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

Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic"

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

-----Original Message----- From: Ward Donald Griffiths III <gram(a)cnct.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, 14 November 1998 15:46 Subject: Re: Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic" >What you had there was as I recall one of the first commercial >platforms to run Xenix, Hmm, doubtless worthy of preservation. Actually, now that I think about it, I think it was Xenix it ran. But I know I saw SCO mentioned in it somewhere. >The Altos 486 was so called because it supported 4 users on an '86. Ok, that explains the name, anyway. Thanks for that. Cheers Geoff Computer Room Internet Cafe Port Pirie South Australia. netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au

27 years, 8 months

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What is a Motorola Exorset ?

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

I picked up some more odd-ball manuals. One of the ones that I got is for the Motorola EXORset 30 XDOS Operating System. From the description in the introduction, the system appears to be a development system with two SS 5 1/4" floppy drives and 16K of RAM. Is anyone familar with this system? Anyone need the manuals? Hmmm. Just found a couple of more manuals for this. These manuals are for a GPIB card and an Input Output card. Lots of schematics and hardware descriptions in these manuals. The pictures show large cards similar to S-100 cards but with 86 contacts. The descriptions mention 8" discs containing 6809 code. Joe

27 years, 8 months

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What is a Motorola Exorset ?

by franke＠sbs.de

> I picked up some more odd-ball manuals. One of the ones that I got is for > the Motorola EXORset 30 XDOS Operating System. From the description in the > introduction, the system appears to be a development system with two SS 5 > 1/4" floppy drives and 16K of RAM. Is anyone familar with this system? > Anyone need the manuals? I have a EXORset over here. Its a huge unit with two 8" FD drives. Very variable due completly based on cards. Mine has 64 K of mem. The system was intended to be used as 68xx development system for Motorola products, but I've also seen an 8080 Assembler :) Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic"

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

-----Original Message----- From: John Ruschmeyer <jruschme(a)exit109.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, 14 November 1998 11:57 Subject: Re: Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic" >> it would be wonderful to have an OS that multitasks with no >> problem on an 8086. I saw a strange machine here a couple weeks ago. It was called an Altos 486, and a guy brought it into the shop because it had a password and he couldn't get past it. He thought it was a 486 PC obviously, but when he brought it in, he brought a serial terminal in with it! When we eventually fired it up, it turned out to be running SCO Unix (somewhat trimmed!) on an 8086, with (I think) 512k of RAM. It also had z80's on there, port controllers I think. Evidently it multitasked pretty well, it had 4 terminal ports and was bundled with a business package, that did debtors & creditors, stock control and word processing etc. I'm trying to get him to part with it. The guy is about smart enough to turn on a light switch without written instructions, but I tried teaching him enough about it to make it useable for his (very) simple purposes (just some record keeping) but it was a hopeless cause. I'm going to do up an old 386 with a VGA monitor and see if he'll swap it for the Altos. Seems he bought it at auction (thought it was a pc because it said 486) for A$40. Anybody here got any more info on it? Couldn't find a date on the machine itself, but the chips seem to be circa 1979. The terminal was also an Altos and was ansi/vt100 based. It also had a Wyse 50 term with it. Cheers Geoff Computer Room Internet Cafe Port Pirie South Australia. netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>There was a ST3144A that liberally screamed in loud howling noise >when it went through it's death throes. At a lab I once worked at, a Fuji 2284 (14") drive in the computer room developed bad bearings and started screeching. We call System Industries field service, they log into the disk control unit remotely via a modem, check the error logs, and tell us there's nothing wrong :-) Tim.

27 years, 8 months

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On-topic Headcrash story..

by jpl15＠netcom.com

In '86 (in another life) I was a Systems Analyst for the deregulated side of GTE... I was also the MIS department, the LAN cable stringer-crimper, and I got to explain RS-232 to ex-PBX salespeople who trying to make a buck in the Brave New World... Anyway, my expensive 3Com server began to 'whistle' at about 10kHtz one day, and by the next morning it was screeching and warbling and quite obviously dying quickly. While it *was* backed up (the entire sales and marketing division was running in those 300 MBytes) I still had throughput goals to achieve, so I got the 3Com tech-rep out. By the time he arrived people were coming in my office to see what that awful noise was... I couldn't believe it was still *spinning*... let alone reading and writing. "Yup." He said. "No problem.." It was the absolute filter in the top cover of the drive. They offered to fix it... not under warranty!!! because it was not mis-performing... just annoying the hell out of all and sundry. Two whiny childish tantrums later... I got a new drive, which poor me had to format and restore to... all one Saturday... it was apparently a common problem w/that particular line of (Seagate??) drives. Cheers John

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by dburrows＠netpath.net

> >Actually, I wouldn't mind one... > >As for docs.. I have the DSD-880/20 manual. If that would help, I'll >make a copy of it for you... > I will have to check the total model info and what hard drives are in them. I have 4 to 6 complete chassis but no controllers. I don't even know what they are supposed to use for a controller. Then to I may have the controller and don't even know it.:) Dan

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by mbg＠world.std.com

>I have a few DSD880's here if you need one. I have no docs but would >like to get some if you managed to hang on to a copy. Actually, I wouldn't mind one... As for docs.. I have the DSD-880/20 manual. If that would help, I'll make a copy of it for you... 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 | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 8 months

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Computer History Books

by mark_metzler＠xoommail.com

I have opened a combination online computer history bookstore, and computer museum. I need help identifying an unknown IBM vacuum tube device. http://home.pacbell.net/mmetzler/vnm.html ______________________________________________________ Get your free web-based email at http://www.xoom.com Special clipart offer: http://orders.xoom.com/email

