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

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< Although there are some software complexities, the hardware support need < for the single-supply Flash parts is simply providing a WE signal, just < like for an SRAM (but on a different pin, IIRC). What about 2816 or 2864 EEproms, easier to use than flash, single 5v too same footprint as 2716/6116(2kb) or 2764/6264(8kb). they are fairly cheap too. Like under 6$ from JAMECO or JDR. Allison

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Elf99 - rebirth of a classic

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< I have been in discussion with some folks about 1802's and the possibili < of producing a modern PCB for the Popular Electronicss Elf design. Han < Franke seems to think that there would be some interest in Germany for < a few units, enough to make me consider burning a board. I would be < curious to hear what other list members though about price, features, et < The good news is that Harris still makes the 1802 for less than $10, an < the TIL311 displays that the Elf calls for are available for less than $ < each, used. I'd be interested depending on version. < How authentic should a modern Elf be? Try to use 1822/2101 RAM or use If your building an elf then 2101, if your doing superElf go for 32k 62256. < UART? Add an I/O port? Add nothing to the Quest PCB layout? Remove < nothing? (There was a socket for a 16-pin PROM and room for onboard 780 < regulator as well as optional memory battery backup). The quest layout was the bare minimum elf. No expandability. I have one and expanding it is not appealing. An expandable elf would be of interest to me as I still have one (20 year old) 1802 doing not much. < How much would anyone pay for such a thing? The PCB would probably com < as a double-sided, plated thru-hole fiberglass board to the same dimensi < as the Quest board (I have one to compare it to). It would be in the < neighborhood of $40-$50, depending on how many extras and the order size For the quest board that is expensive for the bare board. < Another question, perhaps more on topic - would this count as a classic < It could be authentic as far as operation is concerned (toggle switches < and 256 bytes of accessible RAM), but it would still be on a modern < board, made recently. In short, does form or function denote "classic" I'd go with replica. < Yes, anyone who wants can still breadboard an 1802 together. It's a < pain. I never would have finished my Elf if I hadn't had the PCB < to stuff. The Elf99 would be a echo of the former classic, but a < fully working one. The base ELF was pretty trivial to build as the parts count was nothing. < Classic clones, anyone? Replicas of classics. Allison

27 years, 8 months

4
5
0 0

Thrift store finds

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

also, mac se models that had the factory hi density drive installed have the FDHD stamped on the front like mine. In a message dated 11/9/98 11:41:21 PM US Eastern Standard Time, Marion.Bates(a)Dartmouth.EDU writes: > Motorola 68000, 8MHz, expandable to 4MB, came with either two floppy drives > or one floppy and one internal hard disk (80MB I think), and at some point > there was an FDHD (Floppy Drive High Density) upgrade available -- SE's that > have had the upgrade and new front case will say "Superdrive" on the front. > Upgraded power supply -- not the same as the analog board in the similarly- > shaped Mac 128/512/Plus. One expansion slot (I don't know what kind, but it > allowed for a video card so you could drive a second display, and a commonly- > found configuration is an SE driving a giant grayscale two-page display). > Introduced in March 1987 and discontinued in October 1990.

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

list host?

by jim＠calico.litterbox.com

If we don't find a list owner at u of washington, I can host the list on my home unix machine. Caviets apply - if the list clobbers me loadwise I'll have to ask it to move again. Can someone give me figures on how many people actually use this list? And for reference, my home unix machine runs continuously on the end of an ISDN link. It's a dx4/100 machine running linux. -- Jim Strickland jim(a)DIESPAMMERSCUMcalico.litterbox.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Vote Meadocrat! Bill and Opus in 2000 - Who ELSE is there? -----------------------------------------------------------------------

27 years, 8 months

3
3
0 0

Interesting finds, may be more....

by museum＠techniche.com

Hi Gang, (I'm pretty sure that the system's discribed below are 10 yrs old) About a week ago I was out in Silicon Valley on business. I used to live out there so whenever I go out I try and hit all the surplus stores. At one place (name follows), I found a couple of interesting items. They had two models of old Panasonic computer. One was a Panasonic (senior?) Executive. This looked like a laptop on steroids. It was way too big for me to get back with me unless I was willing to trade space with some other stuff that I already had. They wanted $30 for it. It might still be there. The other item of interested was a (actually they had 2 on the shelf) beautiful Panasonic senior partner portable. This gem was cherry. It had never been used. For those of you not familiar with it, it has a built in thermal printer. It's about the size of one of the old compaq portables but the case has much smoother lines. It has a leather handle on one end that allows you to carry it in a vertical orientation, similar to the suitcases that the airline stewardess' use. The one I got still had the flimsy plastic protective cover on the leather handle. I also got a pristine roll of thermal paper still in plastic wrap, original manuals and diskettes. I wouldn't be metioning all of this except that as I was purchasing this prize (20 bucks by the way) and trying to find out if there was an original box available, the clerk told me that they about 30 of these still in their original boxes in the warehouse. They had just picked up the whole lot somewhere. So the chances are that they might still have a bunch if anyone is interested. I don't know if they will ship, but you can ask. If they don't then at least the list members who live in the bay area can check them out. If anyone is interested here's the info: Excess Solutions 430 E. Brokaw Road San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 573-7045 For the local guys, this place is located right on Brokaw about a block from the street that Fry's is on (towards 101) and on the same side of Brokaw as Fry's. Good luck. Jon

