6 Jun
1998
6 Jun
'98
1:26 a.m.
A Nicolet computer (maybe the same model) was one of the first computers I
ever used, and most certainly the smallest up until then. It was attached to
a Bruker NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) instrument at the University of
Sydney when I used it as a research student from about 1975 or 76. It did
real time fast fourier transforms and interfaced directly to the Bruker
instrument. I think I remember people using it for other computing (maybe
with BASIC loaded) when they could get some time on it.
For a while, all it had was a teletype and paper tape punch/reader and that
was my first experience in the use of front panel switches to load a
bootstrap paper tape loader and then through the sequence of punched tapes
until the final program was loaded. Of course you never turned it off if you
could help it. Later it acquired a twin magnetic tape unit but I had
finished my graduate research then and never experienced that luxury.
Phil Guerney
Brisbane Australia
guerney(a)uq.net.au
-----Original Message-----
From: Sam Ismail <dastar(a)wco.com>
Date: Saturday, June 06, 1998 4:43 AM
Subject: Nicolet 1080 rescued
Since I'm sure not many of you have ever heard of
Nicolet Instrument
Corporation (Madison, Wisconsin), I'll tell you what I know so far.
6 Jun
6 Jun
4:52 a.m.
On Sat, 6 Jun 1998, Phil Guerney wrote:
A Nicolet computer (maybe the same model) was one of
the first computers I
ever used, and most certainly the smallest up until then. It was attached to
a Bruker NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) instrument at the University of
Sydney when I used it as a research student from about 1975 or 76. It did
real time fast fourier transforms and interfaced directly to the Bruker
instrument. I think I remember people using it for other computing (maybe
with BASIC loaded) when they could get some time on it.
The Nicolet main control unit was actually branded with the Bruker logo,
which I found interesting. The manual I have shows a picture of the
main control unit expcept the buttons and dials of the front panel
are placed differently, and the logo on the front of it says FabriTek
Instruments, Inc. It seems Nicolet either OEM'd the computer from or to
other companies. It's hard to tell since other modules in the computer
are Nicolet branded. There's one more component in the system I got that
is Bruker branded.
The Nicolet has a BASIC, so it can do general purpose computing. Iwould
venture to guess that I have at least one more high level language in the
hundred or so paper tapes I received, not to mention the 7 5MB disk packs.
For a while, all it had was a teletype and paper tape
punch/reader and that
was my first experience in the use of front panel switches to load a
bootstrap paper tape loader and then through the sequence of punched tapes
until the final program was loaded. Of course you never turned it off if you
could help it. Later it acquired a twin magnetic tape unit but I had
finished my graduate research then and never experienced that luxury.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Sam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
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