>>> had the (somewhat rare) 6809 CPU.
>>
>> I have a sales brochure here for the Acorn System 1,2 & 3. Inside it there
>> is an 'Advance Information' flyer describing the 6809 card. I quote:
what machines were the 6809's used in? I believe I still have a box of
these somewhere - were they drop-in replacements for the 6502 then, but
with an extended instruction set or something?
cheers
Jules
>
>
In a message dated 12/18/98 1:10:45 AM EST, marvin(a)rain.org writes:
<< What you are looking for is called a TNC (Terminal Node Controller.) And
surprise, surprise, this is all on topic as I have several TNCs designed for
the C-64 (no, I'm not interested in getting rid of them.) Years ago, I sold
a friend of mine an IBM PC (yes, PC) with two floppy drives that he used up
to last year to monitor packet radio here in Santa Barbara. There is also a
device/software IIRC called Baycom that can be connected to the serial or
parallel port and will work for packet radio. I might add you also need a
radio to monitor packet radio :) and a ham license to utilize it.
>>
at every radio rally i've been to, there is always someone displaying a TNC
for the C64 that appears to directly plug into the computer. I have seen one
TNC for sale, and it was ~$60. Unfortunately, i dont know anything about TNCs
like if there's just one type that plugs into a serial port or whether there
are other styles, but i do know you need a 2 meter radio and the license to
run it. packet radio seems to run at 2400, but i almost certainly remember
being told once that some were running at 9600.
In a message dated 12/17/98 4:54:01 PM Pacific Standard Time, yowza(a)yowza.com
writes:
> I think there were other "real" computers that also
> used magnetic drum for primary storage.
My first home computer was a Litton 1259 (maybe 1251, it was a while ago) It
had dual Drum memories of 200K each. The system had 5 3'X4' interconnected
cabinets, the CPU and console, the 2 drum memories, a printer and a paper tape
reader and punch. It took half of the Living room when I moved it in. It came
with a punch tape to generate snoopy calendars off the printer.
The Litton had worked for The State of Oregon General Services doing inventory
>from 1969 till 1979. I think I got it in 1981.
Paul Pierce has a Litton 1231, same but with a single drum, saved. He is
planning to have it set up in his museum.
Paxton
I have been asked to modify a medium sized IND control
file in order to upgrade a system to Y2K compliance. The
specifications call for testing a specific file on the old data
diskette and replacing it with a new version. In the course
of making the changes, I have had a problem! Rather than
post the complete IND control file, I have retained the
statements which are causing the problem. And they have
been modified so as to be generalized.
Please be aware that while these statements serve no useful
purpose by themselves, all but their essence was removed
so as to produce this example in which the problem still
appears. Most are from the original control file and a few
are present due to the new specifications. So PLEASE
don't just respond that the control files shown serve no
useful purpose - 99% is missing and only the part which
causes the problem has been retained. Someone taking
a quick look at the problem might dismiss it as useless.
I have 2 questions:
(a) Is my understanding of IND incorrect and am I
using IND in an incorrect manner?
(b) Is there a bug in IND which is causing the problem?
I have attached 2 files. The first is the minimum which
causes the problem. The second provides a control
test situation which does seem to work at first, but
not under the conditions which are present in the
"minimum" test file.
Anyone out there who is still working with RT-11?
Sincerely yours,
Jerome Fine
Hi all,
Just had a chat yesterday with the VMS System Manager at a big
national company in Adelaide.
He used to admin the Vax system we have at my School, when it
was with it's original owners.
Heard about this on the unofficial S.A. VMS Managers "old boy"
network, a wonderful resource, and it was mentioned I should contact him
as his company is retiring a Vax 6410/6240 Cluster next month.
It's just come off DEC maintainance and is still in service at the moment.
I expressed an interest, and it now seems likely, pending final approval by
the PTB at his company, that it will be ours gratis.
Just pickup and take away. They dropped a couple of others at a scrap yard
last month as well. Probably could've had them too if we'd known. Seems
there are a
couple of HSC70's and a mixed bag of RA70's, 90's and 92's in the haul.
Plus a TA79.
I did a deal with a scrapyard earlier for 2 "spares" boxes, a 6440 with
a full XMI card fit, including the CI, Ethernet and DSSI cards, (it has no
BI
backplane at all). 128Mb of RAM.
Also a very beatup, (front door torn off) but probably still functional
6240, with
ditto ram and a more low end BI card fit. (CI, TK70, Ethernet etc)
I have to pick that up end of next month too. At this rate, I'll have more
6000
spares than Digi^H^H^H^H Compaq.
The 6440's card fit (or perhaps the 6440) will migrate to the 6320 box
at the school, and give it a big boost in performance, and the 6240
will move in as a standby/testbed box.
(This leaves a 6220 and 6320 for me to play with here. :^)
I'm still looking for a PDP11, Vax 11/780 or similar, and IBM and Prime
Mainframes
of some description for the "Hall of the Dinosaurs" Computer Museum I intend
to start here.
I'll include some smaller stuff, Microvax's and the like, but that's being
done in several
places already, so I'm going to concentrate on the real big stuff.
FWIW, I'm using a VAX 8530 + CIBCI Cabinet and a TA78/TU78 as a room divider
in the cafe,
and a HSC50 and another same size cabinet with 3 RA81's in it as a counter.
They get some very interested looks, and some classic double takes too.
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
On Mon, 31 Aug 1998 19:23:11 +1, "Hans Franke" <franke(a)sbs.de> wrote:
>>does anybody know who has right now the rights for
>>the KIM-1 design and the respective ROM code?
>>Or more in general - is there any successor for
>>the Commodore Semiconductor divison ?
I did some research on this about 18 months ago in preparation for
contacting Commodore's bankruptcy counsel to see about purchasing the rights
to Commodore's 8-bit technology.
