[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
On 1/31/2024 8:30 PM, mark audacity romberg via cctalk wrote: I suppose I should’ve specified “of the versions of BASIC I’ve ever heard anyone talk about still using this century.” :P Basic09 is probably still in use on OS9000. VAX BASIC is still in use on VMS ALPHA and Itanium and is about to be released for the recent port of VMS to x86-64. I personally know of a number of rather large production systems in VMS BASIC. RSTS/E is harder to say. There are still a large number of PDP-11 sites running using both real hardware and commercial emulator systems but which OSes they are using I can't say. Could be all RT-11 and RSX-11. But then, BASIC-PLUS and BASIC-PLUS2 both run on RSX-11 as well. I just don't have much experience with RSX-11 as I never really liked it. And none of this takes into account hobbyists like me who use all of them. bill
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
I suppose I should’ve specified “of the versions of BASIC I’ve ever heard anyone talk about still using this century.” :P
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
On 1/31/2024 1:14 PM, mark audacity romberg via cctalk wrote: BBC BASIC is the best BASIC there ever was, and I feel sad for those who have never used it to see how powerful BASIC can be with proper structured programming. It’s honestly like a different language. Basic09? VAX BASIC? RSTS/E BASIC-PLUS? Microsoft was not the only BASIC provider in the US. bill
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
The Enter museum in Switzerland has a nice library of docs. I found that museum to be chock full of interesting German and other computers. Worth the trip. Bill On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 7:02 PM Nigel Johnson Ham via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I do remember reading that lot of British computers were quite superior > to the rest of the world, but sold for inland use only. The reason > given was that we couldn't figure out ow to make them leak oil! > cheers, > Nigel > > > On 2024-01-31 14:05, Martin Bishop via cctalk wrote: > > < and UK. >> > > > > One standard work is "The First Computers : History and Architectures" > > Ed Rojas, et al > > MIT Press; 2002; ISBN 0-262-68137-4 > > US : 5 sections > > Germany : 7 sections > > UK : 5 sections > > Japan : 2 sections > > as an indication of activity > > > > < preserved from various countries. >> > > > > In the UK context, where there is on-line documentation of the ICL 2900 > series is a question I don't know the answer to > > There is of course an operational ICL 2966 at TNMoC, Bletchley Park > > > > Martin > > > > -Original Message- > > From: Paul Koning via cctalk [mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org] > > Sent: 31 January 2024 18:53 > > To: cctalk@classiccmp.org > > Cc: Wouter de Waal ; Paul Koning > > Subject: [cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal > > > > > > > >> On Jan 31, 2024, at 1:39 PM, Wouter de Waal via cctalk < > cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > >> > >> > >>> I have found that computers are much like motorcycles: many of the > most interesting were never available in the US. > >> Computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting ones > were TERRIBLE! > > I wonder what fraction of early (before, say, 1955) computer work was > done in the USA. A substantial fraction no doubt, but perhaps not as large > as one might guess. A related question would be how much work was done > outside the USA and UK. > > > > For that matter, similar questions could be asked about the amount of > documentation preserved from various countries. One difficulty, I think, > is that resources like bitsavers have a large proportion of US material. > Maybe because of the predominance of the work, maybe in part because of the > distribution of collectors. To pick one example, material -- even just a > passing reference -- about the Philips PR8000 is very nearly nonexistent. > And I see no trace of any other Dutch computer at all on Bitsavers. True, > some stuff can be found in places like the CWI archive, though searching > that can be rather painful. > > > > paul > > > > -- > Nigel Johnson, MSc., MIEEE, MCSE VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU > Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept! > Skype: TILBURY2591 > > >
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
On Wed, 31 Jan 2024, Nigel Johnson Ham via cctalk wrote: I do remember reading that lot of British computers were quite superior to the rest of the world, but sold for inland use only. The reason given was that we couldn't figure out ow to make them leak oil! cheers, Nigel Did Lucas make computers? -- Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
