On 5/22/2023 5:38 AM, Tony Duell via cctalk wrote:
I hereby formally retract my erroneous suggestion of a "386 98,SP2 desktop with floppies and USB", and replace my suggestion with: "a PC with USB and floppies", and let Tony decide what vintage to use.Fully concur. If it were me, I'd probably suggest some box with from the end of the era which came with an onboard floppy controller, and dual-boot 98SE and some old Linux that can handle such a thing, like Slackware or Debian. That would cover the most bases.I am sorry, but I think this is a stupid suggestion for many reasons.
It is, however, a viable suggestion, and that is better than none :)
The first problem is finding such a machine in known-working
condition. Second-hand computer shops are few and far between and
generally don't trade in machines that old. Similarly pawnbrokers
('Cash Converters' and the like) don't deal in them.
Don't they have eBay where you live?
... And of course it has to have the right type of disk controller, I certainly need to be able to handle single-density (FM) reading and writing correctly. Some machines can, some can't. I am hardly going to be able to test it before I buy it.
I wouldn't worry about the built in disk controller. You can add the functionality you need with an Adaptec SCSI controller w/ floppy.
Next there's the problem of me getting it home. I don't drive. I'll go on public transport for things that interest me and which I actually want. An PC is not in that category. Not to mention the fact that I doubt I could carry the system box, monitor and keyboard in one go. Having it sent to me is inconvenient and I am not sure the machine would survive. Not to mention it would cost more than the machine is worth.
Why do you need a monitor and keyboard? And since you don't drive, again, have you heard of eBay?
Then there's the problem of keeping it going.
Why do I not have this problem? Keeping *anything* going, even our own bodies, is always a "problem."
I realise that spare ICs always were unobtainium. But replacement modules -- disk drives, motherboards, etc are no longer made or easily available. I have no PCI cards in my collection at all. No ATX power supplies. I might be able to find a VGA monitor but that's pushing it.
Then why even get up in the morning, if you're resigned to doom before even trying? All of these things can be obtained.. EASILY. A VGA monitor is NOT a challenge.
And drives. It was suggested that I get a double 5.25"/3.5" drive. Err, no. The 5.25" is going to be 80 cylinder (to handle 1.2M disks) which means writing to 40 cylinder disks is a bad idea.
I use a 5.25" HD drive for 80 cylinder use, and simply plug in a 360k drive when needed.
And I am not sure the software exists to do what I want on such a machine. I don't want to have to write it myself!
Such software probably does exist. If someone has had the same need, then it's been done.
