I'm trying to remember and locate a chatterbot program from the heyday of
DOS. I think it was called "jabber". What made it particularly
interesting is that you could feed three text files of stuff (like novels,
scientific papers, etc) and then control the proportions of how much of
each input file made it to the output. When all were set to zero, it
would just emit "jabber" over and over.
Google isn't particularly helpful in finding this. I'm getting false hits
on the Jabber IM protocol and denial of service attacks.
--
David Griffith
dgriffi at cs.csubak.edu
A: Because it fouls the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing in e-mail?
I don't know if anyone is still interested in this. I have a Kaypro Micro1
with monitor and keyboard. It has a 10 MB hard drive and runs on MS DOS 5.0
and Windows 3.1. It has 2 3.5" floppy drives. I've never seen another one
anyplace.
Dave
Hello all,
I have a Quadra 700 which I've mentioned before which is in a poor state.
I've finally gotten it to power on with a replaced power supply, but it
dies with the chimes of death at various points before and after the
boot chime; it never appears to initialize the video. I'm aware that
the Q700 is quite reliant on the monitor sense pins, so I'm using an
Apple 12" RGB monitor that I've verified working on an Apple IIgs.
Since I can't see any video (there is no activity on any of the pins on
the monitor port, not even sync pins), I'm wondering if there's another
diagnostic tool that can be used aside from building something to hook
into the '040 PDS and attach to a logic analyzer. I suppose it would
be too much to hope that it can be made to spit something out on a
serial port?
The fact that the chimes come at different points in the process, and
that it seems to change when I poke things on the board, leads me to
believe it may be beyond help, but if there's something simple I can
do to check it out, I'd be glad to. I've already tried swapping out
for a known-good '040 and removed all the RAM (so it runs on internal
RAM) to no avail.
- Dave
>Message: 20
>Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2012 20:36:52 +0100 (BST)
>From: ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell)
>
>I remember an article in Byte about soemthing a bit like this. The word
>'Travesty' is coming to mind, but I am not sure why. But I thought that
>only took one input file and amy a piece of 'similar' text from it.
>
>-tony
Byte, V9 No12, November 1984.
Also at http://www.scribd.com/doc/99613420/Travesty-in-Byte
Bob
> > Is there anybody in the San Francisco Bay Area that could create images of
> > three 5.25" floppies for me? I think that they are 720k with 256 byte
> > sectors, but I'm not sure. In any case, I've not been able to read them so
> > far.
>
> 1) Do you know what computer created them?
>
> 2) FM? MFM? GCR? (Sirius/Victor 9000?)
>
> 3) What have you triesd so far?
> What messages do you get?
> The difference between "General Failure" and "Sector Not Found" IS
> significant.
I believe that they were created on an OS-9 68000 (the Microware, not
the Apple variety). I don't have the computer any more, just the
floppies. I tried to image them. If they are what I expect them to be,
then they would be 720k MFM. I've tried to read them with a 1.2M 5.25
drive, using fdutils, on a LINUX box, but I'm not sure that I've got
my drive strapped to spin at the correct RPM. In any case, fdutils
reports an error 40. I'm not sure that the hardware I'm using will
even talk to a 720k floppy.
> From: Alexey Toptygin <alexeyt at freeshell.org>
> So, what drives actually need to be 'parked'? My understanding was that if
> you de-energize the spindle motor and the voice coil that positions the
> heads and the same time, the heads will have plenty of time to retract and
> lock before the platters slow down enough for the heads to land. Was it
> only needed on drives that used stepper motors for head positioning?
> Either way, in what technology generation and/or time frame did the
> requirement go away?
>
Most drives today either have springs, aerodynamic forcers (wings) or
extract
energy from the spindle motor to send the heads to the park position.
Still, landing the heads on the platters is a lot harder on them that
lifting the
heads like in the "old days". I've seen plenty of drives where the
heads were
WELDED to the platters by old head lube that had either degraded over
time or
spread from the landing zone to the rest of the platter. Not sure if
they are
still using that landing zone lube or not.
Anyway, all drives that are supposed to be parked can be assumed to handle
it autonomously when power is removed, for nearly the last 20 years.
Jon
________________________________
From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org on behalf of Tony Duell
Sent: Fri 9/7/2012 5:15 PM
Subject: Re: DECwriter II LA36 being given away
>> I'm looking for a couple of keys for mine, If you end up parting it out, c=
>> ould I get the R and X keys from it?