27 years, 8 months

3
2
0 0

Elf99 - rebirth of a classic

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< Allison Parent resonds: < > If you're building an elf then 2101, if your doing superElf go for 32 < > 62256. < < If I can lay my hands on a quantity of 1822/2101 RAMs, then I agree, < even though they will cost as much as the CPU. The 6264 was a fallback I happen to have a few tubes of both 2101 and 5101(cmos). < In any case, I would decode 7 or 8 upper address bits if I went with that would make expansion easier. < a larger SRAM and allow the user to stick in there what they wanted. < One other suggestion is room for a ROM. I could wire in two or three JE < sockets and let the builder pick what to go in the, one 62256 or a coupl < of 6264's and a 27128, for example. Fair idea... However a base quest elf with a 3x5" area of plated hole on a .1 grid for protoing would be just as useful. < The problem with replicating the SuperElf is the keyboard. I have no < idea where to get that chip from (74941?), nor an inexpensive source That could be hacked with a pal/gal but then is gets hairy. < Me, too. There are a couple ways of implementing expansion, Elf-II comp < and COSMAC VIP compatible. The VIP used those ubiquitous 44-pin cards. I have the drawings, manuals and I think the rom dumps for a VIP. That used a simpler keyboard arrangement. I never had much use for it's video scheme as I wanted minimally 64x16 text as my prefered mode. < I was thinking of extras like an area for the 1861 video, or a 2"x4" < perfboard prototyping area. In any case the Quest design wouldn't < be that expensive in sufficient quantities, but at q. 25, there's < a lot of setup charges to amortize over the small run of the boards. A < least $10 each (~$250 setup / 25 boards). If anyone can direct me < to a board house that will do a 6"x9" board with ~600 holes, three or < four sizes, plated through, with minimal setup charges, I'm all ears. < Unless I get *lots* of interest, I'm only considering a run of 25, < then that's it. I don't want to have 60 or 70 unsold boards hanging < around forever. Can't help on the board house. But the 2x4" proto area is desireable. Not that I'd use it but is the 1861 even available? I don't have any of them nor 1854s. < 40 pin CPU, 2x22 pin RAM, 11 switches, 2x7 pin displays, approx 10 CMOS < DIP parts x 14 or 16 pins, a handful of diodes and resistors... let's < say about 350 point-to-point connections, probably more. I breadboarded Compared to some of the projects I was doing then that was trivial. Try 16k of 2114 (32 of them), 2 2732s, z80, ctc, sio, 765 FDC, plus interface logic all on a s100 card. < The Quest kit was the base ELF plus a ROM socket and space for primary < and secondary power supplies. One suggestion for the Elf replica was < to use a standard 4-pin Molex connector and power it from a discarded < PC power supply. The Quest Elf kit just had two solder pads for 6.3V A < or +5V DC. I ran mine from my VIP regulated +5v supply. I used a stack of AA cells (6 of them and used the regulator), then would run a long time and was portable. Allison

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

NEC Multisync

by jolminkh＠nsw.bigpond.net.au

>I saw an NEC Multisync in a thrift shop today. Looks like a nice >monitor, can do TTL and analog inputs. Could someone tell me what >exactly are the modes that it does? Also, are there any monitors like >this that can also take VGA inputs in addition? If this is the original NEC Multisync it will do anything from MDA to SVGA 800 X 600. The connector is a 9 pin MDA/CGA/EGA type but there is a digital/analogue switch that will allow VGA and SVGA if set that way. To use as a VGA you need an adaptor cable known as a "Multisync" cable which is 9 pin F to 15 pin F. Readily available and about $5 around here. I used to keep a bunch of different monitors around until I found what these can do. Another benefit is that they are usually very cheap because most people think they are only EGA.

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Altair Speculation

by altair8800＠hotmail.com

>From: "Hans Franke" <franke(a)sbs.de> >Maybe, but zero feedback isn't realy a thing to rate - >I did a lot of eBay transactions within the last year >(>20) and have still a feedback of Zero - I don't care. You are right in your assertion that feedback for someone who is a bidder makes little difference. However, for a seller (like myself) it is extremely important. For example, I just had two auctions end tonight in which my bids for both of the items were about double that of what is usually realized on ebay for the same identical items. This happened because I have a perfect feedback profile and that alone results in higher bids. I have seen it time and again. My advice to anyone who wishes to sell repeatedly on eBay is to do whatever it takes to protect your feedback profile. In my case, it means a policy of satisfaction or money refunded (and I have rarely been asked to grant a refund). Bob Wood ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Thrift store finds

by Marion.Bates＠Dartmouth.EDU

--- You wrote: Found a nice Macintosh SE computer at my local Goodwill today... Anyone know anything about the SE series ? Speed, processors, memory ? Phil... --- end of quote --- Motorola 68000, 8MHz, expandable to 4MB, came with either two floppy drives or one floppy and one internal hard disk (80MB I think), and at some point there was an FDHD (Floppy Drive High Density) upgrade available -- SE's that have had the upgrade and new front case will say "Superdrive" on the front. Upgraded power supply -- not the same as the analog board in the similarly-shaped Mac 128/512/Plus. One expansion slot (I don't know what kind, but it allowed for a video card so you could drive a second display, and a commonly-found configuration is an SE driving a giant grayscale two-page display). Introduced in March 1987 and discontinued in October 1990. The SE/30, the only other one in the SE series, had a 68030 running at 16MHz, was expandable to 128MB of RAM, had a math coprocessor, and faster bus speeds. -- MB

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Elf99 - rebirth of a classic

by allisonp＠world.std.com

< but it was a particularly twisted architecture that only a TRW satellit < programmer could love. An aside to all this... The 1802 was a very strange chip. It was by far the crudest and yet the easiest to program all at once. My pet peve is there are holes in the instruction set where a reciprocal instruction would have been nice but wasn't there. It redeeming feature was it was CMOS and the only other CMOS part at that time was the 6100 (PDP-8). What surprized me is that the 1802 (maybe the 05 too?) are still available. The 05 is desireable as it has the hard coded SCRT instuction (more like a procedure!). Allison

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

NEC Multisync

by kaikal＠MICROSOFT.com

There are several Amiga monitors that do TTL+analog with VGA capability, but they require a cable adapter. I seem to recall that the Multisync may actually sync to 15kHz (NTSC). Can anyone say yea/nea on this? Kai -----Original Message----- From: Max Eskin [mailto:maxeskin@hotmail.com] Sent: Monday, November 09, 1998 3:25 PM To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers Subject: NEC Multisync I saw an NEC Multisync in a thrift shop today. Looks like a nice monitor, can do TTL and analog inputs. Could someone tell me what exactly are the modes that it does? Also, are there any monitors like this that can also take VGA inputs in addition? ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

CLASSICCMP endangered?

by geoffrob＠stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au

-----Original Message----- From: Bruce Lane <kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Tuesday, 10 November 1998 13:22 Subject: CLASSICCMP endangered? >To summarize, it looks like we may need a new host! > >-=-=- <snip> -=-=- > >>Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 08:09:13 -0800 (PST) >>From: Rebekah Skiver <bskiver(a)cac.washington.edu> >>To: Bruce Lane <kyrrin(a)bluefeathertech.com> >>Subject: Re: What the...? >> >>Bruce, >> >>The reason the list is closed is because there is essentially no owner. >>The previous owner has left the University of Washington and we are >>in the process of finding a new owner. >>At this time we do not know if the list will be continued or deleted. >So, there you have it. Was anyone else aware of this? News to me, only joined a couple weeks ago. If no-one in the US can do it, and washington.edu don't want to continue, I can host it from here. MX on our VMS box has pretty good mailing list support. Probably be better if a US host could be found though, since most of the traffic is from there. 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)