I do remember reading that lot of British computers were quite superior to the rest of the world, but sold for inland use only. The reason given was that we couldn't figure out ow to make them leak oil! cheers, Nigel On 2024-01-31 14:05, Martin Bishop via cctalk wrote: <> One standard work is "The First Computers : History and Architectures" Ed Rojas, et al MIT Press; 2002; ISBN 0-262-68137-4 US : 5 sections Germany : 7 sections UK : 5 sections Japan : 2 sections as an indication of activity <> In the UK context, where there is on-line documentation of the ICL 2900 series is a question I don't know the answer to There is of course an operational ICL 2966 at TNMoC, Bletchley Park Martin -Original Message- From: Paul Koning via cctalk [mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org] Sent: 31 January 2024 18:53 To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Cc: Wouter de Waal ; Paul Koning Subject: [cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal On Jan 31, 2024, at 1:39 PM, Wouter de Waal via cctalk wrote: I have found that computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting were never available in the US. Computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting ones were TERRIBLE! I wonder what fraction of early (before, say, 1955) computer work was done in the USA. A substantial fraction no doubt, but perhaps not as large as one might guess. A related question would be how much work was done outside the USA and UK. For that matter, similar questions could be asked about the amount of documentation preserved from various countries. One difficulty, I think, is that resources like bitsavers have a large proportion of US material. Maybe because of the predominance of the work, maybe in part because of the distribution of collectors. To pick one example, material -- even just a passing reference -- about the Philips PR8000 is very nearly nonexistent. And I see no trace of any other Dutch computer at all on Bitsavers. True, some stuff can be found in places like the CWI archive, though searching that can be rather painful. paul -- Nigel Johnson, MSc., MIEEE, MCSE VE3ID/G4AJQ/VA3MCU Amateur Radio, the origin of the open-source concept! Skype: TILBURY2591
[cctalk] Re: A little help please
Hi Kevin, Often that is because you signed up using an old email that is forwarded to your current email - Have a look at the message headers to see which email it is sending messages to. You can then log into the list manager with that email and remove yourself. it is particularly tricky for me, as I run about 7 different email aliases depending on the environment I am in at any time. Kindest regards, Doug Jackson em: d...@doughq.com ph: 0414 986878 Follow my amateur radio adventures at vk1zdj.net On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 at 18:41, Kevin Lee via cctalk wrote: > Could someone kindly delete me from this list.. > The mailing list software says it does not know me and yet I am getting > emails :) > > Thanks > K. > > Ps: appreciate the help. > >
[cctalk] Re: Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
I haven't worked on 8" drives since the early 80's with th exception of the RX02 drives on my PDP-8. And DEC worked their own "magic" on those drives :) Thanks for the help. On 1/31/2024 3:59 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: On 1/31/24 13:03, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: Michael, Thank you, that was what I was planning as my next step. I haven't checked to see if the service manual has a full schematic. The main purpose of my message on here was to see if I was missing something obvious like an option trace cut or something like that that I missed when I checked the manual. Thanks again, Mike - There is indeed a schematic in the 842 service manual PDF page 87 is what you're looking for. Since the LEDs are always powered, you need only be concerned with the output of the phototransistor. DMM is fine; no scope necessary. An opto going bad is not completely unknown on these drives. (I have a couple of the 842s--good drives, otherwise) Diskette drives really are non-intelligent devices... --Chuck
[cctalk] Re: Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
I believe the pull ups are all on inputs from the external controller and not for outputs from the drive itself. Looking at the schematic the Index output (J1-P20) does not go through the pull up resistors. Thanks again for your help. On 1/31/2024 3:59 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: On 1/31/24 13:03, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: Michael, Thank you, that was what I was planning as my next step. I haven't checked to see if the service manual has a full schematic. The main purpose of my message on here was to see if I was missing something obvious like an option trace cut or something like that that I missed when I checked the manual. Thanks again, Mike - There is indeed a schematic in the 842 service manual PDF page 87 is what you're looking for. Since the LEDs are always powered, you need only be concerned with the output of the phototransistor. DMM is fine; no scope necessary. An opto going bad is not completely unknown on these drives. (I have a couple of the 842s--good drives, otherwise) Diskette drives really are non-intelligent devices... --Chuck
[cctalk] NEC APC external floppy drivers needed
I don't even have an APC anymore. But since this thing is eyeing me menacingly I figured I'd put the request out. Butler Flats Associates dual external 5 1/4" accoutrement, has it's own controller card (based on wd1771/1772 iirc). Contact me off list if you have these. Much appreciated. Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/) secure email.