Even though I read the Chapter 11 reorganization plan and Chapter 7
liquidation motion, and my corporate counsel looked at the docs, it's really
hard to trace the chain of asset transfers, since I could not find a
specific list of those assets sold; only broad "all intellectual property"
language was used.
Collectively, Commodore's assets were sold to Escom (a German computer
manufacturer) for $14 million, $4 million of which realted to CBM and $10
million related to Commodore International Bahamas, Ltd. an affiliate of
CBM. The former CSG operation located at 950 Rittenhouse Road in Norristown
PA was purchased by GMT Microelectronics Corp., a company formed by former
CSG management in order to purchase the chip-making assets. The purchase
price was $4.3 million plus another $1 million to clear EPA liens. Assets
included the plant, equipment, other inventory items at that location. Last
year, I made a field trip to GMT and verified that they exist and are
operating out of the old CSG building.
The non-CSG assets stayed with Escom until they filed for receivership
(bankruptcy), in 1996. The assets were then sold to a Netherlands-based
company (Commodore NL??), who then sold the Amiga assets to Gateway (the
Holstein cow people). I don't think that anyone truly knows who owns the old
8-bit assets. Commodore NL sells PeeCee compatible machines under the
Commodore name, so I'd bank on Gateway owning them. If anyone on this list
knows anyone at Gateway, now may be the time to use the relationship.
Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com>
- ClubWin/CW7
- MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
- Preserver of "classic" computers
<<<< ========== reply separator ========== >>>>>
Come and get it, it's a bare IBM 4997. No side panels, no power strip, no
mounting rails... Just a plain rack. Free to the first person who can come
pick it up in north Portland(not too far off of I-5).
--------------------------------------------------------------
| http://members.tripod.com/~jrollins/index.html - Computers |
| http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/1681/ - Star Trek |
| orham(a)qth.net list admin KD7BCY |
| ham-mac(a)qth.net Portland, OR |
--------------------------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: SUPRDAVE(a)aol.com <SUPRDAVE(a)aol.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Saturday, 19 December 1998 0:37
Subject: Re: Packet Radio (was:Re: Modem tones over television or radio)
>packet radio seems to run at 2400, but i almost certainly remember
>being told once that some were running at 9600.
The user end of the packet network runs at 1200 baud mostly, at least in
this country.
However, the digipeaters and BBS's are linked by 4800 and 9600 bps
backbones.
Higher speeds are more widespread in the US.
By way of interest, the Russian Space Station Mir has a couple of Packet
setups,
one is the 1200bps terrestrial system, in the 2m amateur band, which I have
worked
a couple of times, using just my normal 1/4wave on the roof.
They also have a more sophisticated G3RUH 9600 BPS modem
which I think is on a 70cm radio with their SSTV gear.
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
VK5KDR
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Marvin <marvin(a)rain.org>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, 18 December 1998 17:41
Subject: Re: Packet Radio (was:Re: Modem tones over television or radio)
>What you are looking for is called a TNC (Terminal Node Controller.) And
>surprise, surprise, this is all on topic as I have several TNCs designed
for
>the C-64 (no, I'm not interested in getting rid of them.) Years ago, I
sold
>a friend of mine an IBM PC (yes, PC) with two floppy drives that he used up
>to last year to monitor packet radio here in Santa Barbara. There is also
a
>device/software IIRC called Baycom that can be connected to the serial or
>parallel port and will work for packet radio.
I have a Baycom modem that I made by converting a Sendata C64 Dumb modem.
(Hey, that makes this msg on topic even, it dates from about 1983!)
Basically, it works with driver software, either eprom based in the 64,
(can't think of
the name offhand) or device drivers and and a terminal, on a pc. Provided
the
PC was quick enough, (an XT will do for the genuine Baycom software)
the effect is that it emulates a tnc at a fraction of the cost, significant,
since tnc
manufacturers are the biggest thieves out IMHO, charging $300 for the
equivalent
of a 1200 baud half duplex modem, with very simple firmware.
There are now several different drivers for baycom modems, including some
for
Windows and Win95, which was always a no-no because of interrupt latency,
but the
new machines are so quick that it's not a big factor at 1200 anymore.
Linux also has native support for both AX25 packet and Baycom modems.
I still use my converted C64 modem on 2M packet, though it now talks to a
P100
running Win95 rather than the original XT with Dos 3.3
>I might add you also need a radio to monitor packet radio :)
>and a ham license to utilize it.
I have seen packet activity in Sydney (some years ago now) on the 476mhz
CB Band. It's illegal to do it there of course, but I have never heard
of anyone being prosecuted for it either. It is still going on in some
places.
I have heard there is some activity using 300baud packet, AMTOR and RTTY
on the 27Mhz CB band as well, though I've not heard it myself.
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
VK5KDR
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, 18 December 1998 9:53
Subject: Re: Language and wiered people
>> If we were born 30 years earlier, we'd probably have been
>> collectors/restorers of antique
>> cars or aeroplanes or steam engines instead.
>
>What do you mean 'would have been' ?
>
>You mean there are people here who _don't_ love other forms of ancient
>machinery? I am (seriously) very supprised - I've never met a classic
>computer enthusiast face-to-face who doesn't also love steam engines or
>vintage cars, or antique clocks/watches or old cameras, or something like
>that (those are all _inclusive_ ORs, of course).
You still haven't. I LOVE the stuff you mentioned. I was speaking in a
"if there were no old computers to collect" mode.
I have a weakness for clocks, watches and teleprinters.
I also like
classic cars and aircraft (I used to fly quite a bit when I was younger)
I'm in mourning at the moment because the RAAF is retiring it's last
Dakota's in a couple of weeks. I'm an Air Force Cadet Officer and
Instructor,
and have been on a few rides in the old Dak's with cadets. Alas, no
more....
(I am restoring a 3cm radar off a commercial ship at the moment,
for use by our cadets. Very different.)
My first ever ride in an aircraft was in an Ansett ANA DC3, around 1961.