27 years, 8 months

2
2
0 0

PCJr: The LEAST collectible machine? (Was: FA: Apple Lis

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

>Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998 00:29:33 +0000 (GMT) How does a light pen work? > >> >> Not to change the subject but has anybody ever seen the light pen for >> the PCJr? I've read in the PCJr literature that it was supposed to be >> available but haven't known of anybody having seen or used one. > >Well, there's a light pen port on the back, but I have no other real info on >it. I could find out the pinout if anyone wants to try building one. > >Mind you, there's a light pen connector on the original CGA card. And a >similar one on the MDA card with the right signals. The latter, however, >is known not to work with the 5151 monitor as said CRT has too long a >persistance. > >Again I can find pinouts/signal details. > >I seem to recall there being a circuit for a Tandy 1000 lightpen in >80-micro in about 1986. I suspect that would work with all the above systems. > >-tony > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

iMac AddOn (was: Future Collectibles)

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

>Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 18:51:05 -0600 (CST) Yes, but the iMac isn't an incremental improvement. It is in no way different from the other G3s, except for various annyances (built in monitor, no floppy drive, no SCSI), and USB (I don't like it). I wouldn't say the iMac:Mac::Mac:Lisa, but iMac:Mac::Platinum Mac:Beige Mac. It's an item people want because it looks cool, indeed precisely what Stevie was thinking. And, it's not even translucent! It has a metal case inside the plastic one! In fact, if the list is arond in 10 years, how about the person that's right buys the other an iMac? >> iMac came out. All of the detail to which you refer will be forgotten >> in 15 years. By historic, I mean of the magnitude of the original >> macintosh, or the PC XT, or Apple II, or Altair, or C64, and others. >> These truly changed the face of computing, unlike the iMac. > >Puuhlease! (Is Roger Rabbit still around?) > >What was historic about the Mac? It was a cheaper, better Lisa. A mere >evolutionary improvement over another Apple product (which was just the >commercializtion of one of PARC's concepts). > >The Apple ][ was just an incremental improvement over the Apple 1. > >The Altair was a small incremental improvement over the Mark-8, Scelbi, >etc. > >The C64 was cheap. And the PC (not the PC-XT) was just IBM's badge on a >dull box. > >This should teach you two things: don't underestimate small incremental >improvements and/or "panache", and don't be a revolutionary (nobody will >remember you). > >-- Doug > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Elf99 - rebirth of a classic

by dogas＠leading.net

Ethan. Please sign me up for one. Thanks - Mike: dogas(a)leading.net It may be interesting to deliver this in a some-assembly-required fashion similar to the kits of past.... They're are new generations of people that missed that era of soder-blazing joy.

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

NEC Multisync

by dburrows＠netpath.net

15.5kHz to 35 kHz automatically 56 to 62 Hz vertical manually, non-interlace Compatible with IBM Professional Graphics Adapter,EGA, CGA and other IBM compatible graphics adapters. Max Horiz. 800 dots and Max Vert 560 lines. TTL and Analog inputs. Analog mode has an unlimited palette of colors. Text switch selects choice of 7 colors of text. 14 inch diagonal with 13 inch viewing area. I tried to summarize for simplicity and time. Let me know if you need more. I used the one I had for many years and it was very reliable. Dan -----Original Message----- From: Max Eskin <maxeskin(a)hotmail.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, November 09, 1998 7:49 PM Subject: Re: NEC Multisync Yes, what modes does the manual say it can do? > >It is one of the first Multisync monitors made. EGA I may still have the >docs on the on I bought new when they came out if there is anything in >particular you want to know about it. >Dan Burrows >dburrows(a)netpath.net > >-----Original Message----- >From: Max Eskin <maxeskin(a)hotmail.com> >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >Date: Monday, November 09, 1998 6:34 PM >Subject: NEC Multisync > > >I saw an NEC Multisync in a thrift shop today. Looks like a nice >monitor, can do TTL and analog inputs. Could someone tell me what >exactly are the modes that it does? Also, are there any monitors like >this that can also take VGA inputs in addition? > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

HP desktop 125

by cdrmool＠interlog.com

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Sun mouse pad Re: need some parts

by pete＠dunnington.u-net.com

On Nov 9, 11:36, Grant Mitchell wrote: > Subject: Re: Sun mouse pad Re: need some parts > > A friend at a placed I used to work showed me a postscript file > he had downloaded from somewhere for printing your own > optical mouse mats for a Sun (his had a bad scratch accross > it). As a temporary stopgap it _might_ work (need a colour printer > though!). No you don't -- just a print that is red/IR-absorbent (the two LEDs in optical mice are IR and red). We've used laser-printed sheets as an expediency measure a few times. There's no fancy pattern, either, it's just horizontal and vertical lines in a regular grid. -- Pete Peter Turnbull Dept. of Computer Science University of York

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

Elf99 - rebirth of a classic

by KFergason＠aol.com

I would be interested in the boards. The Elf 2 got me interested in computing, even though I never had one. I devoured that 1978 edition of Popular Electronics projects. It finally fell apart, but I think I still have some of the pieces of it. Kelly

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Elf99 - rebirth of a classic

by franke＠sbs.de

> I have been in discussion with some folks about 1802's and the possibility > of producing a modern PCB for the Popular Electronicss Elf design. Hans > Franke seems to think that there would be some interest in Germany for > a few units, enough to make me consider burning a board. I realy would like to play with such a beast :) > I would be > curious to hear what other list members though about price, features, etc. > The good news is that Harris still makes the 1802 for less than $10, and > the TIL311 displays that the Elf calls for are available for less than $10 > each, used. > How authentic should a modern Elf be? Try to use 1822/2101 RAM or use > cheaper 6264 SRAM chips? Add space for an optional 1861 video chip, > a-la the fourth part of the orginal Elf article? Add space for a 1854 > UART? Add an I/O port? Add nothing to the Quest PCB layout? Remove > nothing? (There was a socket for a 16-pin PROM and room for onboard 7805 > regulator as well as optional memory battery backup). To add my opinion, I would just go for the minimal design, with spare for all parts, maybe with a spare for the video, althroug I think this one is no longer available, and we would need more than just the chip. Futher I would add a two sockets for two to 32 K RAM/EPROM and some logic to mirror the EPROM to address 0 after reset (selectable per switch). Eventualy also spares for additional 1852s. > Another question, perhaps more on topic - would this count as a classic? > It could be authentic as far as operation is concerned (toggle switches > and 256 bytes of accessible RAM), but it would still be on a modern > board, made recently. In short, does form or function denote "classic"? It's not a classic, but rather a replica. And in difference of Mercedes SSK look alikes on FORD or GM chasis the main parts (CPU, RAM, Display) would be genuine. Servus hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

