RE: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
> -Original Message- > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Ethan > Dicks > Sent: 04 September 2015 07:51 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > > Subject: Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk > > On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 2:01 AM, Holm Tiffe wrote: > > Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... > > > > Thanks to all that haven't answered. > I think I have DSSI disk (Micro VAX II) but know less than you. Have you tried the DECTEC list http://dectec.info/ Its quiet, but the answers one gets can be good.. Dave > Sorry I can't help. I own no DSSI gear, never had to fix it, and from your > well- > written description of the problem, clearly know far less than you already do. > At work, we had SDI disks, and non-DEC SCSI, but never any DSSI. At the > time, the newer MicroVAXen cost more than we had to spend on hardware, > so I missed out on an entire generation of storage. > > Hopefully someone can help, but it's not me. > > -ethan
Re: OmniUSB - further boards to make
Thanks, Sean. I'll have to inquire as to whether they offer hard gold over nickel for edge connectors. I know of a bunch of relatively low-cost PCB fabs, but they generally either don't offer hard gold, or only on large runs, or only for really big bucks. The actual cost of the gold on a hard gold edge connector is only a few dollars, which doesn't justify adding >$50/board on a short run, IMO, but that's what I've usually been quoted. Note that "hard gold" is much different from electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG), which is a much more commonly available surface finish that is used on an entire board surface, but NOT suitable for edge connectors. ENIG uses a very thin gold layer (about 0.1μm gold over 2μm nickel) that will wear off the the edge connectors in only a few insertions. Hard gold for edge connectors is typically 1-2 μm of gold over 3-6 μm of nickel.
RE: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
> -Original Message- > From: Dave G4UGM [mailto:dave.g4...@gmail.com] > Sent: 04 September 2015 09:16 > To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts' > > Subject: RE: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk > > > > > -Original Message- > > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Ethan > > Dicks > > Sent: 04 September 2015 07:51 > > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > > > > Subject: Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk > > > > On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 2:01 AM, Holm Tiffe wrote: > > > Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... > > > > > > Thanks to all that haven't answered. > > > > I think I have DSSI disk (Micro VAX II) but know less than you. Have you tried > the DECTEC list > > http://dectec.info/ > > Its quiet, but the answers one gets can be good.. > > Dave > Sorry to twitter, and apologies if you have already been there, but the comp.os.vms usenet group which is mirrored here https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/comp.os.vms has some recent discussion on DSSI disk problems Dave
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
Holm Tiffe wrote: > > Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... > I have a MicroVAX 4000/100A with two DSSI disks that slowly died one after the other, not long after I got it. From the errors they logged and the clunking and rattling noises they started making, it seems clear they have media issues similar to a number of RZ26 SCSI disks that I have also had problems with. > > Thanks to all that haven't answered. > I enquired about finding replacements for mine on the list some time ago but there wasn't much response either. I think it is more likely that there is not much interest or knowledge of DSSI on the list, not that people are withholding information for some reason. Regards, Peter Coghlan.
RE: Reading ROMs
On Thu, 3 Sep 2015, Jay West wrote: Marc wrote HP 1000. Not only the standard 24 pin ROMs but the small 14 or 16 pin bootloader ROMs that Jay showed me at VCF. What would be a good ROM programmer that could read and write these of older HP equipment ROMs? --- The Data I/O 29B works perfectly for those old fusable link proms. With optional additional attachments, it can program more "modern" devices as well. I have a list of the various blanks needed for 21MX loader roms, and the two different blanks needed for microcode. I'll dig that up and post tomorrow. From my notes on upgrading my 2109E to run RTE-6/VM: "I used a Data I/O 29B programmer to burn the PROMs, with a Unipak 2B. The blank PROMs were variously Signetics N82S141, MMI 6341-1 and National 74S474. Along with the 12821A HP-IB board, you also need a Boot Loader PROM, 12992H (12992-80004). The boot loader PROM is a Signetics N82S129 or equivalent. For installation information about the firmware PROMs, see manual 12791-90001 (HP 1000 M/E/F-Series Firmware Installation and Reference Manual). For boot loader information, see manual 12792-90001 (HP 12992 Loader ROMs Installation Manual)." Mike Loewen mloe...@cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/
Re: OmniUSB - further boards to make
> On Sep 3, 2015, at 3:36 PM, Sean Caron wrote: > > My dad shops out prototype PCB manufacturing to a firm called Omnitrace ( > http://www.pcb4u.com). He sends them layouts and they send back bare boards > which he stuffs in the lab ... He says the price is the best he's found, > there's no minimum run size (not sure on the plated edge connectors, > though) and the turnaround is very quick. He had samples of I think an > 8-layer board they had done for him recently that he showed me last time we > visited and they were very nicely done. I haven't gotten to the point of > doing layout yet ... all my projects are still on the bread board ... but > when I do eventually run off some boards, I expect to use those guys. I had similar experience with a different outfit, pcb-pool (http://www.pcb-pool.com/ppuk/index.html). They are based in Europe; my most recent shipment from there came from Ireland, though headquarters may be in Germany. They do quantity one, but of course discounts for modestly larger runs. Multi layer; I've done 2 and 4 layers. One convenience is that they accept Eagle CAD layout files directly, they don't need them converted to Gerber format. They also include (if requested) an SMD solder paste stencil. I foolishly didn't do that last time, should have. Will next time. There are some good articles around (I just pointed to one a few days ago) about how to do SMD assembly with solder paste and stencils using home equipment. paul
RE: IBM 1620
On making PC boards, we had a shop mix the top and bottom layers. They tried to tell us it didn't matter but our boards had an edge connector, with different fingers on each side. It was expensive high temperature PC board as well. Dwight
Re: Dec 8235 IC?
Yup. I have done the same kind of thing with GALs (which offer the convenience of re-programming, though not the longevity of a PAL.) Did this as a backup for the Signetics chips on a Mark 8. You can see them in this Flickr stream - I had both "normal" and open collector variants, and designed both chip-specific and generic boards for chip replacement (I expect to run into the issue with DTL as well). https://www.flickr.com/photos/100660569@N02/albums/72157635953237715 BTW, I sent my PCBs out to Gold Phoenix PCB - http://www.goldphoenixpcb.com/ JRJ On 9/3/2015 10:49 PM, dwight wrote: > A pal could have worked as well. > Dwight > > >
Re: Dec 8235 IC?
On 9/3/2015 11:50 PM, Chuck Guzis wrote: > On 09/03/2015 08:49 PM, dwight wrote: >> A pal could have worked as well. Dwight > > A GAL should also be useful--and maybe a bit more flexible. To emulate > the OC outputs, one can simply manipulate the output enable so that a > '1' output is High-Z and '0' is, well, '0'. I believe individual oput > tristate control is allowed in non-registered mode for GALs. A PALCE > should also work. > > A 20 pin PLCC should fit on a DIP-sized PCB. > > --Chuck Yup - see my other post on this topic, though I used a through-hole GAL rather than a PLCC (the PLCC is really a good idea). The issue with OC, though, might be what it was used for. If it was just used for wired OR / wired AND then, yeah, your idea should work OK. JRJ
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
On Wed, 2 Sep 2015, Holm Tiffe wrote: > Since the capacity of 2x RF31 and 1x RF71 disks is a little bit low > for VMS with some compilersi (~400MB every disk), I've looked for a bigger > disk, at least for the sytem itself. (I've already relocated the pagefile > to the 2nd disk). > Ok, there are RF73 available at ebay US for $100, but addiotional $50 and more > for shipping is to much, I have to pay additional 19% of customs VAT on top The RF73 is very large and heavy even by the standards of the time so shipping would be a burden. I managed a VAX4000 Model 500 cluster which had a couple dozen RF73s in four cabinets for ten or more years but I never tried to fix a disk, the red light would come on and I would put another one in, the disk management never went beyond that. I have an RF73 sitting on a shelf, it was the last disk that I pulled and replaced before the system was scrapped, I also used my last spare to replace it. I replaced a lot of RF73s, they did not seem to have an especially long life. I was once told that Compaq had SCSI to DSSI adaptors to allow the use of SCSI disks in old DSSI machines. The TF series of tape drives were SCSI drives with DSSI adaptors so that is believable, that also opens up the possibility of stripping a TF tape drive for parts and trying to build your own SCSI to DSSI adaptor. You can talk to the DSSI interface and discuss life with some of the DSSI devices but it has been a long time and I have forgotten all the spells. I have the following recipe for talking to a TF867 tape and library, perhaps you can use this information to obtain information from the RF73: $ set device /noavailable $1$mia0: $ mcr sysgen SYSGEN> load fydriver SYSGEN> connect FYA01/noadaptor SYSGEN> exit $ set host /dup /server=MSCP$DUP /task=params T8TTSZ The string T8TTSZ is the identifier that DSSI interface applied to the TF867 and, AFAIR, you can learn that by the use of the show commands when the VAX is at the >>> boot prompt. I have only worked on Alphas for the last 20 years and I don't remember the syntax anymore and when I do remember, I mix it up with the Alpha SRM syntax. How many dead RF73 drives are actually dead? If the failure is not in the HDA then you might be able to put it right. -- Richard Loken VE6BSV, Unix System Administrator : "Anybody can be a father Athabasca University: but you have to earn Athabasca, Alberta Canada : the title of 'daddy'" ** richar...@admin.athabascau.ca ** : - Lynn Johnston
Re: Dec 8235 IC?
