Yet Another Old Cyber-Coot

Subject was: Re: Craziest ebay price EVER On Fri, 2006-10-27 at 00:19 +0100, Tony Duell wrote: What I mean by "one package" is that the machine is a complete computer -- monitor and keyboard built in. One plug, one diskette, and you're off... My personal preference is for separates, in computers, hi-fi, video, and most other things where there is a choice. That allows one to get the best of <insert category here> and replace any item if a superior type shows up. The Monroe, however, had a screen of similar quality and "feel" to that of the Amdek 310-A. Very easy on the eyes. The keyboard was also of high quality, and the whole machine was ergonomically efficient for a built-together. Also, as in stereo equipment, MOST of the "one package" systems were substandard for their time, in my opinion. Not all, but most. Perhaps... But CP/M was a hobbyist O/S that sort of became the industry standard. Cool, in a way. The closest thing to THAT today is Linux, and that's a tad bit complicated (and too good) for hacking it to be much use. Thanks for the welcome, and thanks for the advice. I know my limits. At one time (but no longer, I just checked) I had ALL the CP/M BDOS calls memorized, I used them so much. I'll grant you CP/M was a rather little pool, but I was a big fish in that pool. I'm adrift when it comes to Windows calls... and, I ended up USING quite a few O/S platforms over time, but never gained the skill in any of them I had in CP/M. Now it sounds like I should tell the kids to keep off my lawn after I talk about it. <Grin> It WAS nice to be the master of the world for a while... I try to avoid flame wars. I'm not always successful. They're pointless for the most part. I've heard it said that winning a flame war on the 'Net is like getting the Gold Medal in the Special Olympics. When all is said and done, it would be better to not be retarded in the first place. There's at least some truth to that. And, truth be told, it's clear that a lot of the people I've seen post in the last 24 hours obviously know a lot more than I do about quite a few things. That is as it should be. Normally, I'm the alpha geek wherever I am, so it's refreshing to think I'll be LEARNING things for a change. So far, it reminds me of the Aloha Computer Club back in the 70s... Everybody is knowledgeable, and some VERY much so, but all experienced in somewhat different areas. Seems like a friendly group, too. I'm a painfully honest person (I know, I know, liars say that, too) so I'll let people know when I don't know something. But, I have picked up quite a bit of knowledge since 1971, when I started out with computers by dialing in to an HP 2000B timeshare BASIC machine. It's odd, spotty knowledge, but, one never knows WHAT issue is coming up next... Can I claim laziness as an excuse? I know what you mean, a friend of mine used to make repair manuals for obsolete, orphan, test equipment. I do recall how he used to smoke a cigarette, drink his coffee, and stare at circuit boards for hours on end, and how, occasionally, he would set down the coffee, stub out the cigarette, walk calmly outside, close the door, and primal scream into the night. He would then come back in, sigh, light another cigarette, take a sip of coffee, and go back to staring. I have reached a point in my life where I value my time and blood pressure more than the $50 bucks or so for an old manual. Symptom is no video. I don't have access to a 'scope any more, since the ex left mine out in the rain for me to pick up a couple years back. I'm not really desperate to get the Monroe running again, but I'd enjoy having a schematic and seeing if I can think my way through it... I hear you, brother. I know my IMSAI that way... but no other. I didn't put the Monroe together, and that's a handicap to understanding. I'm an NIST certified calibration technician, so I'm not intimidated by attacking a problem with only a 'scope and a schematic, but I don't have the familiarity with the Monroe I would with the IMSAI. There's something cool about that all-encompassing knowledge. Oh, no, not at all. When I whipped up a computer, though, when I got done I had something better than most people owned. I can't do that now, unless you call buying a motherboard off the shelf, dropping a CPU into it, and plugging in the various cards "building a computer." I suppose it IS, technically, but not the way *I* mean it. Anything I could build now would draw comments like "Oh, isn't that cute" rather than "Oh, my God, that thing's a demon!" Not the same. Peace, Warren E. Wolfe wizard at voyager.net