[cctalk] Re: Ferroresonant transformer mystery

2025-07-16 Thread ben via cctalk
8 power supply schematic? Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Another 780 backplane story

2025-07-06 Thread ben via cctalk
Reads post, I have no Windows key on my keyboard, can I use Any other key? Ben. With a real IBM keyboard. -

[cctalk] Re: Another 780 backplane story

2025-07-05 Thread ben via cctalk
run signals from one chassis to another (or to I/O devices). I assume those were all done by hand; it's not obvious how a robot could do that in the early 1960s, unlike wire wrap backplanes. And all the wires tuned to have the same delay I bet. paul Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Another 780 backplane story

2025-07-04 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-07-04 4:15 p.m., Wayne S via cctalk wrote: Yeah, this was 1978. What we used to spend on IT stuff back then is really amazing. So much! True, but you got field service, not some AI telling you read web page xxx, with a dead computer. Ben. PS: serial port had some active input on boot

[cctalk] Re: Boot-to-BASIC / was Re: Looking for IBM System/3 BASIC book

2025-06-25 Thread ben via cctalk
e first boot to BASIC system? (and fairly full featured, with floating point and trig functions) Altair was still a home-brew system, with what ever you had on the S100 bus.With no standard I/O one had to patch BASIC.Did CP/M have a BASIC? I always thought the apple II was first. -Steve Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-24 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-06-24 12:45 p.m., Wayne S via cctalk wrote: P.S. mylar/plastic was used for read many tapes. That is a tape that is going to be red many times and usually holds some critical program. The center sprocket really could eat up paper tapes. That’s why some material with durability was need

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-22 Thread ben via cctalk
Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-22 Thread ben via cctalk
I saw another similar utility on Hackaday that uses a laser, but it did not have as many format options. https://hackaday.com/2025/01/29/paper-tape-with-lasers/ Steve. Https://unimplementedtrap.com/paper-tape-punch

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-22 Thread ben via cctalk
instead of paper tape. Ben. PS: A turning machine using ink to mark the tape (film leader). https://aturingmachine.com/index.php

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-22 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-06-21 11:35 a.m., Anders Nelson via cctalk wrote: IIRC the tape drives on the Colecovision ADAM were way over-spec'ed for that machine and thus quite high-speed. $200 working on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/177209174952 That would be a option if I had schematic . -- Anders Nelson w

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-21 Thread ben via cctalk
minal/> I have big terminal already, but vintage IO is planned soon. Scott Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-21 Thread ben via cctalk
n PDP-8 replicas. With out the TTY the basic PDP-8 is rather crippled, and tethering it to PC for I/O does not make a standalone computer. I have outgrown 12 bits, and slowly moving on to 18 bits, so I have not really looked at the replicas in detail. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-21 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-06-21 1:18 p.m., Wayne S via cctalk wrote: Actual oiled paper tape that meets specs is difficult to make. You need a thick stock and the tape is impregnated with oil to lubricate the punch mechanism. The actual specs for it is available on Bitsavers. That said, old, unused paper tape s

[cctalk] Is there a more modern replacement for paper tape punch/reader

2025-06-20 Thread ben via cctalk
tape toy sized if they made one, like the wall hanging PDP8's. On wish list, a flex writer or TTY video display replacement, ie overstrike and underline in 2/3 size VT100 case. Ben. https://www.instructables.com/23-Scale-VT100-Terminal-Reproduction/

[cctalk] Re: eBay strikes again!!

2025-06-20 Thread ben via cctalk
will just throw it in box. At one time you had 3 chapters in the computer XXX manual on how to unpack and install power for the computer, showing how important packing was at time. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: eBay strikes again!!