On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 11:04 AM, Jay Jaeger wrote: > BTW, I sent my PCBs out to Gold Phoenix PCB - http://www.goldphoenixpcb.com/ I have also used Gold Phoenix PCB with good results (when I need a dozen or more small boards - they do runs of 155 sq in down to about 1"x2". You get as many boards as fit in one panel for one price). -ethan
raised floor possibly available
A building next door to one of my offices was a datacenter/colo facility. It has sat vacant for quite a few years, and the new owner contacted me yesterday about some unrelated items. I asked about the raised floor and she said "all available, dirt cheap, come over and look". Sometime next week I will go take a look, but I know folks here have occasionally expressed interest in getting a section of raised floor for their "machine room". If there's interest, let me know. Best, J
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
I just acquired a KA640 VAX in a BA215 (thanks Josh) which has one working RF30 and one dead RF30 with failure code 300B(X). I don't have copies of any manuals which list the error codes. I just figure at this point that the drive is dead and there is nothing that can be done to try to fix it. The working 150MB RF30 is too small for a useful VMS system although it would be a decent size if I set up the system as a PDP-11 with an M7554-PB KDJ11-SB CPU instead of the VAX KA640. For VMS use I would either set up this system with a CMD Q-Bus SCSI controller, or use an HSD10 in a BA350 to connect SCSI disks to the DSSI controller. >>>SET HOST/DUP/DSSI 2 Starting DUP server... Copyright © 1988 Digital Equipment Corporation DRVEXR V1.1 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 DRVTST V1.1 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 HISTRY V1.0 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 ERASE V1.3 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 PARAMS V1.2 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 DIRECT V1.0 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 End of directory Task Name? PARAMS Copyright © 1988 Digital Equipment Corporation PARAMS> STATUS Configuration: Node R3Q0UA is an RF30 controller Software RFX V103 built on 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 Electronics module name is ZG95105350 Unit is inoperative, error code 300B(X) Last known unit failure code 300B(X) In 10 power-on hours, power has cycled 216 times System time is 5-MAY-1989 13:21:44
Keys resurfaces
Saw this in AFC Another water damaged collection heading to the landfill -- Subject: Houston (and everywhere else), we have ... an opportunity From: hlctmi...@gmail.com Injection-Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2015 15:37:06 + My name is John Keys, and I incorporated the Houston Computer Museum in May= 2003 as 501(c)(3) non-profit. I've been good at collecting things. I've have various PDPs, an HP3000, SE= L 810A, SDS 910, and a Cray YMP/EL8. I have an IBM 083 card sorter and sev= eral keypunchs (models 024, 026, 029 and 129). I have over 1,200 books and= manuals. And those are just a small sample. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's all in storage, in my home, or in a 3,300 square-= foot warehouse. I don't have exhibit space. You might have heard that it = rains in Houston; the warehouse has flood damage that needs to be mitigate= d. I haven't been good at getting the 21st century to work for me, and this is= where you come in. I need a functional web page, one that makes it easier= for people to donate online. I need a contact email link that works. If you can help me get this done, I'd be grateful. What's at stake? I'm 70 years old, and if I can't make a go of this, all t= hat equipment will get recycled or hauled off for scrap or dumped in a land= fill. And all of that documentation will go with it. If you can help me with web hosting and web page design, let me know. Advi= ce is nice -- I've had lots of it -- but what I really need is people who c= an step up and do what I haven't done. I need help in cleaning all these ar= tifacts that were damaged by the flood. Contact me by email discuss how you= can help. If there are enough people out there who care about this stuff, we can do t= his. You don't have to live in Houston. You don't have to live on the Gul= f Coast. It's even OK if you don't live in Texas. To donate online, go to http://www.hlctm.org/services.htm and click on "Don= ate." To contact me, send email to hcmjkeys at yahoo dot com. Once we have something presentable, come visit. And thanks very much for r= eading this. John Keys
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On 9/3/15 9:58 PM, Paul Anderson wrote: I'm looking into a road trip from Champaign to Maine via Indy, Detroit, Windsor, Niagra Falls, Buffalo or 1000 Islands, Syracuse to Boston area, and up to Maine. Not sure about the return Route. I have talked to a few list members about dropping off/picking up items. Make sure all of your ducks are lined up if you are taking equipment in and out of Canada.
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
On 2015-09-04 08:01, Holm Tiffe wrote: Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... Thanks to all that haven't answered. You do understand that noone is *required* to help, do you? This message really sends the wrong impression, and rubs me the wrong way... People try to help, as best as they can. When you are not getting help, just accept that people either cannot help, or do not have time to help. No point in sulking or posting provoking messages to try and get more results. As for the actual question, I can't help. I know a little bit about DSSI, and have used a disk or three over the years, but I have never seen any proper documentation for them anywhere, and have not really heard of any people possessing that information either, so I am not at all surprised by the lack of replies. Now, please act a little more adult, or I'll happily put you in my kill file. Johnny
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
Yes. ALL the ducks. Several of us have been bounced at the border for trying to bring in larger machines. Basically, if it is something that is not a laptop or PeeCee or normal consumer electronics, expect trouble. It is not 1998 anymore. -- Will On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 12:49 PM, Al Kossow wrote: > On 9/3/15 9:58 PM, Paul Anderson wrote: >> >> I'm looking into a road trip from Champaign to Maine via Indy, Detroit, >> Windsor, Niagra Falls, Buffalo or 1000 Islands, Syracuse to Boston area, >> and up to Maine. Not sure about the return Route. > > >> I have talked to a few list members about dropping off/picking up items. > > > Make sure all of your ducks are lined up if you are taking equipment in and > out of Canada. > > >
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
On 2015-09-04 18:19, Glen Slick wrote: I just acquired a KA640 VAX in a BA215 (thanks Josh) which has one working RF30 and one dead RF30 with failure code 300B(X). I don't have copies of any manuals which list the error codes. I just figure at this point that the drive is dead and there is nothing that can be done to try to fix it. You could/should try and run some diagnostics. Maybe they can print out something more intelligible than just an error code? The working 150MB RF30 is too small for a useful VMS system although it would be a decent size if I set up the system as a PDP-11 with an M7554-PB KDJ11-SB CPU instead of the VAX KA640. Be aware that no PDP-11 system knows about DSSI. There is one Qbus DSSI controller that looks like a simple MSCP controller, and that one should work fine. Any that exposes more of DSSI will be a non-starter with a PDP-11. Johnny
RE: Keys resurfaces
As always, my hosting company will gladly provide hosting services to any classic computing related website at no charge. I'll send him an email offering same. I don't want to offer free web development though, someone else can step up with that work if they wish :)
Re: OmniUSB - further boards to make
the SMECC museum is a canadate if ouronmnibus 8 still runs. have not powered it up in 20 years. In a message dated 9/4/2015 1:37:34 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time, space...@gmail.com writes:
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 10:00 AM, Johnny Billquist wrote: > >> The working 150MB RF30 is too small for a useful VMS system although >> it would be a decent size if I set up the system as a PDP-11 with an >> M7554-PB KDJ11-SB CPU instead of the VAX KA640. > > Be aware that no PDP-11 system knows about DSSI. There is one Qbus DSSI > controller that looks like a simple MSCP controller, and that one should > work fine. Any that exposes more of DSSI will be a non-starter with a > PDP-11. Yep, I have at least a couple of M7769 KFQSA DSSI controllers which present a standard MSCP interface to the host.
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
- Original Message - From: "Johnny Billquist" Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 12:52 PM On 2015-09-04 08:01, Holm Tiffe wrote: Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... Thanks to all that haven't answered. You do understand that noone is *required* to help, do you? This message really sends the wrong impression, and rubs me the wrong way... People try to help, as best as they can. When you are not getting help, just accept that people either cannot help, or do not have time to help. No point in sulking or posting provoking messages to try and get more results. Right on. As a matter of fact, instead of getting *more* results, alienating people with rude and sarcastic comments just might persuade someone who could/would have helped you the next time to not bother taking the time... m
Ongoing debug of RL8A controller
I still can't get my RL8A (M8433 RL01/02 disk controller card) working again in my 8/A system. It won't boot from the RL02 any more. In my backplane I found it to be mechanically sensitive (AJRLAC diskless controller test would show errors always involving bits 4-7 being unexpectedly 0's), and when the card was flexed gently the errors would increase dramatically during the test. No visible bad/missing solder joints or broken traces. Recently I sent the card to a list member who tried it in his system. He could boot OS/8, but when attempting to open a file with EDIT the system would crash. This behavior was repeatable and did not occur with his controller. I now have SerialDisk running via Omni-USB, emulating two RK05 drives from my laptop, booting OS/8. This works perfectly - until I put the RL8A in the backplane! Then the system won't boot and also corrupts the first part of the boot loader that resides at 0020-0045. However, only the first 7 instructions at 0020-0027 are mangled, and all seven words have their most significant six bits set to 0 (for example, 7240 becomes 0040). The selects to the various 8234's (open-collector drivers to the data bus) are working properly in a scope loop. Figured I was on the right track with a bad 8234. I physically disconnected the middle 4 bits of the DATA0..11 bus (at the extender card rather than hack up the board)... system still won't boot, still corrupting locations as described. Next, I disconnected the entire data bus, all 12 bits, same problem! So whatever is the trouble it's NOT an 8234 pulling on some of DATA0..11 as I thought! I am starting to think there is a defect with the DMA (aka Data Break) facility on either this card OR even the CPU itself... everything else in the system is programmed I/O, not DMA. Obviously something is pulling down the memory-data bus when it shouldn't be, and writing zeroes over the upper six bits of some words, but on this controller card there are only inputs from the memory data bus MD0..11. It has its own memory address registers for DMA which drive the MA0..11 lines. I checked the various signals coming out of the card and (at least statically) none of them are in the "wrong" state... Any thoughts on testing the DMA facility? thanks Charles
Re: Keys resurfaces
While I've not yet completely forgiven Mr. Keys for swiping a van load of VAX systems (including a bunch of MicroVAX 3100, 4000/VLC, etc) over a decade ago when I had offered him some wide format printers and large monitors, I'm willing to talk to him and see what can be done if others are also interested in this. On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, Al Kossow wrote: Saw this in AFC Another water damaged collection heading to the landfill -- Subject: Houston (and everywhere else), we have ... an opportunity From: hlctmi...@gmail.com Injection-Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2015 15:37:06 + My name is John Keys, and I incorporated the Houston Computer Museum in May= 2003 as 501(c)(3) non-profit. I've been good at collecting things. I've have various PDPs, an HP3000, SE= L 810A, SDS 910, and a Cray YMP/EL8. I have an IBM 083 card sorter and sev= eral keypunchs (models 024, 026, 029 and 129). I have over 1,200 books and= manuals. And those are just a small sample. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's all in storage, in my home, or in a 3,300 square-= foot warehouse. I don't have exhibit space. You might have heard that it = rains in Houston; the warehouse has flood damage that needs to be mitigate= d. I haven't been good at getting the 21st century to work for me, and this is= where you come in. I need a functional web page, one that makes it easier= for people to donate online. I need a contact email link that works. If you can help me get this done, I'd be grateful. What's at stake? I'm 70 years old, and if I can't make a go of this, all t= hat equipment will get recycled or hauled off for scrap or dumped in a land= fill. And all of that documentation will go with it. If you can help me with web hosting and web page design, let me know. Advi= ce is nice -- I've had lots of it -- but what I really need is people who c= an step up and do what I haven't done. I need help in cleaning all these ar= tifacts that were damaged by the flood. Contact me by email discuss how you= can help. If there are enough people out there who care about this stuff, we can do t= his. You don't have to live in Houston. You don't have to live on the Gul= f Coast. It's even OK if you don't live in Texas. To donate online, go to http://www.hlctm.org/services.htm and click on "Don= ate." To contact me, send email to hcmjkeys at yahoo dot com. Once we have something presentable, come visit. And thanks very much for r= eading this. John Keys
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, William Donzelli wrote: Yes. ALL the ducks. Several of us have been bounced at the border for trying to bring in larger machines. Basically, if it is something that is not a laptop or PeeCee or normal consumer electronics, expect trouble. It is not 1998 anymore. Do "Made in USA" markings still suffice when transporting from Canada to the USA?
