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

by Zeus334＠aol.com

Very simply, I have a two year old wintel desktop, which does indeed have ISA slots, and runs Win95. I tried to install an ARCNet card, and I couldn't correctly configure all of the stuff (IRQ, RAM, DMA, etc.), though I had the dip switch information. What I have is a half-length CMD card. Since I couldn't configure it, I gave up. But, if anyone has any hints.... In a message dated 97-12-08 23:35:01 EST, you write: << Captain Napalm wrote: > > It was thus said that the Great Zeus334 once stated: > > > > I don't have access to network cards (except maybe ARCNet, which I couldn't > > run on my P*****), and I was wondering if there is a way to have a transparent > > null modem-based network. IE, could I connect two computers with a null modem, > > and then change to the other computer's drive by typing x: (or mount > > /dev/hdxxx, or whatever). > > > Why can't you run ARCNet cards? Linux has drivers for them (although that > is assuming the ARCNet card is for a ISA bus). > > It is possible to use a serial connection by running PPP as a transport, > which supports IP (and thus you can use NFS to mount drives). > > -spc (I suppose since ARCNet is over 10 years, and TCP/IP is over 10 > years this counts 8-) The first coax network I ever installed was Tandy ARCnet, Model IIs as server and workstations. Unfortunately, those never had any way to hook up to network operating systems that the PC stuff dealt with, and there were never drivers for those boards for Tandy Xenix, though a shitload of R&D money got spent in Fort Worth trying to make it so. Since most non-laptop "P******" machines still have ISA slots, there's no reason an ARCnet card wouldn't work. It's faster than serial PPP and more machines can connect conveniently. -- Ward Griffiths >>

28 years, 7 months

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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by roger＠sinasohn.com

At 09:26 PM 12/8/97 -0500, you wrote: >Or... dare I say it... linux on a TRS-80 Model 100/102/200??? :) Rick <something-or-other-my-mind-is-gone> of Club 100 mentioned once that there is a company that uses m100's with a version of Unix running on them. Unfortunately (and yes, I asked) he said they won't release it to the public. But, at least that means it's doable! P.S., the m100 is 8085-based, so 6502-linux wouldn't help much. --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 7 months

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Talk Of Building A Computer...

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

>elisa? that program that asks you the same open ended question? i may have a >similar program if there really is an interest. Yep, that one. It is a BIG interest. It's probably classic content as the older versions go back to Turing's Law. I've found a Java applet that simulates the Turing machine. Thanks, Tim D. Hotze

28 years, 7 months

2
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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 02:31 PM 12/8/97 -0800, you wrote: >Looking ahead in my e-mail queue I see there is a flurry of responses to >this question, and I can guess what everyone else' response is as well. > >But I have two syllables for you: Linux. With only 640k? I think I've settled on the xt/286 version of minix. I don't want a big investment, and I'm no hard core linux user myself. I know my way around, but I like experimenting with new things on these old things (computers, that is.) - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

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Finds in Ann Arbor, MI

by mcneight＠umich.edu

Greetings. Seems like everybody reports in when they get a big haul. Well, I don't have the money or the room for my own personal big haul, so I'll report on what is available for sale here at the University of Michigan Property Disposal. All sales are final. You have the opportunity to test machines in the warehouse, but they don't have 220v available. This list probably isn't complete, and it's sometimes hard to find information (manuals, model numbers, telling the difference between a HP scientific instrument and a HP minicomputer, etc.). So here goes: Apollo Domain Series 10000 (@ of these at $250 each) CPT 8510 (Terminal with 8" floppy, no other information) Digital MicroVAX 3900 w/RA82 \ TU81 Plus and RA82 >- Apparently all from one pull Constant Voltage Conditioner / Disembodied RA81 VAXstation II/GPX (2 of these) PDP-11 FORTRAN manual Some VAXstation 3100 stuff GE I have no idea. It's about 3-3 1/2 feet tall, 1 1/2 feet wide. Has two 8" drives on the front. Priced at $150. HP 7914 (looked like a computer... maybe...) IBM Model 5551 (Says "Hard Disk Model" on the front. Also has a floppy disk slot.) Prime Computer Inc. Model # 2250P ($100) SGI Power Series Iris 4D/210GTX ($1500 w/monitor) Power Series Iris 4D/GTX ($1500: no monitor) IRIS 3130 Stardent ($100. No other information) Sun 3/50 (1 regular and 1 with a scooped out case top for a matching monitor) -Neil ---------------------------------------------------+------------------- "There is more to life than increasing its speed." | Neil McNeight -Mahatma Gandhi | mcneight(a)umich.edu ---------------------------------------------------+-------------------

28 years, 7 months

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FW: From Usenet: Stuff for sale? Trade?

