23 Aug
1999
23 Aug
'99
5:53 a.m.
Interesting point. From a logical standpoint, an
emulator can be just as
much the original machine as the original itself. However, I think the
No, it can't, because the software might use a different algorithm for
emulating than the machine actually used. And of course, the interface logic
isn't emulated. What I mean is that if we wish to preserve machines for
study, then a copy is acceptable. Of course, there is that human element to
which you refer, but I'd rather have a copy than nothing at all.
23 Aug
23 Aug
6:19 a.m.
On Mon, 23 Aug 1999, Max Eskin wrote:
isn't emulated. What I mean is that if we wish to
preserve machines
for study, then a copy is acceptable. Of course, there is that human
element to which you refer, but I'd rather have a copy than nothing at
all.
Well, actually it's not. A copy might not be made of the same materials
that the original was made of. It might have different components because
the originals may not be manufactured anymore. Minute details like the
features of the case, or the layout of the PCBs may be inaccurate, or the
wrong color, or the traces the wrong width. Etc.
A while back there was a guy from the London Museum of Science (or
whatever, sorry forgot the name) doing a lecture here in California. (I've
forgotten a lot of the details but here is the basic gist). An
interesting point he made was that there was a workbench that was used by
a famous inventor. The workbench itself was unremarkable, but what they
found in the workbench was very significant: traces of mercury. From this
evidence they were able to surmise that a contributing factor to this
inventor's death was mercury poisoning.
Again, I'm sorry I don't have specific details as my memory sucks these
ays.
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
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6:27 a.m.
Well, actually it's not. A copy might not be made
of the same materials
that the original was made of. It might have different components because
the originals may not be manufactured anymore. Minute details like the
features of the case, or the layout of the PCBs may be inaccurate, or the
wrong color, or the traces the wrong width. Etc.
I'm one of the few that could build a large number of old systems using
parts on hand with correct date codes. Active scrounging back then.
It's not had in most cases to copy something like an altair or imsai
verbatum.
Then again when I had to replace a 7451 in the FP of my 8F, the only ones
I had predated the machine by a few years! That will no doubt make a few
wonder...
Allison
6:41 a.m.
On Mon, 23 Aug 1999 allisonp(a)world.std.com wrote:
I had predated the machine by a few years! That will
no doubt make a few
wonder...
I don't think there's anything unusual about ICs in a machine pre-dating
the machine itself.
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
Coming this October 2-3: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0!
See http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 08/17/99]
7:04 a.m.
I had predated
the machine by a few years! That will no doubt make a few
wonder...
I don't think there's anything unusual about ICs in a machine pre-dating
the machine itself. 
6:53 a.m.
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8:04 a.m.
On Mon, 23 Aug 1999, Tony Duell wrote:
But suppose you want to learn about some machine that
there's no way you
could ever obtain (maybe there are none still existing, maybe the few
that do exist are far too expensive to consider owning, whatever). Making
an as perfect clone of it as you can (using the right chips, on PCBs as
near to the original layout as you can, etc) is still a useful thing to
do. Sure you'll get some small details wrong. But you can still learn a
lot about the design and operation of the machine from the copy.
I agree. I was just pointing out for Max some reasons why a copy just
isn't good enough for some people.
Whether it contributed to his death is another matter,
but I don't see
how you could prove that from finding some in the woodwork of his bench.
I think there was other evidence to suggest this, such as medical records
of afflictions that could have been casued by mercury poisoning.
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
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Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
Coming this October 2-3: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0!
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[Last web site update: 08/17/99]
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allisonp＠world.std.com -
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