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by dburrows＠netpath.net

I have a few DSD880's here if you need one. I have no docs but would like to get some if you managed to hang on to a copy. Dan dburrows(a)netpath.net >When I was working in the RT-11 development group at Digital, I >had a DSD-880. This was an RL02-lookalike and an RX02-lookalike. >But where true RX01s and RX02s from Digital didn't actually write >formatting information, this unit could. > >I also had a floppy disk which was mounted on the side of a >file cabinet using a large ring magnet (as is found in some >DEC disk drives). People always figured it was a bad disk >until I took it off the cabinet, put it in the DSD880, formatted >it (for real) and then used it under RT before putting it back >on the cabinet... > >It was just fun to see their eyes when I told them it was still >usable... > > 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 | >+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+ >

27 years, 8 months

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Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic"

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< 3.0 can run with CGA. It does, or at least mine does. < 3.10 SUPPOSEDLY can use the 3.0 CGA drivers, but they don't always work; < 3.1 therefore needs EGA Error! my 3.1 kit (circa 1992) has both CGA and VGA3.0 drivers along with about 15 others. I've used it with Mono, Herc, CGA, VGA. < I don't know what the mimimum RAM requirements are, but my 486 NEC lapto < can only handle "safe mode". (It has a hardware problem that prevents < upgrading the memory) For 3.1 it wants 2.0mb but I've run it on a 50Z with 1mb! For a useable system 4-8mb is the minima based not on winders itself but the apps you plan to run. Netscape(v3.0) in less than 8mb tends to crash Intermittently but with 12mb is rock solid. It will not even start up unless you have 5mb! < NB: MINIMUM requirements are NOT to be confused with RECOMMENDED < configuration. Particularly when it gets to issues of "acceptable < performance". True, also some apps may have their own want list that exceeds the minima by a lot. Allison

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by franke＠sbs.de

>> Before there where capsulated 'Winchester' type drives >> mainframes relied on removable disk stacks wit technology >> #1. Of course these had air filtration etc., but the stacks > Are you sure? On _all_ the demountable drives I have here (DEC and CDC), > the heads fly over the disk surface. They are not at a mechanically fixed > height, like on a drum. In other words, they are like #2, not #1. > I would be _very_ suprised if you could make a demountable drive where > you could remove the platter and put it back and get the position right > to 100 microns or so. That's why the head position has to be set by the > platter - i.e. the heads fly. I cant speak for any drive, but some 19 years back (1979) I've been working as a field technican for SIEMENS mainframe computers and head adjustment has been one of the most complex issues. Althrough air flow had influence, the main adjustment was done by *hard*ware. No way a fixed mounted head on a thight fited mounting could move seperatly ... and the fingers and mountings had a weight of several kilogramms :) Servus Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

-----Original Message----- From: CLASSICCMP(a)trailing-edge.com <CLASSICCMP(a)trailing-edge.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, 14 November 1998 12:12 Subject: Re: modern removable media drives >>There was a ST3144A that liberally screamed in loud howling noise >>when it went through it's death throes. > >At a lab I once worked at, a Fuji 2284 (14") drive in the computer >room developed bad bearings and started screeching. We call >System Industries field service, they log into the disk control >unit remotely via a modem, check the error logs, and tell us >there's nothing wrong :-) I can relate to that. I have an RA81 here that sounds like fingernails on a blackboard when it runs, but still works perfectly. I can still boot VMS off it. I do so occasionally, just to see if it has died yet. Needless to say, it's not in active use otherwise. Cheers Geoff Computer Room Internet Cafe Port Pirie South Australia. netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au

27 years, 8 months

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Old, but not "Classic"

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< > technologies. (FWIW, I found out that zip drives uses shappire < > bearings to carry the heads, that is from newsgroups so don't take < < Is there any particular problem with jewelled bearings? Watchmakers have < been using them for centuries, and the methods of making and installing < them are well known and documented. They been used in analog meter movements of quality for over 40 years and I've repaird them. Not much majik. They are a good precision low friction bearing. However I doubt they would be used in a ZIP as they never had a good reputation for shock resistance. they would however be low drag and help conserve power. Allison

27 years, 8 months

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Computer History Books

by Innfogra＠aol.com

You might ask Paul Pierce, who has an IBM Tube Mainframe if he could recognize the tube set you have. His URL is http://www.teleport.com/~prp/collect/index.html Good luck in your search. Paxton Hoag

27 years, 8 months

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A sign made of a vertical line of LEDs?

by franke＠sbs.de

>> Several times in the past I've seen home-brewed and perhaps >> CPU-driven signs that consist of a single vertical line of >> perhaps a dozen or two LEDs. > This has been done a number of times. One of the early electronic magazines > had a clock that you needed to scan your eyes over to read the time. A > friend of mine designed a pendulum for an art show with the LED section > about 6 feet long or so where graphics could be displayed. I don't recall a > name ever being associated with this type of display. It would be a > *really* fun thing to do now that multicolor LEDs are available and a full > color graphics unit could be done fairly "easily". Basicly the same Idea has been used for a 3D display. A 2D matrix of LEDs wil be moved fast forward and back, and the LEDs are fired right in time to give a 3D picture. It's even available in colour. But it is only visible when you are in front of the display, so it's mor like a 3D monitor, since you cant walk around. (A different aproach, but somewhat similar, works with a spiral up winding acryl plate on a rotating dish. A Laser highlightens points within this cylindical volume to produce a picture. Since the acrylic surface is spiral, the laser can reach every 3D point with the same angle - the beam comes from above or beyond). Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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Old, but not "Classic"

by charlesii＠nwonline.net

classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu wrote: > > On Wed, 11 Nov 1998, Marvin wrote: > > > I frequently get given 286 and 386 computers as well as hearing about people > > that are just throwing them away. Does anyone else on this list try to find > > homes for these things, or know of homes? It seems such as waste to throw > > out perfectly good computers just because they don't run the current rage of > > the day. > > Many cities have computer recycling centers where they take PCs that can > run Windows, refurbish them, and then donate them to schools. Notice I > said "can run Windows". Unfortunately, anything that doesn't fit this > definition is foreign to them. So you'll have to find a practical > application for 286's. > > Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com > I've seen a 286 that ran Windows 3.0 pretty well. Charles