by kyrrin2＠wizards.net

If you're interested in any of this stuff, please reply directly to the ORIGINAL author, NOT me! I don't have any of this, but am only forwarding the message in the hopes that this stuff can find good homes. Attachment follows. -=-=- <snip> -=-=- Path: Supernews70!Supernews60!supernews.com!news.maxwell.syr.edu!Cabal.CESspool!bofh.vszbr.cz!newscore.univie.ac.at!newsfeed.skynet.be!poster.skynet.be!not-for-mail From: "ghandy" <ghandy007(a)hotmail.com> Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Subject: Microvax 3100 VALUE ? Date: 8 Dec 1997 23:39:26 GMT Organization: Mc Andy Lines: 13 Message-ID: <01bd0432$554b0e20$5c0b0dc3@superbabe> NNTP-Posting-Host: brus2-28.brussel.skynet.be X-Trace: news1.skynet.be 881624366 29578 (None) 195.13.11.92 X-Complaints-To: usenet(a)news1.skynet.be X-Newsreader: Microsoft Internet News 4.70.1161 Xref: Supernews70 comp.sys.dec:58062 What is the current value of this stuff? I'd like to sell it, but have no clue of a normal price... 1 x DIGITAL Microvax 3100 (without harddisk) 1 x DIGITAL Dec Server 200/MC (with kables) 4 x DIGITAL keyboard and terminal screen (VT 320) 2 x LINK 125 terminal screen and keyboard 1 x NEC Pinwriter P7 2 x DIGITAL LA75 Companion Printer 2 x MOTOROLA Codex 6015 modem for leased lines (speed: 9600) These appliances are in excellent state. 20kg of books, manuals, etc. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Bruce Lane, SysOp, The Dragon's Cave BBS (Fido 1:343/272) kyrrin2 {at} wiz<ards> d[o]t n=e=t "...No matter how hard we may wish otherwise, our science can only describe an object, event, or living creature, in our own human terms. It cannot possibly define any of them!..."

28 years, 7 months

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Breach in subject

by higginbo＠netpath.net

I know this may be a little off topic, but... (How many times have we read this?!?) I am suprised at the number of wisened elders in my presence, People that actually used the machines I dreamed about using in my teenaged years. I was glad to find out all of these old systems that I wanted so bad back then actually sport price tags today that I can afford. I have recently sold off the large majority of my collection of late 80's computers (my wife calls it the pile, collectively), but have learned that the real joy in using these systems is the memories it gives me, something about each individual system that stands out to me. I also find that using computers from another era tends to bring me back down to earth. Most people today think these machines are a bunch of hulking dinosnores that can't be useful except as boat anchors in todays PC world. I know otherwise. Up until recently I had been using a Model 100 for taking notes and doing addresses, etc. Just as good at text entry as any P****** system is today. My boss still scoffs at me for toting around my venerable GRiDCASE 3 (running windows 1.x) that has seen regular use since I got it, or running Windows 3 on the old Zenith Supersport, the topic of a quite active thread for the past day or so in this very list. Hey, I'm not rich. If I was, I'd buy the fastest notebook/desktop system around. But alas, I am not. The boss stops scoffing when I tell him how much I paid for my computers and show him what they can still run. :) Well, that's it for the monologue. I'm sitting here listening to an instrumental christmas cd, waiting for IE 4.01 to download, and contemplating what will be considered old news 10 years from now. BTW, I didn't mean anything with the "wisened elder" comment. I consider myself an oldtimer at the young age of 27, with all these little high school know-it-alls that memorize man pages and can recite every IP address and who it belongs to on their ISP. I can remember the days before GUI. I was there. Couldn't afford more than a C-64 or CoCo back then, but I remember them as some of the best days in computer history. A parting question: I'm not exactly sure if the HP 7450a 2-pen plotter falls within the 10-year limit but... Does anyone know where I can get new pens for this unit? - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<Maybe with a Disk/Video interface. There's got to be a swap device <_somewhere_. (Well, there _was_ that wedge thingie that would add up <to 512k RAM that a firm in Glendale CA was advertising, but they never Ram disks are fairly easy to do and banked ram as well. The PX-8 did it to 120k. I'd heard there was a 512k wedge design out there too. I'd love to see how that was done. Allison

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by roger＠sinasohn.com

I want to thank everyone for their comments on my collection. There are still quite a few machines that I don't have, but at least now I think I have a pretty complete wanted list! 8^) The suggestions from the list: Convergent Workslate Gavilan HP 110 (Portable) HP Portable Plus HP Integral PC Osborne 3 Osborne 4 (Vixen) Apple //c Apple Newton 100 Kaypro 2 Kaypro 2000 Radio Shack PC-1 Tandy/AST/Casio Zoomer Visual Commuter Apricot portable Commodore SX-64 TRS-80 Model 4P Tandy 600 And some more of my own: Dynalogic Hyperion Sinclair QL Atari STacy Atari ST Book Atari STPad TRS-80 Model 102 TRS-80 Model 200 Kaypro (All Models) Amstrad Notepad (NC-100) Otrona Attache STM Systems Baby! 1 Teleram T-3000 Teleram Model 4000 Teleram Model 5000 Olivetti M10 --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 7 months

3
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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 06:21 PM 12/8/97 -0800, you wrote: >I'd not heard of Elks, as I no longer stay on the "Bleeding Edge" of Linux. >I'm in the process of checking it out at this moment. It looks >interesting. Now if that 6502 support they mention as a posibility down >the road would include the ability to run on a Apple II, or C-64, now that >would be cool! Or... dare I say it... linux on a TRS-80 Model 100/102/200??? :) - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

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Serial Networks

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<I don't have access to network cards (except maybe ARCNet, which I couldn' <run on my P*****), and I was wondering if there is a way to have a transpar <null modem-based network. IE, could I connect two computers with a null mod <and then change to the other computer's drive by typing x: (or mount </dev/hdxxx, or whatever). for dos PCs we have, laplink, norton commander, carboncopy, cosession and that is only a few. For linux you can have slip, ppp and a few other methods. Allison

28 years, 7 months

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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by higginbo＠netpath.net

