...but it seems to me that DEC should have seen it coming.
>>Death comes to the last of the old-line computer companies.
>
>Well IBM is still alive and kicking (rumour is that the whole OS/2 shop has
>been fired/re-assigned/real-estate liqidated but AS/400 minis and
mainframes
>are making a strong comeback). I Don't know much about Unisys though...
>
>Peter Prymmer
>
>
>
classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu
Subj: Re: DEC Sold to Compaq!
Richard A. Cini wrote:
>Well, you could see it coming. Poor financial performance (and hence, weak
>stock price) over the last few years. Weak products. Then, DEC sells-out the
>Crown Jewels (its Alpha procesor) to Intel.
>
> After listening to an interview with Eckhard Pfeiffer of Compaq, they
>paid $9.6 billion for DEC's customer list, not its products. He mentions
>nothing about DEC's products.
According to the scoop on DEC web pages and in comp.os.vms and various VMS
mailing list he said:
We are committed to...investing in Digital's strategic assets, particularly
its worldwide service organization, as well as its 64-bit leadership with Alpha
microprocessors, OpenVMS, Digital UNIX and Windows NT enterprise systems,
open storage, and software products," Eckhard Pfeiffer, president and chief
executive officer of Compaq, said in a statement.
And all the VMS geeks are tickled pink that he mentioned VMS first on the list
of OSes and point out that DEC CEO Bob Palmer hasn't been known to do that.
> It's a shame...but it seems to me that DEC should have seen it coming.
>Death comes to the last of the old-line computer companies.
Well IBM is still alive and kicking (rumour is that the whole OS/2 shop has
been fired/re-assigned/real-estate liqidated but AS/400 minis and mainframes
are making a strong comeback). I Don't know much about Unisys though...
Peter Prymmer
Well, look here...
http://www.digital.com/flash/f192
It's the end of Aplha, I know that... Compaq likes Intel, and so they'll do
Intel a favor and kill Alpha off. Then all DEC will make is PC clones...
And that's the end of decent architectures from Maynard!
-------
>The original "suitcase" portable, I have to agree, but the lunch box
>portables are quite nice. Though I expected some access to an ISA bus
>in the Compaq III, there weren't any. That's the one nice advantage to
>the luggable -- they're expandable, to a degree...
The Portable III often comes with an expansion box that fits on the back.
Makes the package a "big" lunchbox and has room for 2 or 3 ISA cards. Most I
have seen have VGA and network cards in there.
At 01:14 PM 1/26/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Yeah, I've been looking for an expansion module. Hope I see one....if
>anyone sees any let me know what the going prices are...
There was one for sale recently on ebay; I forget what it eventually sold
for, but it was:
Compaq Portable III ISA Expansion Unit. (item #3694518)
You can do a search to look up the final price. Also, I know where there
may be one for $100, but you have to take the Compaq it's attached to as
well. 8^) (Condition unknown, etc.; it's outta my price range.)
P.S., Just to let folks know, this list doesn't get anywhere near as
off-topic as a couple of Land Rover lists I'm on, and it is nowhere near as
well policed as the Dressage list.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/
>My two favorite tools for HD work are the "On-Track Disk Manager
>program V 5", and "Hard Drive Test Specs" program. DM lets you test,
>LL format, create, and prep partitions.
I will give a hearty second to the recommendation for Disk Manager. Can't
be beat. If you've ever swapped a hard drive, or you ever plan to, get
this program! If you even know what a hard drive is, you should probably
have it.
Also good is LapLink Pro, which allows you to transfer itself to another
computer without having to use diskettes -- handy for those older (PC)
machines (like >10 years) whose floppy drives have gone south, but you want
access to the hard drive.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/
> I'm not that impressed with the 3270pc. I bought it because I wanted
> stuff out of it, but it was all pretty much proprietary (and covered
> in dust and old) lots of wire wrapping and jumpers, so I just left it
> alone. Now I use it to test Linux-16.
>
> The REAL question is, if IBM used these as terminals which could run
> software, what did they have in them allowing them to use the network
> ports? I mean that was 1984, DOS might have had some hooks, but they
> would have sold it.