27 years, 8 months

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This is totally off topic

by franke＠sbs.de

>>>BTW, anybody know where there might be a dusty Picaso lying around >>>someplace? > Try the Louvre in Paris, I'm certain you'll find several works by > Piccaso. We had some hanging around on Marienplatz some years ago, but I think nobody wanted them ... Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by mbg＠world.std.com

> my experience. And unless you put the floppy in direct physical > contact with the magnets in a PM motor or speaker, you aren't > going to cause any damage. (I've worked with floppies and hard > drives in close proximity to multi-Tesla cryogenic superconducting > magnets without any problems, so speakers and motors don't scare > me!) When I was working in the RT-11 development group at Digital, I had a DSD-880. This was an RL02-lookalike and an RX02-lookalike. But where true RX01s and RX02s from Digital didn't actually write formatting information, this unit could. I also had a floppy disk which was mounted on the side of a file cabinet using a large ring magnet (as is found in some DEC disk drives). People always figured it was a bad disk until I took it off the cabinet, put it in the DSD880, formatted it (for real) and then used it under RT before putting it back on the cabinet... It was just fun to see their eyes when I told them it was still usable... 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 | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 8 months

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A sign made of a vertical line of LEDs?

by mbg＠world.std.com

>Several times in the past I've seen home-brewed and perhaps >CPU-driven signs that consist of a single vertical line of >perhaps a dozen or two LEDs. > >The "sign" doesn't appear to be anything but a line of glowing LEDs. >Only when you view it at a glance, as your vision moves quickly >from side-to-side, do you see that it is rapidly flickering the ?vertical scanlines of a simple dot-matrix image: maybe the digits >of the time, perhaps a smiley face, or some other simple image. I don't know the name of it... but I remember that there was some sort of a contest a few years ago... Contestants were provided a number of items and had to build a display. The winning design had some sort of saw-blade which was moved by use of an electromagnet. The vertical set of LEDs would display the lines which comprised a character, and the saw-blade was moved back and forth in synch in such a way that when vieing the reflection of the LEDs in the shiny surface of the moving blade, one could make out characters. 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 | +--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

>::> If we began to discuss the agents that can *actually* destroy data >::> on floppies >:: >::I find that scissors work well. > >Two words: paper shredder. Microwave oven - haven't actually tried it but does wonders for CD's Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 8 months

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A sign made of a vertical line of LEDs?

by jfoust＠threedee.com

Several times in the past I've seen home-brewed and perhaps CPU-driven signs that consist of a single vertical line of perhaps a dozen or two LEDs. The "sign" doesn't appear to be anything but a line of glowing LEDs. Only when you view it at a glance, as your vision moves quickly >from side-to-side, do you see that it is rapidly flickering the vertical scanlines of a simple dot-matrix image: maybe the digits of the time, perhaps a smiley face, or some other simple image. Anyone here know the name of this sort of device, so I can web-search for others who've made one? It wouldn't be hard to craft. To be obliquely on-topic, I've thought about making a simple circuit that would be driven by the parallel port of an old PC. - John

27 years, 8 months

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Sun workstation

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

List: This may not fit the >10 year old criterion, but just spotted an ad in a local trading paper Sun workstation, 19" color monitor, works great $150 obo details at 11 Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 8 months

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Compaq portable questions (not laptop)

by rhblake＠bigfoot.com

I have recently obtained a machine that when carried resembles a sewing machine in a carry case, marked Compaq Portable. It has a built in CRT and is evidentally an 8088 or 8086 machine judging by the 8 bit slots. Anyone have any info on it, and is there any collectability to these? I'm in the process of cleaning and repairing it but I will inevitably NOT keep it for myself due to space limits and am putting out feelers on the list first for possible buyers/traders. I don't expect a lot out of it, mostly what I have in it ($25) unless I have to put a lot of parts or work into it, which I doubt since it appears to be semi-working at the moment. I'll probably put it on ePay around the 20th once I get it functional and get no apparent responses. Any info or prospects appreciated.

27 years, 8 months

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Compaq portable questions (not laptop)

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

At 02:05 PM 11/12/98 -0800, you wrote: >At 05:23 PM 11/12/98, you wrote: >> There was also a Portable III. I have five of them!! They're a little >>larger than a lunch box and have a 12 MHz 286 CPU and a fold out gas plasma >>screen. They have a place for a MODEM on an ISA card in the bottom of the >>case. And a place for a memory expansion card that held up to six SIMMs. >>The SIMMS that were available were 256K or 1 meg so you could have up to 6 >>Megs & 640K of memory. There was an option to add a box on the back that >>contained an 8 bit and a 16 bit ISA slots. Mine have the box with the ISA >>card slots and I use them for portable instrument controllers. > >Did they market a Portable III to 386 upgrade kit? I've got a Portable III >with a 386-20 (well, now a 486slc-40) in it, but it still has the III on >the case and the XT-style keyboard. I'm not aware of a 386 or 486 upgrade kit, but They use a weird board in them so if your's has a 386 then it almost certainly had to have come from Compaq. BTW the PIII came with two different styles of keyboards. Joe