This will mainly be used as a dial-up machine to my service provider for checking mail, etc. I know I can do it much easier in DOS (with this machine), but I'm looking for a challenge. :) At 10:15 PM 12/7/97 -0800, you wrote: >pretty good, don't know if such a thing still exists. One thing you don't >want to do with a 386SX/16 is any programming, it takes forever to compile! >Although small scripts are doable. > >On an not so interesting note, the 40Mb HD now functions as a CP/M disk for >my Pentium, and the Laptop is now a general purpose terminal. The 486, >well it's the Server that ties my various platforms together, running Linux >of course. - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

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Importance of "original" parts

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

In a message dated 97-12-08 10:27:04 EST, you write: << > > How important is it to obtain computers in their "original" state? Is it > > worth it to save a computer that is known to have been hacked together? >> I myself prefer both configurations. i have a stock platinum //e which i plan to keep that way, but then again, I have a ][+ with something called a videx enhancer ][ which was a new keyboard encoder card which let me have type ahead and macros and lowercase. even better than a //e keyboard! also, an old IBMer gave me a majorly hacked timex sinclair (or one of the similar models) that was built into a wooden case, complete with power supply, monitor and even a full sized keyboard hacked in, mounted on a piece of scrap plexiglass! to me, that gives character, and helps to preserve the technology of the time. david

28 years, 7 months

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tandy 102 question

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

i was playing around with my new tandy 102 and there is a door on the bottom which has some ROMs underneath. two are labled sony, and the other one has some pull tabs on it, and it's labeled SUPER ROM <C> 1986. its not original equipment, is it? it looks like it can be removed fairly easily, so i was wondering if it had preloaded apps, like my grid laptop does. also, does anyone have a source of basic programs for this machine? the keyboard is rather good for typing, but i'd like to run some things on it. david

28 years, 7 months

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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 02:54 PM 12/8/97 -0800, you wrote: >Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to the RAM you had. But somebody just >mentioned the ELKS version of Linux. Don't know what that is but it'd >probably be owrth looking into. I was looking at the too, but I have one install of minix already under my belt. I think I'll give it a try first. I'm pretty sure it'll run okay, since the version I'm shooting for is optimized for xt/286 machines. (It'll run under 512k, but likes 640k) - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by higginbo＠netpath.net

Anyone know of a minimum unix or unix-like OS that will run on the following config: Zenith Supersport SX 386sx-16 640k 110mb HD VGA mono I know about minix, but am looking for something a little more robust, since I have heard TCP/IP and other such apps don't run well or not at all under minix. If someone can tell me otherwise, I'll use it. - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

5
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Heathkit analog computer

by mtaylor＠hach.com

I understand that you may have a heathkit analog computer for sale. I am trying to obtain copies of the manuals (assembly & experiments). I would be be interested in purchasing the unit if it still is available. Please reply with price, condition, manuals. Thanks // mt (mtaylor(a)hach.com)

28 years, 7 months

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Importance of "original" parts

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<And even more true in the S-100 world. Anybody who bought a system made <solely of parts from IMSAI or MITS and didn't use third-party memory or dis <controllers/systems was a total fool and completely ignorant of <the blossoming S-100 industry. Big time! The early versions *under sn ~2000 or so* had at lest a couple of pages of mods from MITS alone. Of the mods that were common for the 8800: *heavier PS *better backplane, theirs was the worst. *CPU clock mod to use the 8224 instead of ttl and oneshots. *MANY mods to 88mcd or 88s4k memory to make them work with some disk controllers. IMSAIs being about 6months later had fewer basic problems and a lesser need for mods just to work. Most S100 systems prior to ~1980 needed mods to allow for variations between bus interpretations. The altair being first needed the most mods for the newest boards. Allison

28 years, 7 months

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Linux on old PCs

by jfoust＠threedee.com

There's an interesting 16-bit Linux for old PCs call ELKS at http://www.linux.org.uk/ELKS-Home/index.html . Minimal CPU and RAM requirements. - John www.threedee.com/jcm

28 years, 7 months

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Importance of "original" parts

by mcneight＠umich.edu

Greetings. I have recently developed an interest in collecting classic computers and after (mostly) lurking on this list, I have a question that you all might be able to answer. How important is it to obtain computers in their "original" state? Is it worth it to save a computer that is known to have been hacked together? For example: I have an original Mac 128k. However, I believe that the motherboard has been upgraded to the 512k "Fat" Mac. I purchased it at the University of Michigan's Property Disposal warehouse, which means I was lucky to find a matching keyboard and mouse and I have no hope of finding the original manuals or shipping boxes for it. Should I even bother to restore this machine to it's original state by purchasing an original (but not _the_ original) motherboard, assuming I can even find one, or should I just use the machine as is and forget about any attempts at historical accuracy? At what point do I wind up with Washington's Hatchet, or does it even matter? Thanks for any input. -Neil ---------------------------------------------------+------------------- "There is more to life than increasing its speed." | Neil McNeight -Mahatma Gandhi | mcneight(a)umich.edu ---------------------------------------------------+-------------------

28 years, 7 months

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Importance of "original" parts

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<> 99 times out of a 100, I'd prefer to have the "hacked" computer rather <> than the "original". At least in the minicomputer world, just about ever <> modificiation is there for a very important purpose - it either fixes <> a bug in the hardware or adds an actual enhancement. If the modificatio More true in the micro would where standards were evolving faster that the the hardware could be made. <> was absolutely useful at the time it was made - and is something that <> every sane original owner did - then it's part of the culture of the <> machine! The last line is where history resides. Hacks were part of the culture and remain a legacy. Allison

28 years, 7 months

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Importance of "original" parts

