[cctalk] F/S: Lego robot kits for IBM PC

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Around the middle of the 1980s, Lego made a robotics system for 8-bit 
computers, including the Apple II, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, and IBM PC. 
The system includes a hardware interface (set #9750, "Interface A"), a 
card or cable (differs for each computer; the PC-ISA card is set #9771), 
and various electronic Lego bits (sensors, lights, motors, etc., the 
main set of which is #9700.)


I recently acquired several of the PC-ISA version. I am selling these as 
a bundle: 1x-9750, 1x-9771, 2x-9700. The price is $400 + s/h from New 
Jersey.


Full details about the sets are on my website, www.brickhacks.com. The 
site isn't finished and some links will not work, but the meat of it is 
all there. I'll also be posting how-to videos on YouTube 
(@TechnicallyEvan) but I can't promise when that will happen -- I'm very 
busy in real life.


All of the manuals are on the Internet Archive, under the "vintage Lego 
robotics" collection.


Interested buyers should send me a private message to e...@snarc.net.

[cctalk] Re: 10 types of people

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

On 7/17/23 10:51, Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:

Seen on the GCC bugzilla:

"actually, there are 10 types of people: those who understand ternary, those who 
dont, and those who thought this was going to be a binary joke"

:-)

paul


HA!!!

Another version: "There are two types of people: Those who can 
extrapolate from incomplete data..."

[cctalk] Re: Stuff available in Somerset, England - Update and MORE STUFF

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Doh! I saw the beginning of the subject line and got excited: I'm in 
Somerset ... New Jersey.



On 12/2/22 08:14, Philip Belben via cctalk wrote:

Dear all,

I am still trying to declutter enough to empty the storage container, 
and have room to move around in my basement.  I have decided not to 
renew the lease on the storage container on 10 January, so stuff needs 
to go by then.


The following stuff will go in the skip if no one comes and collects 
it by early January:


D-Scan video printer

DECwriter 2 printing terminal

A device for cleaning DEC RK05 platters, poor condition, mechanicals 
corroded, no cleaning pads or fluid - probably display only.


The following stuff will probably also go in the skip:

Teletype 43 (the dot-matrix Teletype - this is rare but boring; 
probably rare because boring)


A wide range of other small dot-matrix printers - let me know if you 
are interested in anything of that nature, and I'll try and make a list.


The following are available free to anyone prepared to collect:

IBM System/23 Datamaster - complete with (yet another!) dot matrix 
printer.  I have some software for this as well.


ACT Sirius 1.  A fairly complete system including some software 
(Wordstar and some accounting packages).  I may need help 
disentangling Sirius stuff from Apricot stuff, since the same ACT logo 
often appears on both.


The following are available, but I'd like to be offered a non-negative 
amount of money:


Apple II systems.  Four system units (I think they are two //e, one ][ 
plus and one ][ Europlus, but I can check.  Some disk drives.  I 
should be able to find a monitor or two.  Quite a lot of manyals, 
plug-in cards, probably some software disks - but I may need help 
sorting out Apple II disks from others.  Some of the plug-in cards are 
prototyping cards, and I think one has been set up to talk to some 
analogue gaming paddles.


Research Machines 380Z.  (One of the people who collected other stuff 
from me has expressed an interest in this, and his prior interest will 
be taken into account in considering offers.)  I have a system box (I 
haven't yet looked inside) with diskette drives on the front;  I also 
have a GIPB (IEEE-488) card and a rather nice I/O prototyping card - 
it is pre-populated with three PIO chips and one other large chip, all 
in wire-wrappable sockets, and lots of space for a homebrew interface.


A Victor V86P laptop.  I know nothing about this machine, but it has 
the Sirius logo on it (I think the Sirius 1 was sold under the Victor 
brand in some places, so this figures)


As before, please reply to declut...@axeside.co.uk, whether or not you 
reply here.  If I get interest in some of the machines, I'm happy to 
look more closely at them and try to answer queries.  In general, I'd 
prefer people to come and collect stuff, but for the smaller items 
(e.g. the Victor laptop) I'd be happy to discuss shipping.  Collecting 
stuff yourself is a more reliable way of getting the parts you need 
(e.g. cables), and of finding other stuff that I don't mind getting 
rid of.


As regards the systems for which I want money, I do not guarantee to 
accept the highest offer; as I said, I have already had interest in 
the 380Z and this will be taken into account.


Finally, I am trying to contact Anthony Sibley.  We started making 
arrangements for him to collect some stuff, and then I stopped getting 
replies to my e-mails.  Either he is not receiving them or I am not 
receiving his replies.  Please get in touch, or your TU16 will go 
elsewhere, maybe even in the skip.


Philip.

Re: VCF Swap Meet in Wall, NJ

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

But, there have been no verified accounts of giant squid attacks in 
Wall,

NJ.
I know Evan is doing a lot of train installation at his house, but I 
suspect that and the Miata are distractions so we don't see the large 
pool sized aquarium in the basement.


Thanks
Jim


My house is a bilevel, downstairs/upstairs. No basement.

Also I have nothing to do with this swap meet event. I quit as VCF 
executive director in December 2019. I wanted to stay involved after 
that as a regular hobbyist, but then in November 2020 a bunch of the 
local members decided my contributions over 15 years are irrelevant and 
I'm not welcome there anymore. That included a bunch of people who I 
thought were some of my best and most trust "friends". Brace himself 
dismissed me as someone who "did some good things" as if I was a random 
dude who helped out now and then. Nevermind that I built that museum 
from scratch, turned VCF East into a MASSIVE event, increased the 
group's finances from a single $20 bill in 2006 into an annual budget in 
the five-figure range, brought VCF West back from the grave, and taught 
him everything he knows. Other VCF board members and local officers have 
asked me to come back -- some of them practically begged me -- but I'm 
not going to, as long as that guy thinks he's in charge (he's not). He 
is largely responsible for the organization losing a decade's worth of 
connections, external organizational partnerships/relationships, and 
institutional memory.

Re: Future of classiccmp

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

that relationship has become quite difficult lately. So much so, that I'm ready 
to just turn it off and walk away. I'm sorry, but I have reached the point in 
my life where that stress outweighs the benefits.



Throw in to the mix that for whatever reason - while I have dutifully taken care of this 
list and a lot of other related websites for probably 15+ years or more ... I think it's 
time for fresh eyes and attitudes to carry it forward. I hope no one begrudges me for 
after decades finally saying "it's time". I have enjoyed being of service.