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by franke＠sbs.de

>> And dust particles will work like sandpaper and grind the >> disk surface > Which is why the inside of the disk jacket has material to sweep up > dust and keep it from the disk surface. Sometimes this works. > Geez, people, I never claimed that you could dump huge piles of dust, smoke, > dirt, and sand on the floppy disk and expect it to work for more than five > seconds. My point was that you don't have to be super-careful with them. One > dust particle isn't going to ruin the disk (at least not very quickly). You > don't have to handle floppy media in a cleanroom. However, one dust or smoke > particle *IS* enough to cause a head crash in a Winchester drive. I have even seen SyJet drives working within a heavy smokers environment - a friend of mine - he has ashes all around the desk, the keyboard and everywhere else. And the dam things are working prety good. > > there are 4 basic technologies for the head/surface > > management of disk Magnetic: > > > > 1. Fixed head over hard surface > > 2. Flying head over fixed surface (Winchester) > > 3. Fixed head over flexible surface (Bernulli) > > 4. Head grinding over flexible surface (Floppy) > > (also tapes go into #4 but since the head surface > > speed is only slow, the effekt is less visible) > Depends on the kind of tape. Helical scan tape has this effect > *MORE* than floppy drives, because the head-to-tape speed is much > higher. :))) to modern in data processing - I'll ignore them. Any tape with more than 1600 dpi isn't a tape to me :) >> And we are talking about 2 vs. 4 (head flying over hard >> surface vs. head on flexible surface). The other ones >> have been used in several drive types thru the past. And >> all in encapsulated (seled) and 'free' environment. > That's my point. The Syquest SyJet and Sparq drives, and the Iomgea > Jaz drive, appear to use what you have listed as configuration 2. > They have to, in order to get .75 to 1.0G density per platter. > Configuration 1 can't get the head close enough to the media. And even > if they did use configuration 1 and get the head close enough to the > media, then it would be just as susceptible to foreign particles as > configuration 2. They used #2 in the SyJet, since the problems are much bigger with #1. My experiance with any kind of high density media is that the process of insert and remove has to be done in a aprobiate manner. Like back in my operator times, the insertation of a Disk has just to be done carefuly and sensitive. And this is still true for any other modern removable media. > That's precisely why they are so f*&#ing unreliable. I just cant agree - I have several running without any problem. As I mentioned earler, I have almost any drive ever build from Syquest (and some other manufacturers), and I'm prety satisfied with Syquests. The only thin I learned to hate are MO drives. Once I had a 640 MB Sony drive, and it died 5 times and had to be replaced 5 times ... Later on I went back to pure magnetics. > Out of over 30 SyJet and Sparq drives, I don't think we've had a single > one last more than 100 cartridge insert/eject cycles. I son't know whats wrong, but I may just have had luck. Servus Hasn -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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CompuCorp "Micro Computer"

by aknight＠mindspring.com

Hi, I haven't heard of a "Calcomp", but CompuCorp also made a line of desktop calculators (also marketed by Monroe, Dietzgen, and possibly others) that were offered in the early-mid 70's that had an optional punch-card reader that you plug into the back of the machine. I just obtained several of those card readers, cards, and the card holder & stylus (which are much like you described) and hope to have some photos of this stuff on my Web site soon. The CompuCorp calculators were designed such that you _had_ to use the punch-card reader to access all of the programming functions - while the machines were keyboard-programmable there were a lot of program codes that couldn't be entered directly from the keyboard. Also, so far I'm not aware of any CompuCorp desktop machines that had both display and printer as you describe. The Monroe 1655 that's on my Web page (also sold by CompuCorp as their model 122) is a nixie machine, and the 1765 I'm getting is a printing- only machine (with special surveyor's functions) with what looks to be a 16-column impact printer. Regards, Alex Calculator History & Technology Archive Web Page http://aknight.home.mindspring.com/calc.htm At 10:05 AM 11/13/98 -0500, Chuck wrote: >Hi Alex; > > Interesting site. I'm curious if you (or anyone else here) has >heard of a programmable calculator by, I beleive' "Calcomp". We had one >in high school in mid 70's - it came with an integrated printer, probably >about 40 columns, can't recall what the display was, maybe blue >flourescent, - and the interesting thing is you could program it with >punch cards. Once you code something, you put a card into a hand >held card punch holder that was a rubber backing with slots beneath >all the holes, and use a stylus to punch out the holes. Then you could >program it by feeding the cards into a little motorized reader plugged >into the Calcomp. > > That was my first programming experience which led to a lust >for Mark-8's and Altairs, etc. > > Chuck > cswiger(a)widomaker.com > > >

27 years, 8 months

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FREE DG Nova Stuff

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

From: Doug Yowza[SMTP:yowza@yowza.com] Subject: Re: FREE DG Nova Stuff >> I was scanning the web during lunch, and I came across a most >> interesting entry. Check this out... >> >> http://www.hopco.com/surplus/s_free.htm > >I tried to move quickly given that collectible-computer dealers are known >to lurk and strike based on these tips. Alas: > ><< >Unfortunately, you're a couple months late :( I've got to find time to >update that list and remove that stuff. This represented 20+years of Doh! Hopefully you at least educated them to spread the word about where to go with such dumpster gems like that next time? Once upon a time - while a field droid for NCR we used to maintain stuff based on their '605' mini-computer and had one in the shop to copy tapes and test boards (One of my grocery stores still used one with do-nut core memory in mid '85). Suddenly we got a new manager, suddenly the 605 was unceremoniously tossed into the dumpster. Any one of 5 or 7 techs would have gladly taken it home to their garage but nooooo, it was given an indecent burial in the name of 'fairness'. sniff-sniff Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by franke＠sbs.de