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

For me; at least; the interest is not for profit. It is for my own personal enjoyment; and for history. If every Apple ][ is thrown away; once very-common items become very rare. -----Original Message----- From: Olminkhof <jolminkh(a)c2.telstra-mm.net.au> To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Date: Monday, December 08, 1997 1:13 PM Subject: Re: Importance of "original" parts >>How important is it to obtain computers in their "original" state? Is it >>worth it to save a computer that is known to have been hacked together? >> > >I think it's worth saving anything that might eventually fill in part of a >jigsaw. > >>For example: I have an original Mac 128k. However, I believe that the >>motherboard has been upgraded to the 512k "Fat" Mac. I purchased it at the >>University of Michigan's Property Disposal warehouse, which means I was >>lucky to find a matching keyboard and mouse and I have no hope of finding >>the original manuals or shipping boxes for it. >. >. >>Should I even bother to restore this machine to it's original state by >>purchasing an original (but not _the_ original) motherboard, assuming I >>can even find one, or should I just use the machine as is and forget about >>any attempts at historical accuracy? At what point do I wind up with >>Washington's Hatchet, or does it even matter? > >Mostly, you will be very lucky to pick up the bits you want. I think >eventually a swap culture will arrive but you need to have something to swap >with. We are in a rescue-from-the-garbage phase at the moment, so I believe >in hoarding everything I find ..... that I can find space for that is! > >Hans >

28 years, 7 months

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Importance of "original" parts

by jolminkh＠c2.telstra-mm.net.au

>How important is it to obtain computers in their "original" state? Is it >worth it to save a computer that is known to have been hacked together? > I think it's worth saving anything that might eventually fill in part of a jigsaw. >For example: I have an original Mac 128k. However, I believe that the >motherboard has been upgraded to the 512k "Fat" Mac. I purchased it at the >University of Michigan's Property Disposal warehouse, which means I was >lucky to find a matching keyboard and mouse and I have no hope of finding >the original manuals or shipping boxes for it. . . >Should I even bother to restore this machine to it's original state by >purchasing an original (but not _the_ original) motherboard, assuming I >can even find one, or should I just use the machine as is and forget about >any attempts at historical accuracy? At what point do I wind up with >Washington's Hatchet, or does it even matter? Mostly, you will be very lucky to pick up the bits you want. I think eventually a swap culture will arrive but you need to have something to swap with. We are in a rescue-from-the-garbage phase at the moment, so I believe in hoarding everything I find ..... that I can find space for that is! Hans

28 years, 7 months

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Unix on Zenith Supersport SX

by higginbo＠netpath.net

At 11:51 PM 12/7/97 +0000, you wrote: >Please dig up more memory at least 4-8mb and plug in and you will be >happy, the hd is tad tight but doable, but you could swap the hd out >for bigger ones. I think this one uses standard IDE 3.5" or 2.5" hd. Sure does. I just pulled the 40mb out and put this 104mb HD in (not 110mb like I said earlier). No problems whatsoever. The SS sx doesn't have a user defined drive type, so the largest drive in BIOS is 220mb, but the 104mb was the only thing laying around. he SS sx will support up to 8mb, but the memory upgrades cost $58 each from what I could find on the internet. If my budget allowed, I'd get it, but would like to find something cheaper. - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

2
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Portable Collection

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 12:14 AM 12/6/97 -0500, you wrote: >The military once procured a bunch of XT-like machines that were portable >and keyboardless. Everything was done thru a touchscreen, including a >virtual keyboard. About five years ago, there were a bunch floating around >the hamfests in the Chicago area. The GridPad 1910 that I have has a 'virtual' keyboard. Nice machine; I just wish I could find some GPS/Mapping software that would run on it so I could mount it in my Land Rover... (Or a 486/pentium version?) >> How about a portable UNIX workstation with a ~21" gas plasma display? I've >> actually seen such a beast. > >Yes, portable Unix machines do exist! The SPARCstation Voyager is somewhat >like what you describe. It is a luggable monster, and was replaced by the >SPARCbooks some time ago. The problem with the Sun notebooks (which I'd *love* to have if anyone wants to get rid of one) is that they're darned expensive and I'm poor. 8^) I suspect a unix workstation with a 21" gas plasma display ain't gonna be cheap either! --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by H.Davies＠latrobe.edu.au

At 12:14 AM 12/6/97 -0500, William Donzelli wrote: >Yes, portable Unix machines do exist! The SPARCstation Voyager is somewhat >like what you describe. It is a luggable monster, and was replaced by the >SPARCbooks some time ago. There was a neat Sony? MIPS based Unix portable that I played with about 7 years ago. Large B&W LCD display, 500Mb disk in a box not much bigger than a Toshiba 5200. Really neat and really expensive. I had one on evaluation for a week or so and it was cool running X at home (of course, these days X is just run of the mill). Huw Davies | e-mail: Huw.Davies(a)latrobe.edu.au Information Technology Services | Phone: +61 3 9479 1550 Fax: +61 3 9479 1999 La Trobe University | "My Alfas keep me poor in a monetary Melbourne Australia 3083 | sense, but rich in so many other ways"

28 years, 7 months

1
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Interest In Unix

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<everybody expects to figure everything out from little hieroglyphs. <That don't work for me -- I read and use a command line. Intuitive? <Intuition is for illiterate women (NOT ALLISON -- don't hit me!) That is sexist.... ;-) I prefer "pets and small children" in place of women in that sentence. As to hitting you, never. I've trained old dogs and I don't hit them either. ;) <Intuition is for illiterate pets and small children. Here's a historical quote.... "Unix is snake oil" Tee shirt seen at the mill: owner remains: Front: The NO circle with the word unix in lower case. the digital logo (the "keys") "Unix the unsystem, never had it never will". Allison