Light pen?? (sort of on/sort of off-topic)

by roblwill＠usaor.net

Hi! I have an old Tandy 1000 (no suffix) that has a port on the back that looks like a serial port, but is plastic, and says "light pen" (I know it's not a serial port). I also have a lightpen/barcode scanner thing (like the kind they use in RadioShack on the cash registers). Will this work with the Tandy? If it won't: Is there any type of barcode reader software that I can download somewhere? (this is the off-topic part) It does not have to run on the Tandy. ThAnX, -- -Jason Willgruber (roblwill(a)usaor.net) ICQ#: 1730318 <http://members.tripod.com/general_1>

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

NEC Multisync

by dburrows＠netpath.net

It is one of the first Multisync monitors made. EGA I may still have the docs on the on I bought new when they came out if there is anything in particular you want to know about it. Dan Burrows dburrows(a)netpath.net -----Original Message----- From: Max Eskin <maxeskin(a)hotmail.com> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, November 09, 1998 6:34 PM Subject: NEC Multisync I saw an NEC Multisync in a thrift shop today. Looks like a nice monitor, can do TTL and analog inputs. Could someone tell me what exactly are the modes that it does? Also, are there any monitors like this that can also take VGA inputs in addition? ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

3
2
0 0

Docs posted today

by rcini＠email.msn.com

Hello, all: Here's today's postings to http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/ - data sheet: 6545-1 CRTC - R6500 Programming Manual, part 1 Rich Cini/WUGNET - ClubWin!/CW7 - MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking - Collector of "classic" computers <========= reply separator ==========>

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

NEC Multisync

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

Yes, what modes does the manual say it can do? > >It is one of the first Multisync monitors made. EGA I may still have the >docs on the on I bought new when they came out if there is anything in >particular you want to know about it. >Dan Burrows >dburrows(a)netpath.net > >-----Original Message----- >From: Max Eskin <maxeskin(a)hotmail.com> >To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers ><classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> >Date: Monday, November 09, 1998 6:34 PM >Subject: NEC Multisync > > >I saw an NEC Multisync in a thrift shop today. Looks like a nice >monitor, can do TTL and analog inputs. Could someone tell me what >exactly are the modes that it does? Also, are there any monitors like >this that can also take VGA inputs in addition? > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

NEC Multisync

by paulk＠microsoft.com

> I seem to recall that the Multisync may actually sync to 15kHz (NTSC). > Can > anyone say yea/nea on this? Older ones do. I know the 2D does, for instance -- I have used one on an Apple //gs with a hacked-up adapter. However, I don't think modern ones, 4- and 5- series, will sync down that far. > Kai Paul Kearns paulk(a)microsoft.com

27 years, 8 months

4
3
0 0

PCJr: The LEAST collectible machine? (Was: FA: Apple Lis

by Marty＠itgonline.com

Not to change the subject but has anybody ever seen the light pen for the PCJr? I've read in the PCJr literature that it was supposed to be available but haven't known of anybody having seen or used one. Thanks, Marty ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: PCJr: The LEAST collectible machine? (Was: FA: Apple Lisa an Author: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu at internet Date: 11/9/98 4:51 PM > Anyone looking for a color display for a PCjr before it goes on ebay? I've posted > it before for the $35 I bought it for but either everyone has one, no one needs > one, or they think it's $34 too much for them <G> Perhaps you'd like to trade the monitor without PCJr for a PCJr without monitor? -- Fred Cisin cisin(a)xenosoft.com XenoSoft http://www.xenosoft.com 2210 Sixth St. (510) 644-9366 Berkeley, CA 94710-2219 ------ Message Header Follows ------ Received: from lists2.u.washington.edu by smtp.itgonline.com (PostalUnion/SMTP(tm) v2.1.9i(b5) for Windows NT(tm)) id AA-1998Nov09.165152.1767.76489; Mon, 09 Nov 1998 16:51:52 -0500 Received: from host (lists.u.washington.edu [140.142.56.13]) by lists2.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW98.06) with SMTP id NAA18454; Mon, 9 Nov 1998 13:49:26 -0800 Received: from mxu1.u.washington.edu (mxu1.u.washington.edu [140.142.32.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW98.06) with ESMTP id NAA12276 for <classiccmp(a)lists.u.washington.edu>; Mon, 9 Nov 1998 13:49:21 -0800 Received: from lanshark.lanminds.com (lanshark-fas1.lanminds.com [208.25.68.5]) by mxu1.u.washington.edu (8.9.1+UW98.09/8.9.1+UW98.09) with ESMTP id NAA25 408 for <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>; Mon, 9 Nov 1998 13:49:20 -0800 Received: from lana (lana [140.174.208.211]) by lanshark.lanminds.com (8.8.7/8.8.6) with SMTP id NAA06004 for <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>; Mon, 9 Nov 1998 13:49:19 -0800 (PST) Message-Id: <Pine.SOL.3.91.981109134602.3483C-100000@lana> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 13:49:19 -0800 (PST) Reply-To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Sender: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu Precedence: bulk From: "Fred Cisin (XenoSoft)" <cisin(a)xenosoft.com> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: PCJr: The LEAST collectible machine? (Was: FA: Apple Lisa and App In-Reply-To: <363B93B9.2231901B(a)bigfoot.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII X-Sender: cisin@lana X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 beta -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

27 years, 8 months

3
2
0 0

iMac AddOn (was: Future Collectibles)

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

That's true here as well. This iMac-flavored superdrive may end up being a nice collector's item. Of course, since the iMac has little historical significance, I doubt it will be remembered any better than many other machines. It seems hard for me to imagine the iMac or any other technologically vanilla modern computer will ever end up in a museum. Then again, I probably haven't lived long enough :) >Apple (or to be correct all Apple dealers) in Germany are >ofering th iMac in some kind of bundle with a Superdrive >external USB disk drive, able to read/reite 1.44M and 120M >disks. I don't think there will ever be an included floppy, >maybe a CD-RW or similar, but no floppy. > >Gruss >hasn > >-- >Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut >HRK ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

NEC Multisync

by maxeskin＠hotmail.com

I saw an NEC Multisync in a thrift shop today. Looks like a nice monitor, can do TTL and analog inputs. Could someone tell me what exactly are the modes that it does? Also, are there any monitors like this that can also take VGA inputs in addition? ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Board identification & Console panel