Second, I do not wish to pass this off to someone who "has a server in their basement" or has spare 
space on a vps. While I appreciate these offers and the desire to help, I'm not sure you have full knowledge 
of what all is here. Putting it on a "PC in your basement" is not the environment this stuff 
requires. At the very least, asymmetric bandwidth (what most people have in their homes) is a non-starter. 
Sneaking it on to your company infrastructure isn't good either, as there is almost always a builtin 
"need to move this stuff soon" disruption in store.



Also, I am definitely not leaving the hobby; I just look forward to 
participating as an end-user instead of host. Just as a heads up at the same 
time I am looking to thin my herd; not because I've lost interest but because I 
want to gain focus.


Jay: Thank you for all that you've done in this hobby! I left VCFed six 
months ago for (pretty much) the same four reasons as you cited above.

Re: history is hard

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Some things are easy to check, like the fact that the Z80 came out in 1976 when 
Woz was already finishing the Apple II so he couldn't have considered using it 
for the Apple I.


I haven't personally looked into whether he considered using the Z80, 
but your statement there is oversimplified. Define "came out". If you 
mean "announced in public" or "officially went on sale", then that 
doesn't prove anything. It is quite plausible that anyone in/around 
Silicon Valley and/or in the Homebrew Computer Club knew about the Z80 
before it officially "came out".


But, yes, history IS hard for exactly these kinds of reasons. Too many 
people are concerned with "first" and "invent", etc., when what really 
matters is generations of tech and overall impact.

Re: Microsoft open sources GWBASIC

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Interesting. I wonder if this is similar to the qbasic code in the dos 5 (6?) 
source leak that's floating around. Or if Gates wrote any of it.
Gates told the Smithsonian that the last product for which he personally 
coded was the TRS-80 Model 100.

Re: swtpc.com expired???

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

When this kind of things happens, it's best to just pick up the phone 
and call the person -- not to speculate that something bad might've 
happened.


I called Michael tonight. He reports, "I'm upright!" :)

Just a registration mix-up. He is working to get it fixed.


On 11/7/19 1:02 PM, jwest--- via cctalk wrote:

That's one of my IP's. I'm quite doubtful that the content is gone, only that 
the domain registrant perhaps let it expire?

It's safe, please don't rape my bandwidth 

J

-Original Message-
From: cctalk  On Behalf Of Peter Corlett via 
cctalk
Sent: Thursday, November 7, 2019 6:24 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts 
Subject: Re: swtpc.com expired???

On Thu, Nov 07, 2019 at 09:31:04AM -0200, Alexandre Souza via cctalk wrote:

Last IP address of the server (71.91.242.107) also directs to a "it works"
page, so the entire directory may have been deleted. I also tried to
access subpages (like
/Sinclair/Interface2/Interface/Interface2_Circuitry.htm) and got a 404.

That IP address is using name-based virtual hosting, and you can see the 
content by sending a suitable Host: header and/or tweaking /etc/hosts.


Seems everything is gone. Hope the archive.org backup is updated :(

I'm taking the liberty of mirroring it just in case. It appears to be on the 
end of a bit of wet string, so it's entirely plausible that it is being moved 
to a better hosting provider.

Re: DEC RP04 service manual available

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I know of two RP04 drives in the wild. One belongs to a private 
collector. VCF has the other.

Re: Photos from VCF West 2019

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

so 17 unique Apple-1 computers, not counting the one in the CHM collection 
,were on the floor at one time or another over the weekend
So, doing some simple math: 18 of ~70 remaining is .25xxx ... so 25% of 
all Apple 1s in existence were there! There hasn't been that many in one 
place since 1976. Pretty cool if you ask me. :)

Re: VCF West?

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

>> I see it's already been dropped there to promote VCF MW

I don't know what you mean. "Dropped there to promote Midwest" ... that 
is false. VCF West is atop our website header, our blog page, and the VC 
Forum header.


It's true that we are focusing more on social media. There are a couple 
of dozen Facebook groups for various aspects of retrocomputing that * 
each * have multiple thousands of users. I think it's safe to say that 
people here on Cctalk already know about VCF events. Usually, when I do 
post about our events here, the response is either crickets or 
threadjacking.

Re: VCF West?

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Is there a reason why there has been no mention of VCF West?
(other than Apple oneS)

Isn't it scheduled for this coming weekend?

I was planning to take a carload of stuff down for consignment, but my 
health has been too bad to even load the car.


Because we're very busy planning a kick-ass event, and every time we 
post here on cctalk it falls into an endless stream off threadjacking? :)


VCF West 2019 is indeed this weekend, August 3-4, as always at the 
Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.


This year's special attractions/speakers include:

- The aforementioned Apple 1 gathering. Before we said there will be "at 
least" 10 original systems. Now it's looking like 12-15. Woz can't make 
it this year, but Dan Kottke and other very early employees will be 
there, along with Corey Cohen who is the go-to evaluator/restorer for 
the major auction houses.


- A presentation about the Apollo Guidance Computer. Frank O'Brien (who 
literally wrote the book about AGC architecture/operation) and CHM 
restorer Carl Claunch will both be there.


- Everyone's favorite Commodore engineer, Bil Herd, will give a lecture 
about the affects of age and heat on computer components.


- What else? Enigma machines, more CHM restoration projects, three dozen 
amazing exhibits, our legendary VCF consignment sale, CHM museum tours, 
great food, and incredible company/friends!


- Super-big-thanks to our sponsor Hackaday, and also to CHM for hosting 
us, ACM for advertising our events on social media, and "viewers like 
you" (so to speak) without which Vintage Computer Federation would have 
no purpose. :)


- Tickets are available online and at the door.

- See all of the details at http://www.vcfed.org/vcfwest

Final reminder, VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

VCF West is this weekend at the Computer History Museum in Mountain 
View, California.


All of the details (and online ticket sales) are at 
http://vcfed.org/vcfwest.


-Evan K.

Re: Computer Reset shop, liquidation. (USA)

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Well, I think he kind of created a shitstorm and gave CR a little too 
much exposure. The CR liquidation seems to have been going at a nice
controlled rate. Now that the whole world knows, it would not be a 
surprise if security issues come up.


Eh, friends of mine were talking about that place like 2 months prior 
to LGR's video.



Plus it was already on Reddit and other places before LGR found out.

Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Today I can announce that 10 original Apple 1 computers will be displayed at 
VCF West, and we're working on getting more.