28 years, 7 months

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10 years and change/use it or lose it

by mtapley＠swri.edu

Off-topic part of post, please ignore. Here's the way I remember these things: BeeGee = 70's pop music group memeber GeeBee = 30's racing aircraft Meantime, back to the computers; 1) I vote strongly in favor of keeping the 10-year rule. It's simple, it's hard to start an argument over, and it has worked wonderfully so far. It is a "moving window", but that's appropriate. Time is moving on... 2) On whether to mothball or use a system: if it's your second one, mothball. If it's your first one of that type, follow Tony's good suggestions regarding PS testing and then *use it*. Keep the packing material, keep the manuals pristine, but get some time on it. Why? Nobody is going to get passionate about a box in the closet. Five years from now when the rest of your family needs more room in the closet, that box will hit the streets or the dumpster if it's just a box. ("But you *never use it!*") Worse, 5 years from now Tony may have been hit by a truck (er... lorry. and no offense intended, Tony!) and no one will be able to help you debug the power supply if you decide to fire it up and it fails its test. On the other hand, if it's the system you spend your nights hacking on to try to port Mosaic or bring up a Mandelbrot-set displayer on, it's *safe*. Your family will hit the streets instead :-). And if it's got an infant-mortality problem, better to flush it out while this group is around to help you. Just my humble opnion. I play Tetris on my Rainbow and am planning to (real soon now (TM) ) write a Mandelbrot set program on it. I use my Mac Plus for the family finances and all sorts of games (it's getting flaky though. needs work.). My NeXT is at my office and web-surfs and runs Mathematica analyses for my job, in exchange for its IP address. (urk! wasn't I just advocating the 10-year rule? Sorry. We'll be there soon!) - Mark

28 years, 7 months

4
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Interest In Unix

by pvhp＠forte.com

classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu, photze(a)batelco.com.bh Subj: Re: Interest In Unix Tim D. Hotze wrote: >------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BD01A6.0C8FEE00 >Content-Type: text/plain; > charset="iso-8859-1" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > >Season's greetings! I have just gotten interested in Linux, (so, it's = >not truly classic content, but it's implementations are); and I was = >wondering if anyone here has experience with this kind of thing.... any = >Linux experience at all. (Sorry for the decipful headline) > And I know that it makes me look like an idiot; but possilby if = >someone could transmit some good newsgroups. People have said time and = >time again that there are betternewsgroups where we can put all of our = >"modern" questions. Possibly, that could be included in the FAQ. (Or = >NAQ) > Thanks, > > Tim D. Hotze > I was under the impression that Linus started with the minix code - early versions of which are certainly approaching the 10 year classical limit. Here is some other help: % newsgroups | grep linux comp.os.linux.admin comp.os.linux.advocacy comp.os.linux.announce comp.os.linux.answers comp.os.linux.development comp.os.linux.development.apps comp.os.linux.development.system comp.os.linux.hardware comp.os.linux.help comp.os.linux.m68k comp.os.linux.misc comp.os.linux.networking comp.os.linux.setup comp.os.linux.x have fun. Peter Prymmer

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 01:41 PM 12/4/97 -0500, you wrote: >Th PX-8 can wake up, do something and go to sleep automajikally. I noticed that in the docs t'other day too. Which brings me to the changed subject... With the receipt of a PX-8 (with matching P-80 Portable printer!) I kinda feel like I've got a pretty decent collection of portable computers going. What I've got so far is: Altima 2 Amstrad PPC640 Amstrad PDA 600 "PenPad" Apple Macintosh Portable Atari Portfolio Bondwell B310plus. Casio FA-10 Docking Station Compaq Portable 386 Data General One Epson HX-20 Laptop Epson PX-8 Laptop Grid GridCase3 Grid GridPad 1910 Hewlett-Packard 75D Hewlett-Packard Vectra LS/12 Hewlett-Packard Portable Vectra CS Iasis Computer in a Book IBM PC Radio IBM PS/2 Model 70 Lunchbox Interactive Network NEC MultiSpeed NEC PC8201A NEC PC8401A "Starlet" Osborne 01 Osborne Executive Outbound Laptop Panasonic HHC (HandHeld Computer) Radio Shack Model 100. Sharp PC-7000 with printer Sharp PC-7100 Seequa Chameleon Sharp PC-4 Texas Instruments Compact Computer 40, Type-O-Graph Zenith ZP-150 Zenith ZF-161 Zenith Z-170 Zenith Supersport 286 Not all of these are working 100% (yet), and a couple are still enroute (Outbound & Portfolio). So anyway, I sorta feel like I could not add another machine and still have a collection of portables that covers the important ones, plus a bunch that were kinda weird or personally significant. But, I'm certainly no expert, so there may very well be some that I'm missing that are important. I know I'd like to get a Z88 and a Poquet PC, an Original Compaq (I've got a Compac [sic] but that's not the same thing). Can anyone else think of some I should be looking for? Thanks! (And sorry for the longness(? Length)!) --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 7 months

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Epson PX-8 finally dead with no hope?