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>Just got a number of HP and Dec boards in and a console panel >of a DECDATASYSTEM 570, missing the key and one turnknob The key is an ACE XX2247, just like all the other DEC consoles of the era, and any quarter-inch setscrew-type knob will replace the missing one. >(what's this machine anyway???) The "DECDATASYSTEM 570" is a PDP-11/70 packaged in a dual-wide highboy cabinet, blue trim. >Unfortunately the frame to mount it in a rack is missing. Anybody >have a spare one left over? The "frame to mount it in a rack" is the 11/70 CPU chassis, weighing a few hundred pounds without the power supply :-). >There were also 2 boards I cannot place, one is an L0016 board, 64K Memory control for a VAX 11/750. >the other one is marked 'Unibus Serial Console'. Does it have a M-number on the handle? -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

XPOST: Adoptables and fairly cheapo machines available - NC

by rhblake＠bigfoot.com

This is a new post on the Obsolete Computer Helpline that I thought someone may have an interest in. Write to Mike Smith, not me, on these items. ------------------------------ Michael M. Smith <snuggemsnospam(a)nospam.bearwolf.com> Cary, NC USA - Tuesday, November 10, 1998 at 10:44:04 (Remove the nospams when you reply) It's time to clean house. I have numerous machines that need to find homes, for reasonable prices. How reasonable? Make an offer. Not interested in making any money off these, as most were given to me or purchased for a small fee that I've gotten my money's worth out of >from tinkering. 1. A TI-99/4A computer with speech synth, power adapter, RF adapter, cassette program recorder with cables, many software packages with most in original boxes (The software, not the machine) Its the black and chrome model, and everything works perfectly. Oh, and it has the joysticks with it too. Not sure how well they work. 2. Kaypro 1 luggable. Powers up and tries to boot, but no system disk available. See TRS-80 entry, its disks might work. 3. Kaypro 4 luggable. Same as above. 4. Atari 5200 game system. Trackball controller, Atari 2600 adapter, three 5200 joysticks, one 2600-compatible joystick, several cartridges. Trackball and joysticks could use some cleaning, can't get them all to work right. 5. TRS-80 Model 4. Manuals, disks, extra programming books, even a copy of Zaxxon...Looks awful in b&w though. The B drive is a little flaky, might need cleaning, might need more. It has TRS-DOS and CP/M 2.2 so these disks might work with the Kaypros mentioned above. 6. Atari 800XL with two 1050 disk drives, the 410 tape recorder, and a "Big Blue" thermal roll printer. Several manuals and disks and cartridges. Not in the best of shape, is quite dirty. One of the 1050 drives is in its original packaging. Not sure if this works. Interested adopters need to be in the RTP area of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel-Hill) as I am not willing to ship these items. Any questions regarding specific cartridges may be addressed to me. Thanks, and help me get rid of this clutter! Some really interesting items for a computer museum. I also have an IBM PS/2 model 35sx with 16MB of RAM and a 420MB IDE hard drive (It's an IDE and ISA model) that I might let out for adoption too, but will have to ask $30 to recoup the cost of the RAM and the harddrive I put in it. Thanks again! Mike

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

FA: Apple Lisa and Apple IIC LCD Display

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

at the risk of being a smartass, id think that some of the people here would've appreciated an offer on this list first rather than going to ebay and then announcing it to us all.. that would have been an even better opportunity. In a message dated 11/1/98 4:23:33 PM US Eastern Standard Time, gmast(a)polymail.cpunix.calpoly.edu writes: > I think this system will go for a good price. It will sell regardless. > If this post offends anyone, I apologize but I know some people here > might want one of these for their collection and this might be a good > opportunity.

27 years, 8 months

5
4
0 0

Another resource for older systems

by dburrows＠netpath.net

I stumbled on this site a while back and a few on the list may be interested. Postings of want to buy and sell of "classic" type systems. I have not had any response from the post I put there several months back - Looking for DEC equipment but others may have better luck. http://www.xs4all.nl/~rimmer/guest.htm Dan Burrows dburrows(a)netpath.net

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

Board identification & Console panel

by wanderer＠bos.nl

Hello All, Just got a number of HP and Dec boards in and a console panel of a DECDATASYSTEM 570, missing the key and one turnknob (what's this machine anyway???) Unfortunately the frame to mount it in a rack is missing. Anybody have a spare one left over? There were also 2 boards I cannot place, one is an L0016 board, the other one is marked 'Unibus Serial Console'. Does this card belong to the console panel mentioned earlier? Thanks, Ed -- The Wanderer | Geloof nooit een politicus! wanderer(a)bos.nl | Europarlementariers: http://www.bos.nl/homes/wanderer | zakkenvullers en dumpplaats voor Unix Lives! windows95 is rommel! | mislukte politici. '96 GSXR 1100R | See http://www.bos.nl/homes/wanderer/gates.html for a funny pic. of Gates!

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Collectable PCs

by Innfogra＠aol.com

In a message dated 11/9/98 8:37:45 AM Pacific Standard Time, Marty(a)itgonline.com writes: << Does your Columbia list it as having been made in Columbia, Maryland? I believe their early pc's were made in Columbia, Maryland, later they moved to Florida. >> I will look. I didn't know that. Thanks for the info. i will let you know when I find out. Paxton

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

Saved Altair 4K BASIC

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>> Curious what the copyright situation on BASIC (or related >> products) is? Certainly Gate's hasn't released it into >> public domain. >No, and he got pretty upset about people redistributing it without >authorization. But that was a few years ago; maybe he's mellowed out >by now. :-) It may depend on whether he thinks he's out of his "Bitter financial suffering" phase or not. To quote Calvin N. Moores, BYTE 1976:13 p.22.: Bill Gates, in his "Open Letter to Hobbyists" mentioned earlier, tells of his sad experience. According to Bill, he and two associates produced the Altair BASIC, investing three man years and burning up $40,000 in computer time. It was to be sold on commision through MITS for use with Altair computers. Gates now finds that many of the "users" he talks to praise his BASIC very highly, but few of them can admit they bought the copy they use. He is bitter, and says that the return for his group was less than $2 an hour for the great amount of time they put into the programming, debugging, and documentation required to make a first class package. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Deja Vu Again (was Re: Hayes S100 modem

by franke＠sbs.de

>> Anybody care to hazard guesses at what products are actually being >> manufactured now, that you'd want to have in your classic computer >> collection ten years from now? > Manufactured now? It's not like each year produces collectibles, but here > are some current and recent collectibles that you'll wish you had bought: > 4) clear pilot Huh ? never heared of. Gruss Hans (And add the REX) -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