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
Johnny Billquist wrote: > On 2015-09-04 08:01, Holm Tiffe wrote: > > >Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... > > > >Thanks to all that haven't answered. > > You do understand that noone is *required* to help, do you? This message > really sends the wrong impression, and rubs me the wrong way... > > People try to help, as best as they can. When you are not getting help, > just accept that people either cannot help, or do not have time to help. > No point in sulking or posting provoking messages to try and get more > results. > > As for the actual question, I can't help. I know a little bit about > DSSI, and have used a disk or three over the years, but I have never > seen any proper documentation for them anywhere, and have not really > heard of any people possessing that information either, so I am not at > all surprised by the lack of replies. > > Now, please act a little more adult, or I'll happily put you in my kill > file. > > Johnny Yes. Regards, Holm -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Freiberger Straße 42, 09600 Oberschöna, USt-Id: DE253710583 www.tsht.de, i...@tsht.de, Fax +49 3731 74200, Mobil: 0172 8790 741
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
Mike Stein wrote: > - Original Message - > From: "Johnny Billquist" > Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 12:52 PM > > > >On 2015-09-04 08:01, Holm Tiffe wrote: > > > >>Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has > >>ever seen a DSSI disk... > >> > >>Thanks to all that haven't answered. > > > >You do understand that noone is *required* to > >help, do you? This message really sends the > >wrong impression, and rubs me the wrong way... > > > >People try to help, as best as they can. When > >you are not getting help, just accept that > >people either cannot help, or do not have time > >to help. No point in sulking or posting > >provoking messages to try and get more results. > > Right on. As a matter of fact, instead of getting > *more* results, alienating people with rude and > sarcastic comments just might persuade someone who > could/would have helped you the next time to not > bother taking the time... > > m ...but I think all that is much better than silence. Regards, Holm -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Freiberger Straße 42, 09600 Oberschöna, USt-Id: DE253710583 www.tsht.de, i...@tsht.de, Fax +49 3731 74200, Mobil: 0172 8790 741
Re: Keys resurfaces
" I'm 70 years old, and if I can't make a go of this, all that equipment will get recycled or hauled off for scrap or dumped in a landfill. And all of that documentation will go with it." A web page is not the solution to his problem. A new home for his collection is. Lee C. On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 11:27 AM, Tothwolf wrote: > While I've not yet completely forgiven Mr. Keys for swiping a van load of > VAX systems (including a bunch of MicroVAX 3100, 4000/VLC, etc) over a > decade ago when I had offered him some wide format printers and large > monitors, I'm willing to talk to him and see what can be done if others are > also interested in this. > > > > On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, Al Kossow wrote: > > Saw this in AFC >> >> Another water damaged collection heading to the landfill >> >> -- >> >> Subject: Houston (and everywhere else), we have ... an opportunity >> From: hlctmi...@gmail.com >> Injection-Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2015 15:37:06 + >> >> My name is John Keys, and I incorporated the Houston Computer Museum in >> May= >> 2003 as 501(c)(3) non-profit. >> >> I've been good at collecting things. I've have various PDPs, an HP3000, >> SE= >> L 810A, SDS 910, and a Cray YMP/EL8. I have an IBM 083 card sorter and >> sev= >> eral keypunchs (models 024, 026, 029 and 129). I have over 1,200 books >> and= >> manuals. And those are just a small sample. >> >> That's the good news. >> >> The bad news is that it's all in storage, in my home, or in a 3,300 >> square-= >> foot warehouse. I don't have exhibit space. You might have heard that >> it = >> rains in Houston; the warehouse has flood damage that needs to be >> mitigate= >> d. >> >> I haven't been good at getting the 21st century to work for me, and this >> is= >> where you come in. I need a functional web page, one that makes it >> easier= >> for people to donate online. I need a contact email link that works. >> >> If you can help me get this done, I'd be grateful. >> >> What's at stake? I'm 70 years old, and if I can't make a go of this, all >> t= >> hat equipment will get recycled or hauled off for scrap or dumped in a >> land= >> fill. And all of that documentation will go with it. >> >> If you can help me with web hosting and web page design, let me know. >> Advi= >> ce is nice -- I've had lots of it -- but what I really need is people who >> c= >> an step up and do what I haven't done. I need help in cleaning all these >> ar= >> tifacts that were damaged by the flood. Contact me by email discuss how >> you= >> can help. >> >> If there are enough people out there who care about this stuff, we can do >> t= >> his. You don't have to live in Houston. You don't have to live on the >> Gul= >> f Coast. It's even OK if you don't live in Texas. >> >> >> To donate online, go to http://www.hlctm.org/services.htm and click on >> "Don= >> ate." >> >> >> >> To contact me, send email to hcmjkeys at yahoo dot com. >> >> >> Once we have something presentable, come visit. And thanks very much for >> r= >> eading this. >> >> >> >> John Keys >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- Lee Courtney +1-650-704-3934 cell
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
> Do "Made in USA" markings still suffice when transporting from Canada to the > USA? Not for things more complicated than typical consumer electronics. -- Will
RE: Keys resurfaces
I am sorry but I think he is living in airy fairy land if he thinks folks will donate to a 70 year old who is now threatening to chuck stuff away and re-cycle it rather than give others the chance to "make a go" of it with no clear definition of how the money is to be spent. It seems to happen all the time with collectables (I must admit I have a loft room full, and I don't have anywhere to exhibit) but to me this needs PEOPLE and then a PLAN and lastly a Kick Starter project to get it exhibitable, if indeed any of it is exhibit able. I can't see any responses in a.f.c but if any one can let me know what the money is needed for and how its going to be spent then I could start considering donating... Dave Wade > -Original Message- > From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-boun...@classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Tothwolf > Sent: 04 September 2015 19:28 > To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts > > Subject: Re: Keys resurfaces > > While I've not yet completely forgiven Mr. Keys for swiping a van load of VAX > systems (including a bunch of MicroVAX 3100, 4000/VLC, etc) over a decade > ago when I had offered him some wide format printers and large monitors, > I'm willing to talk to him and see what can be done if others are also > interested in this. > > > On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, Al Kossow wrote: > > > Saw this in AFC > > > > Another water damaged collection heading to the landfill > > > > -- > > > > Subject: Houston (and everywhere else), we have ... an opportunity > > From: hlctmi...@gmail.com > > Injection-Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2015 15:37:06 + > > > > My name is John Keys, and I incorporated the Houston Computer Museum > > in May= > > 2003 as 501(c)(3) non-profit. > > > > I've been good at collecting things. I've have various PDPs, an > > HP3000, SE= L 810A, SDS 910, and a Cray YMP/EL8. I have an IBM 083 > > card sorter and sev= eral keypunchs (models 024, 026, 029 and 129). I > > have over 1,200 books and= manuals. And those are just a small sample. > > > > That's the good news. > > > > The bad news is that it's all in storage, in my home, or in a 3,300 > > square-= foot warehouse. I don't have exhibit space. You might have > > heard that it = rains in Houston; the warehouse has flood damage that > > needs to be mitigate= d. > > > > I haven't been good at getting the 21st century to work for me, and > > this is= where you come in. I need a functional web page, one that > > makes it easier= for people to donate online. I need a contact email link > that works. > > > > If you can help me get this done, I'd be grateful. > > > > What's at stake? I'm 70 years old, and if I can't make a go of this, > > all t= hat equipment will get recycled or hauled off for scrap or > > dumped in a land= fill. And all of that documentation will go with it. > > > > If you can help me with web hosting and web page design, let me know. > > Advi= ce is nice -- I've had lots of it -- but what I really need is > > people who c= an step up and do what I haven't done. I need help in > > cleaning all these ar= tifacts that were damaged by the flood. Contact > > me by email discuss how you= can help. > > > > If there are enough people out there who care about this stuff, we can > > do t= his. You don't have to live in Houston. You don't have to live > > on the Gul= f Coast. It's even OK if you don't live in Texas. > > > > > > To donate online, go to http://www.hlctm.org/services.htm and click on > > "Don= ate." > > > > > > > > To contact me, send email to hcmjkeys at yahoo dot com. > > > > > > Once we have something presentable, come visit. And thanks very much > > for r= eading this. > > > > > > > > John Keys > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
Last year, I made a 10 hour round-trip from Canada to the US to pick up a Northstar Horizon. Upon returning to Canada with it, I had a long conversation with Canada Customs about why I would make a 10-hour day-trip to the US to pick up a “piece of obsolete junk” unless it had some real value, and if it had real value, Her Majesty wanted taxes on that value. He suggested that next time I bring with me printed copies of any paper trail, such as emails offering the ‘junk’ for free or cheap, examples of eBay listings showing the actual value, etc. YMMV Ian > On Sep 4, 2015, at 11:30 AM, Tothwolf wrote: > > On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, William Donzelli wrote: > >> Yes. ALL the ducks. >> >> Several of us have been bounced at the border for trying to bring in larger >> machines. Basically, if it is something that is not a laptop or PeeCee or >> normal consumer electronics, expect trouble. It is not 1998 anymore. > > Do "Made in USA" markings still suffice when transporting from Canada to the > USA? > > > --- > Filter service subscribers can train this email as spam or not-spam here: > http://my.email-as.net/spamham/cgi-bin/learn.pl?messageid=FDC0DD56533211E5A5F2547493ED0201