2025-06-20 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-06-20 8:07 p.m., Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: ULTRA RARE PDP-11 DIGITAL DEC 1970's PC05 PR11 HIGH SPEED Tape Reader ONLY $2.00 $580.00 shipping bill What is the real price of shipping for big things, like rack mounted PDP-XYZ in a wooden crate? Back then big iron was big iron. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Wang TTL BASIC

2025-05-05 Thread ben via cctalk
will will never know. And if your interest is in vintage architecture rather than vintage hardware, 5V logic has little relevance. Both,but 5 volt IO is still important since I like to use classic chips like the 6850 or TIL311's or have slow BUS. Ben >> " Can we still get t

[cctalk] Re: Wang TTL BASIC

2025-05-04 Thread ben via cctalk
cornered the basic market. A final point is that most of the old mens techniques remain current, Wilkes used microcode ~1950. What changes, is the price point at which you can reduce to practice. Martin Here is $10.00 bribe to support RISC. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Wang TTL BASIC

2025-05-04 Thread ben via cctalk
TTL could go. Look here for an example of a processor (Datapoint 2200) in TTL : https://bitsavers.org/pdf/datapoint/2200/jdreesen_shematics/DP2200_mb.pdf Jos Micocoded coded machines, could likely be programed to run basic. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Compute's Gazette returning

2025-04-30 Thread ben via cctalk
y not an indicator of what they're likely to publish, but because they're trying to cover the entire retro scene, it's going to be more COMPUTE and less Gazette. Which is fine, but it's not Gazette. Nor is it Dr. Dobbs. Home brew retro 8 bit hardware is popular. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: decuslib.com

2025-04-29 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-04-29 6:53 a.m., Henry Bent via cctalk wrote: Hi all, Is anyone else having trouble with decuslib.com? I can connect but I never get a response from the server. -Henry Same problem here. What are you looking for, some one here may have a copy. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: AI taking over the world!

2025-04-05 Thread ben via cctalk
Perhaps it is time to look at AI, 50 years ago. Byte vol 3 jan - brains of men and machines. Have we gotten farther in better computer tech? Ben. GO ANALOG - GET YOUR BRAIN IN A BOTTLE TODAY 99 cent special, SEE 'EVIL MINIONS R US'.

[cctalk] Re: Why I am not worried about AI taking over the world!

2025-04-04 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-04-04 8:37 p.m., Michael Huff via cctalk wrote: I've played with using ChatGPT to write code for older things (quickbasic, 1990's C++, stuff like that). In my experience it gets confused and gives you snippets that has features from later, modern languages. I'm far from an expert but it f

[cctalk] Re: Why I am not worried about AI taking over the world!

2025-04-04 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-04-02 6:10 p.m., Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote: Except that no one ever wrote code like it offered me cause it was just plain wrong and wouldn't work. I write code like that all the time:) bill Have the tools really improved all that much to write better code or debug it since t

[cctalk] Re: Why I am not worried about AI taking over the world!

2025-04-03 Thread ben via cctalk
source material from the net) thrown at it. Other than in Si-Fi novels and movies, what use is a AI? Ben.

[cctalk] Re: DEC Unibus variants

2025-04-01 Thread ben via cctalk
parts costing nuts. > I would try this approach. > Can a similar bus to the unibus be designed with standard parts using fewer cards?Memory and IO could all fit on one card. > Andrea Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-15 Thread ben via cctalk
xed system programs use. I am doing the same for my computer. Did any other computers have the same concept before the 1977? Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-14 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-03-14 3:16 p.m., Holm Tiffe via cctalk wrote: :-) Jon I don't think that there is a cause for thanking me for somewhat..we all getting older and the memory fades all the time. I don't think it fades, just slower access time. Regards, Holm You can learn it all again In one's second

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-13 Thread ben via cctalk
eams marking a whole new style of computing. paul Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-13 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-03-13 1:36 p.m., Paul Koning via cctalk wrote: Depends on which one. RTL was 3.6 volts positive, as far as I can remember. I actually have a keyboard that has some of those devices in it. Yes, ECL is around 3 volts also but negative supply. And of course some people designed system

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-13 Thread ben via cctalk
with a FPGA, is to design a computer with programmable microcode into block ram. Then you could have PDP XYZ, IBM 360, A ALGOL machine,ect. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-13 Thread ben via cctalk
cient.. (Coffee machine?) Come on, use a PI for the coffee machine, it has to be connected to the net so the world knows when the brew is done. :) Regards, Holm Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-09 Thread ben via cctalk
lems arent my biggest, the biggest problem is spare time. Trade you my extra spare time, for some 'round to-its'. Regards, Holm Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-09 Thread ben via cctalk
g 1 + 2. if you get 5, you are using large values of 2. if you get 42, you have mice problems. :) It takes a lot of work to get here on any cpu. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-08 Thread ben via cctalk
etty quiet bitslice mailing list. Are you on it? Well it so quiet, I never heard about it. Where is it? Ben.

