-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at
classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Josh Dersch
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 2:13 PM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: RE: ContrAlto V1.1 Released
OK, one more time with feeling, because apparently when I pasted that link it added a
bunch of garbage (thanks, Outlook Web Access!).
If you want to get ContrAlto, the actual, real, working link is:
http://www.livingcomputers.org/Join/Online-Systems/ContraltoSetup.aspx
Sorry for the confusion and/or stupidity on my part...
- Josh
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Thanks Josh; it's a wonderful contribution.
I remember a database being written for the Alto; it used the relational model. I believe
that it was related to INGRES, but I have only a hazy recollection and can't remember
the name -- although I would likely recognize it anyone else has further information.
We used it along with a graphical post-processor to prepare office-assignment floor-plans
at CMU in the early 80's. My recollection is that the principal uses for the CMU
Altos at that time were as PostScript-based printer-drivers ("Dover" and
"Calais" were our name-assignments). Our use in space-planning was a quirk, and
possibly the last remaining regular use of the few remaining machines. I definitely
don't remember any machine-time contention; I believe that there were two available
for general-use. I just brought along my disk-pack and would boot and have-at-it.
Never thought about it all becoming (near) ancient history ...
paul