I'd have one in my collection, but I can't figure how to get it past my
wife..;^)
Steam engines? Yes, I have been on the Pichi Richi railway here in S.A. and
also Puffing Billy in the Melbourne area, and the Funicular Railway in the
Blue
Mountains. I can still remember the steamers coming down the main street.
(the rail line ran down the centre for many years, gone now unfortunately)
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
Hello, all:
Through the kindness of our own Bill Yakowenko, I've been given a copy
of the MOS Microcomputers Hardware Manual, which I scanned last night. It
appears that this document is like a summary of and a design guidelines
white paper for the MOS 65xx product line, but it includes information
traditionally found in the data sheets, like pinouts, pin function
descriptions, mask-programmable options, chip architecture and function,
plus so much more!
The chips covered explicitly in the book include the 6501, 6502,
6503-05, 6520, and 6530. It also describes "System Diagnosis Using Hardware
Programmer Aids", which mentions the KIM, TIM (Teletype Input Monitor), and
the MDT (Microcomputer Development Terminal). The TIM is implemented as a
single 6530 chip. The MDT appears to be acomplete development system: "MDT
is a prepackaged system and, therefore, should not have the problems
described above {debugging the initial system design} unless it is being
used in in circuit emulation mode. Therefore, the user will be primarily be
debugging his programs and his basic interconnection to his I/O devices with
the MDT."
This is a large scan, and will be posted in parts. Enjoy.
[ Rich Cini/WUGNET
[ ClubWin!/CW7
[ MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking
[ Collector of "classic" computers
[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/
[ http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/pdp11/
<================ reply separator =================>
I think a few words will sum up the whole situation: U/B error (User/Browser
error).
I can log on to the site fine with various versions of IE from 1.x to 4.0,
Netscape Navigator 3.0, NetTamer (text - 2400 modem), Opera, and Mosaic (Mac
Portable, 2400 modem). Granted, frames doesn't work in the earlier versions
of IE and in NetTamer, but I can successfully log onto the site with no
username/password prompt.
--
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998 12:50 AM
Subject: Re: disk drive database
>On Wed, 16 Dec 1998, Zane H. Healy wrote:
>
>> >I just went in with no problems. Is it possible a filter has been
installed
>> >to reject your site(s)?
>>
>> Not sites, browsers. Sam, what browser are you using? From Netscape
>
>I'm using Communicator 4.6. It was working fine just a few weeks ago when
>I added the link to the VCF links page. I'll try it with this default
>version of IE in Win95...
>
>Nope, still no dice.
>
>> 4.08/Mac I can't access the site, but using lynx from my server (Alpha
>> running OpenBSD) I can access the site. Second alternative is it doesn't
>> like NAT/IP Masq suddenly.
>
>Hmmm, Lynx from the shell will take me to the main site, and to /tech, but
>I get this when I try to go to /tech/no_frames.html:
>
> The requested URL /tech/no-frames.html was not found on this server.
>
>I think I'll send a bitch to the webmaster.
>
>Sellam Alternate e-mail:
dastar(a)siconic.com
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
>Always being hassled by the man.
>
> Coming in 1999: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0
> See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
> [Last web site update: 12/07/98]
>
>
Now that we seem to have drifted to the topic of Packet radio, I was
wondering if anyone knew where I could pick up an inexpensive box (not sure
what they're called - the packet converter?). Even an old, "obsolete one
would be good, since I was going to try to connect it to a 286 or 8088
laptop (probably 8088 Zenith).
ThAnX
-and-
Happy Holidaze,
--
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
-----Original Message-----
From: John Lawson <jpl15(a)netcom.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998 8:18 PM
Subject: Re: Modem tones over television or radio
>
>
> Ummm, Bill... you mean the Navy had AX.25 protcol damn near 40
>years before Bolt Beranek and Newman....?
>
> Now *Baudot* Teletype over radio...maybe, and I'd like to see that
>document, since I love the "green keys" and run RTTY more than voice,
>but AFAIK, the Tuscon Amateur Packet Radio club first transmitted
>AX.25 over radio in the late 70s / early 80s, and did so only after
>the advent of easily-available microprocessors to implement the
>Packet Assembler/Disassembler function.
>
>
> Cheers and Best of the Season to All:
>
> John
>
>>
>>
>
>Me and a friend almost liberated a DIGITAL sign from the Field Service
>office but they beat us to it. My mother liberated a stop sign once
>though she got in loads of trouble, but she still has the sign :)
When the RT-11 development group moved out of the Mill for the
Parker St. complex, I kept the "8/11 systems engineering" sign
which had hung outside our area... I also kept one of the 'exit'
signs which someone had modified (keeping in mind RT-11 programmed
requests) to read '.EXIT'
A few months before the Monster Board had renovations to ML5-5
done (after Digital sold the Mill complex) I was able to go back
and get one of the 'ML5-5' signs.
Just a few remnants/keepsakes of a different time...
Megan Gentry
Former RT-11 Developer
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com |
| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com |
| Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' |
| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ |
| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler |
| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
At 07:00 PM 12/15/98 -0600, Doug wrote:
>However, if money isn't the main goal, there are alternatives that work.
>Following your reasoning, all of the museums would be empty.
Actually this is why there is very little of the artifacts from the Spanish
Galleon "Atocha" in museums. The same is true for paintings, many are
traded by art dealera for profit, and now and then they get donated to
museums or the museum uses its own "acquisitions" fund for adding to their
collection.
The bottom line is that I agree that preserving computers has in my opinion
more "value" than the potential dollars involved. To give a "real life"
example, I have a PDP-8/m that I am attempting to get running (it needs a
core stack and potentially a bit of power supply work.) The goal of getting
it running is so that it can be put on _operating_ display at a "hands on"
museum. Now as readers of the list know I've been looking for a core stack
for it for a few months now. Recently (in the last couple of months) I've
been getting inquiries from _dealers_, some subtle some less so, of people
who want to buy it (not working!). [for those counting the highest offer
has been $1,000]. I even got Aaron all pissed off at me because I was
concerned _he_ was one such dealer. All of this hassle because 1) the
"collectible" computer market has moved into more mainstream places, and 2)
the prices have gotten to the point where "real" people notice. (e.g.
professional dealers).