Why? That is, what’s the advantage of having 10+ instead of one or two?


Awesomeness.



The Apple I never did very much, so is there really much to actually show on 
them?


You'd be surprised. There is a whole library of software out there.



I hope they’re not crowding out anything

Nope. Plenty of room for everyone.

Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Yes Evan, you mentioned that.


I know; ergo my use of a smiley there...

Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

The only people growing up today that would pay anything like that amount, 
would only pay that much because they expected to make a profit. It is just an 
investment.


Don't underestimate the force of "bragging rights" to people who can 
afford such things. Many of them buy an Apple 1 because they can, not 
because it's an investment.


Anyway: we're having at least 10 of 'em at VCF West, did I mention that? :)

Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

What  are the  replicas   gong  for Evan?



A perfect reproduction -- for example a Mimeo will entirely 
date-code-correct components -- can go for four figures.


Most repros/replicas aren't at that level.

Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

real or replica?


Real! That's the whole point.



we  might like a  replica for display..oddly though with the thousands  of 
piles of boards heck we may even have a real one... never bothered to look for 
one in the STUFF!
My classic  mode is  if I do not know what it is  put it in a box and look at 
later...and that  stuff goes back to 1979 Ed#


You could be sitting on $400K-$1,000,000. That's the current range of 
decent-condition Apple 1 boards.

Re: Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

When do you ever get a photo op with a bunch of apple 1 systems (which 
I hope is a thing).


Definitely!



I thought the subject was a typo until I saw the sender lol

:)

Lots of Apple 1 computers @ VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Today I can announce that 10 original Apple 1 computers will be 
displayed at VCF West, and we're working on getting more. Several of 
these will be up-and-running. Original and current owners will join 
early Apple employees in a panel to discuss the computers, why they were 
purchased, how they were used, and what the owners plan to do in the 
future. So, buy your tickets online now. :) 
http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/


-Evan

Re: Latest Additions to the Virtual Warehouse of Computing, > Wonders Sale Inventory

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

FYI, it is unlikely there would have been a VCF without Sellam. He 
basically started it (with his own money) and continued through the 
first 10 years or so. Many others help support VCF (and continue to 
do so even though Sellam backed out some number of years ago.)


Many thanks to Sellam those who continue it!
I didn't get an adequate chance to thank Evan at the show last year.


You're welcome! But I wasn't able to attend in person last year. Erik 
Klein ran it for us.

Big news, re: mobile computing history

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Hello!

I have a major announcement. :)

It's time for version 2.0 of my book, "Abacus to smartphone: The 
evolution of mobile and portable computers," which I published on dead 
trees four years ago.


This time, it's going to be a (free!) interactive website: the era of 
printed books is behind us.


Please help me raise funds to make this happen. Funders will get 
exclusive access for the first month that the website is live 
(approximately the whole of August 2019).


All of the details (such what's new/different) are here: 
https://fundrazr.com/b1WZ91?ref=ab_74VRia ... please check it out.


Thanks!!

-Evan

Re: Whose site is 9track.net?

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

It belongs to Matt Burke.  He is very active in the simh mailing list.

Thanks

Whose site is 9track.net?

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Does anyone know who owns 9track.net? I couldn't find any contact 
information there.

Re: Interesting article in Spectrum about IBM's System/360

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Building the System/360 Mainframe Nearly Destroyed IBM

https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-history/silicon-revolution/building-the-system360-mainframe-nearly-destroyed-ibm 




It's an excerpt from a new book. I know the author. Very nice and smart 
guy who spent several decades at IBM.

Re: VCF/PNW Exhibit & Trip Report - The Old Calculator Museum

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Rick, thank you for exhibiting and for your glowing report!



Hi, everyone,

Myself and my friend Mike, representing the Old Calculator Museum,
exhibited the line of Wang Laboratories electronic calculators at the
Vintage Computer Federation's Vintage Computer Festival/Pacific
Northwest edition, at the Living Computer Museum+Labs in Seattle,
Washington this past weekend.

This was the 2nd annual VCF/PNW, and it was clearly a success, as it was
significantly larger than the first event last year (which I went to,
but didn't exhibit at).   There were 30 exhibits, all of which were
really interesting, and a good-sized consignment area, as well as quite
a group of guest speakers who had interesting topics to present.  Of
course, being held in the Living Computer Museum+Labs was a bonus, as
the museum is an amazing place, with lots of vintage computers up and
running and accessible for people to actually use and experience.

The Old Calculator Museum exhibit consisted of a Wang LOCI-2 and punched
card readers (1st and 2nd-generation card readers), a Wang 360E w/320K
keyboard/display unit;362E with 370 Programmer and 371 Punched Card
Reader; 360SE 4-terminal timeshared calculator package with two 360KT
trig keyboards,  360K, and 320K keyboards, all running simultaneously
off the 360SE electronics unit; a Wang 720C; Wang 600-14TP; Wang
500-14TP; Wang 462 and 452 Programmable calculators; and a Wang C-52.
These are representatives of all of the lines of calculators that Wang
Laboratories made during its years in the electronic calculator market
(1965-1974).  All of the machines were running and available for
visitors to play with, with the exception of the LOCI-2 (which has a
thermal issue that manifests after about 3 minutes of operation) and the
500-14TP, which has some kind of problem that renders it catatonic that
I've not yet had a chance to try to diagnose/repair).   Also shown was
an original Wang Labs factory spare parts kit for the 300-series
calculators & peripherals, another Wang 360SE electronics package opened
up so people could see the insides, a number of circuit boards from Wang
300-series keyboard/display units, as well as core memory boards from
300-series electronics packages, core memory and circuit boards from
Wang 700-series calculators, and original sales documentation for Wang's
700, 500, and 600-series calculators.

The exhibit turned out pretty well, though I didn't have time to make up
signs to identify the stuff until we actually got there and made
hand-written signs, which turned out to be good enough -- it seems that
people could actually read my chicken-scratch handwriting.   The signs
included the retail price at the time the machine was introduced, and
people were stunned that in 1971, a Wang 720C outfitted as the exhibited
machine retailed for $7,000.   A lot of people asked how much that would
be in today's dollars, and I was able to use my phone to find
out...about $50,000.

