FWIW I do consider the 9000 520 an odd machine. Perhaps unusual would be a better term. I've been collecting HP computers for a good number of years and I've never seen one before. I found (and bought) one a couple of weeks ago. Before that the only person that I know of that actually had one was Frank McConnell. My research indicates that there were a lot 520s used by the US navy and some of it's subcontractors but few elsewhere. Even my contacts at HP tell me that the 520 was problematic and was very late getting into production and was a commercail failure. Despite the large number of them used by the US Navy, very few managed to get into the surplus market. I couldn't find a single surplus dealer that had one or that even knew what they were.

I tried to fire mine up but it has problems. It powers up and tries to read the floppy drive then the power supply shuts down. I haven't had time to trouble shoot it yet. FWIW the guy that went to the Goddard SFC auction didn't get the two 9000/520s that were there. He said they were too big and too heavy and he would have had to leave somethingelse that he wanted more behind in order to bring them back so he didn't bother. I'll try to find out who got them. If I do, I'll post a message on the list and perhaps someone else can pick them up.

On Sat, 7 Apr 2001, Joe wrote: Are there any other similar HP machines? I've seen such a beast at a mate's, but I could be mistaken. It had several cartridge ports, IIRC.

I don't believe that's the case where I'm at. I don't know where old machines go here, but I suppose a lot of them have either wound up in the collections of the academic computer clubs and their members, or gone to the "recycling" plants. There even doesn't seem to be that many collectors over here. Then again, I'm not the kind who likes stealing or begging. I'm such a coward, I won't take chances.

A few minor corrections, and machines you didn't mention : The HP9815 doesn't have cartridge ports on the front (it has 2 expansion slots on the back which (electrically) could take expansion ROMs or I/O devices - I have no idea what HP designed to go there. The 9825 has the same 4 ports on the front as the 9835, etc. The 9810 has 3 cartridge ports inside IIRC. I would have guessed the 9820 did as well, but I've never seen that machine. The HP87 has an internal monitor (or at least mine does). It's a strange 'widescreen' CRT -- about the width you'd expect for a small mono monitor (it will display 80 columns of text), but about half the height. %deity knows where I'd get a replacement CRT if it ever fails. The HP86 does use an external (composite mono) monitor, though.

The HP9815 doesn't have cartridge ports on the front (it has 2 expansion slots on the back which (electrically) could take expansion ROMs or I/O devices - I have no idea what HP designed to go there.

Curt, First, are we talking about the same machine? I'm talking about the HP 9000 520. Aka 9020. It's a large desktop machine with a built in keyboard and monitor. It looks like a grossly oversized Commodore 64. I think the K 520 is an entirely different machine. Next, I was speaking of old computers in general. Some of people on the list are always complaining about how the internet, E-bay (and now the ex-MITS building computer museum) are driving up the prices of old machines and how they can't afford old computers any more, etc, etc. However I manage to find something interesting nearly everytime that I go looking. I didn't even go out this week but still managed to aquire some HP Integral manauls, a HP documentation index and found the auction listing for the two 9000 520s. Last week I did go looking and found two NICE Kaypros with loads of original disks. The week before that I found an IBM L40SX, IBM P70, a Sun 635 MP, a HP 9000 520, a HP 9836, a HP 9000 series 300 and a HP 9000 835. My point is there are still loads of old computers out there and for cheap prices if anyone is willing to get off their a** and go look! FWIW I do consider the 9000 520 an odd machine. Perhaps unusual would be a better term. I've been collecting HP computers for a good number of years and I've never seen one before. I found (and bought) one a couple of weeks ago. Before that the only person that I know of that actually had one was Frank McConnell. My research indicates that there were a lot 520s used by the US navy and some of it's subcontractors but few elsewhere. Even my contacts at HP tell me that the 520 was problematic and was very late getting into production and was a commercail failure. Despite the large number of them used by the US Navy, very few managed to get into the surplus market. I couldn't find a single surplus dealer that had one or that even knew what they were. Joe At 10:32 PM 4/6/01 -0400, you wrote: installed >one of those with HPUX 11.3 at GT Interactive in Manhattan back in 95' A >damn good and powerful machine. > > >Curt > > > >Joe wrote: > >> FWIW there were two of these for sale at the auction at the Goddard Space >> Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama this past week. A guy that I know went >> to the auction and I asked him to try and pick them up for me but I don't >> know if he did or not. He should be back in a day or two and then I'll >> know. The point is there's still lots of these old odd machines around if >> someone is willing to search for them. >> >> Joe > >