So the role of "collector" takes on more the role of "caretaker." You and I
are classic computer caretakers, we care about the computers, we care about
their history, we care about how they are used, and we care that they will
survive us. People who buy and sell "collectible" computers in order to
increase their personal wealth are "collectors" in the more common usage of
the word. The collectors are "moving in" and the caretakers job gets harder.
This isn't news to anyone here I'm sure,
--Chuck McManis
My quarterly troll for a Micro-Solutions Compaticard...
If anyone has one they would trade/sell, I'm sure I could come up with
something interesting enough to make it worth while. Or if anyone finds
one in a junk bin somewhere, I'd be more than happy to pay
cost/shipping/finder's fee for one.
As always, please reply via private email.
Aaron
>Yes, this is pretty much off topic, but as I said before,
>airships were the immediate cause of my getting involved with
>computers back in the late 70s when I was fresh out of the
>USAF and sick and tired of heavier-than-air equipment.
With the exception of certain bloated operating systems that indeed float on
vapour, most computers are heavier-than-air equipment :)
Why _were_ you sick of airplanes?
-----Original Message-----
From: Hans Franke <Hans.Franke(a)mch20.sbs.de>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, 18 December 1998 0:36
Subject: Language and wiered people
>Say, is there at least ONE (1) ordinary person around
>on this list ?
Just by being here, we announce ourselves to be technophile collectors,
with a sense of history, and a liking for unusual, oldish, sometimes very
large and
complex hardware, on which we spend considerable time and money, when you
can
get an 'ordinary' computer for a fraction of the effort.....
If we were born 30 years earlier, we'd probably have been
collectors/restorers of antique
cars or aeroplanes or steam engines instead.
In short, I doubt it.... Their are enough ordinary people in the world
to let a few be a little unique (or eccentric I suppose).
Just my 2c worth.
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Systems Manager
Saint Marks College
Port Pirie South Australia.
My ICQ# is 1970476
Ph. 61-411-623-978 (Mobile)
61-8-8633-0619 (Home)
61-8-8633-8834 (Work-Direct)
61-8-8633-0104 (Fax)
In a message dated 12/17/98 8:55:17 PM EST, jpero(a)pop.cgocable.net writes:
<< Tonite I'm able to access it from Netscape 4.08/Mac, where last night I
> couldn't.
>
> Zane
Zane,
Nope. I tried again after this msg. I'm disappointed.
email: jpero(a)cgocable.net
Pero, Jason D. >>
still no go here either.
In a message dated 12/16/98 7:04:19 PM Pacific Standard Time,
ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk writes:
>
> You're right. It's a logic trainer and not a computer (well, unless you
> can afford a few hundred modules...) But it's an interesting toy.
>
Yes, we set it up at the whse sales to entertain the children who came with
the adults.
Paxton
I have alot of spare parts around the office and i would like to trade for a Commodore 64 or TRS 80 or other old computers i have some old FP 72pin memory simms 4megs and a bunch of 486 and pentium boards and processors.
if interested e-mail me.
It may possibly be that the server that you're connecting to (ISP) is having
some problems.
-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Ismail <dastar(a)ncal.verio.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998 12:51 PM
Subject: Re: disk drive database
>On Thu, 17 Dec 1998, Jason Willgruber wrote:
>
>> I think a few words will sum up the whole situation: U/B error
(User/Browser
>> error).
>
>That's a silly assumption, young Jason. I still can't access the site
>from ANY browser. I think it depends on where you're coming from, or how
>you are getting there. I still haven't heard back from the webmaster
>regarding my query.
>
>Sellam Alternate e-mail:
dastar(a)siconic.com
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
>Always being hassled by the man.
>
> Coming in 1999: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0
> See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
> [Last web site update: 12/07/98]
>
>
>
>I just went in with no problems. Is it possible a filter has been
installed
>to reject your site(s)?
>
What browser were you using? I was using IE. It's possible that there's
something messed up that makes it not work with Netscape.
--
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
From: Doug Yowza <yowza(a)yowza.com>
Wait a minute. Who's high bidder right now? Why it's Dealer Bob. Hi,
Bob. I thought you were only into Altairs :-)
Doug
When I was in high school a friend and I saw one of these.
He was so inspired by this thing's ability to
play tic, tac, toe that he built a similar
device from my pinball machine parts and entered
it into the local Science Fair.
The Minivac is interesting to me because (being an old
man) my tinkering began with electro-mechanical technology.
I could look at this stuff and "see" how it works.
I found it very difficult to make the transition to
solid state and digital technology. After so many years
of relays and blade switches, I just could not "see" what
was happening inside those IC packages. For that reason
I walked away from it. I now wish I had approached it differently.
As for my "Dealer Bob" status, afraid I still have most
of the Altairs. I have only sold duplicate items and
not even all of the duplicates. Still have both of my
Attaches. Have become way too attached to the stuff.
Bob Wood
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
The Apple 2 GS could have a hard drive in it? I never knew that. My school
used to have about 10 of them, and they all ran off of quad-floppy drives,
and some sort of cartridge drive that was used to transfer files to a PC
(You would just pull the cartridge from the Apple, bit it in the drive
connected to the IBM, and run whatever you wanted. I can't remember much
about it (about 6 yrs ago). Does anyone have any info on a drive like this?
It was a black drive that was about the size of a Disk ][, had about a 3/4"
cable running to the back of the computer, and a grounded power cord. The
drive itself weighed about 5-10 lbs, and the cartridge weighed about 2 lbs
(it was metal).