[cctalk] Re: Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
On 1/31/24 13:03, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: > Michael, > > Thank you, that was what I was planning as my next step. I haven't > checked to see if the service manual has a full schematic. > > The main purpose of my message on here was to see if I was missing > something obvious like an option trace cut or something like that that I > missed when I checked the manual. > > Thanks again, Mike - There is indeed a schematic in the 842 service manual PDF page 87 is what you're looking for. Since the LEDs are always powered, you need only be concerned with the output of the phototransistor. DMM is fine; no scope necessary. An opto going bad is not completely unknown on these drives. (I have a couple of the 842s--good drives, otherwise) Diskette drives really are non-intelligent devices... --Chuck
[cctalk] Re: Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
That is one of the tests recommended in the service manual. It's on my list of things to check. Thank you... On 1/31/2024 2:17 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: On 1/31/24 11:12, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: I have not yet tried installing terminating resistors... That might help. It's also possible that the LED/phototransistor for the SS index position is faulty. The two LEDs (SS and DS) are connected in series, so you know that at least one isn't open. Grab your DMM and check the voltage levels on pins A6 and A7 on connector J2. They should change as the beam is broken in each with a piece of tinfoil or something else opaque. --Chuck
[cctalk] Re: Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
Michael, Thank you, that was what I was planning as my next step. I haven't checked to see if the service manual has a full schematic. The main purpose of my message on here was to see if I was missing something obvious like an option trace cut or something like that that I missed when I checked the manual. Thanks again, Mike On 1/31/2024 2:29 PM, Michael Thompson wrote: Connect an oscilloscope to the output of the single-sided sensor and see if it works. If so, trace the signal through the logic and see if it gets to the I/O connector that goes to the greaseweazel. On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 2:38 PM Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: I have recently acquired a Qume Model 842 double sided 8" disk drive. I have reset all of the settings to factory default and hooked it up to my greastweazle. The drive works perfectly for double sided disks (using the appropriate index hole). However, the greaseweasel reports no index pulse when I put a single sided diskette in the drive. I have attempted to clean out the sensor for single sided diskettes to on avail. Does any one have any ideas? The grease weasel works perfectly when I connect SA-800 drives. I have not yet tried installing terminating resistors in the Qume. Thank you in advance for your help, Mike
[cctalk] Re: Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
On 1/31/24 11:12, Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: > I have not yet tried installing terminating resistors... That might help. It's also possible that the LED/phototransistor for the SS index position is faulty. The two LEDs (SS and DS) are connected in series, so you know that at least one isn't open. Grab your DMM and check the voltage levels on pins A6 and A7 on connector J2. They should change as the beam is broken in each with a piece of tinfoil or something else opaque. --Chuck
[cctalk] Re: Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