by Bryn＠bwc.org

Over the last couple of years my PX-8 has suffered a slow degredation of its quality of life. Firstly the old batteries gave out, but when these were replaced with a set from Tauber Electronics of 4901 Morena Blvd, San Diego, Ca., the replacement set took a looooong time to charge up, and in the process burnt out a transistor - GRB - R6 in the attached Multi-unit (64) board. Nothing would work. So I detached the multi unit and limped on with the original 12kb of memory. However, the tape drive also stopped writing correctly. If I wrote to it I could no longer access any thing from it. But still we limped along for over 2 years, by downloading through the serial port via a VT200 cable to the Unix system at work using the Term program, each time we'd written four pages of text. But finaly the it is also not powering up, and all the advise I read in the archives of this list - particularly: To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Epson PX-8, no power up From: Paul E Coad <pcoad(a)crl.com> Date: Tue, 29 Jul 1997 00:16:23 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <33DB9664.7DF771DF(a)rain.org> AND To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu> Subject: Re: Epson PX-8, no power up From: Marvin <marvin(a)rain.org> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 1997 11:41:40 -0700 References: <Pine.SUN.3.91.970727103047.2032L-100000(a)crl3.crl.com> Etc. has been to no avail. All the ROMS are in, the batteries are connected, the Power units work etc. etc... Is it time to turn the unit into a boat anchor? It has served us so well for so long it seems there should be a more fitting way of saying goodbye. I'd be willing to mail it anyhere, but it was repairable when it left Israel, I doubt it would be by the time it got to where it is going. Now I'm left with an orphaned P-80X printer - I guess I may as will ditch it as well. Pity... regards, Bryn Deamer -------------------------------------------------------------------- Email: bryn(a)bwc.org : Bryn and Sherna Deamer URL : www.poboxes.com/bryn : P.O. Box 155, 31001 Ph: 972-4-8358457 fx: 8358591 : Haifa, Israel ---------------------------------END--------------------------------

28 years, 7 months

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Old Systems Available

by jimw＠agora.rdrop.com

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28 years, 7 months

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new additions (long)

by SUPRDAVE＠aol.com

this weekend brought me several interesting items. someone from south carolina noticed my name was on the classic computer mailing list and emailed me about some machines he wanted to give me so i met him halfway and picked up a truckload of items. i got: 2 xycom cpm workstations which are big old one piece units, complete with 8 inch floppy drives. an external 10 meg hard drive unit. add on floppy unit for a total of 3 drives a giant and extremely heavy box full of original documentation and cpm 1.1 system disks/wordstar/spellstar/business software. ~200 disks total, and some are still blank and never used! also got a decwriter on casters and all the cables to hook everything up. i have not powered up the machines yet, as i'm letting them acclimate for 24 hours since they had to ride in the back of the truck in 20 degree weather. at a radio rally the same day i got: mac se fdhd ibm basic primer handbook still in shrinkwrap. mca modem <?> card apple //c power supply in original plastic wrap. ( i didnt know it was supposed to be so white!) some C= 64 stuff, including some manuals, a print interface and a modem in the original box with a price tag of over $100. i even got the quantumlink software in a never opened box. and my best find, a tandy 102! complete with owner's guide, ps, and matching battery operated cassette recorder. the guy wanted $30 for it, but my girlfriend's smile got the computer for $20 lol. david

28 years, 7 months

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: Re: Hot Dog! I got my 11/34 today!

by rcini＠email.msn.com

On Sat, 6 Dec 1997 11:34:40 +0000 (GMT), Tony Duell <ard(a)p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote: >>Well done!!! Thanks! This has been a long time in coming (since October). Unfortunately, I have to go down there again because the guy there e-mailed me and said that he "found the right-hand panel for the rack." Dooooh! >>If you ever need to change the heads on an RK05 you need to get an >>alignment disk. I'm rather too far away to pop round with mine. Is there a way to make a copy of that disk pack, or is it a factory-made item> >>Have you clamped the RK05 heads (remove the top covers and there's a 'L' >>shaped clamp on top of the positioner. Use that to hold the voice coil in >>the rearmost position)? If not, do it now. There's a battery pack (4 off >>1/2AA NiCds) on top of the RK05 PSU that's supposed to keep the heads >>retracted (and to retract them if there's a power failure with a pack >>mounted), but it's probably decayed by now. I don't recall seeing a battery pack when I opened the RK05's, but yes, I did lock the servos before moving the computer. I also, looked at the specs for the computer -- I definitely have to drop a new electrical service to my shop. Start-up current on the two RK05's alone is 20a at 125v. >>I'd advise you to take all the units out of the rack to move it. With 2 >>people helping, you can carry an RK05 or PDP11/34 CPU box fully >>assembled, but I'd not want to carry more than 1 at a time. You should be >>able to move the rack with all the slide rails still in place, I think The PDP is in my garage right now. What a trip it was trying to tilt it up while getting it out of the van. It took 3 people to make sure that no one got crushed! >>Enjoy your new toy - it's a great machine I can't wait to get it up and running. Thanks for the tips! Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com> (remove nospam_ to use) ClubWin! Charter Member (6) MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking ============================================

28 years, 7 months

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Donation - old mainframe Unix system

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<A 68040 -based machine is not that old, maybe a bit under 10 years. What I <was wondering is whether or not there is any objective advantage of old <machines to new ones. F.E. one could get an old IBM mini (System/3X) for <little or no money, but is there anything doable on it that is impossible t <do on a W****** 95 machine? It would be rare to say that a late W95 box isn't more capable. The only thing it cant do is support more than one user! Though I've seen PDP-8s that can. Now a late model PC running something other than w95 like linux can support multiple users, not that common though. Most older machines that was an expectation. After all they were expensive. ;-) There is something that is possible on older machine that is close to impossible on a win95 box. I can completely document my entire s100 machine right down to sources for CP/M, a significant number of applications and the circuits for all the cards, backplane and power supply. Some of my PDP-11 stuff I can do near as well. In other words I have all the resources to understand it and even copy it or improve it, something I have done. Allison

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by photze＠batelco.com.bh

>The military once procured a bunch of XT-like machines that were portable >and keyboardless. Everything was done thru a touchscreen, including a >virtual keyboard. About five years ago, there were a bunch floating around >the hamfests in the Chicago area. That would be _so_ cool to see.... can anyone tell me what they looked like?