Acorn BBC Micros

by JRichardson＠softwright.co.uk

> >> Of course few people exploit teletext to its full. It's sent as ASCII >> data (with in-line attribute characters for setting colours, etc) in the >> vertical blanking interval. This means that it's possible to connect a >> teletext decoder chip up to a computer, store/analyse/print the info, >> etc. But few people have tried that. There was a teletext decoder box for >> the BBC micro (to tie in the start of this thread), and there were even >> plans to distribute BASIC programs for that machine on some teletext pages. Hmm, I have the teletext decoder for the BBC somewhere, but no software to run it. I expect it's in working order (the ROMs were missing when I got it, but I managed to create copies from another box). Interestingly, we used to get teletext sent over the same network that connected all the computer equipment when I was at university - instead of logging in to the computer network you could use a standard comms program / terminal emulator to connect to the teletext system. It got turned off though whilst I was there - I heard a rumour that it was a commercial service for which the university were supposed to pay, but they had been using it for years before they found out! :) >> To keep this on the topic of the thread, I *am* interested in getting a >>BBC. >> I guess I'd need a PAL monitor and a 220-volt, 50-hz power supply to run it I used to know someone with a US spec BBC; I seem to remember that the power supply was different (the whole layout was slightly different inside) but would switch to UK mains rates. I also think that there was a jumper (or more than one) on the system board that would at least change scan rates for the video connectors, but not the modulator. My memory's really fuzzy on this one, I could probably contact the guy who had the machine if you really need it, but BBC's were *very* flexible in what they could do and what could be modified easily. I missed the original post, but if it was a UK reader and they just wanted a BBC machine then they'd be better off contacting a few local schools, who are bound to have a few lurking around unused in cupboards. cheers Jules >

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

OT: General power supply question

by dastar＠ncal.verio.com

Time for an Electronics for Dummies question... If I have a center negative power supply (the diagram shows that the negative is in the center of the connector) does that mean the center of the connector on the device to be powered should be connected to the ground plane? 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

3
2
0 0

apple software

by CharlesII＠nwonline.net

Dose anyone know where I can find Apple IIe software on the web?

27 years, 8 months

4
3
0 0

Collectibles for the future

by CLASSICCMP＠trailing-edge.com

>I couldn't get a Lisa for under $2000 They're going for that much now? I remember a few years back when Sun Remarketing was selling them for a few hundred dollars... > but I could find a D-machine for less than a tenth >of that. >Fortunately, I don't care about machines being 'collectable'. I just like >interesting machines to repair and investigate. Despite the worries that many people here have of all interesting computers getting priced into the stratosphere, I think there will always be interesting and historically significant computers that will be within easy [financial] reach (or a dumpster dive.) Tim.

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

iMac AddOn (was: Future Collectibles)

by franke＠sbs.de

>>> Yes the iMac will be collectable because it is taking a lot of new >>> people into the land of computerdom. It is a revolutionary device, the >> Apple used that trick before. It was called the Macintosh. > I think the parallel is with the Lisa. The Lisa had expansion slots. > iMac owners will bitch about the > lack of floppy, so Apple will make an iMac 2 with built-in floppy drive > and offer a free upgrade to existing iMac owners... and a new collectible > is born. Apple (or to be correct all Apple dealers) in Germany are ofering th iMac in some kind of bundle with a Superdrive external USB disk drive, able to read/reite 1.44M and 120M disks. I don't think there will ever be an included floppy, maybe a CD-RW or similar, but no floppy. Gruss hasn -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Future Collectables

by franke＠sbs.de

> Good day all, I have been following this thread and would like to add > another item from the late 70's. Have any of you heard of the Digital Group > computers? I have a few examples of this line which was developed as a true > hobbyst machine. I know its shortcommings just like many of the other early > machines. I also can tell some rather amusing stories about this machine. > Bill Risch PLEASE do so - I just aquired a Digital Group Z80 at VCF this year (still many thanks, Chuck) and I'm eager to get more information. Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Altair Speculation

by franke＠sbs.de

>> The latest victim paid $4060 for a mere "turnkey" (no blinkenlights): >> http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=39333791 > If you take a look at the bidding, you will see only four people bid on it, > with two of them having zero feedback ratings. Sounds like the best > advertising strategy for ebay is to simply say something is *very* rare. Maybe, but zero feedback isn't realy a thing to rate - I did a lot of eBay transactions within the last year (>20) and have still a feedback of Zero - I don't care. Gruss hans -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Future Collectables

by franke＠sbs.de

> Any collector will tell you that a lot depends on rareity. An item produced in > the millions is less valuable than one produced in the thousands. Prototypes > of popular machines will be very valuable. Machines that bombed in the market > will be valuable. Accessories and documentation that disapears readilly will > be valuable. Just depending. Even #1 all time sales items can be more valuabel than a lot rarer and more interesting speciemen of the same time - just think about the VW (Beatle), a car built in more units than almost any other car in the world, build over a timeline longer than most oter car (especialy longer than all other mass market car) but he outclasses all compareable cars when it comes to the $$$ peaople are ready to pay to get one. A bit like the APPLE II - maybe in 10 years they will be like a Kaefer. Or take the Altair a computer clearly never realy too be considered rare but the prices just outrun any other old computer (only the Apple 1 will perform higher, but it is also a lot more rare). > Yes the iMac will be collectable because it is taking a lot of new people into > the land of computerdom. It is a revolutionary device, the thought of > unpacking it from the box, plugging it in and going to work is very attractive > to new computer users. The only new thing is a brute marketing. No new idea at all. Wasn't the Mac itself the same thing ? And unpack'n'go is not new at all. Even in the x86-PC world a lot of ready to use machines are available. Nobody is willing to try something real new (Or do I just see it to pesimistic?). (OT: I guess the usual iMac owner would also like to drive a new beatle :) > How many computers of today will survive when crashes > become totally unacceptable. iMac still crashes like any other Mac ... > It will be 20 years though, before it gains value > as a collectable. Any limited edition iMac that Apple may make will be > collectable. This is going to be the first computer for millions of people. Possible - but still the PC is leading also here. For every new iMac first time computer user a dozend of PC ones grew up. I just remember having heard all this once upon a past timeline... Gruss H. (OT2: I belive Apple had the strange luck to define three times a new world: - the Apple II as a modular expandable all in one Computer, - the Mac as ready to use consumer GUI system, - and the Newton as first usable and real 'pad' orientated pen device. And they did screw it up all tree times. - killed the II with every way they could - avoided at any cost placing the Mac als general consumer product - and stoped the Newton just when it was finaly ready to use. eventualy this will make all Apple products it on topic again) -- Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut HRK