--
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Strickland <jim(a)calico.litterbox.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998 1:20 PM
Subject: dec 3100 100mb scsi
>Hey gang. Thought you would want to know that Alltronics has 5 dec 3100
>100mb 3.5 inch half height drives for sale for 24.95 each. They had 7, but
>I just bought 2. One for a Mac SE30, one which will wind up either in the
>vaxstation Tim Shoppa is putting together for me, or in my Apple 2 GS,
which
>in turn will donate its disk to the aforementioned vax. (the GS's disk is
>230 megs. Far more than is really useful for it.)
>--
>Jim Strickland
>jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there?
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
On Tue, 15 Dec 1998 jfoust(a)threedee.com wrote:
> What do you think you can wipe out, and how?
I simply thought of a sentence that could be used as the marker for the
start of something. I might as well have used Kennedy's statement about
sending a man to the moon.
> Hobby? Who said it was a hobby? There are obviously some people
> on this list who have made it their life's work.
Quick show of hands here; how many of the people who have done this are
running a for-profit organization? Mind you, there's nothing wrong with
doing that; it's just that as the original poster said, it is no longer
possible to assume that the purpose of these collections is academic. All
of them are, AFAIK, but in a decade, I'm sure we can expect to see XTs
with documentation sealed in clear polished plastic (tony cringes). They
will be repainted to the original color (or, better yet, the limited
edition blue and gold colors) and sold for thousands.
> - John
>
----------------------------------------------------
Max Eskin | kurtkilgor(a)bigfoot.com | AOL: kurtkilgor
Hey gang. Thought you would want to know that Alltronics has 5 dec 3100
100mb 3.5 inch half height drives for sale for 24.95 each. They had 7, but
I just bought 2. One for a Mac SE30, one which will wind up either in the
vaxstation Tim Shoppa is putting together for me, or in my Apple 2 GS, which
in turn will donate its disk to the aforementioned vax. (the GS's disk is
230 megs. Far more than is really useful for it.)
--
Jim Strickland
jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My Digital Group system has arrived. I haven't had a chance to do anything
with it yet, but it looks nice and was very well packaged. As expected, I
received no documentation or software. Sam has offered to let me use the
documentation and software he will be getting with his system, and that
will be very helpful.
However, my system has the Phideck digital cassette drives rather than
disk drives, so I need to get either:
PHIMON or other software that uses the Phidecks
or
a Digital Group disk controller
Of course, any other Digital Group (or Peripheral Vision) goodies that
might be available for sale or trade would interest me as well.
I've updated my Digital Group web page a bit more; I've started scanning
their early advertisments. One of my friends in Colorado has a fairly
complete set of their catalogs, so I should be able to get them on line
as well.
http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/retrocomputing/the_digital_group/
Cheers,
Eric
Jim Brain said:
>Calculator Series:
>* 202 electric, 1 digit display with slider indiciator,
> black case, white keypad, black,white,red keys SN B-63768
WW
>* 208 mechanical tape calc with red/black ribbon.
MI
>* Blue LEDs, basic math, cream color, blue/red butons.
TA
>* Scientific calc, made in England, 44 extra keys
BD
>* 401 paper readout, darkgreen/bluegreen
DV
There are a few calculators that I didn't see on your list:
301
X-24
SR-6120R
F4146R
C112
US*5M
US*10
see http://www.best.com/~dcoward/museum/mccommod.htm
And maybe you can help me with information on a PET 2001
I have. It has the chicklet keyboard and built-in cassette
deck, but in a redesigned case and a Friden name plate on
the bottom (Yes, I know they were out of business by 1977).
What do you know about re-badged PETs?
=========================================
Doug Coward
Press Start Inc.
Sunnyvale,CA
=========================================
At 10:19 AM 12/17/98 -0800, Sam Ismail wrote:
>On Thu, 17 Dec 1998, John Foust wrote:
>
>> Amiga trivia time: I and a friend liberated the Amiga Corp. sign from
>> the lawn, too. It lived in his garage in San Jose for a while, then
>> moved to Topeka, and then back to Sacramento.
>
>Oooh, cool! Any chance of this being exhibited at VCF 3.0?
Offhand, I'd guess it's at <http://www.play.com/about/museum.html> today.
- John
(Sorry about the previously mis-addressed message)
I have some PS/2 model 50Z's to move QUICK, and very reasonable. These
are 286-10 processor units with
ram, hard drive, etc. These are the main units only without
monitor, mouse or keyboard. The units are listed as
follows with specs and condition:
1) 50Z, overhauled, 2 mb ram, 30mb HD - $14 plus shipping
2) 50Z, overhauled, 2 mb ram, 30mb HD - $14 plus shipping
3) 50Z, overhauled, 1 mb ram, 30mb HD - $12 plus shipping
4) 50Z, overhauled, 1 mb ram, 30mb HD - $12 plus shipping
Both 1 and 2 for $25 plus shipping. Both 3 and 4 for $20 plus
shipping.
I also have 3 other units with at least 1 mb memory but need
work on the hard drives, or hard drive replacements. PS/2 drivs
can be found all over cheaply up to 120mb. I need either $7 each
for these working-but-need-work units (plus shipping) or all three
for $15 plus shipping.
Payment by money order only, US 48 states only please. Contact
me by direct email if interested - I need these out very soon.
Trades? Not for shipping but *possibly* for common PC items
such as cdrom drives, sound boards, simm's in 30 and 72 pin,
higher speed (28.8k and up) internal and external modems, etc.
Should a trade occur, the buyer will pay shipping for the PS/2
units (minus the shipping of the trade item).
I live in central KY near Louisville/Ft. Knox in zip 40144 in
case anyone is curious. Anyone close can arrange for pickup with
me to avoid shipping.
Save shipping - three units should be able to go in one box for
a lot less than one unit each in three cartons.
As I said, all are complete and functional, some need work.