The exhibit was almost constantly busy both days for the whole time the
museum was open, (10 AM - 5 PM), and the folks were all  very careful
with the old machines, and had really great questions about them.   I
was pretty surprised at how much interest there was in these old beasts.
The crowd was pretty mixed in age, from folks who actually used examples
of the machines in school, to youngsters who were totally shocked that
this is what calculators were like 50 years ago.The machines ran the
whole time the exhibit was open, and amazingly, despite the old
Germanium-based transistors in the Wang 300-series calculators, as well
as fussy magnetic rope ROMs and core memory in the 700 and 600-series
machines, they ran trouble-free.  A lot of folks had trouble getting the
machines to give answers they expected because of Wang's unusual math
entry method.   Once they were given a simple explanation of the way the
machines worked, they caught on quickly, and got answers they expected.
It was a lot of fun to explain and demonstrate the machines to the
visitors.   The Wang 370 Programmer hooked up to the 362E electronics
package was popular.  I had a little program punched up on a card that
would perform an iterative approximation of Pi.  It'd run for 100
iterations, then stop and display the approximation it had come to thus
far.   People were fascinated by the "spinning" Nixie Tubes as the
machine churned away on the iterations.   People also liked the 360KT
keyboards hooked up the 360SE simultaneous timeshared calculator
electronics package.  They enjoyed it when I demonstrated the two 360KT
keyboard/display units running the Sine of 45 degrees at the same time.
The timesharing between the two terminals was obvious as the calculator
switched back and forth between each of the keyboards as the
calculation, which takes about 25 seconds, was being performed.

Nixie tubes were a big attraction.  Many younger folks had never seen
them in person before, but almost everyone knew about them.   I think
that the 

Re: Any VCF Forum Mods or Admin here?

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I'll take care of it.

On 12/19/18 12:10 AM, John H. Reinhardt via cctalk wrote:
Does anyone here have any pull or contacts with the owner or moderator 
at the Vintage Computer Federation forums?  I've been a member there 
since January 2014.  In the past, I've lurked a lot, made a post here 
and there but have been pretty inactive. As such, my account is still 
moderated and post must be approved. In October I got more active, 
culminating with a thread asking about using a SCSI2SD card with a 
MicroVAX and OpenVMS V7.3 
. 
After a few waits to get post approved, I figured at some point I would 
get un-moderated, but no such luck.  So I wrote the Site Admin Erik 
 a PM and asked to be 
un-moderated.  He wrote back that it was done but unfortunately my next 
post and any others since then are still being held for approval.  That 
was October 27th.  They still have not been approved (nor rejected, they 
are in limbo as far as I know).  I PMed Erik back but according to his 
profile he hasn't logged in since October 26th.  After a while I sent a 
message to the moderators as outlined in this sticky 
. No response.



So I am asking here because I figure there must be some overlap and 
maybe someone know someone that can help



Thanks.

Re: IF you need these old vintage parts, PLEASE grab them before the keyboard keids do!

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

https://www.elecshopper.com/vintage-computers.html I really would rather
these go to someone who needs them to complete a system than to the
destroyers of keyboards.

I am trying to get more of the vintage stuff listed. If you want to see
items as they are listed online, please turn on your RSS feeds.

https://www.elecshopper.com/rss/


How can you ask $75 for an untested Osborne keyboard?

Re: Bill Godbout R.I.P.

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

The fundraiser for the Godbout family is stuck at $6,211 for the past 
couple of days. Maybe cctalk'ers can give it a jump-start.


https://www.gofundme.com/godbouttuckcampfirerelieffund

Full story about Bill Godbout

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

http://vcfed.org/wp/2018/11/13/r-i-p-bill-godbout-79/


Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Update re: Bill Godbout

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I communicated with the person who posted on alt.folklore.computers. The 
person is a close relative of Bill's; thus, the information about his 
tragic passing is true/confirmed.


The person added, "He was living in Oreville, California and perished in 
his home on Thursday, Nov. 8. ... Bill was a great man, and THE smartest 
person I've ever known."


Please do not disturb the AFC poster as they're in mourning.


Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Re: Update re: Bill Godbout

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here is a GoFundMe started by Bill's son:

https://www.gofundme.com/godbouttuckcampfirerelieffund

Re: VAX 9440

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

That is a behemoth!!

Did you ger that huge powerforming thingy that goes
with it?


I'm told that we got * everything *.



Are you crazy enough to atempt a power-up?


Yes.

Re: Bill Godbout

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

"drrt1...@gmail.com" posted on AFC this morning that Bill died in the 
Camp fire in Northern California on Thursday.

Has anyone else heard about this?


Google has no mention.  Yet.
How can we confirm?


I emailed (on behalf of VCF) the person who posted it there but haven't 
yet heard back.

Re: VAX 9440

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

The question is probably, could they afford the power bill?  We have a bunch of 
Crays and CDCs at the Computer History Museum, and if they were operational, 
we'd probably have to take up a special very-large-hat-passing collection


http://vcfed.org/wp/contribute/

:)

Re: VAX 9440

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Amazing rescue! Hope nothing breaks.


Right now I'm just happy no * people * broke when it was delivered! 
Unloading it from two 28-foot trailers required five people, two pallet 
jacks, and a forklift.

VAX 9440

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

The VCF museum took delivery of a VAX 9440 today.

It arrived in two 28-foot trailers. Here's our forklift driver beginning 
to unload the first truck:


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E-Q5xrsYXyjrZEZh92xIBhlStvvNUcRV/view?usp=sharing

Here's a teaser picture of the main cabinet:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bEpSMzBEeOvuDnzPQ9Npc7iYmDhjZq8c/view?usp=sharing

The full system is 30-40 feet long when it's all set up! It is in 
pristine condition and was in service at a defense contractor until a 
couple of months ago.


Rumor has it that we arranged for another one to land in Dave McGuire's 
Large Scale Systems Museum collection, and a third to be with Bob 
Roswell's System Source collection. :)  Perhaps they'll post updates too!

Re: looking for out-of-print computer book

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I am trying to find an out-of-print tech book for a research project I'm
doing. The book is called Porting Macintosh Applications to Windows 95 and
NT by Greg Stone, dated December 1996, ISBN 0471118516, published by Wiley.

It's listed on Amazon but not available; I've searched on
 usedbooksearch.net and even WorldCat, with no
luck. Wondering if anyone has any ideas how I could find a copy?

Figure someone on this list could point me in the right direction. Would
love any help.


My go-to site is http://used.addall.net but it's not there either. Sorry

Re: Tim Paterson / QDOS lecture @ VCF West next weekend

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I wonder whether Evan could get Tim Paterson to agree to VCF selling 
autographed copies?