Connect an oscilloscope to the output of the single-sided sensor and see if it works. If so, trace the signal through the logic and see if it gets to the I/O connector that goes to the greaseweazel. On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 2:38 PM Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: > I have recently acquired a Qume Model 842 double sided 8" disk drive. > > I have reset all of the settings to factory default and hooked it up to > my greastweazle. > > The drive works perfectly for double sided disks (using the appropriate > index hole). > > However, the greaseweasel reports no index pulse when I put a single > sided diskette in the drive. I have attempted to clean out the sensor > for single sided diskettes to on avail. > > Does any one have any ideas? > > The grease weasel works perfectly when I connect SA-800 drives. > > I have not yet tried installing terminating resistors in the Qume. > > Thank you in advance for your help, > >Mike > > On 1/31/2024 12:56 PM, Martin Bishop via cctalk wrote: > > Ah, PPC VME cards, add VXworks, funky coprocessors, COTS IO and you have > definitely got something best avoided : details would involve libations. > > > > The conduction cooled chassis are OK and worth repurposing. > Contrariwise the VME bus is best avoided, whether classic 32b VME or the 64 > bit revision. However, the connectors for VME 64x backplanes and the form > factor have merit, but that is to depart from the past. > > > > Martin > > > > -Original Message- > > From: Wouter de Waal via cctalk [mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org] > > Sent: 31 January 2024 18:34 > > To: cctalk@classiccmp.org > > Cc: Wouter de Waal > > Subject: [cctalk] Re: Vmebus > > > > > >> Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what > >> make/model/config? > > I still use a couple of PPC VME boards (DY4 / Curtiss Wright > 182/183/184, both Conduction-Cooled and Air-Cooled) to test the tail end of > hardware that we are still shipping (by now EOL and basically NOS). > > > > But it's work, I don't find them interesting. > > > > If someone here has the warm fuzzies for PPC VME, we can talk :-) > > > > W > > > > -- Michael Thompson
[cctalk] Qume 842 8" Disk Drive Question
I have recently acquired a Qume Model 842 double sided 8" disk drive. I have reset all of the settings to factory default and hooked it up to my greastweazle. The drive works perfectly for double sided disks (using the appropriate index hole). However, the greaseweasel reports no index pulse when I put a single sided diskette in the drive. I have attempted to clean out the sensor for single sided diskettes to on avail. Does any one have any ideas? The grease weasel works perfectly when I connect SA-800 drives. I have not yet tried installing terminating resistors in the Qume. Thank you in advance for your help, Mike On 1/31/2024 12:56 PM, Martin Bishop via cctalk wrote: Ah, PPC VME cards, add VXworks, funky coprocessors, COTS IO and you have definitely got something best avoided : details would involve libations. The conduction cooled chassis are OK and worth repurposing. Contrariwise the VME bus is best avoided, whether classic 32b VME or the 64 bit revision. However, the connectors for VME 64x backplanes and the form factor have merit, but that is to depart from the past. Martin -Original Message- From: Wouter de Waal via cctalk [mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org] Sent: 31 January 2024 18:34 To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Cc: Wouter de Waal Subject: [cctalk] Re: Vmebus Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what make/model/config? I still use a couple of PPC VME boards (DY4 / Curtiss Wright 182/183/184, both Conduction-Cooled and Air-Cooled) to test the tail end of hardware that we are still shipping (by now EOL and basically NOS). But it's work, I don't find them interesting. If someone here has the warm fuzzies for PPC VME, we can talk :-) W
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
<> One standard work is "The First Computers : History and Architectures" Ed Rojas, et al MIT Press; 2002; ISBN 0-262-68137-4 US : 5 sections Germany : 7 sections UK : 5 sections Japan : 2 sections as an indication of activity <> In the UK context, where there is on-line documentation of the ICL 2900 series is a question I don't know the answer to There is of course an operational ICL 2966 at TNMoC, Bletchley Park Martin -Original Message- From: Paul Koning via cctalk [mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org] Sent: 31 January 2024 18:53 To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Cc: Wouter de Waal ; Paul Koning Subject: [cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal > On Jan 31, 2024, at 1:39 PM, Wouter de Waal via cctalk > wrote: > > >> I have found that computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most >> interesting were