> I wrote about the problems with "modern" removable-rigid-media drives: >>> Air filters? Ha! They have nothing but a shutter on the cartridge and a >>> door flap on the drive. Absolute rubbish. It's miraculous that they work >>> even for a few weeks. > "Hans Franke" <franke(a)sbs.de> wrote: >> Dame has been said on 8" FD: These will be damaged within hours > Same? > No, no one with a grasp of how the technology works has ever claimed that a > little dust or smoke will damage a floppy disk or drive. Floppy disks use a > much different head/media interface than winchester rigid-media drives. Dust > or smoke particles can and will cause head crashes on winchester drives. And dust particles will work like sandpaper and grind the disk surface (we have a nice wording in German for that: FD are 'Spanabhebende Datenverarbeitung'. Datenverarbeitung means data provessing and spanabhebend is the term for a metal forming process thru producing fillings with using cutting tools like on a lathe :). Any material will degenerate the surface - and even in clean room condition, the head itself grinds the magnetic surface away. > I am not a technical expert on the innards of Iomega Jaz and Syquest SyJet > and Sparq drives. However, a casual examination suggests that they use > winchester technology. This is consistent with the manufacturers descriptions > of the drives in product literature, and it is also consistent with the > high failure rate I've observed (approaching 100% after four weeks on the > Syquest drives). Winchester drive technology was developed for permanently > sealed HDAs, not cartridge drives. And even the sealed drives were designed > with air filtration. Maybe to clear some things: We are not talking about 'Winchester' technology there are 4 basic technologies for the head/surface management of disk Magnetic: 1. Fixed head over hard surface 2. Flying head over fixed surface (Winchester) 3. Fixed head over flexible surface (Bernulli) 4. Head grinding over flexible surface (Floppy) (also tapes go into #4 but since the head surface speed is only slow, the effekt is less visible) And we are talking about 2 vs. 4 (head flying over hard surface vs. head on flexible surface). The other ones have been used in several drive types thru the past. And all in encapsulated (seled) and 'free' environment. Before there where capsulated 'Winchester' type drives mainframes relied on removable disk stacks wit technology #1. Of course these had air filtration etc., but the stacks itself have not been encapsulated at all time, especialy not air tight. The old Syquest 44s (and following) are using this technology (number 1), like back in the 60s to 80s on mainframes. The head surface distance is basicly fixed by the drive mechanic, althrough modern drives of this kind have some sort of control to adjust it. > Someone pointed out that he'd had no trouble with Syquest 230M drives; I've > personally had reasonable results with their earlier 44M and 88M 5.25 inch > drives. I don't what differences between the lower and higher capacity > drives accounts for the huge difference in reliability. I have used (and still use) the 44/88 drives over years without any failiure. the same with the 3 1/2" drives, So I've no reason to fight - instead I'm very sad that Syquest fades away. Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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RK05 and hard disk filters

by pechter＠shell.monmouth.com

Now moving the topic from Zip drives to RK05's: In an earlier message Hans Franke wrote: >> You mean they _don't_ haev the proper air filters? Ouch. High density >> media needs a cleaner environment than the old RK05 units, and those have >> pretty serious filters in them. Well they (RK05's) don't use them much... I did service on a pair of RK05's in a Tektronics chip test unit that were installed and running (and under DEC Service) with the filters still CAPPED by the idiot who was the service tech there before me. (I was the next idiot, I don't know who Compaq's got as the current idiot.) 8-) They were still working 6 months to a year after the capped filter install which was probably the PM prior to my arrival on site. The RK05's were running VERY hot, but still running without errors (even under diags). Man, you couldn't kill those RK05's. I hit a head with a 1/4 inch bend on a disk and it kept running after I scraped the head with a penknife and alcohol to remove the scarred oxide. They flew those heads at about 10000 feet compared to the current disks. Now, 9766's (RM05's) flew a lot closer (even with the DEC high altitude heads installed). They needed to be kept clean. RP06's were less touchy and RM03's were just a nightmare. Give me tape drives (even TS11's and Tu45's) to work on over disks anytime. They don't get you up at 3am for a tape head crash. Bill

27 years, 8 months

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Daybreak hard drives (was Re: Collectibles for the future)

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

>Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 22:36:51 -0700 (MST) I feel bad for companies that replace junk for free. In a way, it's great support, but it also indicates that they expect this stuff to go bad. I almost never have hardware problems (some people fry their mobo every day), but floppy drives are definitely the least reliable of all modern PC technology (maybe next to monitors). >I'm curious. I've got 3 zip drives in use, and they've all performed flawlessly >except that the one in my PC croaked. I called them and they fed-exed me >a new one, and I sent them the old one. *shrug* >-- >Jim Strickland >jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com >----------------------------------------------------------------------- >Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there? >----------------------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

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Old, but not "Classic"

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

-----Original Message----- From: jpero(a)pop.cgocable.net <jpero(a)pop.cgocable.net> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Friday, 13 November 1998 11:21 Subject: Re: Old, but not "Classic" >win95 is too much for anything less than 486dx2, 500~1GB and 16MB plus. Not really, it depends on what you are doing with it. I have some 486SLC and DX 33 machines with 10 mb and 270Mb HDDs in the cafe here, happily running Win95, Ishare client (for the net) Netbeui & IPX protocol stacks with Netware (have a 3.12 Server here) and Microsoft network clients, Plus an assortment of Netscape/Agent/Mirc/BP FTP etc etc etc. They work pretty well, my customers will soon complain if they don't. I >Win98 needs new machines. Can't agree with that at all. I have had several P60's (yes the original 5v Pentiums) with 16mb and 408mb hdds running 98, Ishare with the Active Desktop and full IE4 suite running in the cafe here for up to 3 months. Never had an ounce of trouble with any of them. Again, it depends on what you are doing with it. >All 3.x, 95/98 must have cdrom drives, Highly desirable, though not essential if you have another machine who's cd it can share. Network cards are very cheap now, and a small lan is far cheaper to setup than retrofitting a CD rom. Footnote: The P60's I sold earlier had 32x cdroms and 16bit sound cards fitted when they were eventually sold to customers. Again, I've had none come back with problems. >too many hardware and software are on cds. Hardware on CD???? What sort of compression software does that!!! ;^) Cheers Geoff Computer Room Internet Cafe Port Pirie South Australia. netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au