Sorry, we would have had to plan that well in advance.

Presumably he'll be glad to autograph whatever people bring with them.

Re: Landfill?

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

The modems and 386 would be on-topic for VCF consignment, but I don't 
think the scanners, etc. would be  we don't want it to become the 
Vintage Generic PC Crap Festival. :)



On 07/19/2018 05:51 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:

Is there ANY interest in Courier 56K V.92 modems?

Laserjet IIP printers?

Parallel port and/or SCSI flatbed scanners?  (home office, NOT 
professional)


Oversized PC cases with MANY drive bays?

Generic 386? PCs?


Is it worth even hauling that kinda stuff to VCF?

Re: zilog system 8000

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

A very big and expensive door stopper without OS tapes.
But most importantly: the CPU board is missing!
The card in slot 2 appears to be an additional SIO card.

This is a model 20, quite low-end. We have a model 32 (much rarer, I
haven't found anyone else with a model 32), but it is non-functional
because I have no tapes. The SMD disk has too many errors to recover a
functional system.



There's a Model 31 at LCM+L (used to be mine).  If anyone ever does recover
media for these things, it'd be nice to get it running...

- Josh


VCF has one but I'm not sure which model it is. I can check next week. 
We also have some tapes, again, I don't know which ones.

Revealing a new project (non-VCF)

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Time to reveal a personal project related to vintage computing and 
unrelated to my role at VCFed.


In the past two years, while getting neck-deep in the historic Lego 9700 
"Technic Control Center" set, I learned that there is a TON of 
information about this set (and about various related sets) -- but most 
of that information is missing from the web or at best scattered.


What these programmable robotic sets all have in common is they're all 
from the 10 years BEFORE the modern Mindstorms series, and they run on 
vintage computers!


I decided a few months ago to make a web site about it. I call the site 
www.mindsbeforethestorm.com. The site is under construction but you can 
visit now and see where it is going.


I'm asking for contributions to the project.

I make a very modest living through my work as a freelance tech 
journalist and additionally through VCFed fundraising. Many of you will 
also recall that a personal fundraiser is what enabled publishing of my 
computer history book in 2015. That was a positive experience.


I do not plan to sell anything on this new site, only to offer helpful 
information that isn't currently available or is very difficult to find. 
As such, I cannot promise any Kickstarter-style rewards: I don't have 
any ideas about what a good reward for this might be (open to 
suggestions). Instead, I appeal to your altruism: fund this project 
because it is a good thing.


Please visit my new site. If you think it exemplifies how the web should 
be used, if you'd like to see it get finished, and if you would like me 
to continue to be able to pay my rent and eat food, then please make a 
contribution via https://fundrazr.com/61N3ef?ref=ab_74VRia.


Thanks,
-Evan

More exhibits and volunteers needed for VCF West

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

It's almost time for Vintage Computer Festival West XIII! The show is 
August 4-5 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.


You’ll find dozens of hands-on exhibits, incredible lectures, a huge 
consignment sale, and much more -- plus the museum's own tours and 
hands-on demos.


There is still time to register your exhibit, but it's tight! Go to 
http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/vcf-west-exhibits/ 
ASAP to sign up. We also need more volunteers! Email e...@vcfed.org if 
you can be a helper.




Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Osborne available

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I received an email from plebourge...@me.com who said he's in 
Mandeville, Lousiana and has an Osborne available with 
accessories/manauls to a good home for the cost of shipping. He said 
he'll throw it away if he does not find a home for it soon.


That's all I know, do not reply to me or this list, send the guy an 
email directly.



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Re: VCF East Photo Thread

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Many are appearing on the VCFed mailing list already


To clarify: that's the VCF/Mid-Atlantic list. The only VCFed-wide 
discussion board is VC Forum. :)




I had a good time and recommend the show to all who can make it out there


Thanks!

Re: Visiting Boston - Classic computer recommendations

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I’m in Boston MA (technically Canton) for the next three weeks (April 29 to May 
19). Looking for recommendations on classic computer/classic car/sailing things 
of interest to do on the weekends.


- Visit the Science building at Harvard U. (Cambridge), where they have 
(most of) the Mark-1 computer on display from the 1940s


- MIT Press bookstore (Cambridge)

- Not vintage, but you must visit You-Do-It Electronics in a town called 
Needham

Online ticketing is open for VCF East

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-east/tickets/

Note: Your paypal email confirmation is your ticket. A record of your 
purchase will be at the door when you arrive at VCF East.



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

VCF West exhibit registration is open

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

VCF West XIII will be held August 4-5 at the Computer History Museum in 
Mountain View, California. Exhibit registration is open: 
http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/vcf-west-exhibits/.



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Register your VCF East exhibits soon

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Don't procrastinate.

http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-east/vcf-east-exhibits/

VCF East keynotes -- holy moly!

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

There will be three awesome keynotes for VCF East this spring.

- Friday: our own Bill Dromgoole who'll talk about restoring the VCFed 
UNIVAC mainframe.


- Saturday: Don Eyles (NASA contractor who hacked the Apollo Guidance 
Computer to save the Apollo 14 mission)


- Sunday: Dave Walden, who programmed the IMP at BBN for the ARPANET

Re: What is vintage (was: Why don't you respect the mail threads?!)

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Sounds like some people need to adjust their sarcasm meters. Guys: BILL 
WAS JOKING because the topic was about threadjacking.

Re: Why don't you respect the mail threads?!

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

It's gone meta: people threadjacking a thread about threadjacking. Now 
it's some posters trying to show others who is smartest about arcane 
details of obsolete email software.

VCF Southeast, East, West -- dates announced

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here's some news! VCF Southeast is April 21-22, VCF East is May 18-20, 
and VCF West is August 4-5.


Exhibit registration is OPEN for Southeast and East.

For details please see www.vcfed.org.

Re: Bendix G-15 [was: Re: VCF PNW 2018: Pictures!]

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

the one at MARCH


on loan. there are supposed to be more in DC


That's what I alluded to in my reply, just didn't give the location... 
yes the owner has a few more. Anyone who is a serious buyer () can 
contact me privately and I will put you in contact with the seller.


But yes, the one at the VCFed museum is on loan to us, however there is 
a very good likelihood we will soon have a G-15 as a straight donation 
(that is all I can say right now).

Re: Bendix G-15 [was: Re: VCF PNW 2018: Pictures!]

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Wow, even a Bendix G-15 in there (although with Control Data logo).