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
> Last year, I made a 10 hour round-trip from Canada to the US to pick up a > Northstar Horizon. Upon returning to Canada with it, I had a long > conversation with Canada Customs about why I would make a 10-hour day-trip to > the US to pick up a “piece of obsolete junk” unless it had some real value, > and if it had real value, Her Majesty wanted taxes on that value. He > suggested that next time I bring with me printed copies of any paper trail, > such as emails offering the ‘junk’ for free or cheap, examples of eBay > listings showing the actual value, etc. And the Canadian side is the nice side! -- Will
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
Glen Slick wrote: > I just acquired a KA640 VAX in a BA215 (thanks Josh) which has one > working RF30 and one dead RF30 with failure code 300B(X). I don't have > copies of any manuals which list the error codes. I just figure at > this point that the drive is dead and there is nothing that can be > done to try to fix it. Ive "fixed" a dead RF31, but the error was A00something. Is thedisk spinning up? Is the head assembly "ratteling" after the spin up? > > The working 150MB RF30 is too small for a useful VMS system although > it would be a decent size if I set up the system as a PDP-11 with an > M7554-PB KDJ11-SB CPU instead of the VAX KA640. Hmm... does the KDJ11-SB support DSSI disks? Don't know... > > For VMS use I would either set up this system with a CMD Q-Bus SCSI > controller, or use an HSD10 in a BA350 to connect SCSI disks to the > DSSI controller. Don't have an HSD10 and it seems that none is available to a fair price in Europe. > > >>>SET HOST/DUP/DSSI 2 > Starting DUP server... > Copyright © 1988 Digital Equipment Corporation > DRVEXR V1.1 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 > DRVTST V1.1 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 > HISTRY V1.0 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 > ERASE V1.3 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 > PARAMS V1.2 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 > DIRECT V1.0 D 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 > End of directory > > Task Name? PARAMS > Copyright © 1988 Digital Equipment Corporation > > PARAMS> STATUS > > Configuration: > Node R3Q0UA is an RF30 controller > Software RFX V103 built on 5-MAY-1989 13:18:42 > Electronics module name is ZG95105350 > Unit is inoperative, error code 300B(X) > Last known unit failure code 300B(X) > In 10 power-on hours, power has cycled 216 times > System time is 5-MAY-1989 13:21:44 Exactly 10 hours? My RF73 has the error 3304(X)...it where really interesting what this means. Regards, Holm -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Freiberger Straße 42, 09600 Oberschöna, USt-Id: DE253710583 www.tsht.de, i...@tsht.de, Fax +49 3731 74200, Mobil: 0172 8790 741
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
Johnny Billquist wrote: > On 2015-09-04 18:19, Glen Slick wrote: > >I just acquired a KA640 VAX in a BA215 (thanks Josh) which has one > >working RF30 and one dead RF30 with failure code 300B(X). I don't have > >copies of any manuals which list the error codes. I just figure at > >this point that the drive is dead and there is nothing that can be > >done to try to fix it. > > You could/should try and run some diagnostics. Maybe they can print out > something more intelligible than just an error code? The can dump out several statistices and even registers from the MC68000 CPU at the time the error was occuring, that's documented, but not more. The Users Manual says that the error codes could be found in the service manual, but I don#ät think that there is one available for the DSSI disks on the net. > > >The working 150MB RF30 is too small for a useful VMS system although > >it would be a decent size if I set up the system as a PDP-11 with an > >M7554-PB KDJ11-SB CPU instead of the VAX KA640. > > Be aware that no PDP-11 system knows about DSSI. There is one Qbus DSSI > controller that looks like a simple MSCP controller, and that one should > work fine. Any that exposes more of DSSI will be a non-starter with a > PDP-11. > > Johnny Such small drives was meant for paging/swap locally, not more. This makes sense in a cluster environment where the machine boots from network and the Users data are on the net also. Regards, Holm -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Freiberger Straße 42, 09600 Oberschöna, USt-Id: DE253710583 www.tsht.de, i...@tsht.de, Fax +49 3731 74200, Mobil: 0172 8790 741
Re: Keys resurfaces
> It seems to happen all the time with collectables (I must admit I have a > loft room full, and I don't have anywhere to exhibit) but to me this needs > PEOPLE and then a PLAN and lastly a Kick Starter project to get it > exhibitable, if indeed any of it is exhibit able. I can't see any responses > in a.f.c but if any one can let me know what the money is needed for and how > its going to be spent then I could start considering donating... Consider, however, that Keys and the Houston Computer Museum has been sort of a black hole for the past 15 years. I do not know if anyone has really seen any sort of exhibit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWogDZ9weSs If a museum did not materialize when he was 55 or 60, they probably are not going to materialize at 70 or 75. And if the Houston Computer Museum is a proper museum, there will be a clause in the bylaws guiding the disposition of the artifacts to other 501c3 entities. -- Will
Re: Keys resurfaces
On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, William Donzelli wrote: It seems to happen all the time with collectables (I must admit I have a loft room full, and I don't have anywhere to exhibit) but to me this needs PEOPLE and then a PLAN and lastly a Kick Starter project to get it exhibitable, if indeed any of it is exhibit able. I can't see any responses in a.f.c but if any one can let me know what the money is needed for and how its going to be spent then I could start considering donating... Consider, however, that Keys and the Houston Computer Museum has been sort of a black hole for the past 15 years. I do not know if anyone has really seen any sort of exhibit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWogDZ9weSs If a museum did not materialize when he was 55 or 60, they probably are not going to materialize at 70 or 75. And if the Houston Computer Museum is a proper museum, there will be a clause in the bylaws guiding the disposition of the artifacts to other 501c3 entities. Keys had a table at VCF SW 3.0 but I'm not sure if that really counts as an exhibit. http://www.computerculture.org/events/vcfsw3/
Re: Keys resurfaces
I agree; it seems like if he really needed to raise some money, he could offer even a few of those choice pieces to other collectors ... sounds like he's got plenty of stuff other collectors would offer good money for, if it's not completely soaked or corroded out ... Best, Sean On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 2:33 PM, Lee Courtney wrote: > " I'm 70 years old, and if I can't make a go of this, all that equipment > will get recycled or hauled off for scrap or dumped in a landfill. And all > of that documentation will go with it." > > A web page is not the solution to his problem. A new home for his > collection is. > > Lee C. > > On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 11:27 AM, Tothwolf wrote: > > > While I've not yet completely forgiven Mr. Keys for swiping a van load of > > VAX systems (including a bunch of MicroVAX 3100, 4000/VLC, etc) over a > > decade ago when I had offered him some wide format printers and large > > monitors, I'm willing to talk to him and see what can be done if others > are > > also interested in this. > > > > > > > > On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, Al Kossow wrote: > > > > Saw this in AFC > >> > >> Another water damaged collection heading to the landfill > >> > >> -- > >> > >> Subject: Houston (and everywhere else), we have ... an opportunity > >> From: hlctmi...@gmail.com > >> Injection-Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2015 15:37:06 + > >> > >> My name is John Keys, and I incorporated the Houston Computer Museum in > >> May= > >> 2003 as 501(c)(3) non-profit. > >> > >> I've been good at collecting things. I've have various PDPs, an HP3000, > >> SE= > >> L 810A, SDS 910, and a Cray YMP/EL8. I have an IBM 083 card sorter and > >> sev= > >> eral keypunchs (models 024, 026, 029 and 129). I have over 1,200 books > >> and= > >> manuals. And those are just a small sample. > >> > >> That's the good news. > >> > >> The bad news is that it's all in storage, in my home, or in a 3,300 > >> square-= > >> foot warehouse. I don't have exhibit space. You might have heard that > >> it = > >> rains in Houston; the warehouse has flood damage that needs to be > >> mitigate= > >> d. > >> > >> I haven't been good at getting the 21st century to work for me, and this > >> is= > >> where you come in. I need a functional web page, one that makes it > >> easier= > >> for people to donate online. I need a contact email link that works. > >> > >> If you can help me get this done, I'd be grateful. > >> > >> What's at stake? I'm 70 years old, and if I can't make a go of this, > all > >> t= > >> hat equipment will get recycled or hauled off for scrap or dumped in a > >> land= > >> fill. And all of that documentation will go with it. > >> > >> If you can help me with web hosting and web page design, let me know. > >> Advi= > >> ce is nice -- I've had lots of it -- but what I really need is people > who > >> c= > >> an step up and do what I haven't done. I need help in cleaning all these > >> ar= > >> tifacts that were damaged by the flood. Contact me by email discuss how > >> you= > >> can help. > >> > >> If there are enough people out there who care about this stuff, we can > do > >> t= > >> his. You don't have to live in Houston. You don't have to live on the > >> Gul= > >> f Coast. It's even OK if you don't live in Texas. > >> > >> > >> To donate online, go to http://www.hlctm.org/services.htm and click on > >> "Don= > >> ate." > >> > >> > >> > >> To contact me, send email to hcmjkeys at yahoo dot com. > >> > >> > >> Once we have something presentable, come visit. And thanks very much > for > >> r= > >> eading this. > >> > >> > >> > >> John Keys > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > > -- > Lee Courtney > +1-650-704-3934 cell >
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
