On Wed, Jun 17, 2015 at 1:54 AM, tony duell <a...@p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> It's also that this is the 'classic computers' list. To me, classic computing > means rather > more than just the hardware. It also covers the design and construction > methods, technology > and so on. DING. Staying slightly on-topic, working on serious wire-wrap backplanes can get a bit hairy. We probably all have hand-wrapping tools, and can do the occasional repair or patch as required. But... 'remanufacturing' has become part of preservation movements in general; 'preservation/re-creation' might be a better name. The ultimate example of this might be from the railway world. A famous class of British steam locomotives - the A1 Pacific - had become extinct; all were scrapped before railway preservation really became a Big Thing. So, enough enthusiasts got together and they *built* one. >From scratch, from raw metal: http://www.a1steam.com There are various bits of DEC hardware that are extinct, or in critically short supply. I would love to have a TC15 DECtape controller for my pdp-15s; fat chance of ever finding one. Ditto for memory for my KL10. Oh sure, we can make modern functionally equivalent replacements, like Guy S, LCM etc, have done. But it's not the same... DEC backplanes were largely wire-wrapped by machine; I've seen pictures. If the interest was there, it should be possible to restore or re-create the machines used by DEC to manufacture backplanes. From there, it's a relatively small step to source, or manufacture new batches of, the modules etc. needed to populate them Has this ever been seriously considered, or mooted as a possible co-operative venture for a group of us? Mike http://www.corestore.org 'No greater love hath a man than he lay down his life for his brother. Not for millions, not for glory, not for fame. For one person, in the dark, where no one will ever know or see.'