Nope, look again, there are two :-)


Actually they have three.



The last time I checked, the remaining inventory was:

  - Smithsonian (S/N 1)
  - CHM (on static display)
  - these 2
  - the one at MARCH
  - a University in Australia who was attempting to restore theirs


MARCH no longer exists. It's VCFed Mid-Atlantic chapter. :)

I know of a few in private hands. And I know of someone who has two or 
three that he's looking to sell.

Re: VCF PNW 2018: Pictures!

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

It was really cool of them to let use look through the storage rooms. A lot of 
really cool artifacts. I don't know how I missed it while wondering around but 
in the pictures, there as a Micral.


Kevin Savetz and I saw it. It's amazing that LCML owns multiple 
mind-blowing big iron from Cray, DEC, IBM, etc., and yet the museum 
director described the tiny Micral-N as "the rarest thing we own".

Re: Sneak peak: this year's VCF PNW/East/West shirt design

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

For extra credit was it drawn in any particular vintage software or 
computer?


Not to my knowledge.

Re: Sneak peak: this year's VCF PNW/East/West shirt design

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Apple II
IMSAI
ColecoVision


That's exactly right. We wanted to show some of his favorite systems. We 
already knew he likes cats, robots, Star Trek, and building electronic 
gadgets.





In any event, nice shirt :-)


Thank you.

Re: Sneak peak: this year's VCF PNW/East/West shirt design

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Gene wrote...

Just...no.

Yeah, agreed. No.

Fred wrote...

The "nuts" and "bolts" should be capacitors and chips.
The squared off U shaped object nearest on the desk >should be 
replaced by

an Escher Fork (aka impossible >trident).

soldering iron and scope, instead of hammer.
maybe some magic smoke escaping from whatever he >works on.
inadequate clutter.
howzbout some books and schematics



On Wed, 31 Jan 2018, Jay West wrote:

Completely agreed (Fred). But by the time you add all that... it's too
detailed for a t-shirt. Actually, already is.


Then, howzbout: leave out the guy.  He isn't "distinctive" enough to add 
much.  Then just show a cluttered vintage computer collector workbench.



Guys -- with all due respect, we posted this as a preview, not a 
crowdsourced method to make a whole new design. :)


Most of the feedback we received is very positive.

Re: Sneak peak: this year's VCF PNW/East/West shirt design

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I think it would be helpful if Evan and co. chimed in with the context of the 
shirt and why it exists- maybe a bit more about who the guy on it is.


Fair enough.

It's a caricature of Dan Roganti aka Ragooman on this list, VC Forum, 
various Apple and S-100 forums, etc.


Dan drew most of the early VCF East shirts in a certain style. Everyone 
liked those. Now he's going through a tough time (not my place to 
elaborate here), so we decided to make a shirt in his honor, using the 
same style.


My favorite parts are the cat and the robot.

Re: who is in this picture? (VCF 199x)

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

https://retropopplanet.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/vintage-computer.jpg


Easy, that's Pavl Zachary.



I was not at this particular VCF out in California in the later 90's when
this photo of a DEC exhibit was taken; the original picture from vintage.org
is no longer hosted.

Does anyone have a copy of the old vintage.org exhibit/photo archive?


This is just about everything Sellam sent us:
http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/archives-show-summaries/vcf-west-archives/miscellaneous-vcf-west-pictures-1997-2006/

Sneak peak: this year's VCF PNW/East/West shirt design

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here's a sneak preview of the shirt design for all of the 2018 Vintage 
Computer Federation events. As usual, each event will have a different 
shirt color.


Dan Roganti aka Ragooman used to design the VCF East shirts. Any 
similarity to him or his interests in the current design is purely

coincidental. :)

https://vcfed.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/pnw-shirt-front-1.png

MIT needs ASR-33 for a demo

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Who's in the Boston area? A technician at MIT needs to borrow a working 
ASR-33 for demo there this month. Contact me off-list if you can help...

Re: ADDS Envoy terminal question

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Does anyone have an ADDS Envoy portable terminal, circa 1972-1976? If 
so, then please let me know if what if any are the U.S. patent numbers 
cited on it.


Thanks,
Evan

Is this the portable 5" version?  I will look if that is what you're after.
thanks
Jim


I think so.

ADDS Envoy terminal question

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Does anyone have an ADDS Envoy portable terminal, circa 1972-1976? If 
so, then please let me know if what if any are the U.S. patent numbers 
cited on it.


Thanks,
Evan

Re: Computing Pioneer Dies

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

It's just another attempt to make an historical claim for the ENIAC, this time 
trying to steal the light away from the Manchester Baby.


That's the dumbest thing I read today.

Re: Computing Pioneer Dies

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2017/nov/08/geoff-tootill-obituary


I should point out there is a technical error in the Guardian. The Baby was the first 
Electronically Stored Program in what today we would call RAM. ENIAC had been configured 
in stored program mode earlier in the year and had run a program stored in the function 
switches, e.g. ROM a couple of months before baby. Despite the fact that when running 
stored programs ENIAC's parallel processing features were not available, it was 
exclusively in this mode from 1948 onwards. Note both machines are theoretically 
"Turing Complete" but having only 32 words of 32 bits the Baby was not of any 
practical use for a further 18 months whilst major surgery was carried out to add extra 
store and instructions to the machine leading the emergence of the Manchester MK1.


Funny, I didn't see a "technical error" in the article.

The best that can be said for your position is that you (and the 
ENIAC/Mauchlyite crowd) have a particular opinion and definition regarding 
'stored-program computer'.



Dave is correct.

Perhaps he should have said "over simplification" rather than technical 
error.


But what he wrote is well-documented. Tom Haigh and team of researchers 
explained the origins and varying definitions of "stored program" in 
their paper which you can freely read at 
http://eniacinaction.com/the-articles/1-reconsidering-the-stored-program-concept/. 
Tom, I'll point out, is British.


Thanks to their research, there is no longer any gray area. ENIAC stored 
a program in what's now known as ROM, and very soon after the Baby 
stored a program in what's now known as RAM. The timeline and facts are 
very clear.


As I mentioned to Dave privately, this epitomizes why I wish people 
would discuss computer history in terms of "generations" not "firsts".


I banned the "F" word in the VCFed museum. :)

Re: looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

But I didn't say *professional* writers still use M100s. I said "some 
writers", and I think the folks who self-publish stories on the 
Internet, enter writing contests, contribute to the various on-line 
magazines etc. or just write for pleasure and entertainment of friends 
and family are every bit as much 'writers' as your elite group of 'real 
writers', and some of them do indeed prefer the M100 and its cousins to 
their modern laptops and desktops for its unique features.