Thanks for all the border warnings. That's why I'm trying to keep stuff small. Paul On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 1:46 PM, William Donzelli wrote: > > Last year, I made a 10 hour round-trip from Canada to the US to pick up > a Northstar Horizon. Upon returning to Canada with it, I had a long > conversation with Canada Customs about why I would make a 10-hour day-trip > to the US to pick up a “piece of obsolete junk” unless it had some real > value, and if it had real value, Her Majesty wanted taxes on that value. > He suggested that next time I bring with me printed copies of any paper > trail, such as emails offering the ‘junk’ for free or cheap, examples of > eBay listings showing the actual value, etc. > > And the Canadian side is the nice side! > > -- > Will >
Re: Keys resurfaces
He got a big collection of SDS systems which I helped store the tape drives and printers for. Al was supposed to get the media, but it never got to me to get to Al and back. thanks Jim On 9/4/2015 12:54 PM, Tothwolf wrote: On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, William Donzelli wrote: It seems to happen all the time with collectables (I must admit I have a loft room full, and I don't have anywhere to exhibit) but to me this needs PEOPLE and then a PLAN and lastly a Kick Starter project to get it exhibitable, if indeed any of it is exhibit able. I can't see any responses in a.f.c but if any one can let me know what the money is needed for and how its going to be spent then I could start considering donating... Consider, however, that Keys and the Houston Computer Museum has been sort of a black hole for the past 15 years. I do not know if anyone has really seen any sort of exhibit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWogDZ9weSs If a museum did not materialize when he was 55 or 60, they probably are not going to materialize at 70 or 75. And if the Houston Computer Museum is a proper museum, there will be a clause in the bylaws guiding the disposition of the artifacts to other 501c3 entities. Keys had a table at VCF SW 3.0 but I'm not sure if that really counts as an exhibit. http://www.computerculture.org/events/vcfsw3/
Re: Keys resurfaces
On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, jwsmobile wrote: On 9/4/2015 12:54 PM, Tothwolf wrote: On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, William Donzelli wrote: It seems to happen all the time with collectables (I must admit I have a loft room full, and I don't have anywhere to exhibit) but to me this needs PEOPLE and then a PLAN and lastly a Kick Starter project to get it exhibitable, if indeed any of it is exhibit able. I can't see any responses in a.f.c but if any one can let me know what the money is needed for and how its going to be spent then I could start considering donating... Consider, however, that Keys and the Houston Computer Museum has been sort of a black hole for the past 15 years. I do not know if anyone has really seen any sort of exhibit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWogDZ9weSs If a museum did not materialize when he was 55 or 60, they probably are not going to materialize at 70 or 75. And if the Houston Computer Museum is a proper museum, there will be a clause in the bylaws guiding the disposition of the artifacts to other 501c3 entities. Keys had a table at VCF SW 3.0 but I'm not sure if that really counts as an exhibit. http://www.computerculture.org/events/vcfsw3/ He got a big collection of SDS systems which I helped store the tape drives and printers for. Al was supposed to get the media, but it never got to me to get to Al and back. Anyone happen to notice this? Acquisition Policy for the Houston Computer Museum http://www.hlctm.org/serv02.htm [...] "The item should be of museum quality (exceptions will be made for certain items). Primary consideration will be given to the museum's ability to provide proper care and storage for any artifact or works of art. No item should be considered for acquisition if its physical condition exceeds the museum's financial ability to provide for its care and preservation." "The museum must be able to provide proper storage for any acquisition under consideration." [...] "The museum acknowledges its responsibility to ascertain that items offered, whether by purchase, exchange, gift, or bequest, are not stolen, wrongfully converted, or acquired under false pretences. All such items will be declined." "If the museum should discover that it has inadvertently acquired an item that is proven to have been obtained in violation of the above statement, the museum shall seek to return the item to its legal owner or shall seek to determine, through outside recognized and competent authorities, the proper means of disposition." [...] With the storage situation, does this mean he is in violation of his 501(c)(3) requirements? What does this mean for that vanload of gear Keys took out from under me via false pretenses?
Re: Keys resurfaces
> With the storage situation, does this mean he is in violation of his > 501(c)(3) requirements? Probably not, since 501c3 is basically a tax thing. He might be in violation for not really being "public", however. > What does this mean for that vanload of gear Keys took out from under me via > false pretenses? I might guess that too much time has passed? I do not know anything about your deal, and why it went sour. -- Will
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 1:46 PM, William Donzelli wrote: >> Last year, I made a 10 hour round-trip from Canada to the US to pick up a >> Northstar Horizon. Upon returning to Canada with it, I had a long >> conversation with Canada Customs about why I would make a 10-hour day-trip >> to the US to pick up a “piece of obsolete junk” unless it had some real >> value, and if it had real value, Her Majesty wanted taxes on that value. He >> suggested that next time I bring with me printed copies of any paper trail, >> such as emails offering the ‘junk’ for free or cheap, examples of eBay >> listings showing the actual value, etc. > > And the Canadian side is the nice side! On my big Canadian ccmp retrieval run last December, we were detailed for an hour+ while the agents inspected my nearly empty car, read my email on my phone (found a search for the word "Canada,") and went through our bags. On the way back, packed to the gills with old computers, the US agent laughed, asked "what do you DO with all that??" and sent us on our way. Completely anecdotal but jives with other reports I've heard. -j
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 4:20 PM, Jason T wrote: > On my big Canadian ccmp retrieval run last December, we were detailed "Detained," of course. A decent car detailing would have been worth the time.
Selling brazilian vintage computer gear
Dear sirs... Ok, life does nasty things to us, and seems it is my time. Due to personal and health problems, I'll have to sell some of my collection. As bad as it is, I can't really afford keeping much of my stuff. I'll save just the nice gifts I got from friends and my beloved //e "Woz edition". So, there are some computers that may be of interest to you - Milmar Laser IIc apple clone - Clone of the Apple //c, but it isn't a //e - it is a ][c in a case of a //c. Has power supply, original manual and external slot expansion. $800 o.b.o. - Prologica Sistema 600 - Clone of the Intertec SuperBrain - Prologica CP500 - Clone of the TRS-80 model III - Prologica CP400 (boxed) - Clone of TRS-Color model 1, in the box of a Timex Sinclair 2068(!) - Prologica CP300 - Clone of TRS-80 model III, but way portable - Prologica CP200 - Clone of Sinclair ZX-81 - Microdigital TK95 (boxed) - Clone of Sinclair ZX-Spectrum, but in a Commodore Plus/4 box (!) I'll have more interesting things, as soon as I have more time to dig the pile Shipping from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Thanks, Alexandre
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
On 2015-09-04 20:31, Holm Tiffe wrote: Mike Stein wrote: - Original Message - From: "Johnny Billquist" Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 12:52 PM On 2015-09-04 08:01, Holm Tiffe wrote: Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... Thanks to all that haven't answered. You do understand that noone is *required* to help, do you? This message really sends the wrong impression, and rubs me the wrong way... People try to help, as best as they can. When you are not getting help, just accept that people either cannot help, or do not have time to help. No point in sulking or posting provoking messages to try and get more results. Right on. As a matter of fact, instead of getting *more* results, alienating people with rude and sarcastic comments just might persuade someone who could/would have helped you the next time to not bother taking the time... m ...but I think all that is much better than silence. Really? Getting people to put you in their kill file is going to make things even more silent for you... Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On 9/4/2015 1:46 PM, William Donzelli wrote: >> Last year, I made a 10 hour round-trip from Canada to the US to pick up a >> Northstar Horizon. Upon returning to Canada with it, I had a long >> conversation with Canada Customs about why I would make a 10-hour day-trip >> to the US to pick up a “piece of obsolete junk” unless it had some real >> value, and if it had real value, Her Majesty wanted taxes on that value. He >> suggested that next time I bring with me printed copies of any paper trail, >> such as emails offering the ‘junk’ for free or cheap, examples of eBay >> listings showing the actual value, etc. > > And the Canadian side is the nice side! > > -- > Will > They're lonely - just want somebody to talk to. (Really, that is a JOKE I am making.) But One time (just barely pre 9/11/2001, IIRC) we were headed South to Montana after a couple of weeks in Canada, and crossed the border at a relatively quiet border crossing. The Canadian side folks talked to us a pretty long time - we really did wonder if they just wanted someone to talk to. Took, maybe, 15 minutes The US side - maybe 20 *seconds*. JRJ
no, not retrobrite
Decided to start with the terminals first. I cleaned up and tested the DG Dasher D200, and it come out fairly good and all tests indicate it's working fine. No pictures of that. The Dasher TP1 is much more of a hard-luck case, and I just finished cleaning the top of the top chassis. I did not clean the bottom chassis or stand or insides yet, so you can see a good comparison of the cleaned top half and the untouched bottom half. 7 pictures (unfortunately newest to oldest) are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/131070638@N02 No, there's no retrobrite involved. Just a normal spray on household cleaner, followed by Magic Eraser and a lot of elbow grease. Yep, Magic Eraser is a wonderful thing. J
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