never available in the US. > > Computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting ones were > TERRIBLE! I wonder what fraction of early (before, say, 1955) computer work was done in the USA. A substantial fraction no doubt, but perhaps not as large as one might guess. A related question would be how much work was done outside the USA and UK. For that matter, similar questions could be asked about the amount of documentation preserved from various countries. One difficulty, I think, is that resources like bitsavers have a large proportion of US material. Maybe because of the predominance of the work, maybe in part because of the distribution of collectors. To pick one example, material -- even just a passing reference -- about the Philips PR8000 is very nearly nonexistent. And I see no trace of any other Dutch computer at all on Bitsavers. True, some stuff can be found in places like the CWI archive, though searching that can be rather painful. paul
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
Ah, PPC VME cards, add VXworks, funky coprocessors, COTS IO and you have definitely got something best avoided : details would involve libations. The conduction cooled chassis are OK and worth repurposing. Contrariwise the VME bus is best avoided, whether classic 32b VME or the 64 bit revision. However, the connectors for VME 64x backplanes and the form factor have merit, but that is to depart from the past. Martin -Original Message- From: Wouter de Waal via cctalk [mailto:cctalk@classiccmp.org] Sent: 31 January 2024 18:34 To: cctalk@classiccmp.org Cc: Wouter de Waal Subject: [cctalk] Re: Vmebus > >Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what >make/model/config? I still use a couple of PPC VME boards (DY4 / Curtiss Wright 182/183/184, both Conduction-Cooled and Air-Cooled) to test the tail end of hardware that we are still shipping (by now EOL and basically NOS). But it's work, I don't find them interesting. If someone here has the warm fuzzies for PPC VME, we can talk :-) W
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
> On Jan 31, 2024, at 1:39 PM, Wouter de Waal via cctalk > wrote: > > >> I have found that computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most >> interesting were never available in the US. > > Computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting ones were > TERRIBLE! I wonder what fraction of early (before, say, 1955) computer work was done in the USA. A substantial fraction no doubt, but perhaps not as large as one might guess. A related question would be how much work was done outside the USA and UK. For that matter, similar questions could be asked about the amount of documentation preserved from various countries. One difficulty, I think, is that resources like bitsavers have a large proportion of US material. Maybe because of the predominance of the work, maybe in part because of the distribution of collectors. To pick one example, material -- even just a passing reference -- about the Philips PR8000 is very nearly nonexistent. And I see no trace of any other Dutch computer at all on Bitsavers. True, some stuff can be found in places like the CWI archive, though searching that can be rather painful. paul
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
I have found that computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting were never available in the US. Computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting ones were TERRIBLE! W
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what make/model/config? I still use a couple of PPC VME boards (DY4 / Curtiss Wright 182/183/184, both Conduction-Cooled and Air-Cooled) to test the tail end of hardware that we are still shipping (by now EOL and basically NOS). But it's work, I don't find them interesting. If someone here has the warm fuzzies for PPC VME, we can talk :-) W
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
BBC BASIC is the best BASIC there ever was, and I feel sad for those who have never used it to see how powerful BASIC can be with proper structured programming. It’s honestly like a different language. > On Jan 31, 2024, at 12:05, Sellam Abraham via cctalk > wrote: > > right now I'm on a BBC Micro kick, > specifically because of its BASIC interpreter.
