Where to get a Vax or microvax

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2015-06-29 21:21, tony duell wrote:
>>
>> So, where would you place a VAX8650 in there? Or the 6000- or
>> 7000-series? :-D
>> (Or, drool, a 9000?)
>
> Those come under the 'many other families' I would argue that those machines
> are much rarer and much harder to maintain than the 3 families I suggested for
> a _first_ VAX. In fact having seen inside a 6210 cabinet there is no way I would
> want to maintain one. Not sure about the 8650, though...
>
> If you want to run those at home, fine... If you are offered one, make sure you
> know what you are taking on.
>
> FWIW, I wouldn't recomend a PDP11/45 with only the printset for documentation as a
> first PDP11 either. But it's what I started with.

Well, ok, if your list was intended as a "first VAX" only list, then 
fair enough. I would not consider most of those machines as good first 
VAXen either. Although, the 6000 is actually not that hard, nor some of 
the small 8000-machines, such as the 8200.

The problem with lots of the more modern machines though, are that they 
essentially are fine if they work, but if they break, you'll have a hard 
time to fix them. That goes both for the 6000 series as well as all the 
pizza boxes.

	Johnny