>I would rather a complete machine was not parted out, not even an LA36 :-)
>
>Somewhere I have a lot of LA36 bits. I probably have a keyboard PCBm adn
>could remove keycaps if you cna't get them any other waye. Aren't they
>the same as VT100 keycpas? The keyboard is much the same design.
I agree, and would not wish him to part one out. However, if the alternative is that he's going to send it to the scrapper....
Also, I don't believe the key caps are the same as the VT-100. If you get a chance, and have a spare KBD assembly, I'd be interested!
Gary
The DECWriter II has been picked up. Thanks to all who replied.
There were 5 replies which makes me glad I saved it from being
thrown away.
Thanks,
Corey.
Curious what causes a several day delay in mail getting out of
classicmp.org? I typically see people's replies to postings other have
made a day or more before I see the original posting. Postings about
gear for sale or trade show up long after the gear is gone. What causes
the bottleneck? How do some people see postings and are able to reply
to them while some of us incur the delay?
One example,
Received: from huey.classiccmp.org (huey.classiccmp.org [209.145.140.19]) by
azure.pobox.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 71DCC40A3E8; Mon, 10 Sep 2012
08:59:51 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from huey.classiccmp.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by
huey.classiccmp.org (8.14.4/8.14.4) with ESMTP id q8ACxGmi065486; Mon,
10 Sep 2012 07:59:16 -0500 (CDT) (envelope-from
cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org)
Received: from billy.ezwind.net (host-209-145-140-29.ezwind.net
[209.145.140.29] (may be forged)) by huey.classiccmp.org
(8.14.4/8.14.4) with ESMTP id q88MpUSX042100 for
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>; Sat, 8 Sep 2012 17:51:30 -0500 (CDT)
(envelope-from
mc68010 at gmail.com)
Received: from mail-pz0-f51.google.com (mail-pz0-f51.google.com
[209.85.210.51]) by billy.ezwind.net (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id
q88MpNgW039919 for <cctalk at classiccmp.org>; Sat, 8 Sep 2012 17:51:29
-0500 (CDT) (envelope-from mc68010 at gmail.com)
Received: by dajt11 with SMTP id t11so765659daj.38 for <cctalk at classiccmp.org>;
Sat, 08 Sep 2012 15:51:23 -0700 (PDT)
The mail was received at huey.classiccmp.org on
Sat, 8 Sep 2012 17:51:30 -0500 (CDT)
but then didn't move to the next step at huey until
Mon, 10 Sep 2012 07:59:16 -0500 (CDT)
Not intending to bash anyone or anything here-- just wanting to understand
the issue.
Chris
--
Chris Elmquist
Hello everybody,
did some cleaning this weekend and it turned out that I had some duplicates of CDS Trident Series disk drive binders.
Contact me, if you're interested in them, I give them away. For pick-up or I can send them, if you pay the shipping costs. I'm located in Germany.
documents list:
76200-202 : Models T200 & T300: Installation & Operation
76200-400?: Models T200 & T300: Field Parts Catalog
76205-005 Rev3?: Models T25, T50, T80 Field Parts Catalog
76203-101 Rev1: Model T2000B: Exerciser Technical Manual
Model T80 :schematics & logic, book 1/2
Model T300 :complete schematics & logic (twice of this one are available)
Please contact me off-list.
Kind regards,
Pierre
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pierre's collection of classic computers : http://classic-computing.dyndns.org/?
Here's a puzzler.
One of the two memory boards from my PDP-11/35 is short four ICs. See:
http://www.loomcom.com/projects/pdp11-35/ms11_j.jpg
It looks like it was an 8KW board that was user-expanded to 16KW, and if
I'm reading the switches correctly it was configured for starting
address 000000. (The other 16KW board I have is configured to start at
address 100000)
Those four missing ICs seem weird, though. The other board is is fully
populated. Were they just pulled before the PDP was trashed? Or is that
a valid configuration?
-Seth
All --
I'm trying to clear unneeded gear from my shop and I have the following
three somewhat modern pieces of server hardware available to a good home.
I'm just tripping on them so they need to go.
* Compaq ProLiant PL1600 5U rack server. Dual Pentium 3 with 6-drive
integrated RAID (86gb). Boot hard drive is bad (9gb SCSI). With some spare
parts/rack stuff. I used this as one of my first servers in my house before
I shifted to NAS and micro-servers. Great machine until the boot hard drive
bit the dust?ran Windows NT Server then Windows 2000 Server.
* Snap Server N4100. Early NAS RAID. 1U rack size. 4-drive/750gb. Works fine
but has inter-operability issues with XP/Vista/7 (due to change in SMB
authentication protocol I remember reading). Missing front faceplate (may be
in the shop somewhere).