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 9:13 AM Liam Proven via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 at 14:23, Christopher Satterfield via cctalk > wrote: > > > > I'm going to be presenting a (fine? idk) collection of British Computers. > > Dragging along at least an Acorn RiscPC 700, a Castle Iyonix, Sinclair > > Spectrum 48k and a Q68. Possibly static Apricot FP1/F1 if I can be > bothered > > to reassemble them despite their non-functional states. > > As a Brit, can I just express my appreciation of this? :-) > > I write for an international audience and sometimes people from the > USA are openly and repeatedly incredulous that "obscure" British > computers -- that means they've never heard of them -- can be > considered significant or important, even compared to American > machines that were on sale in East Futtbuck Idaho for 6 weeks in > Spring 1973 and have never been mentioned since. > > The biggest selling CPU in history is a British design from a British > company. Its native OS is still updated and is FOSS today, and > provided the inspiration for a key part of the Windows 95 user > interface now used by billions. The core of the OS dates from the late > 1970s or so and may be the oldest OS of which a modern derivative > still can run on the bare metal of new hardware in 2024. > > -- > Liam Proven ~ Profile: https://about.me/liamproven Probably because Americans in Futtbuck, Idaho never heard of any British computers but Brits certainly knew about American computers, eh wot? P.S. Just so this doesn't cause an international incident, I am very fond of various British computers and right now I'm on a BBC Micro kick, specifically because of its BASIC interpreter. Sellam
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
> On 01/31/2024 11:34 AM CST Henry Bent via cctalk > wrote: > > > On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 at 12:13, Liam Proven via cctalk > wrote: > > I write for an international audience and sometimes people from the > > USA are openly and repeatedly incredulous that "obscure" British > > computers -- that means they've never heard of them -- can be > > considered significant or important, even compared to American > > machines that were on sale in East Futtbuck Idaho for 6 weeks in > > Spring 1973 and have never been mentioned since. > > I wish that I were in a position to visit that VCF and see those machines. I as well. I do hope you will record it and make it available online somewhere. I have found that computers are much like motorcycles: many of the most interesting were never available in the US. Thanks, Will Grownups never understand anything by themselves and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them, Antoine de Saint-Exupery in The Little Prince
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
That would be very interesting. I always thought Apricot made some beasts and remeber the cover of Byte for the first 486 system being an Apricot VX. I would love to see that machine in person. Original message From: Christopher Satterfield via cctalk Date: 1/31/24 6:23 AM (GMT-08:00) To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" Cc: Christopher Satterfield Subject: [cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal I'm going to be presenting a (fine? idk) collection of British Computers.Dragging along at least an Acorn RiscPC 700, a Castle Iyonix, SinclairSpectrum 48k and a Q68. Possibly static Apricot FP1/F1 if I can be botheredto reassemble them despite their non-functional states.
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 at 12:13, Liam Proven via cctalk wrote: I write for an international audience and sometimes people from the > USA are openly and repeatedly incredulous that "obscure" British > computers -- that means they've never heard of them -- can be > considered significant or important, even compared to American > machines that were on sale in East Futtbuck Idaho for 6 weeks in > Spring 1973 and have never been mentioned since. > I wish that I were in a position to visit that VCF and see those machines. As an American it's true that the vast majority of my vintage computer experience is completely americentric, but I'm aware that Acorn had a significant presence in the overseas market and that RiscOS is viewed fondly. Perhaps it's time for me to find an emulator and experience the system for myself. And yes, there does appear to be outsize interest from the community in dead-end and/or sub-par American machines vs. those from overseas. For example, I gather that Omron did fairly well in the UNIX hardware business in Japan, but had effectively zero market penetration elsewhere. Interest in those systems here is effectively zero, mostly because they never appeared on the secondary market and so there was no long tail leading to hobbyist use. > The biggest selling CPU in history is a British design from a British > company. Its native OS is still updated and is FOSS today, and > provided the inspiration for a key part of the Windows 95 user > interface now used by billions. The core of the OS dates from the late > 1970s or so and may be the oldest OS of which a modern derivative > still can run on the bare metal of new hardware in 2024. > Surely by this definition UNIX would take the crown? The "core of the OS" dates from 1969 and modern derivatives are everywhere. -Henry