Johnny Billquist wrote: > On 2015-09-04 20:31, Holm Tiffe wrote: > >Mike Stein wrote: > > > >>- Original Message - > >>From: "Johnny Billquist" > >>Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 12:52 PM > >> > >> > >>>On 2015-09-04 08:01, Holm Tiffe wrote: > >>> > Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has > ever seen a DSSI disk... > > Thanks to all that haven't answered. > >>> > >>>You do understand that noone is *required* to > >>>help, do you? This message really sends the > >>>wrong impression, and rubs me the wrong way... > >>> > >>>People try to help, as best as they can. When > >>>you are not getting help, just accept that > >>>people either cannot help, or do not have time > >>>to help. No point in sulking or posting > >>>provoking messages to try and get more results. > >> > >>Right on. As a matter of fact, instead of getting > >>*more* results, alienating people with rude and > >>sarcastic comments just might persuade someone who > >>could/would have helped you the next time to not > >>bother taking the time... > >> > >>m > > > >...but I think all that is much better than silence. > > Really? Getting people to put you in their kill file is going to make > things even more silent for you... > > Johnny He Johnny, clam down. There was _NO_ Answer at all. Did you mean that it is better for me that people that doesn't answer me additionaly can't read my messages? Does this make any difference? Im 52 years old (as you know) and already had my first heart attac last year so don't tell me that I sould behave more adult. Possibly I don't have so much time left that I can wait any time. Let me live the rest of my time like a child playing with old computers, that's exactly why we are here; nothing else matters. I know that people trying to help, trust me, I'm doing that in other, cases with other people too and there are other people that pissing me off. But: I don't have a killfile. Regards, Holm -- Technik Service u. Handel Tiffe, www.tsht.de, Holm Tiffe, Freiberger Straße 42, 09600 Oberschöna, USt-Id: DE253710583 www.tsht.de, i...@tsht.de, Fax +49 3731 74200, Mobil: 0172 8790 741
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
On 2015-09-05 00:31, Holm Tiffe wrote: Johnny Billquist wrote: On 2015-09-04 20:31, Holm Tiffe wrote: Mike Stein wrote: - Original Message - From: "Johnny Billquist" Sent: Friday, September 04, 2015 12:52 PM On 2015-09-04 08:01, Holm Tiffe wrote: Hmm.. I see, I must be the only one that has ever seen a DSSI disk... Thanks to all that haven't answered. You do understand that noone is *required* to help, do you? This message really sends the wrong impression, and rubs me the wrong way... People try to help, as best as they can. When you are not getting help, just accept that people either cannot help, or do not have time to help. No point in sulking or posting provoking messages to try and get more results. Right on. As a matter of fact, instead of getting *more* results, alienating people with rude and sarcastic comments just might persuade someone who could/would have helped you the next time to not bother taking the time... m ...but I think all that is much better than silence. Really? Getting people to put you in their kill file is going to make things even more silent for you... Johnny He Johnny, clam down. There was _NO_ Answer at all. Yes. And what is your problem with that? Noone answered, so live with it. Did you mean that it is better for me that people that doesn't answer me additionaly can't read my messages? Does this make any difference? What the hell? There is no indication that people can't read your messages. You have gotten plenty of answers in the past. In addition, you can yourself also see that your messages reached the list. If you do not get an answer, it is because people either do not have an answer, or else do not want to answer. Trying to offend them by being sarcastic will most likely not get you any more answers. However, it do show, to others reading, that you are pretty much expecting and demanding that people respond to your posts. Which is a rather child-like behavior. We are not here to satisfy your needs. Im 52 years old (as you know) and already had my first heart attac last year so don't tell me that I sould behave more adult. Possibly I don't have so much time left that I can wait any time. Who knows how much time they have left. Does that make it ok to offend anyone else who is not responding to your every demand? I think not. You are free to disagree, but in that case I will definitely ignore you. Let me live the rest of my time like a child playing with old computers, that's exactly why we are here; nothing else matters. I know that people trying to help, trust me, I'm doing that in other, cases with other people too and there are other people that pissing me off. But: I don't have a killfile. I do have a killfile. If people start offending me, or being generally obnoxious, I am obviously not going to change them, nor do I care enough to actually waste my time doing that. My time is precious enough to me as it is. So the obvious solution is to just ignore them from that point on. They can go on ranting about how unfair people are to them, and I do not have to read it. Johnny -- Johnny Billquist || "I'm on a bus || on a psychedelic trip email: b...@softjar.se || Reading murder books pdp is alive! || tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
Re: no, not retrobrite
On 9/4/2015 6:30 PM, Jay West wrote: The Dasher TP1 is much more of a hard-luck case, and I just finished cleaning the top of the top chassis. I did not clean the bottom chassis or stand or insides yet, so you can see a good comparison of the cleaned top half and the untouched bottom half. 7 pictures (unfortunately newest to oldest) are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/131070638@N02 No, there's no retrobrite involved. Just a normal spray on household cleaner, followed by Magic Eraser and a lot of elbow grease. Yep, Magic Eraser is a wonderful thing. Wow, I knew plastics could hold quite a bit of grime in the making them looked yellow but that is impressive! Keep up the great work! Your really getting me excited about the DG Nova 4 I have to pick up soon. But that's an 18 hour trip up to Minnesota for a very long weekend in a few weeks ;) The system I'm getting is a whole rack with a Disk Pack drive (of which model I am unsure, I'm hoping its the model with a fixed platter in the bottom as-well but probably unlikely). It appears to have two packs with it and some documentation and that's it. So I'm really hoping it has data on the disk packs still since there is no other media interfaces like a tape drive or paper tape reader or anything so if there is nothing on the disks or worse there was a head crash I will be out of luck. Good luck with your DG equipment! Those two eclipse systems with the blinken-lights and switches are truly beautiful :) I, as-well as everyone else I'm sure, can't wait to see them running! -Connor Krukosky
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
On 9/4/2015 5:41 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote: On 2015-09-05 00:31, Holm Tiffe wrote: Let me live the rest of my time like a child playing with old computers, that's exactly why we are here; nothing else matters. I know that people trying to help, trust me, I'm doing that in other, cases with other people too and there are other people that pissing me off. But: I don't have a killfile. I do have a killfile. If people start offending me, or being generally obnoxious, I am obviously not going to change them, nor do I care enough to actually waste my time doing that. My time is precious enough to me as it is. So the obvious solution is to just ignore them from that point on. They can go on ranting about how unfair people are to them, and I do not have to read it. Johnny Might I respectfully just quip here, that different countries have different culture re what is offensive. His remarks did not bother me because they were "typically German." Maybe me saying that will offend Holm... lol... but culture does play a large part here. I think the best policy is to let as much as possible "slide" here in the online world... as it's just way, way too easy to either take things the wrong way, or much more heavily than intended, or whatever. Just my 1 cent. - John
Re: no, not retrobrite
On 9/4/15 3:30 PM, Jay West wrote: No, there's no retrobrite involved. Just a normal spray on household cleaner, followed by Magic Eraser and a lot of elbow grease. Yep, Magic Eraser is a wonderful thing. I didn't know how the things worked, so I looked it up http://dailyapple.blogspot.com/2009/01/apple-367-magic-eraser.html
Re: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
I took it as a cry of desperation, nor sure what was intended, but that's how it came across to me... Dave wade On Sep 5, 2015 12:03 AM, "j...@cimmeri.com" wrote: > > > On 9/4/2015 5:41 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote: > >> On 2015-09-05 00:31, Holm Tiffe wrote: >> >> >> Let me live the rest of my time like a child playing with old computers, >>> that's exactly why we are here; nothing else matters. >>> >>> I know that people trying to help, trust me, I'm doing that in other, >>> cases with other people too and there are other people that pissing me >>> off. But: I don't have a killfile. >>> >> >> I do have a killfile. If people start offending me, or being generally >> obnoxious, I am obviously not going to change them, nor do I care enough to >> actually waste my time doing that. My time is precious enough to me as it >> is. >> So the obvious solution is to just ignore them from that point on. They >> can go on ranting about how unfair people are to them, and I do not have to >> read it. >> >> Johnny >> > > > Might I respectfully just quip here, that different countries have > different culture re what is offensive. His remarks did not bother me > because they were "typically German." Maybe me saying that will offend > Holm... lol... but culture does play a large part here. > > I think the best policy is to let as much as possible "slide" here in the > online world... as it's just way, way too easy to either take things the > wrong way, or much more heavily than intended, or whatever. > > Just my 1 cent. > > - John >
Re: no, not retrobrite
On 9/4/15 4:10 PM, Al Kossow wrote: I didn't know how the things worked, so I looked it up http://dailyapple.blogspot.com/2009/01/apple-367-magic-eraser.html and here is a US seller for 100 of 'em at $7.50 http://www.ebay.com/itm/261997395134
Electronic devices and borders - Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On 2015-09-04 5:20 PM, Jason T wrote: read my email on my phone I hope everyone saw that and understands what it means. Borders have changed. Any data you take across them is fair game. --Toby
RE: no, not retrobrite