>
> Were these running XENIX/86, CPM86, or what? Anyone know? Anyone have
> the software...
Um. As I recall, when you booted a 3270PC, it booted MS-DOS from the
hard disk as usual. Early on in the boot procedure, it loaded some sort
of 3270-terminal-operating-system which grabbed some memory somewhere,
locked DOS out of it somehow and REBOOTED. DOS then loaded normally
UNDERNEATH the terminal program.
The 3270 PC had some extra keys on the keyboard - the function keys (24
of them) were where they are on a modern PC keyboard, but there was a
block of keys where they were on the original PC keyboard. These keys
did things like switch between your terminal session and your PC
session. The keyboard plugged into the terminal card as well as the
keyboard port, BTW - I think the terminal card filtered out stuff that
wasn't meant for the DOS session. The point was, DOS never knew about
the terminal unless you specifically piped data through the terminal
program.
IBM sold an API (Application Program Interface) which was a piece of
software allowing programs running on the PC to type on the terminal,
look at the terminal screen memory, etc. Very crude. File transfer
software - not very good - was available too.
The reason they were rare was that the IBM 3270 terminal protocol (SNA,
Systems Network Architecture) was only used on IBM mainframes - not even
on the System/3X minis. I don't know how it worked but it was EBCDIC
for a start...
Returning to the 5155, when I was working at IBM this was the cheapest
complete system in the IBM range - it was much the same price as an XT
(if not less) and it had a monitor built in. Many IBM employees bought
them as an entry level system (IBM required us to sign a contract saying
we wouldn't develop software for other than IBM machines - I don't know
whether this would have survived a court case!) But there must be some
around if only for that reason.
Hope this helps!
Philip.
PS *** Off Topic ***
Will Sam and Anthony please go and have their argument somewhere else?
The first couple of posts about Anthony's personal testimony were
interesting and related to computers. The subsequent argument about
drugs and off-topic posts, not to mention mature adults of 17 and silly
kids of 30 (I'm one of the latter FWIW) was not.
Sam, you say Anthony has problems - but so do you. Will you stop
jumping down everybody's throat as soon as the topic starts to drift,
please?
Finally, alcohol. Interesting points about Prohibition (which we didn't
have over here). Thank you whoever posted them (even though off topic).
Denatured alcohol here is still "Methylated Spirit" - i.e. it has had
methanol added. It has also had pyridine (I think) added to make it
look purple and taste foul, and it is therefore even more poisonous, but
it doesn't leave a residue.
On the subject of home-made booze, if you use the wrong sort of yeast,
you may well get methanol in the ferment. During prohibition I'd guess
that proper brewer's yeast was not easily available! Apparently
potatoes are particularly susceptible, and this has given the
traditional Irish spirit made therefrom, Poteen, a bad name for making
you literally "blind drunk."
Since I am a non-drinker I'd better say no more on that subject...
Philip.
IT IS CARBON TETRACHLORIDE that produces phosgene when it is
> reduced on a hot surface. Carbon tet (tetrachloromethane) hasn't been
> available for 30 years! Funny how legends continue to spread. :)
H'm. Sorry for shooting off my mouth. Computers (peecees, anyway...) I
know, but chem is not my cuppa tea.
manney
To whom it may concern:
I would like to get in touch with anybody interested in 'antique'
computers, especially in the Washington, DC metropolitan area to
exchange info and perhaps start an east coast collector organization.
Please email me: marty(a)itgonline.com
Thanks-
Marty Mintzell
5635 Heming avenue
Springfield, Virginia 22151
703-569-2380
email:marty@itgonline.com
On Mon, 26 Jan 1998, Sam Ismail wrote:
> Great, but what does homemade booze have to do with collecting old
> computers?
Well, one guy wondered what it was that caused denatured alcohol
to leave residue on his computer printed circuit boards he was cleaning.
My off-topic message answered that question he never even asked. :) Now
if you'd like to eat your words, start munching. :) My off-topic post
was of benefit to ONE PERSON, and that's enough to justify it's creation.
sq
(just put the unique word "Squest" in your killfile if you don't like it.)