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 at 14:23, Christopher Satterfield via cctalk wrote: > > I'm going to be presenting a (fine? idk) collection of British Computers. > Dragging along at least an Acorn RiscPC 700, a Castle Iyonix, Sinclair > Spectrum 48k and a Q68. Possibly static Apricot FP1/F1 if I can be bothered > to reassemble them despite their non-functional states. As a Brit, can I just express my appreciation of this? :-) I write for an international audience and sometimes people from the USA are openly and repeatedly incredulous that "obscure" British computers -- that means they've never heard of them -- can be considered significant or important, even compared to American machines that were on sale in East Futtbuck Idaho for 6 weeks in Spring 1973 and have never been mentioned since. The biggest selling CPU in history is a British design from a British company. Its native OS is still updated and is FOSS today, and provided the inspiration for a key part of the Windows 95 user interface now used by billions. The core of the OS dates from the late 1970s or so and may be the oldest OS of which a modern derivative still can run on the bare metal of new hardware in 2024. -- Liam Proven ~ Profile: https://about.me/liamproven Email: lpro...@cix.co.uk ~ gMail/gTalk/FB: lpro...@gmail.com Twitter/LinkedIn: lproven ~ Skype: liamproven IoM: (+44) 7624 277612: UK: (+44) 7939-087884 Czech [+ WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal]: (+420) 702-829-053
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
I have a Sun3E VMEbus system. It is a Sun3/60 split into five 6Ux160 VMEbus boards. On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 8:57 AM Bill Degnan via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Sorry, that is the old FAQ and may not be correct, here is a newer page > https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/postorius/lists/cctalk.classiccmp.org/ > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 7:11 AM Kevin Lee via cctalk < > cctalk@classiccmp.org> > wrote: > > > Unsubscribe me from this list. > > > > > > > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, at 12:14 PM, Tom Ivar Helbekkmo via cctalk wrote: > > > Bill Degnan via cctalk writes: > > > > > > > Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, > what > > > > make/model/config? > > > > > > I have a couple of old Stride Micro systems, a 440 and a 460, that get > > > turned on very occasionally. They run UniStride 2.1, which is based on > > > SVR2, if memory serves. Nice 68010-based machines, interesting > software > > > architecture, with an advanced BIOS that supports several operating > > > systems, and can even run multiple OS-es simultaneously. > > > > > > -tih > > > -- > > > Most people who graduate with CS degrees don't understand the > > significance > > > of Lisp. Lisp is the most important idea in computer science. --Alan > > Kay > > > > > > -- Michael Thompson
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
Please unsubscribe me from this list. On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, at 2:57 PM, Bill Degnan via cctalk wrote: > Sorry, that is the old FAQ and may not be correct, here is a newer page > https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/postorius/lists/cctalk.classiccmp.org/ > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 7:11 AM Kevin Lee via cctalk > wrote: > > > Unsubscribe me from this list. > > > > > > > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, at 12:14 PM, Tom Ivar Helbekkmo via cctalk wrote: > > > Bill Degnan via cctalk writes: > > > > > > > Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what > > > > make/model/config? > > > > > > I have a couple of old Stride Micro systems, a 440 and a 460, that get > > > turned on very occasionally. They run UniStride 2.1, which is based on > > > SVR2, if memory serves. Nice 68010-based machines, interesting software > > > architecture, with an advanced BIOS that supports several operating > > > systems, and can even run multiple OS-es simultaneously. > > > > > > -tih > > > -- > > > Most people who graduate with CS degrees don't understand the > > significance > > > of Lisp. Lisp is the most important idea in computer science. --Alan > > Kay > > > > > >
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
