25 Apr
1997
25 Apr
'97
6:17 p.m.
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 07:38:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: Doug Spence <ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca>
There used to be a copy of Osborne's "PET/CBM
Personal Computer Guide"
around here someplace, but I suspect my brother took it with him when he
moved out, even though he's a C64 man. (Darn!) I really need to find a
good shop with old computer books in it. All of the second-hand
bookstores I've been to specifically state that they don't keep computer
books or magazines older than 5 years (or so) old. :/
The Osborne is a good reference, but there are more indepth books, such
as Programming the PET/CBM and PET Revealed. Pity about the stores, I
too have noticed that, and if the owners of said store don't have any
clue about computers they usually opt not to take any computer books
(they probably got burned with a bunch of punch-card computer text books
years back...)
Interesting. I performed the piggyback RAM hack on my
Amiga 1000 (back
when it was worth real money) and that seems to still be holding up.
No this was not an expansion job, this was a direct piggy back of
chips, no bending out pins here, like I said it was a pretty stupid
thing, that never stopped him.
BTW: Who here thinks I'm crazy for wanting to run
an "old-time BBS" off a
VIC-20? Who here thinks it's impossible? :)
Heck I have been and still am sysop a Commodore 64 BBS for ten years
now. If you want some BASIC BBS programs to start with (written for 64,
but I'm sure can be easily modified for VIC) I know I have some archived
here...somewhere.
(music program)in BASIC, based on the Cursor #4
tape's cover program. I found copies of these
things in my brother's cassette collection (I was still in elementary
school at the time the PETs were in use).
Hey brother, could you spare a copy for a friend in need? <wink wink,
nudge, nugde>
I'll even supply you with a tape-to-disk program for the 64 that will
make the transfer a snap!
Too bad I couldn't find the cassette with the
professional music software on it (I forget what it's called) that lets
you compose the music on the staff on the screen, and that scrolls the
music as it plays. It's really impressive for an 8K machine!
I remember an ad about one that AB computers was selling I can't
remember it's name either. (maestro maybe?)
...the old 8K here with the miniature multicoloured
keyboard (love that thing!)
Sure is nice, I got mine (original PET) from a friend including ALOT of
the original documentation, an extra tape drive (Commodore was
butchering SANYO tape recorders to begin with), some newsletters (that
later turned into popular magazines) and tapes, a splendid addition! I
worry about it though, I'm not sure whether it has ROMs or EPROMS,
whatever they are they are the original (you know those thin white DIP
packages.)
It was, after all, an abused school machine, and the
lid wasn't screwed down. (The
sockets in that particular machine are so bad there's no point in screwing
the lid down! Having to re-seat chips is a regular occurrence.)
Most of mine are school machines, they sure take a lickin though, the
ROM seating problem is common. I have read of people sugessting to
replace them with quality drilled sockets. (maybe one of these
years...)
So I guess Commodore stopped drilling holes in
motherboards to prevent
upgrade? :)
Nope, Finally got one with a hole drilled (never heard about it before
that) I think it was later in the line that they started. I guess they
wanted to make darn sure that if someone bought a 4016 at a discount
that was only what they were gonna get.
Assuming all these chips are the same, this was a 16K
RAM board. This'd
be nice to get running.
I would have thought it to be more. :/
(How would one test a capacitor to see if it's
OK?)
No idea from me, anyone?
(on possibility of it being a Visible Memory Board)
Oooh... I wish. :) I didn't think you could even
get such a thing for a
2001, I thought graphics boards were the domain of the 8032 and like
systems. No idea why I'd think there'd be such limitations on one PET and
not on another, though. :)
Actually one of my PETs has one (I used it in high school), the graphics
could overlay the PET character screen too! Unfortunately the PET had a
mother board replacement and the jumpers are now wrong, and I'm without
docs, so it is not fully functional. Pitty I got a great Space War done
like Star Trek game for it. From an ad I still do have, the MTU Visible
Mmory Board was deveoped for the KIM-1 and then adapted for the PET, so
it's been around for a while. Same for the sound board, it mentions Hal
Chamberlin developing it for the KIM originally too (want a copy of the
ad for collection sake?)
BTW, there's also another piece of bizarre PET
expansion around the house
somewhere... Another 16K of expansion, actually. That's what those large
music files were created with. But the thing is HUGE and it consists of
exposed circuit boards, so I didn't particularly want to use it in its
current state.
[clip]
This strange contraption wouldn't be some kind of interface between the
PET and an S100 bus, would it? (THAT would be cool!) How would I know an
S100 bus if I saw one? :)
You never know, there was alot of neat things out for the PET, color
boards, Hi-Res, Disk Drive Multiplexers, UPS systems, Networking units,
etc.
----------
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 11:04:08 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Starling" <starling(a)umr.edu>
I've found that one of the best sources for old
computer books and
magazines is often overlooked... the LIBRARY. Most public libraries have
a nice collection of books on old personal computers from the 1st wave of
PC popularity (early 80s).
I remember donating a Peoples Computer Company Games Book to them after
a few years they discarded it (probably sold it at a book sale), gosh, I
wish I had gotten it back. :/ Not all libraries keep their older
computer books. *sigh*
However, if you're looking to own the books or
magazines, this doesn't
help. But if you're just looking for info or wanting to get some kicks
by reading old stuff, your local public or university library is a great
place to start.
University microfilm - http://www.umi.com/ has several older (70s-80s,
yeah, and 90s too...) computer magazines in film still available, prices
are too steep for me presently but I may someday purchase some sets.
---------
Date: Thu, 24 Apr 1997 13:43:29 -0400
From: Glenn Roberts <groberts(a)mitre.org>
so stop in at your local library's book
sale booth and you might pick up a classic or two.
Unfortunately for the local library the good books are almost all gone.
:(
Thrift store bookshelves and flea markets have been really good to me
lately though.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 1997 05:38:35 +0500
From: hellige <jeffh(a)eleventh.com>
Subject: Re: PETS & the Silly Game
There are 4 BBS's locally running on the C-64
using the 'Color-64' BBS
program. Of course, they're mainly geared towards the Commodore crowd and the
C-64, but they are quite interesting. One of them is the official board of
the local Commodore 64/128 user group.
Many of them (commodore BBSs) are networked now, my board (which runs
Image BBS) belongs to a network of 60 or so boards. In just a couple
years the BBS program it runs will be eligible for discussion!
------------------------
From: Sam Ismail <dastar(a)crl.com>
Subject: Re: PETS & the Silly Game
Don't worry. It just adds character to the
machine. You can just say
some "unknown" hacker made the mod if anyone asks. And don't forget to
mention it adds character to the machine.
I myself think you should take credit for the mod, since many of the
'card jockys' today don't know which end of a soldering iron is the
business end. I've got a 64 with a second SID hack (not by me but paid
by me), I am proud of that machine.
Larry Anderson