Al wrote... >I didn't know how the things worked, so I looked it up I should point out that for most things classiccmp I use them on, you have to scrub REALLY hard, in very small back and forth strokes. When you hear them squeaking, they are working right. It even gets out things that I could have sworn were scratches down to the metal, but actually weren't. I should point out that they ARE abrasive, but definitely less so than say... Comet. As a result, yes, you CAN take paint off if you're careless. But on hard non-clear plastics, the worst I have ever seen when I got aggressive with it was the spot I was scrubbing is now shiny smooth instead of textured. So you have to use a lot more elbow grease than you might think, but it just takes a bit of practice to know how much is too much and where you can scrub harder. They do fall apart quickly when used aggressively on heavily soiled items. The ends start coming off in little balls or fragments. I just cut off the frazzled ends with a pair of scissors and keep going. Just the top of the case chassis in that picture I went through two of them - they completely disintegrated. Yep, I buy them in cases of 10-packs and they don't last long. You're supposed to wet them with water first, then squeeze out most of it. There does seem to be some cleaning agent in them as well, to me it smells ever so faintly of bleach. Perhaps that's just the nature of the spongy material, I don't know. I recently found another "use" for them. They don't work so well on stickers & sticker/tape residue. For that, goo-gone is the product of choice. Put that on, wait 10 minutes or so, and then I use a razor blade (VERY gently and extremely slowly) or putty knife. I usually have to repeat this process a few times. But I recently found that if you put the goo-gone on the residue, wait 10 minutes, then put on another coat, then 10 minutes later scrub it off with a magic eraser. Because of the gunk it does destroy the magic eraser quicker than usual, but it takes off the rest of the residue without using a putty knife or razor, so you don't get the occasional "scratch down the metal" if you slip. They work exceedingly well for me. J
Re: Ongoing debug of RL8A controller
I reconnected the data bus pins, and disconnected all the MA0..11 pins (in case it's DMAing into memory when it should not be). Nope, same issue. Won't boot Serial Disk, corrupts the upper six bits of the loader. Only bus left is the memory data MD0..11, but that can't be shorted because on the card it has only inputs. Also the IOT address is decoded from it and those select properly. Still thinking it's DMA, will try watching the break request and other DMA lines for activity. Nothing unexpected there. But at last I found something... I think. Despite it not making sense, I disconnected the top 8 bits of MD0..7 (thus not only disconnecting the bus receivers on the card, but also completely deselecting it). Now the system booted and runs normally with the card plugged in! So, I figured either one of the 8640 receivers at E3, E20 (page 5 of the 10-page schematic) is leaky, quite possibly E20 which handles bits 4-7 the "troublemakers" from before, or the 8136 at E11 which appears to be just a multi-input AND/OR gate combo to select IOT x60x/x61x and was working with scope loop. I gradually reconnected lines until it started failing to boot and wiping out the loader again... I am so tired of toggling that loader in! At least it's only 26 (octal) words. Turns out MD4 was being pulled down weakly (to a volt or two) by something when it should have been pulled up. Wiggling and flexing the card caused it to work, intermittently. But I could not find it even with close visual inspection. I suspected a tiny tin whisker somewhere... So I crossed my fingers and tapped the pin with a cliplead from the 25 amp +5 volt supply. Figured I had nothing to lose at this point! ... and apparently did clear the short :) Now that line looked normal just like the other 11 memory data bus lines. OS/8 restarted with no problem, too. Started the diagnostic AJRLAC (the "Diskless Controller Test"). Immediately indicated a hard failure on bit 10! Oh $@#%. Now what did I do... But it just took a minute to pull the extender card and sure enough I had just made a bad solder joint reconnecting that pin and it had come apart with the flexing ;) Fixed that... running four passes without an error so far. Dare I touch the middle of the board again? Yep... flexing in both directions, no failures! I think I got it! Make that eight complete passes with the extender removed and the board in the cage. Running AJRLIA on a scratch pack now. Initally I got a very occasional seek/tracking error (Command Reg B 1017 or 1117) once per pass on each drive, but it's lessening with "exercise"... It's 90F in the computer room too, which may be above spec for an RL02 anyhow. Just finished Pass 0002 on Drive 1 without errors :) -Charles
RE: Problem with RF73 DSSI disk
John wrote Might I respectfully just quip here, that different countries have different culture re what is offensive. [snip] I think the best policy is to let as much as possible "slide" here in the online world. VERY well put. About 1% of the time I post a question here, I get silence - even though I know there are people here that know the answer. We've all got day jobs or other things such that many of us can't respond sometimes for a week or more. About 99% of the time, I get an exceedingly informative answer with lots of gold nuggets of info. I very happily accept the former to get the latter ;) While I understand the ire the initial comment might inspire... I'm sure someone with good input will chime in at some point. Patience :) J
Re: Electronic devices and borders - Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, Toby Thain wrote: On 2015-09-04 5:20 PM, Jason T wrote: read my email on my phone I hope everyone saw that and understands what it means. Borders have changed. Any data you take across them is fair game. Indeed they have. ...and things continue to change: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riley_v._California https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150818/16495632000/doj-dismisses-case-after-court-explains-that-feds-cant-just-grab-someones-laptop-border.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150511/08053430957/court-rejects-questionable-border-search-laptop-saying-computers-are-not-just-containers.shtml
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Fri, Sep 04, 2015 at 12:55:25PM -0400, William Donzelli wrote: > Several of us have been bounced at the border for trying to bring in > larger machines. Basically, if it is something that is not a laptop or > PeeCee or normal consumer electronics, expect trouble. It is not 1998 > anymore. The FreeBSD Foundation, a 501c(3), turned down a donation of some Canadian machines because the only place we could host them was NYI/ New Jersey. The donating company was willing to let us have the machines but could not figure out the legal complexities to provide the paperwork. (I was willing to be the labor). The Foundation's lawyers advised that we should _not_ transport anything across the border without paperwork specifying the origin of the equipment, the intended use, the current value, and any number of other things. My personal experiences are that big border crossings (e.g. at the terminus of U.S. Interstates) are less likely to detain you for questioning. The smallest ones are suspicious of anyone who isn't a local and will want to find out why you used _that_ crossing. On 10+ crossings I have spent between 30 seconds and 2.5 hours. The latter they went through the car -- twice -- with a drug dog. I was sitting there thinking, ok, what if some asshole who had the car before me left a dope seed in it. (NB: I am not taking a position for or against dope seeds here :-) ) Which reminds me. The most important rule of all border crossings, and pardon me for shouting: ALWAYS GO TO THE BATHROOM FIRST. One of the 1.5 hour crossings they wouldn't let me, apparently nervous I would flush my (non-existant) stash I suppose. mcl
Re: Electronic devices and borders - Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
I had fun taking 20 IBM pc's from Montreal to the usa. I ended up setting up a broker account to ship items in a rented van. It was do this or the items would be impounded. I had to be escorted by flashing lights custims police bacj into canada. You can't simply drive through customs without correct paperwork. Stuck at border and customs for 6 hours. Bill Bill Degnan twitter: billdeg vintagecomputer.net On Sep 4, 2015 8:15 PM, "Tothwolf" wrote: > On Fri, 4 Sep 2015, Toby Thain wrote: > >> On 2015-09-04 5:20 PM, Jason T wrote: >> >> read my email on my phone >>> >> >> I hope everyone saw that and understands what it means. >> >> Borders have changed. Any data you take across them is fair game. >> > > Indeed they have. ...and things continue to change: > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riley_v._California > > > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150818/16495632000/doj-dismisses-case-after-court-explains-that-feds-cant-just-grab-someones-laptop-border.shtml > > > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150511/08053430957/court-rejects-questionable-border-search-laptop-saying-computers-are-not-just-containers.shtml >
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
Related road trip info, I am currently in New Mexico and heading up to Colorado before I swing back to Austin, Texas. I can move a small trunkload of "stuff" during this swing if anyone wants. mcl
Tu10 pdp11
Reading docs on DEC TU10 for pdp 11 one makes a serial connection, right? Not sure because I found little about baud, etc. I did not see any definitive controller card for UNIBUS pdp 11. Maybe I am missing something..can anyone share experiences? Bill Degnan twitter: billdeg vintagecomputer.net
Re: Tu10 pdp11
> On Sep 4, 2015, at 8:14 PM, william degnan wrote: > > Reading docs on DEC TU10 for pdp 11 one makes a serial connection, right? > Not sure because I found little about baud, etc. ??? A TU10 is a formatter for 7 or 9 track magnetic tape. I don't remember any Baud in that one. > I did not see any definitive controller card for UNIBUS pdp 11. Maybe I am > missing something..can anyone share experiences? The Unibus interface that talks to the TU10 is called TM11. paul
Re: Tu10 pdp11
On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 6:14 PM, william degnan wrote: > Reading docs on DEC TU10 for pdp 11 one makes a serial connection, right? > Not sure because I found little about baud, etc. No. > I did not see any definitive controller card for UNIBUS pdp 11. Maybe I am > missing something..can anyone share experiences? A TU10 master drive contains electronics[*] which allows it to be interfaced to a PDP-11 TM11 tape control. Said electronics is probably what's known as a formatter, though I haven't studied the TU10 in detail so I'm not 100% certain. A master TU10 can be used with up to seven TU10, TU20, TU30, or TU40 slave transports. The TM11 controller has its own backplane, and may be mounted in the TU10 master drive. It connects to PDP-11 using the usual BC11-A Unibus cables.