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

487 and Marketing Breakthroughs (was Re: 486DX/SX (was:

by Marty＠itgonline.com

When customers used to ask me to explain the difference between a SX and DX processor, I'd give the standard spiel (386SX is basically a souped up 286 with same data path using 32 bit addressing, 486SX is a coprocessor neutered DX) then tell them the easy way to remember is that DX stands for DELUXE, SX stands for SUCKS. Well, it works for me..... Marty ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: 487 and Marketing Breakthroughs (was Re: 486DX/SX (was: Re: Author: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu at internet Date: 11/7/98 1:07 AM "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com> wrote: > As for a Math CoPro for the 486, I'm not sure I ever saw a 487 chip, but I > always figured that they took the chips that didn't cut it as a normal > processor but had a good Math CoPro, and sold them as 487's. No. The 487 is a *fully* functional 486DX, and it has to be, because when you plug it into a 487 socket it disables your 486SX completely and takes over. The 487 is NOT a "math coprocessor". It's a "Marketing Breakthrough" (*), or so they had hoped. The made the pinouts of the 486 and 487 slightly different, so that you couldn't take out your old 486SX and simply install the 487 in its place, which would leave you with a spare 486SX to give to a friend, i.e., less sales of new chips for Intel. Part of the reason it didn't work out in practice is that 486DX chips were generally available for less money than the expensive retail-box 487. Cheers, Eric (*) If you're not familiar with the concept of a Marketing Breakthrough, see this advertisement which appeared in newspapers nationally a few years ago: http://www.milk.com/wall-o-shame/dish.html Note that every statement in the advertisement is literally true; they even utilize italics to emphasize the fact that the product is nothing special. I didn't buy their antenna, but I offered to pay them up to $20 for a large poster of the advertisement. Unfortunately they never replied. ------ Message Header Follows ------ Received: from lists5.u.washington.edu by smtp.itgonline.com (PostalUnion/SMTP(tm) v2.1.9i(b5) for Windows NT(tm)) id AA-1998Nov07.010745.1767.76113; Sat, 07 Nov 1998 01:07:45 -0500 Received: from host (lists.u.washington.edu [140.142.56.13]) by lists5.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW98.06) with SMTP id WAA13734; Fri, 6 Nov 1998 22:05:39 -0800 Received: from mxu4.u.washington.edu (mxu4.u.washington.edu [140.142.33.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW98.06) with ESMTP id WAA44546 for <classiccmp(a)lists.u.washington.edu>; Fri, 6 Nov 1998 22:04:11 -0800 Received: from brouhaha.com (ruckus.brouhaha.com [209.185.79.17]) by mxu4.u.washington.edu (8.9.1+UW98.09/8.9.1+UW98.09) with SMTP id WAA283 32 for <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>; Fri, 6 Nov 1998 22:04:11 -0800 Received: (qmail 517 invoked by uid 342); 7 Nov 1998 06:04:21 -0000 Message-Id: <19981107060421.516.qmail(a)brouhaha.com> Date: 7 Nov 1998 06:04:21 -0000 Reply-To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Sender: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu Precedence: bulk From: Eric Smith <eric(a)brouhaha.com> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: 487 and Marketing Breakthroughs (was Re: 486DX/SX (was: Re: Classic != IBM AT)) In-Reply-To: <v0401170bb2696bd1e812(a)[192.168.1.2]> (healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com) References: <v0401170bb2696bd1e812(a)[192.168.1.2]> X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 beta -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Cauzin

by jfoust＠threedee.com

At 10:39 AM 11/7/98 -0500, cswiger wrote: > >'Byte's early years were fun for hardware hackers - I wonder if >anybody actually got their 'barcode' software publishing scheme >to work. They had a few issues with pages of barcodes you were >supposedly able to read in with a wand. It's spelled "Cauzin". Back in 1996 I e-bumped into Dick Balaska <dick(a)buckosoft.com> <http://www.buckosoft.com/~dick/resume.html>, one of the engineers who worked at Cauzin. Below are several messages from earlier in 1998 about this topic, and a related technology. Anyone want to make a jillion dollars? Re-typing URLs is a pain. OCR is a pain and impractical for small bits of text. Reciting addresses is a pain. I think we need a pen- or credit-card-sized device that can read barcodes. While I'm reading a magazine, I see a URL I want to visit later. I scan the barcode. Later, I transmit my pen's contents to my PC, maybe via IrDA. It's scalable from give-away keychains to smarter devices, it's embeddable. Make a PostScript font with the barcode. Allow one-to- one ASCII-to-barcode, upsell software to checksum it or auto-inject barcode text in any app's documents. Make a modem-like variation that can emit a few hundred bytes of info while held to the mouthpiece of a phone, as well as receive a few hundred bytes when held to the earpiece. Presto, a way to transmit your name and address to someone else. Sell the $100 thermal-label-printer version to corporate America. - John >To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu >From: John Foust <jfoust(a)threedee.com> >Subject: Re: [getting old punched cards read] > >Here's another twist in the archive problem, related to our previous >discussion: <http://www.paperdisk.com/> makes software that prints >data in a highly compressed form on paper. It looks like they're >getting 2 to 4 megs of data per 8.5x11 page, printed with a laser >printer, and retrievable with a scanner. > >If tapes and CDs aren't reliable, perhaps paper is better. (Search >www.dejanews.com for "Dead Media Working Note paperdisk" to see a >longer article about this.) However, I'd say that laser-printed >output has its own archival problems related to the properties of >toner plastic, in that it can re-melt or stick to adjacent pages, >and that it's sensitive to vapors from out-gassing plastics >such as those in binders. > >Cauzin SoftStrips for the 90s and beyond! I have some friends who once >worked for a Wisconsin company that had a similar gizmo that worked with >a record-player-like device. > >- John >Jefferson Computer Museum <http://www.threedee.com/jcm> > Below is a description of the "paper floppy disk" as given by an old friend of mine, Dennis Adams <DAdams(a)etcconnect.com>, who once worked on this technology. - John The "Paper Floppy Disk" Newslog International (aka Lab1) developed technology for recording up to 30-50K of data on a printed piece of cardstock approximately 6" x 4". The data was recorded with error detection and correction information (Reed-Soloman, I believe), as well as redundant groups, so it could withstand misprints, marks, holes, and other flaws. This was all pre-CD, and the cost was very cheap. One of the names for them was TDB's for Transportable Databases. They were intended for software distribution, database updates, games on the back of cereal boxes, etc. Each track was a portion of a circle (about 1/10 of the circumference). The reader had a large (approx. 14") spinning wheel, and supported variable track pitch and data bits per inch (so different quality paper and printing processes could be supported), and could track media that was not cut square by skewing the tray that held the media (since there was no physical or optical "center" on the media -- it had a virtual movable "hole" to spin on). It used a Z80 microprocessor (running extremely tweaked assembly language by Al Jewer) and interfaced to a computer via "high-speed" RS-232 (9600 bps). I did demo software on a variety of hosts, including the Storm operating system (multi-user CP/M OS by Ron Fowler, also the author of the popular MEX communications software), Commodore 64, and IBM-PC XT. We had a Coleco Adam computer that we briefly considered writing something for, but it never stayed running long enough to evaluate. We did a multi-month trial of a large database update for a large company based in Moline. We sent out three months of updates to a 13M database. Each update was a half-dozen or so cards that could be scanned in any order and then the update was applied to the database. This was run at three dealerships that could retrieve up-to-date database information much faster than their microfiche system which was always out-of-date. It also displayed additional textual information that was on other microfiche or books and not usually referenced. This was circa 1985, and was quite impressive to the people who used it. So much so that the actual media technology took a back seat to the database system itself (an interesting lesson to be learned there). Newslog / Lab1 ran out of money before the technology could be completely finished and sold or marketed. Not that they didn't try. I learned a lot about "demos" and "demospeak" while I worked there. I still have some media around, but alas no reader. I'm willing to bet it could be read by a modern high-res scanner. An energetic soul could probably even write a reader emulator that fed the bits that it peeled radially from the high-res scan into the actual Z80 reader code to decode it. The best anecdote I recall regarding the technology was in the "camera" software that generated the film original used for duplication: the base unit of measurement was derived from the bits-per-track and camera wheel speed and other factors I've forgotten. All of the internal calculations were based on this "tick", which varied in actual length, but was approximately 1mS. The camera system's author was Bill Whitford, and the unit of measurement henceforth became known as a "willisecond." Bill's code ran on a much larger processor with a lot of memory (I think it might have been a 4Mhz Z80 with 64K of memory), so he development in C.

