Well, since we're on this subject... how can I resist once more
mentioning...
Slide Rule Trading Post
http://www.comcen.com.au/~adavie/slide/
On my site you will find a link to JavaSlide on the main menu. That's a
JAVA slide rule I wrote some while back, so you can reminisc even if you
can't find your old faithful. Its quite good, actually.
There's a society called the Oughtred society, with around 400+ members.
Each devoted to their slide rule collection. I know of some people with
700+ units. Me, I have 30, including a 7 foot long Pickett classroom rule.
Cheers
Andrew
-----Original Message-----
From: Allison J Parent <allisonp(a)world.std.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Thursday, February 05, 1998 4:22 AM
Subject: Re: Slipping sticks
>
><At 19:20 2/3/98 -0500, PG wrote:
><>"Slipsticker"?!? I thought I was the last one! C'mon -- who else here ha
><>his old slide rule _and_ still remembers how to use it?
>
>I have my 10" white aluminum pickett handy and grab it when a quick
>"good to three places" answer will do. I also use a E6B which is a
>circular aircraft slide rule for time, speed, distance, fuel use and
>wind correction. That one is in the plane as I'm absolutely certain
>it works as the calculator version of the E6B allways seems to need a
>new battery.
>
>Allison
>
>
there are many models of ps1 computers, that its hard to say. the first
2011/2121/2123 were of proprietary nature, and later ps1 types were just
standard 486 pc types. later models had power management and suspend functions
like laptops do. if its a 2011 or 2121 type make sure the monitor works, since
the cpu gets it power from there.
In a message dated 2/4/98 2:44:50 PM Eastern Standard Time,
photze(a)batelco.com.bh writes:
<< I don't know if he was willing to GIVE IT TO ME. Anyway, what's a
"garden variety" PS/1? What are un-garden variety PS/1's?
>If it's a garden-variety PS/1, strictly he should pay you to take it, but
>you can be a nice guy and let him give it to you. After all, that way it's
>off his hands. >>
Thanks to all who responded to my request to form an east coast
antique computer club. I've enjoyed corresponding to you all and will
stay in touch. Would still like to meet more old computer enthusiasts.
Marty Mintzell
5635 Heming Avenue
Springfield, Virginia 22151
703-569-2380
marty(a)itgonline.com
< Aluminium galls too bad to use with aluminium against aluminium. and it
I used to used a aircraft silicone lube on mine and cleaned it
periodically. Otherwise it would bind annoyingly.
<been a lot of slide rules made of it. My MB_4 and EB-6 aircraft navigati
<slide rules are both built of it. My dad had an old (K&E ?) rule that's
<also aluminium.
I may add that it depends on the alloy too.
Allison
OK, well, about to enter high school, I've got this to say: 13 is for
7th-8th grade, so it's 14 minimum for high school. There are, of course,
exceptions, like in Kansas and Florida they enter school a year older, etc.
Actually, here, in 7th grade, we've got 2 14 and one 15 year old(s). And,
people ARE much smarter, but they didn't learn anything in school, if
they're like me.
(Sam alert...) ;-)
Tim D. Hotze
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Kaneko <Jeff.Kaneko(a)ifrsys.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, February 06, 1998 8:38 PM
Subject: Re: slipping sticks
> >>No, I do not have _my_ high school/college slide rule, which was a
> >>magnificent 12" yellow aluminum Pickett with a hard leather case and a
belt
> >>loop. ...
>
> Nice! Why have I never seen an aluminium slide rule?
>
> Also, for the benefit of us non-Americans, what approximate age is "high
> school"?
>
The age range for highschool in the US is 13 - 19 (approx). You
usually enter around 13 or 14, and finish four years later (older
but in general, not much wiser). 8-P
Present company exepted, of course . . . .
Jeff
>>No, I do not have _my_ high school/college slide rule, which was a
>>magnificent 12" yellow aluminum Pickett with a hard leather case and a belt
>>loop. ...
Nice! Why have I never seen an aluminium slide rule?
Also, for the benefit of us non-Americans, what approximate age is "high
school"?
At school slide rules were the only permitted calculating machines in
maths classes up to age 16 in my day (academic year 1982-83)
(requirement was dropped a couple of years later). I went through a
series of cheap plastic ones and ended up with an expensive plastic one
- I asked the local stationers for a replacement cursor and they sold me
this really nice slide rule for the same price (one pound) just to get
rid of it! This too has lost its cursor, tho' I believe I still have
the rule somewhere.
More recently I bought a decent wooden one for a similar price at a car
boot sale - still in box with plate glass cursor. I also have a special
purpose cardboard one with two slides that is meant to calculate the
flow of water through pipes of various sizes, materials and gradients.
>>700+ units. Me, I have 30, including a 7 foot long Pickett classroom rule.
Wow! On a 7 foot rule you should be able to get four sig. figs without
too much interpolation anywhere along the length. Or are the markings
too coarse for that?
Philip.
If only there was a mechanism to persuade companies to allow such hobby
use of archaic software. It would be great if there was a standard
document, perhaps similar to that OpenVMS license, that would eliminate
the guilt from violating someone's copyright. "What's the harm" isn't
good enough for me. To me, preservation of the rights of the old software
is almost as important as the software itself. But it's not easy.
It may be impossible. You can get an old system from a dumpster
and if you're lucky you find floppies and the manuals.
Take an example from one of my pet projects, the Terak computer.
Terak was sold to CalComp, and CalComp was bought (or was always
owned) by McDonnell-Douglas. The last anyone saw of the Terak assets
was a semi driving from Scottsdale to New Hampshire. This Herculean
task now consists of finding someone within MD who has the time
and the good will to care, and who's been around long enough to
know what the heck I'm asking for.
Then I've got to persuade them to give me the right to, oh, copy some
fifteen-year-old floppies for someone without a legit copy, or to write
an emulator that uses the code and allow others to get a copy.
I've long heard that some varieties of dark-side hacking involve
Social Engineering that can open a door or shoulder-surf a password,
but I doubt it's powerful enough magic to persuade a defense contractor
to sign a paper to give you something for nothing.
- John
Jefferson Computer Museum <http://www.threedee.com/jcm>
My Mac Portable has 2MB RAM, 1MB soldered on and 1MB on an expansion
board. This board has room for more chips, which, if added, would make
the board a total of 3MB. The problem is that the board has chips on
both sides, so that the little legs stay on the surface, instead of
going through. Can I technically solder on the chips by myself, or is it
unrealistic?
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
<If only there was a mechanism to persuade companies to allow such hobby
<use of archaic software. It would be great if there was a standard
OpenVMS archaic? It's a current product and definatly a high end OS
and it includs DECnet networking.
Unlike DOS VMS is richly packaged with tools, utilities, libraries,
editors, VMSmail, DCL command line language, macro32 and DECwindows
client and server.
<document, perhaps similar to that OpenVMS license, that would eliminate
<the guilt from violating someone's copyright. "What's the harm" isn't
Keep in mind while they grant a hobby license it's for 1 full version
level behind. DEC policy was sofware that old is unsupported but the
copyright is still valid. Still V5.4->v6.1 systems are still good for
production work. There are still systems in production use still running
them.
Often the problem with "abandoned" software is finding the oner of record
or who it is.
Allison