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 9:01 PM, Mark Linimon wrote: > My personal experiences are that big border crossings (e.g. at the terminus > of U.S. Interstates) are less likely to detain you for questioning. The > smallest ones are suspicious of anyone who isn't a local and will want > to find out why you used _that_ crossing. I had that experience going to Ottawa via a small crossing in upstate NY. It was two guys from Ohio (one who was _born_ rather near the crossing, by coincidence) late at night. We got grilled but let through. Our good answer for why we were there was it was the fastest trip with the most time on the US side (where the gas is cheaper). Second longest time ever was coming back from a camping trip near Hamilton - I had my handmade "tent" (a Mongolian Ger/Yurt) on the roof of the car. They wanted to know what the hell was on top of my car since it didn't look like any tent they ever saw. Mostly, I cross at Detroit/Windsor and Buffalo/Niagara, and I agree they are less suspicious why you'd cross there. > On 10+ crossings I have spent between 30 seconds and 2.5 hours... I've had 30 seconds numerous times and I've had about an hour - that was in a VW Microbus painted camouflage. They didn't tear everything apart once a cursory search found nothing that obviously didn't belong. -ethan
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
The discussions of crossing the US/Canada border have been interesting. Only once have I crossed with classic computer gear (I took a SPARCstation 20 to Idaho Falls, Idaho for a list member, while en route to San Diego from Saskatchewan) and I had no trouble at all at the border. Then again, the story that I was delivering an old computer with near-zero value to someone who wanted it for hobby purposes when I was already driving that way did make sense. :) I cross the border south of where I live (Regway, SK/Raymond, MT) about once a month because I have a PO box in Raymond, MT. I sometimes mail stuff from Montana. It's all non-commercial. I declare it, I often get asked follow-up questions (which I answer sincerely) and so far, I've always been allowed to enter. Coming back, I import whatever I had shipped to the PO box (and anything I liberated from the bigger town a few miles south) and declare it. Again, no problems. It's a 24/7 crossing but it's probably the quietest 24/7 one on the border. Last Tuesday I brought my mail up at Pembina, ND/Emerson, MB because we got the mail en route to Fargo and then went to Winnipeg. I declared like I always do, and had no problems like I always do. If I were taking really big stuff across I'd just be sure to print lots of emails documenting the exchange, and make sure I had phone numbers for the key people involved in case customs officers had questions. Generally if you can show them that you're not doing anything for commercial purposes (including resale), you'll be fine. Commercial stuff can be done too but it requires some hoop-jumping and I haven't learned how to do this since I don't have any commercial activities that cross the border. Jim
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
Which ducks did you have in mind? I did a big Canada trip a few years ago; rented a truck and brought back a bunch of big disk drives mostly - mostly DEC, RP02, RP04, RP05 etc. Passed through customs in about 10 mins flat. "What's in the back?" "Bunch of ancient computer stuff for my collection. Some guys it's old cars, me it's old computers..." Couple more questions, check my paperwork, no problems. Mike On Sat, Sep 5, 2015 at 4:55 AM, William Donzelli wrote: > Yes. ALL the ducks. > > Several of us have been bounced at the border for trying to bring in > larger machines. Basically, if it is something that is not a laptop or > PeeCee or normal consumer electronics, expect trouble. It is not 1998 > anymore. > > -- > Will > > On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 12:49 PM, Al Kossow wrote: >> On 9/3/15 9:58 PM, Paul Anderson wrote: >>> >>> I'm looking into a road trip from Champaign to Maine via Indy, Detroit, >>> Windsor, Niagra Falls, Buffalo or 1000 Islands, Syracuse to Boston area, >>> and up to Maine. Not sure about the return Route. >> >> >>> I have talked to a few list members about dropping off/picking up items. >> >> >> Make sure all of your ducks are lined up if you are taking equipment in and >> out of Canada. >> >> >> -- 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.'
Re: Electronic devices and borders - Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Sat, Sep 5, 2015 at 11:40 AM, Toby Thain wrote: > On 2015-09-04 5:20 PM, Jason T wrote: >> >> read my >> email on my phone > > > I hope everyone saw that and understands what it means. Yep. Strong crypto on everything! Mike
Re: Electronic devices and borders - Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On 2015-09-04 11:58 PM, Mike Ross wrote: On Sat, Sep 5, 2015 at 11:40 AM, Toby Thain wrote: On 2015-09-04 5:20 PM, Jason T wrote: read my email on my phone I hope everyone saw that and understands what it means. Yep. Strong crypto on everything! Mike "What's your phone PIN?" "Log into your email." "Log into Facebook." and after that, google "rubber hose filesystem". --Toby
Re: Possible road trip....Illnois, Canada, Maine and back
On Fri, Sep 04, 2015 at 11:30:31PM -0400, Ethan Dicks wrote: > I had that experience going to Ottawa via a small crossing in upstate > NY. In fact that is probably the exact one I had the 2hr experience at :-) mcl
seeking Burroughs B6700 manuals and software
We would be glad to hear from anyone who might have new material related to the Burroughs B6700. We're on the hunt for any manuals or software related to the Burroughs large systems so we can build an emulator for the B6700. This search includes the B5000, B6000, B7000 families, since there is considerable overlap across these families and collateral from one system family can assist understanding another. Example models include B5500, B5700, B6500, B7500, B6700, B7700, B6800, and B7800. We were amazingly lucky with the B5500 to have so much of the critical documentation (thanks Bitsavers!) and a complete suite of system software, but even though the B6700 was more recent and produced in larger numbers we're not having the same level of good fortune finding artifacts. What we have so far is documented here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JnMsyE8ssJi_-MUsK0rT9LPtNpeJCpTv1QrFw-917Y8/edit?usp=sharing If you're interested in this system then you likely remember that it had a particularly impressive front-panel display, seen here: http://www.retrocomputingtasmania.com/home/projects/burroughs-b6700-mainframe#TOC-B6700-Display-Panel This was known as the MDL display: Maintenance Diagnostics Logic display. Because the MDL had the 4 x top-of-stack registers down to the bit-level particular bit-patterns allowed words to be displayed. The early MCPs put IDLE into the display during IO waits, and subsequent releases: B for Burroughs, but sites quickly started putting their own company initials or the time. The Danish museum is so far the only place I've found that kept the MDL: http://datamuseum.dk/wiki/Genstand:1145_Konsolpanel_Burroughs_B6700 Thanks to Finn Verner Nielsen for being so helpful and undertaking an expedition into their warehouse to locate and photograph the item for us. On that DDHF web-page you will see on the left of the picture the B7800 MDL they have too. My goal is to also construct a replica of the B6700 MDL. Steps undertaken so far: Posts to newsgroups Posts on LinkedIn, wikipedia, Yahoo groups Emails to a few dozen people who were involved with the system Trawling the Internet
Re: seeking Burroughs B6700 manuals and software
I will have to see. When we acquired the Aldrige collection at SMECC we pulled off all the really really early material and put the remainder in storage which should have some of this... we also have the unisys crossover stuff and when why bought up the Varian minicomputer too. I remember we boxed and boxed... and deep stored it. guess it did not seem "really old" at the timebut it has been about 10 years since we have pulled it out and run our hand through it. Background on Aldrige started on the electrodata Pasadena ... ended up running the phxfield service effort here and was a great packrat. The effort to get to this material is a lot of work ed sharpe _www.smecc.org_ (http://www.smecc.org) In a message dated 9/4/2015 11:23:16 P.M. Mountain Standard Time, n...@retrocomputingtasmania.com writes: We would be glad to hear from anyone who might have new material related to the Burroughs B6700. We're on the hunt for any manuals or software related to the Burroughs large systems so we can build an emulator for the B6700. This search includes the B5000, B6000, B7000 families, since there is considerable overlap across these families and collateral from one system family can assist understanding another. Example models include B5500, B5700, B6500, B7500, B6700, B7700, B6800, and B7800. We were amazingly lucky with the B5500 to have so much of the critical documentation (thanks Bitsavers!) and a complete suite of system software, but even though the B6700 was more recent and produced in larger numbers we're not having the same level of good fortune finding artifacts. What we have so far is documented here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JnMsyE8ssJi_-MUsK0rT9LPtNpeJCpTv1QrF w-917Y8/edit?usp=sharing If you're interested in this system then you likely remember that it had a particularly impressive front-panel display, seen here: http://www.retrocomputingtasmania.com/home/projects/burroughs-b6700-mainfram e#TOC-B6700-Display-Panel This was known as the MDL display: Maintenance Diagnostics Logic display. Because the MDL had the 4 x top-of-stack registers down to the bit-level particular bit-patterns allowed words to be displayed. The early MCPs put IDLE into the display during IO waits, and subsequent releases: B for Burroughs, but sites quickly started putting their own company initials or the time. The Danish museum is so far the only place I've found that kept the MDL: http://datamuseum.dk/wiki/Genstand:1145_Konsolpanel_Burroughs_B6700 Thanks to Finn Verner Nielsen for being so helpful and undertaking an expedition into their warehouse to locate and photograph the item for us. On that DDHF web-page you will see on the left of the picture the B7800 MDL they have too. My goal is to also construct a replica of the B6700 MDL. Steps undertaken so far: Posts to newsgroups Posts on LinkedIn, wikipedia, Yahoo groups Emails to a few dozen people who were involved with the system Trawling the Internet
Re: seeking Burroughs B6700 manuals and software
one thing we have fine from the 5000 stuff are all these beautiful cord wood logic things all gold and pretty but most of these got scrapped for gold along the way.. I do not know what other units used in but some folks mentioned 5000 I have schematics for some of these too. ed# www,smecc.org In a message dated 9/4/2015 11:23:16 P.M. Mountain Standard Time, n...@retrocomputingtasmania.com writes: We would be glad to hear from anyone who might have new material related to the Burroughs B6700. We're on the hunt for any manuals or software related to the Burroughs large systems so we can build an emulator for the B6700. This search includes the B5000, B6000, B7000 families, since there is considerable overlap across these families and collateral from one system family can assist understanding another. Example models include B5500, B5700, B6500, B7500, B6700, B7700, B6800, and B7800. We were amazingly lucky with the B5500 to have so much of the critical documentation (thanks Bitsavers!) and a complete suite of system software, but even though the B6700 was more recent and produced in larger numbers we're not having the same level of good fortune finding artifacts. What we have so far is documented here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JnMsyE8ssJi_-MUsK0rT9LPtNpeJCpTv1QrF w-917Y8/edit?usp=sharing If you're interested in this system then you likely remember that it had a particularly impressive front-panel display, seen here: http://www.retrocomputingtasmania.com/home/projects/burroughs-b6700-mainfram e#TOC-B6700-Display-Panel This was known as the MDL display: Maintenance Diagnostics Logic display. Because the MDL had the 4 x top-of-stack registers down to the bit-level particular bit-patterns allowed words to be displayed. The early MCPs put IDLE into the display during IO waits, and subsequent releases: B for Burroughs, but sites quickly started putting their own company initials or the time. The Danish museum is so far the only place I've found that kept the MDL: http://datamuseum.dk/wiki/Genstand:1145_Konsolpanel_Burroughs_B6700 Thanks to Finn Verner Nielsen for being so helpful and undertaking an expedition into their warehouse to locate and photograph the item for us. On that DDHF web-page you will see on the left of the picture the B7800 MDL they have too. My goal is to also construct a replica of the B6700 MDL. Steps undertaken so far: Posts to newsgroups Posts on LinkedIn, wikipedia, Yahoo groups Emails to a few dozen people who were involved with the system Trawling the Internet