I have some PS/2 model 50Z's to move QUICK, and very reasonable. These
are 286-10 processor units with
ram, hard drive, etc. These are the main units only without
monitor, mouse or keyboard. The units are listed as
follows with specs and condition:
1) 50Z, overhauled, 2 mb ram, 30mb HD - $14 plus shipping
2) 50Z, overhauled, 2 mb ram, 30mb HD - $14 plus shipping
3) 50Z, overhauled, 1 mb ram, 30mb HD - $12 plus shipping
4) 50Z, overhauled, 1 mb ram, 30mb HD - $12 plus shipping
Both 1 and 2 for $25 plus shipping. Both 3 and 4 for $20 plus
shipping.
I also have 3 other units with at least 1 mb memory but need
work on the hard drives, or hard drive replacements. PS/2 drivs
can be found all over cheaply up to 120mb. I need either $7 each
for these working-but-need-work units (plus shipping) or all three
for $15 plus shipping.
Payment by money order only, US 48 states only please. Contact
me by direct email if interested - I need these out very soon.
Trades? Not for shipping but *possibly* for common PC items
such as cdrom drives, sound boards, simm's in 30 and 72 pin,
higher speed (28.8k and up) internal and external modems, etc.
Should a trade occur, the buyer will pay shipping for the PS/2
units (minus the shipping of the trade item).
I live in central KY near Louisville/Ft. Knox in zip 40144 in
case anyone is curious. Anyone close can arrange for pickup with
me to avoid shipping.
Save shipping - three units should be able to go in one box for
a lot less than one unit each in three cartons.
As I said, all are complete and functional, some need work.
I just tried with Netscape 4.04 and IE4.0 ver 4.72 Both under NT 4 Works
fine.
Dan
><<
> Anyway, I have no problem accessing anything in
> http://www.blue-planet.com/tech/ while using Netscape 4.03 under
windoze95.
> Got a box around w/this setup? The site uses frames which I sometimes find
> annoying myself.
>
> Send a *carefully* worded 'bitch' regarding their "no frames" access. We
> don't want to p*** off the owner of *this* fine technical resource
website:)
>
> Regards, Chris >>
>
>
>grrr, i cannot get in either from amerika offline or from work using
netscape
>4.05
>
In a message dated 12/17/98 7:42:20 AM Pacific Standard Time,
cfandt(a)netsync.net writes:
<<
Anyway, I have no problem accessing anything in
http://www.blue-planet.com/tech/ while using Netscape 4.03 under windoze95.
Got a box around w/this setup? The site uses frames which I sometimes find
annoying myself.
Send a *carefully* worded 'bitch' regarding their "no frames" access. We
don't want to p*** off the owner of *this* fine technical resource website:)
Regards, Chris >>
grrr, i cannot get in either from amerika offline or from work using netscape
4.05
R. Stricklin (kjaeros)
>For those unfamiliar with the Thinkpad Power Series line, they are IBM's
>brief foray into the RS/6000 laptop market. The 850 sports a 100 MHz PPC
>603e (not speedy) and a surprising array of multimedia capabilities
>(including NTSC video I/O), and runs AIX up to 4.1.5, or 4.2.something if
>one feels lucky.
These are possibly one of the collectable machines of the last few years
IMO. I've heard that it is even possible to run certain versions of MacOS 8
on them.
--
Gareth Knight
Amiga Interactive Guide | ICQ No. 24185856
http://welcome.to/aig | "Shine on your star"
At 00:49 12/17/98 -0800, Sellam wrote:
>
>Hmmm, Lynx from the shell will take me to the main site, and to /tech, but
>I get this when I try to go to /tech/no_frames.html:
>
> The requested URL /tech/no-frames.html was not found on this server.
>
>I think I'll send a bitch to the webmaster.
Careful Sam! The webmaster may not like getting a female dog delivered to
him/her! :) :)
Anyway, I have no problem accessing anything in
http://www.blue-planet.com/tech/ while using Netscape 4.03 under windoze95.
Got a box around w/this setup? The site uses frames which I sometimes find
annoying myself.
Send a *carefully* worded 'bitch' regarding their "no frames" access. We
don't want to p*** off the owner of *this* fine technical resource website:)
Regards, Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA cfandt(a)netsync.net
Member of Antique Wireless Association
URL: http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/
At 11:43 AM 12/15/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Bruce had an unusual policy of sending nastygrams to folks who
>(gasp!) put a link to his site without permission. Anyone who
>did link without permission would find that their network was
I seem to remember a lawsuit not too long ago wherein Ticketmaster sued
Microsoft (I think) because MS had put a link to TM's web site on their
Sidewalk site. Seemed silly then, and seems silly now.
As I understand it, the whole idea of having a web site is to get people to
visit it. Discouraging links to it would seem to be counter-productive.
But, I guess it is a self-eliminating trait anyway. 8^)
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
For just the postage cost from Australia (est. $5 surface, $15 air); the
manual itself is free.
I'll be throwing this out in a week unless there are any takers - a CTSC
BASIC Reference manual - good condition - 350 pages. E00146-01 (Rev 5-CP)
May 1974 by Infonet, The Information Network division of Computer Sciences
Corporation.
"This book describes the INFONET BASIC language, which is part of the
Computer Sciences Teleprocessing System (CSTS)"
A
A week ago, someone was asking for hard disk params and someone else posted
a really good web site with all kinds of disks. Naturally I forgot to
bookmark it. Could someone repeat that URL, please?
--
Jim Strickland
jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I would actually like to be able to buy a "new" IMSAI (for example), even if it wasn't made by IMSAI, but I would want it to be understood that it was a newly produced copy. It won't happen, however, in part because it would be illegal to make any of these computer as "new" products. There were no FCC regulations when these machines were originally built, and none of them are in compliance, and they couldn't be put in compliance without a complete redesign (in fact, they are WAY out of compliance). Most of these were also not UL approved either. So if they were built, they would have to be described as antiques rather than as new reproductions.