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Collectable PCs

by Marty＠itgonline.com

Does your Columbia list it as having been made in Columbia, Maryland? I believe their early pc's were made in Columbia, Maryland, later they moved to Florida. Marty ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Collectable PCs Author: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu at internet Date: 11/8/98 5:58 PM Earlier there was a discussion of what PC stuff might be collectable and valuable. The other day I ran across an original Columbia PC. This one is a good collectable. It was as it came from the factory with the original Floppy and Hard drive. It also had the original keyboard with it. It was very clean and had not been abused. It worked. In my 1983 Bytes they were asking $5000 for it. I paid $6 at goodwill with the intention of putting it on ebay just to see what it will bring. I am retireing from collecting but if I were going top sit on a piece of equipment this would be a good example. My reasons in order of priority: 1) first popular clone, 2) all the original -parts (including screws), 3) Clean with no scratches, the type on the keyboard showed no wear, 4) Works (not essential - i bought it without testing it - $6 is not a great gamble), 5) Rareity - Most of these go directly to scrap and have for years. However it will be many more years before it is truly valuable, but I bet it will be! Paxton ------ Message Header Follows ------ Received: from lists4.u.washington.edu by smtp.itgonline.com (PostalUnion/SMTP(tm) v2.1.9i(b5) for Windows NT(tm)) id AA-1998Nov08.175845.1767.76263; Sun, 08 Nov 1998 17:58:48 -0500 Received: from host (lists.u.washington.edu [140.142.56.13]) by lists4.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW98.06) with SMTP id OAA15250; Sun, 8 Nov 1998 14:56:34 -0800 Received: from mxu4.u.washington.edu (mxu4.u.washington.edu [140.142.33.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW98.06) with ESMTP id OAA52802 for <classiccmp(a)lists.u.washington.edu>; Sun, 8 Nov 1998 14:56:25 -0800 Received: from imo26.mx.aol.com (imo26.mx.aol.com [198.81.17.70]) by mxu4.u.washington.edu (8.9.1+UW98.09/8.9.1+UW98.09) with ESMTP id OAA12 625 for <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>; Sun, 8 Nov 1998 14:56:24 -0800 Received: from Innfogra(a)aol.com by imo26.mx.aol.com (IMOv16.10) id JYRTa02301 for <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>; Sun, 8 Nov 1998 17:56:07 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <eee98475.36462187(a)aol.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 17:56:07 EST Reply-To: classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu Sender: CLASSICCMP-owner(a)u.washington.edu Precedence: bulk From: Innfogra(a)aol.com To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: Collectable PCs Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 beta -- ListProcessor(tm) by CREN

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Amiga 2500 Manual??

by danjo＠xnet.com

Any one have a Amiga 2500 Manual? My Sis needs it. She has Workbench 1.3??? Any one know either online sources or hardcopy?? Now she is talking about AREX??? I hate the Telephone 8-) BC

27 years, 8 months

4
3
0 0

OT: General power supply question

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

At 03:44 AM 11/9/98 -0800, you wrote: > >Time for an Electronics for Dummies question... > >If I have a center negative power supply (the diagram shows that the >negative is in the center of the connector) does that mean the center of >the connector on the device to be powered should be connected to the >ground plane? > Not necessarialy. It could be grounded or it could be floating. But as long as the connector supplies power and the return path (two wires supplying + and -), you should be able too leave it disconnected from ground with no problem. Circuits are grounded for two reasons; (1) to provide a power return path through the chassis and saving the cost of a wire or (2) for safety reasons. Reason 1 is a poor practice since chassis grounds aren't very reliable and cause galvanic corrosion. Reason 2 is generally only required in high voltage (> 100 Volts) crcuits. Joe

27 years, 8 months

1
0
0 0

Sun mouse pad Re: need some parts

by grant＠anachronism.sol.co.uk

A friend at a placed I used to work showed me a postscript file he had downloaded from somewhere for printing your own optical mouse mats for a Sun (his had a bad scratch accross it). As a temporary stopgap it _might_ work (need a colour printer though!). Dunno where he downloaded from though, but contact your friendly neighbourhood seaqrch engine!

27 years, 8 months

2
1
0 0

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

test-drb