[cctalk] Re: IDT 49C402BG84 Pinout?

2025-03-07 Thread ben via cctalk
bay page has pictures: https://www.ebay.com/p/10020043211 I don't have anything todo with the seller. Poland seems to have alot of odd stuff on ebay like N3002's. Hint, Hint :) While waiting for data, now is good time to think about software. Ben. Kind Regards, Holm PS. I have olde

[cctalk] Re: Classic computers with more than one stack pointer, but not FORTH machines.

2025-02-21 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-21 2:09 p.m., Wayne S via cctalk wrote: That’s a side channel attack. If there ever was one. Was there ever a proof of concept made of that theory ? Only when the BLACK helicopters show up.

[cctalk] Re: Classic computers with more than one stack pointer, but not FORTH machines.

2025-02-21 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-21 11:55 a.m., John via cctalk wrote: On Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:00:07 -0600 Paul Koning wrote: What is the problem with ISRs running in a user stack? The ISR runs, exits, the stack is cut back, and net effect on the user's stack is zero. A stack access fault in user mode kills the pr

[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

2025-02-17 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-17 12:30 p.m., Paul Koning wrote: On Feb 17, 2025, at 12:04 PM, ben via cctalk wrote: On 2025-02-17 7:26 a.m., Paul Koning via cctalk wrote: ... The problem was fixed fairly well with the introduction of the DEC Multinational Character Set, which later morphed into ISO Latin-1

[cctalk] Re: Classic computers with more than one stack pointer, but not FORTH machines.

2025-02-17 Thread ben via cctalk
ounds checking on the calls. On a iterative approach, one can recover from bad input. --Chuck Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

2025-02-17 Thread ben via cctalk
erminal ? There must be thousands in dumpsters with unicode 1.0. paul I use TeraTerm 4, as termial. Could you supply a windows "DEC Multinational Character Set" font so I know the program will work correctly. Ben.

[cctalk] Classic computers with more than one stack pointer, but not FORTH machines.

2025-02-16 Thread ben via cctalk
Did any classic computers have a subroutine call as (S++)=PC, PC=(EFA) as well as the standard call (--S)=PC,PC=(EFA) ? One could have a virtual stack machine, using helper functions without having to deal with return addresses on the stack. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

2025-02-16 Thread ben via cctalk
o spend more time on the evils of a dangling else, and gloss over the run time action of a display. Have a good example or reference book I can find free on line. Also is there a ENGLISH description of the EL-X8? Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

2025-02-16 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-16 1:51 p.m., paul.kimpel--- via cctalk wrote: I don't understand -- ASCII had only two versions, 1963 and 1967, and both had square brackets. The IBM PC used ASCII, but had nothing to do with its standardization. https://archive.org/details/enf-ascii-1965-1966/page/n47/mode/2up

[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

2025-02-16 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-16 7:32 a.m., Paul Koning via cctalk wrote: A lot of early "ALGOL" compilers did major subsetting because it was considered to hard to do the real language. Those subsets may not actually bear any real resemblance to the actual language. For example, a "subset" that omits recursio

[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

2025-02-15 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-15 1:14 p.m., Johan Helsingius via cctalk wrote: On 15/02/2025 20:53, ben via cctalk wrote: Some how 6 bit characters seems more standard, text wise, compared with the mess with accented characters and money characters of today. 6 bit characters were fine if you didn't care

[cctalk] Re: Elliott Algol

2025-02-15 Thread ben via cctalk
cters seems more standard, text wise, compared with the mess with accented characters and money characters of today. Is there any thing a ALGOL compiler needs for good code generation other than ample index and GP resisters? Ben.

[cctalk] Re: RS232 - parallel modems!?

2025-02-11 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-11 9:32 a.m., Peter Corlett via cctalk wrote: The proper solution to dodgy PC serial port performance was of course to upgrade to the 16550 which had a FIFO which could buffer a few bytes while the PC got round to answering the interrupt. It's not the greatest UART and adds novel fail

[cctalk] Re: Open source a panacea?