* Sony AIT-162 16-tape AIT2 library (16x50g uncompressed). 2U rack size.
Comes with tapes/bar code labels. I have the software somewhere. Worked the
last time I used it but when the server died I changed everything around.
Because of the size/weight, it would be pickup only from Nassau County, LI
(11791). If anyone's interested, please contact me off-list and we can
arrange something.
Thanks!
Rich
--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.classiccmp.org/cinihttp://www.classiccmp.org/altair32
In the 01 Sep 2012, cctalk Digest, Vol 109, Issue 1, Topic #2, Brenton
Bryant wrote:
"Recently I found an incomplete PDP-8/a and need the transformer and
backplane to start working on it. If anyone has one or both then
please let me know."
What type of (incomplete) you PDP-8/A do you have?
The power supply is different for the core vs. semiconductor memories
and different backplanes used in these machines. There are three
different power supplies available, depending on the backplane and the
memory. The chassis you have should have a label telling what it is.
The PDP-8/A uses the ?76? Power Supply AssembIy which includes:
?9192 Omnibus (10 module slots)
G801? Power Supply Module (Semiconductor Memory)
Power board
Transformer AssembIy
Line Set
Operator's ????l
The PDP-8?100, 8?400, 8?600, & 8?800 use the ?9?00 Chassis AssembIy
which includes:
?9194 Omnibus (12 slots)
G8016 Power Supply Module (Semiconductor ??????) OR G8018 Power Supply
Module (Core ?emor?)
Transformer AssembIy
Line Set
Operator's ????l
The PDP-8?420, 8?620, & 8?820 use the ??8-? Expander Chassis AssembIy
which includes:
?9195 Omnibus (20 slots)
2 G8018 Power Supply Modules (Core Memory)
Transformer AssembIy
Line Set
Operator's ????l
Power Distribution Assembly
The above information is from the "PDP8A Minicomputer Handbook 1976-77."
(http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp8/handbooks/MinicomputerHandbook_1976.p…)
Paul Anderson *may* be able to provide what you need -- he had a
PDP-8/A chassis available at the end of last year and it *may* have
what you need (i.e., power supply & backplane).
So, what (incomplete) model PDP-8/A do you have?
Thanks,
Bob
Does anyone know how to interpret the letters stamped on the side of DEC
module handles? I remember reading that these were FCO and/or Revision
marks, but can't find the reference any more.
-chuck
>From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org on behalf of Corey Anderson
>Sent: Fri 9/7/2012 2:45 AM
>If nobody is interested in the whole thing and wants parts only, I will consider
>parting it out and shipping things at your expense.
>
>Contact me if interested and want pictures or more info.
Corey,
I'm looking for a couple of keys for mine, If you end up parting it out, could I get the R and X keys from it?
Gary
Gary at Realtimecomp.com
I contacted the seller of item #200814830163 "Vintage Computer
Equipment / Pertec T6840-9-45 U2 / DEC PDP8/S Digital Equipment" and
asked that since I didn't see a PDP8/S in any of the pictures if one
was included in the auction (per the description).
Here is the seller's reply: "This auction is not for the PDP8/S (no
PDP8/S included), but this is part of the PDP8/S equipment. Comparable
Example: 1997 Ford Explorer / O2 Sensor / Oxygen Sensor
Thanks for your interest, and good luck with your bidding!"
It is highly unlikely (impossible?) that a slow PDP-8/S would have
peripherals as such as two RK05's and a PERTEC 6840. Sigh..
Cheers,
Lyle
--
Bickley Consulting West Inc.
http://bickleywest.com
"Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"
I recently rescued a DECwriter II (LA36) that needs a good home. I personally never used it,
I merely saved it from being sent to landfill. It does have some yellowing to it, but other than
dust and spider webs, appears to be in good shape.
It has all its keys and the tractor feed and the carriage all move. I have not tried
to plug it in.
I collect Teletypes so I just couldn't stand the thought of this being tossed,
thinking that someone out there would probably want it.
If interested, it's yours. Otherwise it's going to be summarily recycled.
I am not really interested in trying to ship it since I'd have no idea how to. I'd be willing
to drive a little to help it find a home, but not more than 50 miles.
I live in the Portland, Oregon area.
If nobody is interested in the whole thing and wants parts only, I will consider
parting it out and shipping things at your expense.
Contact me if interested and want pictures or more info.
Thanks,
Corey.