27 years, 8 months

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NEC Multisync (was Re: AcerStation)

by bpvh＠primenet.com

On Wed, 11 Nov 1998, Max Eskin wrote: >Also: Could someone tell me the model number of the original NEC >Multisync? NEC's site has nothing about it, and I want to know if >that's it at the thrift store. Could someone also confirm that it >can do VGA modes? While surfing a while back, I came across the "NEC Technologies Knowledge Base". On my printouts, the address was: http://128.191.16.10/customersupport/finals/noncurrent.htm The MultiSync I (JC-1401P3A) is one of the monitors listed. The site has fairly good detail of the monitors in question. Under PC Compatibility, the monitor is listed as: 640 X 480: 56 to 62 Hz vertical refresh 800 X 560: 56 Hz vertical refresh I strictly an Apple IIgs man and do not have a clue what the above means, but maybe the site or info above could help. **** bpvh Internet: bpvh(a)primenet.com Delphi: BPVH **** **** Posted by an Apple IIgs using my own Proterm 3.1 Macro File ****

27 years, 8 months

1
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8-bit FORTH

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

From: dave dameron[SMTP:ddameron@earthlink.net] Subject: Re: 8-bit FORTH >>the right balance of control - not as terse as assembly, and >>not as handcuff'd as BASIC. >> >I found FORTH to be _more_ terse than any other language, except maybe >APL. >I tried a forth computer 80188 SBC with FORTH in EPROM (Used in the Ah, won't argue with that. As was pointed out, one loves or hates it, sometimes get branded a 'religion', uses the HP calc style 'reverse polish' stack, etc. I'm not aware of many 'killer apps' written in FORTH, it seems to live in real-time controllers, telescopes, etc. >they could write on a single line. Very difficult to read!!! >476#!@NXDUP&+ >(just joking) One of the points in the TIL book was you can make your language as custom and weird as you want - if you want '$' to mean 'add two numbers', go for it. Some places call that 'job security'. :> Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 8 months

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Saved Altair 4K BASIC

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

That seems sort of overpriced. I mean, 4 kilobytes of code for $150? Was this a reasonable price at the time, or were there similar programs for less? >Altair 4K BASIC - $150 > w/ purchase of an Altair 8800, 4K of Altair memory and > an Altair I/O board - $60 > >8K BASIC - $200 > w/ purchase - $75 > >Entended BASIC - $350 > w/ purchase - $150 > > >Altair PACKAGE ONE (assb, edit, monitor) - $175 > w/ purchase - $75 > >Altair DOS - $500 > w/ purchase - $150 > >Note: when ordering, specify paper tape or cassette. > > > > >Uh, is that a bootable paper tape ? > > > Chuck > cswiger(a)widomaker.com > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

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8-bit FORTH

by ddameron＠earthlink.net

At 09:42 AM 11/12/98 -0500, you wrote: > >Another project in the tapes is an 'OS' based on a Byte book called >'Threaded Interpretive Languages' - just curious what opionions >are out there about FORTH as an 8-bit os. It seemed like just >the right balance of control - not as terse as assembly, and >not as handcuff'd as BASIC. > I found FORTH to be _more_ terse than any other language, except maybe APL. I tried a forth computer 80188 SBC with FORTH in EPROM (Used in the "Radio-Elextronics" Robot - 1986, 1987), and never became a great fan. I quess partly is I knew people who had pride on how complicated a program they could write on a single line. Very difficult to read!!! 476#!@NXDUP&+ (just joking) -Dave

27 years, 8 months

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CompuCorp "Micro Computer"

by cswiger＠wilma.widomaker.com

From: Alex Knight[SMTP:aknight@mindspring.com] Subject: CompuCorp "Micro Computer" >guts of a couple of CompuCorp "Micro Computer" (at least >that's what _they_ called them) calculators on my >web site. They might weigh 3 1/2 pounds but some folks Hi Alex; Interesting site. I'm curious if you (or anyone else here) has heard of a programmable calculator by, I beleive' "Calcomp". We had one in high school in mid 70's - it came with an integrated printer, probably about 40 columns, can't recall what the display was, maybe blue flourescent, - and the interesting thing is you could program it with punch cards. Once you code something, you put a card into a hand held card punch holder that was a rubber backing with slots beneath all the holes, and use a stylus to punch out the holes. Then you could program it by feeding the cards into a little motorized reader plugged into the Calcomp. That was my first programming experience which led to a lust for Mark-8's and Altairs, etc. Chuck cswiger(a)widomaker.com

27 years, 8 months

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Updates to Secret Weapons of Commodore

by franke＠sbs.de

Cameron Kaiser: > * CHESSmate (thanks Martijn van Buul) -- contains 6530 RIOTs, for you KIM-1 freaks and from the page: > 6530 RIOT (identical to KIM-1; 64 bytes RAM, 1KB ROM, 2 I/O ports, 8-bit timer), > [...] > The 6530 RIOT chip is identical to the twin RIOTs in the KIM-1, a > custom multifunction chip developed by MOSTek originally for that > system though versions of the RIOT also appear in the Atari VCS. The > MOS 6532 is not compatible with the 6530, however, and the 6530 is > unfortunately no longer manufactured. 6530s have been used in several Commodore boxes. Especialy within FD units. But they are _not_ identical to any KIM-1 6530, same as the 6530s on the KIM are not identical - The CS logic is always specific to each of the Models (althrough some have used the same schema) and of course the ROM content differs. Also some versions used less CS lines to recover some I/O lines. The 6530 was also not a special developed for the KIM, the KIM is only the most visible device using it. The idea of the 6530 was to offer a solution for small designs used in lagre quantity products, where the Chipcount is esential, and an additional ROM will raise the cost - and since such products, at least at this time tends to use ROMS, a genuine ROM production run has to be done any way, the usage of an 6530 lowers the cost, since the production process is the same from the customers view than with a ROM. Also the 6532 is somewhat compatible - this schould be changed into 'not pin compatible'. But beside that - nice page - great work - thank you. Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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Recent stuff I've acquired...