2025-02-03 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-03 5:37 p.m., Sean Conner via cctalk wrote: Do you mean you want a compiler to generate 16-bit code? Or be compiled as a 16-bit program to run under Linux? If the later, it's not supported, or at least, not supported by default [1]. I was hoping to use Embeddable Linux Kernel S

[cctalk] Re: Open source a panacea?

2025-02-03 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-03 5:06 p.m., Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: On 2/3/25 15:47, ben via cctalk wrote: No compiler generates bad code,just some hardware was never meant to have stack based addressing, like the 6502 or the 8088/8086. Really? The x86 family does indeed have stack-based addressing. In

[cctalk] Re: Open source a panacea?

2025-02-03 Thread ben via cctalk
hone works. I need it top secret I have shoe phone. --Chuck It is not malware, but good marketing to have to upgrade on every release. Ben. PS. is me or just the internet browsing getting so full of ads and questionable redirects that on can't use it any more.

[cctalk] Re: Open source a panacea?

2025-02-03 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-03 3:32 p.m., Sean Conner via cctalk wrote: It was thus said that the Great ben via cctalk once stated: At the root of Open Source is you, the user, have the right to the source code. In the early days, that's as far as it went but especially after the Morris Worm, sec

[cctalk] Re: Open source a panacea?

2025-02-03 Thread ben via cctalk
> > At the root of Open Source is you, the user, have the right to the source code. > > In the early days, that's as far as it went but especially after the > Morris Worm, security became very important, Open Source afforded > users the ability to inspect the code for vulnerabilities in ways tha

[cctalk] Re: Microsoft 50 years

2025-02-03 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-02 11:02 p.m., Steve Lewis via cctalk wrote: I have numerous co-workers that bash Microsoft all day long. And yeah, I've had my Windows hourglass twirl around inexplicitly. "I'm not DOING anything, why am I hourglassed?" But I respect the challenge of trying to get millions of peop

[cctalk] Re: RS232 then and now (bitbanging)

2025-02-03 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-02 11:09 p.m., Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: On 2/2/25 17:22, Will Cooke via cctalk wrote: Not quite lost. The 1802 crowd is doing amazing things. See https://groups.io/g/cosmacelf/message/33678 And if you know anything about the 1802, it's, uh, not so speedy. At its introductio

[cctalk] Re: RS232 then and now

2025-02-01 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-01 10:11 a.m., Maciej W. Rozycki via cctalk wrote: On Sat, 1 Feb 2025, roger arrick via cctalk wrote: I'm happy to see people using the correct shell letter for DSubs around here! Oldschool wisdom. You kinda have to when you get at things such as DA-3W3. Maciej I have no i

[cctalk] Re: RS232 then and now

2025-02-01 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-02-01 6:37 a.m., Frank Leonhardt via cctalk wrote: IME +/- 12V was a de-facto standard on microcomputers because they already had a +12V and -12V rail, along with +5V. The ubiquitous 4116 DRAM needed +5V, -5V and +12V so +/- 5V was a popular option too. Apple was smart with their swit

[cctalk] Re: RS232 then and now

2025-01-31 Thread ben via cctalk
nk. Once I get better mother board PCB working, I then can work on some kind of disk io, and timer interrupt. No MMU is planned. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: RS232 then and now

2025-01-31 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-31 4:25 a.m., Frank Leonhardt via cctalk wrote: A couple of points you might like to consider, which you may already know but stuff you've said above doesn't spell it out: RS232 is not serial - make yourself clear. Before RS232 the same data format was used in current loop (often 2

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really? not!

2025-01-26 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-26 12:11 p.m., Joseph S. Barrera III via cctalk wrote: On 1/25/2025 5:55 AM, Sellam Abraham via cctalk wrote: Can this stop already? Will the circle be unbroken? (Except that some people maintain it's a square) I pick 3, the Reuleaux. Ben. PS: Less fiction with this topic,

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-25 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-24 11:04 p.m., Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: And, it would was close enough to make it obvious that if you want to sail west from europe to the indies, you are going to run out of supplies long before you get there!  Unless you are dumb lucky, and happen to bump into some land on the

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-23 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-23 8:15 a.m., Alexander Schreiber wrote: On Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 12:52:49PM -0700, ben via cctalk wrote: On 2025-01-21 10:54 a.m., Paul Koning wrote: Uh, what? How would the earth surface gravity be that much different? "Citation needed" as Wikipedia would say.

