Software Archaeology (was Oregon Software Pascal/2 (24 bit words))

The thing to do is just keep asking anyone who was connected to the industry if they know folks like field serivce techs that were pack rats. The companies themselves either deliberately threw it out so that they wouldn't have to support it, or the physical assets were tossed out when companies were sold. The fact that the SDS 900 series library survived mostly in tact after being given away by Honeywell in 1982 gives me hope that people may have similar stashes somewhere. -- Somewhat related, a CHM press release just went out with this info in it: In support of its international collection and exhibit plans, the Museum also announced that it has acquired an extensive collection totaling seven shipping containers of computing objects salvaged from a crumbling warehouse in Dortmund, Germany this month. The rescued items, along with related documents and software, will augment the Museum?s existing 80,000-object collection that will be used to populate the 2009 exhibit. The historic collection from Germany was rescued from an open-air warehouse that encompassed a physical area of about 12,000 square feet. There are 112 unique manufacturers represented, including Telefunken, Siemens, Zuse, Olivetti and Groupe Bull. European-based manufacturers account for 50% of the acquired artifacts and another 20% in documentation and software. In addition to many rare computer systems, the rescued items will deepen the Museum?s holdings of electromechanical-era objects, as well as mainframe documentation and software. -- The container with documentation and software should be getting here in about a month. From the pictures, there are some very interesting things coming. This was partly from the computer museum which closed in Achen.