Barry Watzman
----------
From: Tony Duell [SMTP:ard@p850ug1.demon.co.uk]
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 1998 1:51 PM
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
Subject: Re: SOL feeding frenzy?
> Don't hold your breath. I suspect we will be seeing "forged" computers by
> late next year.
Oh, I agree. There's been the suggestion of a reproduction Apple 1 here
before. And I have no problem at all with 'reproductions'. Meaning a copy
that's described as such. It gives more people a chance to use the
whatever.
But I do have a problem with faking - describing something as what it
isn't. I think it will happen, though.
-tony
Hi Doug and all,
At 12:50 AM 12/16/98 -0600, you wrote:
>On Tue, 15 Dec 1998, dave dameron wrote:
>
>> I was looked through some older magazines and found another computer kit
>> from about 1959, 1960, a full page ad for the "geniac". It has 6 dials, each
>> with 16 sets of radial holes. It's cost was US$19.95 and made in Mass. My
>> guess is it was electro-mechanical, but could not tell any more from the ad.
>> The ad said it could play "Nim", but that doesn't seem to be that unusual.
>> Has anyone seen one or knows what it did?
>
>Geez, Dave, you're stealing all of my thunder. Can't you wait until I
>open up my museum of personal computing? :-)
O.K. :-) Well, I guess your museum will be that much more appealing. I have
seen ads for many other computer kits, most have no name so I cannot
describe them. The Digicomp I and Geniac seem to be more known.
And yes, I would eliminate "logic trainers" too. I even saw a 74181 wired
with input switches and output lamps. The time to assemble it would vastly
exceed the time to exercise the 16 or so demo's!
Others are very simple, such as the 3 potentiometer "3 dialer" analog
"computers". I still have one I built in Jr. high school. (About age 14).
>
>The GENIAC was designed by Edmund Berkeley in 1955 and sold by his buddy
>Oliver Garfield until the late 50's. Thomas Haddock calls the GENIAC the
>first pc. He was close, but wrong.
>
>A nice guy by the name of Tom Boyko has a GENIAC (please, dealers, don't
>bug him about selling it):
>
>Here are some pics of the manual:
> http://www.Tom.Boyko.com/comp.htm
A lot of other interesting systems, too.
>
>And here's an excellent Usenet account of how the GENIAC works:
> http://www.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=213505518
This info is interesting. He made a card reader to input "Monopoly" data. So
it appears to be 6 rotary switches made on the panel. Up to 6 poles, 16
position each. Amazing what could be "programmed"! Changing the "hard wired"
connections may be a chore if its wires under the screw terminals, did not
notice any place for a sort of a breadboard or "patch panel" to do this, or
that one would fit the scope of it anyway.
Thanks for all the information.
-Dave
The site seems to work fine for me without any login... I'm running IE4.0.
--
-Jason Willgruber
(roblwill(a)usaor.net)
ICQ#: 1730318
<http://members.tripod.com/general_1>
-----Original Message-----
From: Zane H. Healy <healyzh(a)aracnet.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 1998 8:09 PM
Subject: Re: disk drive database
>>A week ago, someone was asking for hard disk params and someone else
posted
>>a really good web site with all kinds of disks. Naturally I forgot to
>>bookmark it. Could someone repeat that URL, please?
>
>That would have been me that posted it, but <sniff> <sniff> it doesn't
>matter that you forgot to bookmark it from the looks of things <sniff>. I
>just went to http://www.blue-planet.com/tech/ and they've got some kind of
>login, but no clue as to what it's about <sniff>.
>
>This really sucks! This was one of the most useful sites I've run across,
>I REALLY am hoping it's some kind of configuration mistake!
>
> Zane
>| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
>| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
>| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
>+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
>| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
>| and Zane's Computer Museum. |
>| http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |
>
At 04:19 PM 12/15/98 -0500, you wrote:
>there are actually people trying to make money off this hobby.
And this is bad? In the world of classic Land Rovers (mine turns 40 next
year), I and all the other enthusiasts would be up the proverbial creek
were it not for people out to make a buck -- the parts dealers, mechanics,
magazines, show producers, rally arrangers, etc.
Where would classic computers be without thrift shops, surplus dealers,
jameco, digi-key(?), heck, even eBay?
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
Was someone here looking for un-encoded keyboards? If so, Alltronics has them
for $1.99 US. 43 keys, 5.5 inches by 2 inches. www.alltronics.com
--
Jim Strickland
jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
At 10:41 PM 12/15/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Y'know, many times I've thought of painting computers, but never to
>"fake" a classic, merely to make a computer I liked look good. For
>instance, I never liked the dingy (and getting dingier every year)
>off-white color of the TRS-80 Model 16 and most later Tandy
There was some discussion a while back on the [TRS-80 Model 100] m100 list
about that -- some one (a college kid iirc) had taken his apart and used
purple(?) spray paint to add a cool design to the case.
I always thought that was cool, but I haven't come across a computer I feel
comfortable doing that to. Yet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- O-
Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad
roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know."
Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates
San Francisco, California http://www.sinasohn.com/
In a message dated 12/16/98 1:43:06 PM Pacific Standard Time,
ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk writes:
>
> The other is, I think, considerably rarer. It was made by Philips, and
> called the CL1600 series. It consists of a number of logic blocks that
> can be wired (using patch leads) as a general 3-input logic gate. There
> are 3 input sockets (A,B,C), one output socket (F) with a lamp next to
> it, and 8 sockets to program the logic function, Another module, the same
> size contained a battery-operated PSU and 6 input switches
I think I might have a large version of this. I considered it a logic trainer,
not a computer. The description of one of the blocks is the same. "There are 3
input sockets (A,B,C), one output socket (F) with a lamp next to it. Mine are
white, about 2" square. The leads are black with gold tips of three varying
lengths. I also have 6 different logic modules. I have a total of 30 to 50
modules and a couple of hundred leads. The large plug board is about 2' X 3'
and powered by 120V AC. I haven't checked the power supply but I think the
voltage on the logic units is about 2 or 3 volts. The whole assembly fits in
its own wood travel case with handles.