Oh geez. Nobody said anything about "elite" just because it's my career. 
I'd be shocked if 1 in 10,000 writers today every HEARD of the Model 
100, let alone use it. But if what you really mean is that you hang out 
with a bunch of old cranks, one or two of which call themselves writers 
and still use a Model 100, then I guess that's true. :)



As Bill Loguidice observed in a thread elsewhere about your opinionated 
post, "...there really is no true modern equivalent to what the M100 
series can do", especially when equipped with modern multi-MB RAM and 
storage expansions, USB, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity options, 
multiple tools and programs instantly accessible from ROM etc., etc.


Bill L. is a good friend of mine and I'd happily debate him on this. The 
answer is: Chromebook. Turn it on, boots just about instantly, runs on 
all day on a single charge, has an awesome offline text editor 
available, light as a feather, and starts around $200. I love mine.




A little before your time of course...


?? I'm in my 40s.

Re: looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I guess you'd also just dismiss Harlan Ellison, Woody Allen, Isaac Asimov and the dozens 
of other writers who prefer to use a typewriter over a modern computer as "old 
cranks"...


They used typewriters in the 1980s, maybe some into the 1990s, when 
typewriters were still common. You're talking about the Model 100 which 
is now a 34-year-old computer. Big difference.

Re: looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Hey, TRS-80 M100 rocks! I've got several, and they all work perfectly to 
this day. Built by Kyocera, who isn't known for making junk.


I agree, just not with the nutty claim that real writers still use them 
as modern tools. That was an urban legend with maybe some tiny grain of 
truth 25 years ago.

Re: looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I'll forward your supercilious and ill-informed comment to the folks I know who 
do in fact use an M100; I'm sure they will be amused...


BS.

I've been a professional full-time journalist for 20 years. No one in 
their right mind is using anything older than a last-gen laptop. Maybe 
two generations if they're poor like me.




m


- Original Message -
From: "Evan Koblentz via cctalk" <cctalk@classiccmp.org>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts" <cctalk@classiccmp.org>
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2017 3:47 PM
Subject: Re: looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA



Radio Shack M100 ... still used by some writers for the very reason you mention.


That is not true.

It was an urban legend in the 1990s that a handful of old farts in the
entirely sportswriting industry (thousands of writers overall) may
"still" be using their Model 100s. I'm sure if you looked hard enough
some of them still used typewriters too.

In 2017? It's ridiculous to even speculate.

Re: Tubbs fire consumed the collected archives of William Hewlett and David Packard

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

This article has more details about the archive situation and, more 
important, it has a comment from HP at the end.


https://spectrum.ieee.org/view-from-the-valley/tech-history/silicon-revolution/loss-of-hewlettpackard-archive-a-wakeup-call-for-computer-historians

Re: looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Radio Shack M100 ... still used by some writers for the very reason you mention.


That is not true.

It was an urban legend in the 1990s that a handful of old farts in the 
entirely sportswriting industry (thousands of writers overall) may 
"still" be using their Model 100s. I'm sure if you looked hard enough 
some of them still used typewriters too.


In 2017? It's ridiculous to even speculate.

Re: Tubbs fire consumed the collected archives of William Hewlett and David Packard

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

It seems with the internet that crowd-sourcing is way of resourcing things. 
Maybe we (that's us on this list) need to apply this concept to the scanning 
and archiving and retention of any paper based repositories that still exist. 
I'll call it crowd-scanning for the time being.


Unfortunately, it sounds like much of what was lost is internal HP 
documentation, no way to replace that.

Re: looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

I am looking at buying a pocket PC / PDA, so I can write idea/notes when I
am away from my computer


Hi Tom.

Welcome to 1997. :-)



the [Psion 3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psion_Series_3) and [Psion
5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psion_Series_5) look like good options,
but i read about the hinge/screen issues

I am leaning more towards the Psion 5 because of the easy of getting
accessories,
but it has more things to break

but I am wounding about other options?


"Wondering"? :-)



Tom - Here's the dilemma. The pocket-sized DOS computers (HP-200, Atari 
Portfolio, etc.) are too small for their keyboards to be useful. The 
larger ones (all the Windows CE stuff that Liam mentioned, along with 
the awesome Psion Series 7/Psion Netbook) have good keyboards and 
screens, but they're fragile and kind of exotic for modern purposes.


For me, the solution is modern produts. I use a high-end Android 
smartphone and a low-end Chromebook. Either one is excellent when I need 
a quick/simple note-taking device. With the phone I use the "Google 
Keep" app for quite notes/lists. With the Chromebook I use an offline 
app just called "Text" because it's extremely fast and has good options.

Re: "documentary"

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

(Sorry everyone. That was supposed to be a private email to Sellam. Jay: 
it was NOT my intention to have a political discussion on the list.)



On 10/27/2017 06:01 PM, Evan Koblentz via cctalk wrote:
The video is produced by an openly libertarian organization: 
https://www.youtube.com/user/ReasonTV/about. It's an interesting story 
but that is propaganda not a documentary.



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

"documentary"

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

The video is produced by an openly libertarian organization: 
https://www.youtube.com/user/ReasonTV/about. It's an interesting story 
but that is propaganda not a documentary.



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

VCF PNW (Seattle) exhibitor registration is open

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Hello cctalkers! Join us as an exhibitor for the inaugural Vintage 
Computer Festival Pacific-Northwest, Feb. 10-11, at the Living Computer 
Museum in Seattle.


http://www.vcfed.org/registration/exhibitor_register-online.php?event_id=5



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Re: More videos of VCF's Univac

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here it is loading/running memory tests and Wumpus. :)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_e5fSxflvrzeovlnioDfQR86zJOLPQ-D


Fun.  Would love to see more Wumpus, but turn the camera 90 degrees.

Was it written in FORTRAN?  Machine code?  Feasible to port other
games of the vintage?



I texted our project leader. He replied: "The short answer is I don't 
know. The copy I got is from one of the sailors on a destroyer with the 
equipment. Most programs written for the 1219 used an assembler called 
TRIM or Ultra. Remember that there is only 32K of memory in the machine."

Re: More videos of VCF's Univac

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

nice job.  How many 1219-B's are still running in the world any more?


None that I know of...

