Amstrad 8256 available for donation (fwd)

Anyone interested in an interesting CP/M compatible import from the UK? Please reply directly to the sender. Reply-to: kgsniagfalls(a)hotmail.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 08:35:47 PDT From: Kelly Smith <kgsniagfalls(a)hotmail.com> Subject: Amstrad 8256 available for donation 2740 Woodlawn Avenue Niagara Falls, NY 14301-1448 October 21, 1999 VCF 4275 Rosewood Dr. #29-161 Pleasanton, CA 94588 I found out about your web-site from the PBS show Net Cafe. I understand you take donations and I wonder if you'd be interested in an Amstrad PCW 8256 that uses the old 3-inch CF2 disks. I have everything that came with it originally -- printer, both manuals, 2 program disks (4 sides) -- Word Processor LocaScript on side 1, System/Utilities/Basic CP/M Plus on side 2, CP/M Plus Programming Utilities on side 3, and CP/M Plus Dr. Logo & Help on side 4. In addition, after using it for several years I had a 3 1/2 inch floppy drive added to it as drive B, which made it possible for me to transfer ASCII files created in the LocaScript program to 720 KB MF-2DD disks in DOS format so I could use them when I switched to a regular IBM compatible computer. If you're interested, the software I used for this is also available -- it's PCW 2-in-1, version 2.20, by Moonstone Computing of Glasgow U.K. The program is on one 3 inch CF2 disk and there's also a manual. It worked perfectly and although I knew very little about computers I found it easy to use. The Amstrad was in perfect working order the last time I used it, but that was six years ago. I turned it on yesterday and though the monitor came on I wasn't able to get it to boot up -- there was a different sound coming louder grinding sound. Other than being dusty I can't think what's wrong with it. It hasn't been moved or subjected to any extremes of temperature or humidity. Anyway, let me know if you're interested, and if so, can you tell me if you pay any of the shipping costs? I doubt very much that I'd be able to sell it, but it seems a shame to just throw it out in the trash. I think you're undertaking a very worthwhile project. Working in a library, I'm aware of the problem of not being able to access stranded information in obsolete formats and disk types. We must be able to preserve and access data, statistics, and scholarly research stored in these mediums -- otherwise we lose part of our history and the chance to build on the knowledge of our predecessors. If you can keep older equipment operational you'll provide a great service. Most sincerely, Kelly G. Smith Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out. VCF East? VCF Europe!? YOU BETCHA!! Stay tuned for more information or contact me to find out how you can participate http://www.vintage.org