--
-<squest(a)cris.com>---------\ ( ( | ) ) Amendment1 Congress shall make
============================> /_\ no law abridging the freedom
MicroPower FM Broadcasting-/ /\_/\ of speech, or of the press.
I wouldn't know if my 3270pc is original or not, but there's no extended
keyboard.
-Mike
----------
> From: Philip.Belben(a)powertech.co.uk
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re[2]: IBM Portable Personal Computer (and other things)
> Date: Monday, January 26, 1998 10:44 AM
>
> > I'm not that impressed with the 3270pc. I bought it because I wanted
> > stuff out of it, but it was all pretty much proprietary (and covered
> > in dust and old) lots of wire wrapping and jumpers, so I just left it
> > alone. Now I use it to test Linux-16.
> >
> > The REAL question is, if IBM used these as terminals which could run
> > software, what did they have in them allowing them to use the network
> > ports? I mean that was 1984, DOS might have had some hooks, but they
> > would have sold it.
> >
> > Were these running XENIX/86, CPM86, or what? Anyone know? Anyone have
> > the software...
>
> Um. As I recall, when you booted a 3270PC, it booted MS-DOS from the
> hard disk as usual. Early on in the boot procedure, it loaded some sort
> of 3270-terminal-operating-system which grabbed some memory somewhere,
> locked DOS out of it somehow and REBOOTED. DOS then loaded normally
> UNDERNEATH the terminal program.
>
> The 3270 PC had some extra keys on the keyboard - the function keys (24
> of them) were where they are on a modern PC keyboard, but there was a
> block of keys where they were on the original PC keyboard. These keys
> did things like switch between your terminal session and your PC
> session. The keyboard plugged into the terminal card as well as the
> keyboard port, BTW - I think the terminal card filtered out stuff that
> wasn't meant for the DOS session. The point was, DOS never knew about
> the terminal unless you specifically piped data through the terminal
> program.
>
>
While on a recent excursion to Stockton (a realtively close big city
for us) we stopped by one of those 99 cent clearnace centers and I was
surprised to find boxes of disks available. I picked up 90 DS/DD
diskettes for just $8.91, 9.9 cents for a 'new' brand name disk is
pretty good.
They also had 5.25" DS/HD (don't have any need for those...) and also
a few boxes of 8" disks, (W/WP, is that the format? It was the only
thing that looked like a format/sectoring I.D. to me...) Other than
that I picked up a VIC-20 RF modulator for 75 cents... Wasn't really
thrift-storing that day... :)
I did pick up a Maganavox composite/RGB monitor for only $4.50 a
couple weeks back though. Question on this, it has TTL RGB and Lin. RGB
ports, is the Lin. RGB Analog RGB? (Magnavox did produce a few
Commodore/Amiga monitors, I am hoping this one may be Amiga
compatible...)
Larry Anderson
--
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Visit our web page at: http://www.goldrush.com/~foxnhare/
Call our BBS (Silicon Realms BBS 300-2400 baud) at: (209) 754-1363
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I am looking for 20M removable bernoulli drives. I use them in my music
console rack. Since two weeks I have problem with it and I can't read
old data. I make few radical steps included filter exchange but without
succes. This units are dedicated to my system and I can replace it only
for the same 20M drives. Maybe somebody, somewhere has useless items in
a basement store...
Thanks for colaboration.
Jarek
Warsaw 25.01.98
Yeah, I've been looking for an expansion module. Hope I see one....if
anyone sees any let me know what the going prices are...
(It probably just went up in value.....)
-Mike
----------
> From: Olminkhof <jolminkh(a)c2.telstra-mm.net.au>
> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Luggables
> Date: Monday, January 26, 1998 5:08 AM
>
>
>
> >The original "suitcase" portable, I have to agree, but the lunch box
> >portables are quite nice. Though I expected some access to an ISA bus
> >in the Compaq III, there weren't any. That's the one nice advantage to
> >the luggable -- they're expandable, to a degree...
>
>
> The Portable III often comes with an expansion box that fits on the back.