by karlm＠blitzen.canberra.edu.au

To add to my burgeoning collection, I must admit after joining this list I don't go past a 'second-hand' store without going in for a look :-) Over the last couple of weeks i've acquired.. * Various dumb terminals VT220's etc, some work some don't * An Apple IIc complete with monitor etc, now suitable modified with a 4-pin power plug to accomodate a PC 12v supply, and a DB-25 attached directly to the board for serial comms to my PC. Interestingly this IIc is an original motherboard, but with a Crystal hand-wired onto the board in place of the 74LS chip, thus avioding the IIc serial problem. I'll get around to documenting this mod soon, as I have not seen it anywhere. * A Mac+ suitable for conversion to a MacQuarium * A rather interesting Barcode reader/analyser with some form of microprocessor, an Intermec Trakker 9440, the Battery is totally dead, and I can't seem to find any info on the power supply voltage and as such haven't been able to power it up, but it's 10 years old (date 1988), at least I should be able to do something with the barcode wand. Anyone got any info on these? * A DEC TK50Z (found at the local recycling centre, and works fine) Cheers Karl ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Karl Maftoum Computer Engineering student at the University of Canberra, Australia Email: k.maftoum(a)student.canberra.edu.au

27 years, 8 months

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DEC Equipment

by jrice＠texoma.net

I finally got to look at the old DEC equipment. There is a complete 11/780 system with several rl someting I assume are disk drives. This system is in several cabinets and is currently still cables together in a clean raised floor computer room. There are close to 100 pieces of VT220 terminals, some old ethernet hubs, some what I believe are old serial i/o hubs of some kind, dot matrix printers, printer/terminals like large old teletype machines, several older DEC laser printers like old HP laserjets, a large line printer like the old mainframe style. I will also probably get a PDP 11/34 in the near future. I'm not into DEC's but will act as a middleman for anyone who wants this stuff. Let me know, as I have to get it out of the plant pretty soon and I really don't have a lot of storage space. It is located about 60 miles north of Dallas. The PDP 11 is not ready to be released yet, the 11/780 is ready now. James

27 years, 8 months

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Old, but not

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

>Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1998 05:59:00 -0600 Well, I don't know. My school just trashed another 286 system that they could have given to somebody (we do loan 486s to students in need). A pretty interesting machine, to boot. It's still in the bin, but I didn't grab it because of lack of room. I did grab the 5 keyboards they threw away, though. Speaking of my school, it has some sort of 'modem' made by IBM. It has a brown front, and a 5.25" floppy drive. Several membrane type buttons on the front, too. Anyone know what it is? It connects the school attendance system to a server downtown, and I have yet to find out what that is. Maybe they'll let me play with it for a while if I ask :) Noone has any idea what model it is, but everyone says it's really old. >and does run Windows 3.11 very well. I have 2 machines here in the 286 class that >run Netscape (older version) under Windows 3.11 and have 4 mb of ram on a fair >sized hard disk (120mb). They're also PS/2's to boot. > >I believe Allison has a model 50Z (a 286 also) running Windows for her scanner. >The PC/XT class may be junkers for them though. > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

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Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic"

by netcafe＠pirie.mtx.net.au

-----Original Message----- From: Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) <cisin(a)xenosoft.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Saturday, 14 November 1998 10:11 Subject: Minimum hardware requirements (Was: Old, but not "Classic" >On Fri, 13 Nov 1998, Charles Oblender wrote: >> I've seen a 286 that ran Windows 3.0 pretty well. > >An 8088 XT will run Windows 3.00 in real mode, yes, have a friend who still has one with it installed. >An 80286 AT can also do 3.10 and 3.11 as well. In Standard mode. Again, a friend has an NEC compatible with 6mb of ram and Win 3.11 installed. Works pretty well actually. >An 80386SX can do Windoze95 I have done this. It does work. But it is VERY slow. Microsoft don't recommend it, since 95 is optimised for 32 bit all the way. But it's possible, if you are a masochist. >3.0 can run with CGA. 3.x (.0 .1 &.11) can use EGA, CGA and even Hercules, I've done the EGA & CGA, not tried Hercules, but the drivers are on Microsofts Windows 3.x Driver library site. >3.10 SUPPOSEDLY can use the 3.0 CGA drivers, but they don't always work; Seems to be card dependent. But it does work on many. >3.1 therefore needs EGA >I've never tried below VGA for Windoze95 EGA is allegedly possible, but I've never tried it. I believe it involves using 3.x drivers or some other ugliness. But it is supposed to be possible. >I don't know what the mimimum RAM requirements are, but my 486 NEC laptop >can only handle "safe mode". (It has a hardware problem that prevents >upgrading the memory) >NB: MINIMUM requirements are NOT to be confused with RECOMMENDED >configuration. Particularly when it gets to issues of "acceptable >performance". This is the major impediment. Like the 386SX running 95. It worked, but it was such a slug that we put 3.11 back on it after 2 days of tinkering. That improved it's performance significantly. I have seen a 386DX40 running Win95. It was a little slow, but still useable. Cheers Geoff Computer Room Internet Cafe Port Pirie South Australia. netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au

27 years, 8 months

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Old, but not "Classic"

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< Yes, but in a desktop machine, power is not exactly short. In other word < whether it takes 0.1W or 10W to move the heads is not a major < consideration. So a jewelled bearing is probably not appropriate here. That is a consideration! Less power is less heating, less magnetic fields and higher reliability. Despite desktop power availablity reducing power in the servo circuit aids minaturization and reliability. < a meter movement. And secondly they are accurate - the spindle runs true < but a good metal bush bearing can do that as well. Neither are major < problems in a desktop servo-tracked disk drive. The bushed bearing also wears. Jewelled bearings done seem to have the same wear properties, they are far better. Allison