I have never found any info about this. There is no manufacturer's label
anywhere on the units.
I will try to get pictures of this in the next few days. Thurs. & Fri. I am
out of town, it may wait till I return.
>
> There were some extension modules that I never had. One seemed to be the
> same logic module with a relay as the output in place of the lamp. You
> could control little model motors, etc using it. Another was a flip-flop
> module. And there were probably others.
>
< If you look through memory, you can find the string BARSBAIT.
<
< > The Commodore's filetypes are silly. PRG, SEQ and USR are all just seq
< > Only REL is truly different.
generally in OS design there are only a few significant extensions
(filetypes). the most common are:
.EXE (executable, generally fixed address)
nearly always a binary loaded at a nominal standard address.
.COM also executeable but vary in composition
Can be a binary, often in DEC systems it's a command file (SCRIPT).
.SYS commonly drivers or system specific and usually loads differently
(unique address or relocated).
Most others are application specific and the OS treats them as "files"
and it's up to the apps to do the right thing. Clearly Windows has
carried that to the opposing extreme such that the extension determines
the action but that is not at the file level it's at the command
processor (GUI) level. Likely the extreme at the other end of the
spectrum is CP/M-80 where .com is significant to the command processor
and all others are only significant to apps. It allows for TYPE FOO.COM
where FOO.COM is a binary that would load at 100H and looks like Greek
on a vt100.
In most OSs at the basic file level (FILE SYSTEM) one type is the same
as another. the differentiation often occured at a higher level where
the user command are interpreted and acted on. Exceptions abound but,
they often do not add any value and are system specific. One that comes
to mind is NS* DOS and the OS/FileSystem and command processor are so
tightly bound that they live as only monolithic 2.5K(or so) block of
code. It has some economies but ofthen its simplicity is a trade off.
An alternate to this is having file information inside the file as a
header block that binds the file to it's respective application. Correct
me someone but I think the Apple MAC OS does this. It removes the need
for the extension driving the application.
Allison
Free (*) manuals, maybe some hardware too.
Multiple sets of ASR-33 teletype maintainance volumes and print sets.
Dynex Series 6000 Disk Drive instruction (/maint) manual.
System Industries Model 3040 manual.
System Industries Modem 3051 print set.
(I have the OMNIBUS card for these around here someplace too.)
Diablo Series 40 print set & manual.
Plessy PM-80 (or something like that) prints set & manual (I think
I have one or two of the cards too), it's OMNIBUS core memory.
Four trays of PDP-11 paper-tape diagnostics.
Some kind of Roytron/Litton OEM punch manual (I need to look at this
one and make sure it's not something in a DEC box).
PDP11 PAL/EDIT/ODT/PIP/LINK/LIBR manual.
PDP-8/e (ONLY!) maintainance manual Vol 1. (note: old version!)
PDP10 reference handbook. (big)
Decsystem 10 TECO
Decsystem 10 Users Handbook, 2nd ed (big)
EMAIL replies to me, not to the newsgroup or mailing list.
(*): Free for the cost of shipping. I will use subjective criteria
in resolving between multiple requesters for the same material. I
apologize in advance if I do not personally reply to you.
--
Aaron Nabil
nabil(a)teleport.com
Someone i know came across this machine and asked if i could restore it.It is a Laser 128 I know it is an Apple II clone but what else can anyone tell me about it.I have cleaned this thing out(it was filthy)But cant start it up because i have no power cord to do so any info will be of great help
Brian
> From: "Hans Franke" <Hans.Franke(a)mch20.sbs.de>
> Subject: Re: "Single instance" machines
> > ::Actually, the VIC-20's seem to be fairly hard to get now days.
>
> > Not that difficult. They appear on eBay from time to time and a place around
> > here has a few refurbished models in stock. They *do* seem to inspire more
> > loyalty to them than the 64 did, though, for some inexplicable reason.
>
> Don't forget: the V(I)C-20 was a bit faster and a way better
> design then the C64.
Way better? I would say simpler, the 64 was more complex in design but was
par woith the machines of the time (Atari and Apple) where the VIC-20 was
lagging at that point. And you guys mention graphics which were good, but it
took YEARS for anyone to match the 64 in the sound depertment (first the Amiga
then later the Soundblaster - was about to say IBM, but the big computer co.s
had nothing to do with quality sound development on that platform.)
Though it is sure easy to read that 22x23 character screen! I did with a
VIC-20 and a datasette for a year, it sure teaches one to code tight.
In reference to the memory question some VIC/VC REUs went to 24k (like the MSD
one I have here), but there was also the Aprotek RAM expander/cartridge
expander which filled every gap, all the contiguous memory (including the 3k
portion in lower RAM) as well as the upper 8K Game ROM space. 32k? I think
they gave it a bigger number, maybe by adding the 5k and the ROMS to the
'total memory', regardless, the Aprotek one was the ultimate in VIC-20 expanders...
> And by the way, to catch up with the title - is there any
> other Commodore B500 around, or a Pascal Microengine ?
I hear of more of the P/B500 in europe then here, actually in the U.S. I think
there are maybe three or so around, since they never were oficially released
past the late prototype stage (due to one of Commodore's run-ins with the
FCC). Dunno how many (if any) they sold in europe.
00101110010101100101011001000110
> From: jeff.kaneko(a)juno.com (Jeffrey l Kaneko)
> Subject: Re: "Single instance" machines
>
> That's the story I heard.
> The original name Commodore chose for the VIC was 'Vixen'.
Before that the 'color computer' Commodore was developing was referred to as
the TOI. I have read in one place that the TOI unit used a different video
chip (recommended by Peddle?), but it could just be a rumor. I recall my
first seeing the TOI article in a Cursor tape newsletter (paper portion),
anyone got that issue?