26 Feb
2004
26 Feb
'04
5:07 p.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces(a)classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctalk-bounces@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Paul Koning
Sent: 26 February 2004 19:12
To: cctalk(a)classiccmp.org
Subject: Re: An oldie but goodie...
The DECserver-100 -- the first LAT terminal server from DEC
-- was almost ready for release. It came in a fairly small
box, about the same dimensions as two fairly large laptops
stacked on top of each other. It had terminal connectors
with snap latches on the side.
Ken came in at the last minute and decreed that (a) it had to
go into a larger box, and (b) it had to use different
connectors, the MMJ connectors. The result was that the
initial release of that product came in a large box with a
small PC board inside, and 8 jumper cables to connect from
the original terminal connectors on the board to the MMJ
jacks in the new cabinet. Needless to say, this caused a
significant product delay as well as some highly annoyed engineers.
I always reasoned that the DS100 was that size was so it could be easily
rackmounted once you'd taken the plastic clamshell case off......it's long
enough ago now for bits of product history (from the reseller side) to be
merging in my head and my old Systems & Options catalogues are a long snowy
trudge away in the garage....I remember that the DS100 was a 16 port DB25
server....wasn't it the DS200 that was available in either 16 port DB25 or
two harmonica style MMJ boxes? The DS300 incorporated the MMJs in the back
so it obviously wasn't that one. (and I've got one downstairs :)
Either way, there's some good reading in that article....
Cheers
--
Adrian/Witchy
Owner & Webmaster, Binary Dinosaurs
www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - possibly the UK's biggest online computer museum
www.snakebiteandblack.co.uk - ex-monthly gothic shenanigans :o(