>Message: 25
>Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2012 11:55:13 +0100
>From: Liam Proven <lproven at gmail.com>
>
>On 7 September 2012 08:38, Jason T <silent700 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Interesting - that was an 8086 machine IIRC. Or am I forgetting that
>> an XT could run Win 3.1?
>
>I am trying to remember if there was a magic incantation to get it to
>start if you had an NEC V30 chip or something, but I am not at all
>sure. I suspect that for an actual Intel 8086, Windows 3.0 was the
>latest - and you still couldn't run in VGA mode. (You only got VGA if
>you had an NEC V30; the VGA driver used 286 instructions.)
>
You are limited to Windows 3.0 or lower on a 8088, 8086 or 80186. Windows 3.1 dropped Real Mode support, so it needs an 80286 or better. I have run Windows 3.0 on a Poqet (8088) and HPLX 200 (80186) using the CGA drivers.
Bob
On 2012-09-06 08:48, B M<iamvirtual at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I managed to get RSTS-11 (circa 1974) installed on an RK05 drive for my
> PDP-11/10. The M873-YA bootstrap loader does not seem to be able to boot
> the disk.
>
> I can boot the drive via a manual bootstrap routine.
>
> I saw on a site that some bootloaders will refuse to boot a drive unless
> the first byte is 240(8). On RSTS-11, the first byte is 300(8).
>
> Any ideas why the bootstrap card is picky?
That's a way to try and protect you from booting random garbage.
On some newer PDP-11s you can disable that check if you want to.
Johnny
--
Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus
|| on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se || Reading murder books
pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
Hi again,
A program that I was sent long ago gave the following info for the drive I
am thinking of:
Read Hard Disk Parameters
Copyright 1995, Sydex, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
An AT controller was found
For ESDI/IDE Drive 0:
Cylinders 2358
Heads 16
Sectors/Track 63
Buffer Size 64K
Total Sectors 2376864
Drive supports DMA
Drive supports LBA
Firmware Revision: 99C60LE7
Model Number: IBM-DPRA-21215
Serial Number: 1L47L4V2902
It is operated under DOS 5 and Windows 3.1. The drive does the same thing in
Windows and in DOS.
I don't know who has encountered the Commodore 1541 drive. Thise who have
will recall the hammering noise it made at turn-on and also when it
encountered a difficulty with a disk it was reading.
The drive under consideration is, I think, doing the same thing. It
periodically makes a noise that sounds like an impact. This noise is being
encountered with increasing frequency; I wonder if the the drive is headed
for a failure. I have other drives I can put in its place, if need be.
I don't understand the reference to "popcorn"...what is the meaning here?
Thanks,
Kurt
I am still using a Sony Trinitron Multisacn E400 Monitor with a ten year old
system. When I first boot the computer in the morning, the monitor manages
to support normal boot operations (I use 1280 by 1024 as a standard pixel
setting). But if another full screen window is used, the monitor will
cut out in
a manner I don't know how to describe - other than it stops all display.
The simple solution is to power off, then on and I have been doing this for
the past two months. I realize that with a ten year old (or perhaps older)
monitor, it will eventually have to be replaced or repaired. The latter
option
is almost certainly NOT cost effective since I have neither the tools
nor the
knowledge to do the repair myself.
I do have two questions:
(a) Is there any possibility of either damage to the other components
or even
myself if I continue to use the monitor until it completely fails?
(b) Is there any point in waiting 15 minutes (approximately) that the
monitor
seems to need to warm up completely to prevent the problem in the
first
place, i.e. will preventing the problem from happening by
providing enough
time for the monitor to completely warm up prolong the limited
expected
life of the monitor at this point?
Any other comments would be appreciated, especially in respect of questions
that I do not know to even ask.
Jerome Fine
The university I attend, University of Windsor, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada has an IBM 3494 tape library they are planning to get rid of. I was wondering if anyone on this list would be interested, if it doesn't find a new home it'll be going to the electronics recyclers.
The machine is very big, and is in working condition. It won't be coming with any tapes, the tapes that are in it right now will be destroyed. If you're interested, let me know and I'll put you in touch with the relevant people.
--------
Paul Anderson -- VE3HOP
I managed to get RSTS-11 (circa 1974) installed on an RK05 drive for my
PDP-11/10. The M873-YA bootstrap loader does not seem to be able to boot
the disk.
I can boot the drive via a manual bootstrap routine.
I saw on a site that some bootloaders will refuse to boot a drive unless
the first byte is 240(8). On RSTS-11, the first byte is 300(8).
Any ideas why the bootstrap card is picky?
Thanks!
--barrym