28 years, 7 months

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Help, Dyna Micro

by francois.auradon＠worldnet.att.net

Hi, I found today a Dyna Micro. This is all I know about the thingy. It is apparently a learning system or a prototping system. Unfortunately the board was completely nude (only sockets). Does anybody have any info on it, is it worth salvaging? It has a 4x4 keypad on the bottom right corner and a vero style prototyping area on the left side, the circuitry is above there is a row of 24 LEDs room for a processor (whaterver it might be) and a couple ROMS the rest might be RAM and glue. On the brighter side I also found two Osbone I in perfect condition with one set of disks for $7 :) :) ------------------------------------------------------------ Francois Auradon Visit the Sanctuary at: http://home.att.net/~francois.auradon

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by adam＠merlin.net.au

>But, I'm certainly no expert, so there may very well be some that I'm >missing that are important. I know I'd like to get a Z88 and a Poquet PC, >an Original Compaq (I've got a Compac [sic] but that's not the same thing). >Can anyone else think of some I should be looking for I forgot one more - the Cambridge Z88. It's not significant because of what it was (being very similar to the Amstrad Notepad, although I am not sure just how similar as I failed to pick up the only one I have seen), but for who made it. Cambridge Computers, I believe, was the computer company set up by Sir Clive Sinclair after the collapse (and sale to Amstrad) of Sinclair. Adam.

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by adam＠merlin.net.au

>But, I'm certainly no expert, so there may very well be some that I'm >missing that are important. I know I'd like to get a Z88 and a Poquet PC, >an Original Compaq (I've got a Compac [sic] but that's not the same thing). >Can anyone else think of some I should be looking for I would have to suggest the Commodore SX-64 (I have one, and they are pretty good) and the TRS-80 Model 4P (also one I have, and certainly worth having). Also, although extremely unlikly to be found, there was a C64 laptop made that didn't go into production - I doubt there were many prototypes, but I know they existed. Someone else mentioned the Apricot Portable _ I am desperatly after one myself, and figure it would be a wonderful find. Not a great computer, mind you, but nevertheless a wonderful find. Very stylish. Adam.

28 years, 7 months

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One collector down temporarily.

by jbeolett＠ssi.net

Unfortunatly, my good friend Daniel Seagraves (dseagrav) a frequent contributer to this list is temporarily out of service due to the death of his grandmother last night. He is expected back Tuesday. I feel sorry for him being he is one of my closest friends. I don't reguraly post to this list and this doesn't really fit in to classic computing other than the fact that he's a collector and he's out of service for a few days.

28 years, 7 months

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This weeks finds

by jrkeys＠concentric.net

Slow begining but a few finds Friday and Saturday. My biggest find was a Wang laptop with carrying case (black), 14.5 lbs, 512k ram, NICAD battery (dead), 10mb HD, full size keyboard, full size supertwist LCD screen, RS-232 port, SCSI port for external floppy drives, MS-DOS 3.2 and DOS reloaded, builtin modem, uses NEC V30 CPU, 8 Mhz clock rate. It's missing the ext drives 3.5 and 5 1/4 and 18V power supply. This unit has a builtin printer also. Other finds - Socrates infra-red keyboard do not have a base unit here to test it with; 2 Mac Plus keyboards; Apple Personal LaserWriter NT $5 not tested yet; Hitachi external CD-ROM drive (free) not tested yet; Laser128 with power brick not tested yet; a Amiga 500 with mouse, ext 3.5 FD, and power brick not tested yet cost was .80 cents for all of it; HP Thinkjet model 2225C not tested yet; a Zenith luggable model ZFA-138-42 not tested yet $5; about 30 different manuals for many different products like Kennedy model 1600 tape unit;VTech video painter; and last a Apple personal modem model A9M0334. Well that's it for the week, will take a day off Sunday. Still trying to setup the warehouse deal for BIG load of systems. - John Keep computing !!

28 years, 7 months

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GRiDCASE 3 info

by higginbo＠netpath.net

Hello. First post to this list: I am looking for any and all info for the GRiD GRiDCASE 3 laptop. I know all the specs, but I need info for the GRiD-OS and any software and it's availability for the GRiD-OS. As it stands now, I have MS-DOS 2.11 ROM installed, GRiD-OS ROM internal daughter card with various apps installed, and an optional ROM that includes a VT100 terminal. I would really like to find out how to format a disk under GRiD-OS, and any other system commands I can use besides the built-in menu. I have no external (floppy) software for the GRiD-OS, but if anyone has it, I'd pay for copies. Also, if anyone is looking for specs and info for GRiD laptops, please checkout this page I am slowly putting together: http://limbo.netpath.net/hw/GRiD - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by Zeus334＠aol.com

--Original So anyway, I sorta feel like I could not add another machine and still have a collection of portables that covers the important ones, plus a bunch that were kinda weird or personally significant. --- Well, an interesting one was the Apricot portable, which I have no experience with. I heard it had voice command, and ran off an 8088.

