S100 box (was Re: imsai 2)

Gee... now I could have SWORN that I did not send that original reply to the list... B^} But since it has started down this path... (and its just been ONE of those days...) -------------------------------------------------------------------- On Tue, 17 Aug 1999 allisonp(a)world.std.com wrote: handy. And on Tue, 17 Aug 1999 jimw(a)agora.rdrop.com foolishly replied... And then Tue, 17 Aug 1999 allisonp(a)world.std.com wrote: -------------------------------------------------------------------- To the first question, (last paragraph) actually no. I'm quite loopy enough without any external/artificial assists. So, excuse the random attempt to respond to what I obviously misintrepreted as a possible item of interest. (first quoted paragraph, second sentence) Apparently my context filter failed... And while I'm starting down the course of vying for the designation of semi-quasi-official John Dvorak stand-in for the VCF (a person that we all love to hate but he is much nicer in person), I'm going to take issue with another quote seen floating around in the last couple of hours: -------------------------------------------------------------------- On Tue, 17 Aug 1999 someone wrote: (in the imsai 2 thread) <Anyway, why does it have to be one transformer? Why not a 12-0-12 for the <16V lines and a 6V one for the 8V line (those should produce DC voltages <within the range of any normal S100 board regulator). Such transformers <are trivial to obtain. And then someone replied: Then you'd end up with the piece of crap altair supply... -------------------------------------------------------------------- <VENT WARNING - proceed at your own risk> Ahem... (with regard to the last line immediately above) Get Stuffed! [ nothing personal, note lack of smilies, I'm addressing the comment, not the writer ] Now, a quick comment in attempt at explanation before the flames come sailing my way. To all the people who constantly hold up the Altair (in particular), and other similar items of the period as "crap", I would like to ask one question: If a capable group of people (please note the non-specific reference here) were available and were such hot $#!* in 1975, why didn't they produce something better??? Twenty-Five years after the fact it is far too easy to pronounce judgements on the past, judged against the current 'state of the art'. But was anything learned from it? In comparison to todays cars, the Model T was CRAP but I don't see it constantly being held up to ridicule. It, like the Altair and many other early developments were done with the materials and skills that were available AT THE TIME to the PEOPLE who got off their duffs and DID IT! And all indications are that much was learned from it, as evidenced by the rapid followups by improved units like the IMSAI, the SOL, and even the ALTAIR 'B' series. In every revolution, someone has to be the first... and guess what? RARELY are they the shining example of the art that it seems like some expect that the Altair and its ilk should have been. More often, they are the unskilled visionaries, the hacks, the garage bands, the hobbyists, or even just someone out to make a quick buck and bail. Maybe this is why it has been so hard to get people really interested in the HISTORY behind computers. It has just happened all too fast, and there has not been enough time for the whole art (science if you prefer) to gain any respect. Too few people out there today who are involved with computers at some level (leaving out the techno-millionaires who made their chunk and split or just don't care anymore) can recall a time when there were not computers in the home of the school. To them the computer is just another commodity item. Another appliance... Or we get the people that came from the jobs that some of up would died for back then. Working with 'real computers', built by well trained (I like to believe) people in 'real companies', with a 'real goal' ahead of them... Reality check folks, that was a whole other world from the reality that some of us grew up in! Small wonder that today it is hard to get the "real" organizations (museums, corporations, etc.) interested. The people who give a D@#n aren't in the popular demographic with all of the easily accessible money, so they don't exist to the 'bean counters' who actually drive the show from behind the guilded curtains. So, (not that anything I will ever say is likely to stop anyone) call it what you will, but to some few of us who were still in awe of computers back in 1975, and the Altair or some similar device was the first computer that we could ever call our own, it was magic! </VENT> ...and thanks again to Sellam for having the cajones to make things like the Vintage Computer Festival happen! (does he fit in the 'unskilled visionary' catagory?) B^} -jim (some days I'm just so tired of the whole thing I'd trade it straight across for a bowling alley in some nice quiet town) --- jimw(a)computergarage.org The Computer Garage - http://www.computergarage.org Computer Garage Fax - (503) 646-0174