More videos of VCF's Univac

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here it is loading/running memory tests and Wumpus. :)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_e5fSxflvrzeovlnioDfQR86zJOLPQ-D

Re: Univac

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here's a phone video from a recent repair workshop at the VCFed
museum in New Jersey. Bill Dromgoole is demonstrating progress on one
of the tape drives for our Sperry-Rand Univac 1219B mainframe (circa
mid-1960s).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZxg7e7DJ3r/


Terrific!

It's really amazing that you have a complete 1219-B!!! Wishing you the
best in your restoration. We need more 18-bit systems from that era up
and running :)


36 bit.

Univac

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here's a phone video from a recent repair workshop at the VCFed museum 
in New Jersey. Bill Dromgoole is demonstrating progress on one of the 
tape drives for our Sperry-Rand Univac 1219B mainframe (circa mid-1960s).


https://www.instagram.com/p/BZxg7e7DJ3r/


Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Let's help Lee Felsenstein

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Lee Felsenstein -- of Free Speech Movement, Community Memory, Homebrew 
Computer Club, Pennywhistle Modem, Processor Technology SOL-20, and 
Osborne fame -- is starting a Patreon. He's also been an avid supporter 
of the vintage computing hobby. Everyone should help him if you can!


http://www.patreon.com/lfelsenstein


Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Re: Why women were the first computer programmers

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Well, this is the stupidest thing I've read today.


"Do Not Feed The Troll" should go without saying.  Really.


If this list becomes another partisan political list - I'm out of
here...

Lyle


There's nothing political about "men shouldn't act like pigs".

Re: Why women were the first computer programmers

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Once programming moved from formal analysis and form filling eg COBOL 
into an interactive creative activity requiring unitary focus women 
had to work much harder to compete.


Can women be good programmers. Certainly, but they are hampered by 
natural forces that they have to overcome


That's crude, ignorant, sexist, and wrong.

VCF needs shelving

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

VCF needs more shelving for our 7,000 square foot warehouse in New Jersey.

Right now only about 5% of our library (books, magazines, manuals, etc.) 
is sorted/organized and available for researchers.


In the warehouse we have a couple of dozen shelving units full of 
bankers boxes of printed material -- and we're about to get a truckload 
more from Archive.org's Jason Scott.


Please consider making a contribution so we can purchase more shelving. 
As always, contributions to VCF are tax-deductible.


http://vcfed.org/wp/contribute/

Thank you,
Evan K.

VCF West XII updates

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Everyone,

Online ticket sales for VCF West end this Friday night. Of course you 
can buy tickets at the gate, but you'd save time going online.


All the latest show details are available at 
http://vcfed.org/wp/festivals/vintage-computer-festival-west/.


Less than two weeks away!!!


Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Re: Whole IBM System/34 available in unknown condition

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Im guessing its pottstown, PA 
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/sys/d/ibm-system/6157580080.html but thats 
a guess. Only aware of it from an incorrext location tag making it show up near 
Austin also.
null



That one's been around for several years. Nobody here on the east coast 
wants it. A few of us checked it out in person. Pile of junk.

VCF West exhibitor deadline

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Deadline to register a VCF West exhibit is this Monday at noon ET.

http://vcfed.org/wp/2017/07/14/vcf-west-exhibit-registration-deadline-2/



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Re: Announcing: VCF PNW

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Vintage Computer Federation is pleased to announce an expansion of the
Vintage Computer Festival series to the Pacific Northwest.


Finally! :)


We agree :) and it'll definitely be worth the wait. Right now we are a 
tad busy with VCF West (Aug. 5-6 @ CHM), and after that you'll start 
seeing PNW info trickle out.

Re: Micral N (1974) for sale

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Thanks for posting this.  I'm very interested to see how collectors value it.


Same here. IMHO it would be in the same category as a Scelbi (8008 
computer).

Re: Announcing: VCF Midwest 12!

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Very cool!  Wish we had one of these up here in Vancouver, BC.


Vintage Computer Federation will announce a NEW edition of the festival 
soon.

Re: VCF SE Photos

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Here are my photos from the VCF South East April 30/May 1.  Roswell, GA
hosted by Mims' Computer History Museum of America

http://vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread.cfm?id=677



For anyone interested: the picture of my robot 
(http://vintagecomputer.net/vcfse-5/Koblentz_Lego_Robot.jpg) doesn't 
show the vintage computer and interface box powering it. :)  I used a 
Laser 128, reproduction Lego/Apple II card (thanks to Jon C. aka Systems 
Glitch), and original Lego Dacta TC interface box.

USA vintage computing trip

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Hi,

I'm going to Kfest for the first time this year, cannot wait!!!

Anyway: if you decide to visit here, then give me a few weeks' notice so 
you can visit the VCF museum in New Jersey. We are in a small town about 
60 minutes south of NYC and 90 minutes northeast of Philadelphia.


Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation
instagram.com/vcfederation

Harry Huskey, Bob Taylor -- sad news

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

Two computer industry pioneers died in the past week.

Harry Huskey worked on ENIAC, the Pilot ACE, SWAC, and the Bendix G-15. 
He was also known for helping overseas universities start their CS 
programs. Harry was 101.


Bob Taylor was an ARPAnet pioneer and Xerox PARC executive. He was 85.



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

GoFundMe for Cap'n Crunch

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

https://www.gofundme.com/crunch-medical-fund

Help if you can.

We all owe a debt to John Draper aka the Cap'n.



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

VCF East pictures

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

VCF East XII was held March 31-April 2. Around 500 people were there.

Adam Michlin's pictures: http://ceos.io/vcf/east/

Dave Riley's pictures: 
http://oscar.the-rileys.net/VCF%20East%20XII%20Photos/


Dan Roganti's pictures: http://www.rogtronics.net/blog/?page_id=730

Mike Loewen's pictures: http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/VCF-East2017/

Herb Johnson's pictures: 
http://www.retrotechnology.com/vcfe12/vcf_east_2017.html



Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation

Apple 1, Commodore 65, Enigma Machine, Inventor of C++

[Evan Koblentz via cctalk]

"What do an Apple 1, Commodore 65, Enigma Machine, and the inventor of 
C++ all have in common?"


"They all be at VCF East this weekend."

You should go, too.


Evan Koblentz, director
Vintage Computer Federation
a 501(c)3 educational non-profit

e...@vcfed.org
(646) 546-

www.vcfed.org
facebook.com/vcfederation
twitter.com/vcfederation