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< No, no one with a grasp of how the technology works has ever claimed tha < little dust or smoke will damage a floppy disk or drive. Floppy disks u < much different head/media interface than winchester rigid-media drives. < or smoke particles can and will cause head crashes on winchester drives Floppies with added dust will destroy the media and I've seen a few heads that were unserviceable. It's not healthy for the positioner either. The media does not tolerate dust. < of the drives in product literature, and it is also consistent with the < high failure rate I've observed (approaching 100% after four weeks on th < Syquest drives). Winchester drive technology was developed for permanen < sealed HDAs, not cartridge drives. And even the sealed drives were desi < with air filtration. The 270mb Syquest I have is used, the media is used and the current platter has been in the drive for a month without accumulating bad blocks. It former owner used it in a firld construction site to log sample data. It does have a recirculation filter and the spin up suggests that the heads are not loaded until the airflow (and platter speed) is established. There is not majik, spin a platter at 3600rpm and dust can be counted on to migrate to the walls. The cart has ribs to direct the airflow. Just because it has a shutter I don't use that an excuse to subject it to dust and other risks. Allison

27 years, 8 months

1
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modern removable media drives

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< And doesn't the RL02 have an air filtration system? Don't they do a pur < cycle when the catridge is loaded? They do but that means little if the cart has been in a dirty environment. The other I mentioned however are of the stack of patter realm. < Also, the RL02 does not use winchester technology per se. It is more < closely related to the RK, RM, and RP style drives. Subtle difference in positioners. the flying height was still very close to the platter. Allison

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< >>> On the other hand, I've had nothing but good luck with ZIP drives (w < >> I won't use zip drives either. I refuse to use an undocumented device < >> store my data. When somebody produces a service manual and a bit-leve < >> description of the disk (as I have for all my minicomputer drives) th < >> I'll consider it. I have a Syquest 270mb removable(parallel port) I was given and it works just fine and I use it for shuffling things between systems and all. It seems durable but, I take care with it as I only have a dozen disks for it. I've always considered removable media a bit more risky be it RL02, RM0x, RP0x or RA60 and while all have a good track record they take a bit of care to insure that. I also have a RL02 and in the over 10 years I've only had one bad pack (damaged) and never a head crash. I'd think 15 year old (age of that drive!) 14" removable harddisk technology would be more suspect than modern carts. Oh, that Syquest was used as a field backup for a laptop for nearly a year before I got it. It was retired as the guy finally got a laptop that had more than a 200mb drive. Allison

27 years, 8 months

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modern removable media drives

by franke＠sbs.de

> [Continuing a discussion about modern removable-media disk drives, which > would be off-topic except that we want to use modern drives on old > computers.] I'm using ZIPs on all Macs and some early PCs -> on topic .) >>> On the other hand, I've had nothing but good luck with ZIP drives (which >> I won't use zip drives either. I refuse to use an undocumented device to >> store my data. When somebody produces a service manual and a bit-level >> description of the disk (as I have for all my minicomputer drives) then >> I'll consider it. > You may as well forget about using any modern magnetic disk drives, then. > Service manuals don't exist (or are useless). Descriptions of the low-level > format are only available if the format has been blessed by a standards > committee such as ECMA. I'd love to see an ECMA standard for ZIP disks, but I > doubt that it will happen. > On the other hand, ECMA has published standards for various optical > media, including CD-ROM, PD, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, and +RW. But these are prety tough compared to traditional magnetig medias (and after All, a Zip is just a high class diskette). >>> I think the problems with removable rigid media stem >>> from the lack of any effective measure to keep contamination out of the >>> drive and disk cartridge; they've tried to use Winchester drive technology >>> without understanding its inherent limitations. >> You mean they _don't_ haev the proper air filters? Ouch. High density >> media needs a cleaner environment than the old RK05 units, and those have >> pretty serious filters in them. > Air filters? Ha! They have nothing but a shutter on the cartridge and a door > flap on the drive. Absolute rubbish. It's miraculous that they work even for > a few weeks. Dame has been said on 8" FD: These will be damaged within hours when the head engraves any particle ... But they worked well and all FD technologies thereafter. And on the other hand - in what way poor iomega could gain this amount of money, other than selling cheap tech at monopol prices. Gruss Hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

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FREE DG Nova Stuff

by bruce.a.lane＠boeing.com

I was scanning the web during lunch, and I came across a most interesting entry. Check this out... http://www.hopco.com/surplus/s_free.htm I would assume contact info is on their root site. Enjoy! -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed and statements made in this message reflect my views alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Boeing Company, its management, or its employees. You have now been officially disclaimed. Bruce Lane The Boeing Company, Aircraft & Missile Systems Computing Support KSC West, 18-04.2, Col. G1 ba.lane(a)pss.boeing.com

27 years, 8 months

2
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OT: Flat panel display

by dastar＠ncal.verio.com

Who was looking for flat panel displays a few weeks ago? I found a company called Earth Computer Technologies in Nuts & Volts. Their web page is www.flat-panel.com of all things. 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: 11/02/98]

27 years, 8 months

2
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Daybreak hard drives (was Re: Collectibles for the future)

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 09:10 PM 11/11/98 -0800, you wrote: > Neither Syquest nor Iomega has any clue how to make high-density removable > rigid media work. Assuming that it is even possible, and I'm not convinced I've been using Syquest drives for nearly 10 years now. Started with a 44MB, then a 105MB, Now a SyJet. I've never had a problem with any of them. I only use the SyJet for Backups, but it works flawlessly for that (Carts are too expensive, though). The others I use all the time -- switching them on and off with the carts in and so on. Main problem is that Winoze doesn't handle removable media very well. (Same problem with my external Fixed Drive -- Windows gets ferschimmled when I take the laptop elsewhere.) --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/

27 years, 8 months

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