> Makes the package a "big" lunchbox and has room for 2 or 3 ISA cards.
Most I
> have seen have VGA and network cards in there.
>
Hi All:
The title says it all. I have a sick M2382 SMD drive, and am looking for
someone who is running one successfully, so that we can compare switch
settings, QD32 or QD33 parameters, or documentation.
The drive's on a known-good QD32 on a Microvax II. It's in tandem with an
M2372, on the same QD32. The M2372 drive is working well.
Thanks,
Kevin
--
Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD
mcquiggi(a)sfu.ca
Yeah, so, he mailed a personal note, off line off the list, like he's
supposed to, so that there isn't a bunch of drivvel on the list. That's
the whole point to this seemingly pointless discussion.
-Mike Allison
----------
>
> I think the following says all that need be said about this debate.
> I received it from Mr. Ismail this evening.
>
> Anthony Clifton - Wirehead
Well, after closer investigation, I found the DOS info that I needed.
Sorry for the post. I'd still like the manuals, though.
Rich Cini/WUGNET
Charter ClubWin! Member
MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
Sorry to but in, but some of us ARE CHILDREN. ;-) And, honestly, I hate to
point out, but you're acting less mature than we do. Honestly, the guy made
a mistake. Why blame him? If there's anyone who can seriously tell me
their perfect, then disregard this, but we all make 'em.
Tim D. Hotze
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel A. Seagraves <DSEAGRAV(a)toad.xkl.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Monday, January 26, 1998 5:14 PM
Subject: Re: Are We Not Men? (& Women?) [OT^2] (Was Re: PDP-8/Es available
[NOT!])
>Oh, stop acting like children! I screwed up by misdirecting that message
in
>the first place. Nobody needs to get violent! Just tag the posts
[OFF-TOPIC]
>like is done in a.f.s-m. That way you can kill the message if you don't
want to read it.
>-------
Hi.
I'm getting a II+ from Jeff Kaneko, but, as usual from thrift stores, no OS/Software. Is the II+ like the II GS, downloadalbe from the 'Net? Also, is there any software out there? If I can download it from the net, where, and how do I copy it (using either 1.44MB 3.5" or a 360K 5.25" drive, PC, SERIAL connection???)
Thanks,
Tim D. Hotze
Yes, I know I started that mess :) Sorry.
I just picked up a MicroVAX 2000. Little bitty box. It's portable, it even
has a handle. Runx VAX/VMS 5.4. I'll drop NetBSD on here and have it up
in no time at all. Or, I may keep VMS...
-------
Hello, all:
Does anyone have a spare set of Apple //gs manuals that they'd be
willing to part with?
I just got two floppy drives for my new gs, so I'm just beginning to
work my way around it. I'm running ProDOS until I can get OS/GS transferred
to it. I've got a 5-1/4" and a 3-1/2" floppy, but can't seem to get ProDOS
to INIT a new disk. No immediate solution is apparent from Nathan Mates'
on-line info.
Thanks!
Rich Cini/WUGNET
Charter ClubWin! Member
MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
Hello:
Here's my question. I am trying to figure out how to load certain
commands on an Atari 800xl. I guess I should say 'files'. I can load
BASIC files just fine with DOS loaded, I just exit to BASIC and
RUN"D1:game.bas" -- is there a way to do it directly from DOS 2.5, etc.,
without going back to BASIC?
And, my primary question.... if I see a machine language file in the DOS
directory such as ataridemo.obj or game237.com, how can I load these. I
have interpreted from some other sources that I need to reboot without
the basic cartridge in to run a machine language program, but how
'actually' do I do it? I don't see any of the menu options under DOS
that say "load machine language file: " or anything like that.
Please respond back if you have any information, as I am trying to
catalog all those Atari 800 (and everything) disks.
Thank you very much,
CORD COSLOR
--
_________________________________________
| Cord G. Coslor : archive(a)navix.net |
| Deanna S. Wynn : deannasue(a)navix.net |
|-----------------------------------------|
| PO Box 308 - Peru, NE - 68421-0308 |
| (402) 872- 3272 |
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