1.2 How to Talk to the Robot There are a few List Processor commands that you might want to use. To send a command to the list processor, write a message to listp...@u.washington.edu (Do NOT send the message to classic...@u.washington.edu). In the body of the message (not the subject line, that is) write one of the following commands, then send the message. SET CLASSICCMP MAIL ACK Tells the robot to send you a copy of messages you write to the list. This is the default. SET CLASSICCMP MAIL NOACK Tells the robot NOT to send you a copy of messages you write to the list. I don't recommend this. SET CLASSICCMP MAIL DIGEST Tells the robot to send you a digest of messages rather than each as it is posted. With this option you will get a weekly bundle of messages and keep a nice, tidy in-box. SUBSCRIBE CLASSICCMP Your.Address Subscribes you to the list. UNSUBSCRIBE CLASSICCMP Your.Address Removes you from the list. [][][][][][][][][][] On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 7:11 AM Kevin Lee via cctalk wrote: > Unsubscribe me from this list. > > > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, at 12:14 PM, Tom Ivar Helbekkmo via cctalk wrote: > > Bill Degnan via cctalk writes: > > > > > Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what > > > make/model/config? > > > > I have a couple of old Stride Micro systems, a 440 and a 460, that get > > turned on very occasionally. They run UniStride 2.1, which is based on > > SVR2, if memory serves. Nice 68010-based machines, interesting software > > architecture, with an advanced BIOS that supports several operating > > systems, and can even run multiple OS-es simultaneously. > > > > -tih > > -- > > Most people who graduate with CS degrees don't understand the > significance > > of Lisp. Lisp is the most important idea in computer science. --Alan > Kay > > >
[cctalk] Re: VCF SoCal
I'm going to be presenting a (fine? idk) collection of British Computers. Dragging along at least an Acorn RiscPC 700, a Castle Iyonix, Sinclair Spectrum 48k and a Q68. Possibly static Apricot FP1/F1 if I can be bothered to reassemble them despite their non-functional states.
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
Sorry, that is the old FAQ and may not be correct, here is a newer page https://classiccmp.org/mailman3/postorius/lists/cctalk.classiccmp.org/ On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 7:11 AM Kevin Lee via cctalk wrote: > Unsubscribe me from this list. > > > > On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, at 12:14 PM, Tom Ivar Helbekkmo via cctalk wrote: > > Bill Degnan via cctalk writes: > > > > > Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what > > > make/model/config? > > > > I have a couple of old Stride Micro systems, a 440 and a 460, that get > > turned on very occasionally. They run UniStride 2.1, which is based on > > SVR2, if memory serves. Nice 68010-based machines, interesting software > > architecture, with an advanced BIOS that supports several operating > > systems, and can even run multiple OS-es simultaneously. > > > > -tih > > -- > > Most people who graduate with CS degrees don't understand the > significance > > of Lisp. Lisp is the most important idea in computer science. --Alan > Kay > > >
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
Unsubscribe me from this list. On Wed, Jan 31, 2024, at 12:14 PM, Tom Ivar Helbekkmo via cctalk wrote: > Bill Degnan via cctalk writes: > > > Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what > > make/model/config? > > I have a couple of old Stride Micro systems, a 440 and a 460, that get > turned on very occasionally. They run UniStride 2.1, which is based on > SVR2, if memory serves. Nice 68010-based machines, interesting software > architecture, with an advanced BIOS that supports several operating > systems, and can even run multiple OS-es simultaneously. > > -tih > -- > Most people who graduate with CS degrees don't understand the significance > of Lisp. Lisp is the most important idea in computer science. --Alan Kay >
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
Bill Degnan via cctalk writes: > Anyone have a VMEbus system they use at least occasionally? If so, what > make/model/config? I have a couple of old Stride Micro systems, a 440 and a 460, that get turned on very occasionally. They run UniStride 2.1, which is based on SVR2, if memory serves. Nice 68010-based machines, interesting software architecture, with an advanced BIOS that supports several operating systems, and can even run multiple OS-es simultaneously. -tih -- Most people who graduate with CS degrees don't understand the significance of Lisp. Lisp is the most important idea in computer science. --Alan Kay
[cctalk] Re: Vmebus
On Tue, 30 Jan 2024, Alan Perry wrote: I was given a Sun 3/260 that had been sitting in an open barn for a decade. It is a 12-slot, 9U VME system. I got it running with its CPU board (25Mhz 68020) and a Sun 32M memory board (the 8M board it came with has a h/w issue). Our SUN 4/260 is still running 24h/7d since 1988 :-) Christian