28 years, 7 months

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Seeking classics for collection

by agammuto＠cybersoft.com

Greetings- I'm new to this list. Anybody willing to sell or know a source for: IMSAI 8080, OSI Challenger, or KIM?

28 years, 7 months

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Hot Dog! I got my 11/34 today!

by rcini＠email.msn.com

Today, my father and I drove to Philadelphia to pick-up an 11/34 system. It has been used by the Univ. of Pennsylvania psychology department since its original installation date. It was only decommissioned two months ago because its "user" retired. I haven't taken a complete inventory yet, but here's the haul: 11/34 processor, expansion box and two RK05s in a 6' rack (It's even configured as shown on the cover of the 11/34 hardware book), engineering diagrams, manuals, programming books, 4 disk packs, replacement drive heads, air filters, one spare RK05, and loads of spare boards. I'll start inventorying this week. Also, I have to tear the rack down in order to move it to the basement (it's in my garage now). At 450 lbs., it was too heavy to move downstairs. I'll probably remove the RK05s to move it. Then, I have to drop a 120v/30a line into the shop. More to come... Rich Cini/WUGNET <nospam_rcini(a)msn.com> (remove nospam_ to use) ClubWin! Charter Member (6) MCP Windows 95/Windows Networking ============================================

28 years, 7 months

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???

by higginbo＠netpath.net

Is this a list? Hoping this won't show up to a bunch of subscribers... Want to see if I can join the list, and all I have is this obscure e-mail address reference... Didn't mean to piss anyone off if I did by posting this message through the "wrong" channels... Prease Excuse. - John Higginbotham - limbo.netpath.net

28 years, 7 months

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Advice wanted for cleaning edge connectors, IC sockets, etc.

by allisonp＠world.std.com

<"tuner wash" would be bad for the connectors, PC board, plastic IC <sockets, silk screening, solder mask, etc. I considered rubbing <alcohol, but I don't know what the effect of that would be either. I <checked the FAQs that I know of, and about all I came up with was <someone's technique of "giving the circuit board a good scrubbing" <with dish soap and swinging it on the end of a string to dry it. As <this technique strikes me as possibly dangerous, to myself, the Remove the front panel circuit board. Insure any dress items like the front pannel overlay are not on it and put it in the dish washer with the usual cleaner (any dishes too). This will do a very good job and is not caustic. It dry it well, if it come out with water in the switches don't panic. Put it in an oven set real low (you want 140 degrees) and bake it dry. Lubricate the switches with a contact leaner that has some low residue lubricant in it. Drying is a no rush thing. FYI soap with plenty of clean water rinse is the least damaging thing you can use. I've done this many, many times (whole production runs!) using this approach. Any switches once dries that are failed/flaky can be replaced easily as they are common parts. Allison

28 years, 7 months

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Portable Collection

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 02:36 PM 12/5/97 -0800, you wrote: >Hmm. Just thinking about portables in my own collection.... > >Convergent Workslate Yep, definitely very cool. Gotta add it to my wish list. (Hey, christmas is coming! 8^) >Gavilan I know the name, but little else. I'd love to hear more when you get through all the docs & such. >HP 110 (Portable) >HP Portable Plus Y'know, I donated a couple of these to CHAC back when I thought I could get away without actually collecting computers myself... But I'm an HP lover too, so these go on the wish list... (P.S., do you know about the 918DX offer?) >HP Integral PC > - Unix in ROM Oh yeah. Saw yours at the VCF. <drool, drool, lust, lust> I *definitely* want one of these. >Osborne 3 > - Somebody please tell me I don't have the *only* one in the world! >Osborne 4 (Vixen) > - Hey, if you're interested in collecting the whole set.... I wouldn't mind having the whole set at all. 8^) Thanks! --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 7 months

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Spoiled by geezers

by sinasohn＠ricochet.net

At 04:36 PM 12/5/97 EST, you wrote: >What exactly is a PX-8? BTW, I have a Mac Portable, which I got because it The PX-8 is a small laptop, kinda similar to the HX-20 or the m100/NEC/m10 crowd, but more in the same class as the NEC Starlet. It's a CP/M machine with an 8(?) line flip-up display and built-in micro-cassette drive. >wasn't working. After connecting the battery directly to the AC power for a >few seconds, it worked. The battery is dead now, though. I use another AC The Mac Portable is an odd critter. It seems it runs off the battery, and the power supply is only there to charge the battery. I'm learning a lot about them right now, in fact. My current idea is to make a doohickey that will feed power in from an external power source to the battery contacts so you don't need the regular power supply at all. Basically, if you don't have a working battery (or something to fool the mac portable into thinking you do) then it won't work. The battery is a 6v lead-acid battery. >adapter for the battery, as well as the normal one. That thing eats power! Why >your battery is alive and mine died, god only knows. The PX-8 runs (iirc -- I only got mine on Wednesday and spent yesterday at a funeral so I haven't played with it much) on AA batteries. It has no floppy or hard drive, and the small LCD screen probably doesn't use much juice. Hence, all you need power for is the RAM and CPU/electronics. --------------------------------------------------------------------- O- Uncle Roger "There is pleasure pure in being mad roger(a)sinasohn.com that none but madmen know." Roger Louis Sinasohn & Associates San Francisco, California http://www.crl.com/~sinasohn/

28 years, 7 months

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Panasonic HHC

by ddales＠cts.com

I have an HHC in perfect working order and was just wondering what it might be worth to a collector. Just curious, Dave Dales Ddales(a)cts.com San Diego, CA

28 years, 7 months

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