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-21 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-21 10:54 a.m., Paul Koning wrote: Uh, what? How would the earth surface gravity be that much different? "Citation needed" as Wikipedia would say. paul https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodynamics

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-21 Thread ben via cctalk
were just crawling onto land. They just seem more interesting than today's RISC's. Byte addressing may have been a step backwards do to the loss 1 bit the order code and 1 bit in address ranges. Ben.

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-20 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-20 7:41 a.m., cz via cctalk wrote: That is not a solution either: It just locks the AI into a 2015 or so time period where they can't adapt to changing writing or speaking styles. All the output is going to sound like an outdated person. I'm already seeing this in "appliance repair"

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-19 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-19 2:15 p.m., Frank Leonhardt via cctalk wrote: While we're at it, biological science had clearly been unable to create life. Not even a single cell. And I've no reason to believe we're about to see a breakthrough it that either. You have not seen the stuff way behind in my fridge

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-19 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-19 11:03 a.m., Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: On 1/19/25 09:39, Carlos E Murillo-Sanchez via cctalk wrote: What happened to them? They're everywhere in academic papers. They've become an easy way to get published.  Nowadays they make up so many bio- inspired variations of these algori

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-19 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-19 6:12 a.m., Adrian Godwin via cctalk wrote: I like to parse the 'artificial' differently. It's not AN artificial intelligence - a manufactured entity that exhibits intelligence - it's JUST artificial intelligence - something that appears to be intelligence but isn't, like artificial

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-19 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-19 3:07 a.m., Peter Corlett via cctalk wrote: On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 08:27:05PM +, Pete Turnbull via cctalk wrote: [...] My robot vacuum has taken to asking "Please empty my dustbin and clean my filter" about 5 minutes after I did that. More annoyingly, it insists that "I'm stuck

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-19 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-18 1:42 p.m., Frank Leonhardt via cctalk wrote: Around 1981 I wrote what would now be called chatbot in 6502 (on an OSI 500 board - obligatory old computer content) that was placed in our local library for the public to have a go on. Because most people hadn't seen a computer, never

[cctalk] Re: AI? Really?

2025-01-18 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-18 1:27 p.m., Pete Turnbull via cctalk wrote: On 18/01/2025 15:36, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote: A little humor for the group. I also have a bunch of iRobot Roombas in my house.  Based on my experience with AI and robots I think there is no chance we will have to worry about

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-17 Thread ben via cctalk
h like a 16-bit derivative of Burroughs ALGOL. Gadzooks, A PDP running something other than B ^H C. :) paul Did Burroughs ALGOL, make cleaner software for people that used it? What about FORTRAN users? (I keep wanting to spell FORTAN) Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-17 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-17 7:59 a.m., Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: Pascal is really sort of a dialect of Algol, so I thought this was somewhat on topic. That is the DARK side of computing, Real computers are found in the BATCAVE and can even run ALGOL 58. (batman 1967) :) http://www.starringthecomputer.co

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-15 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-15 5:17 p.m., David Wise via cctalk wrote: Pretty sure it does stop, if it runs out of addend and there’s no carry. I think being dumb is the smart thing to do.

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-14 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-14 6:29 a.m., Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: Floppies were later used for data-entry (1973, 33FD for 3740).  In those days, data entry was for "mainframes".   That was the "first" to use the soft sectored format, which became the "standard".  ("3740 SSSD format") It held same data as 3

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-14 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-13 9:33 p.m., Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: FORTRAN was a dead end, both in syntax (line-oriented, line numbers) and semantics (common blocks, static arrays, very poor string support). Fortran 2025, the sixth edition, is rather different from 1956. But, a real programmer can write

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-14 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-13 6:55 p.m., Joseph S. Barrera III via cctalk wrote: I would expect universal condemnation for anyone who would ask if FLACC were designed for floppies. Did mainframes ever have a floppy option? Do any copies exist and what was the meduium?

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-13 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-13 4:00 p.m., David Wade via cctalk wrote: More like not enough actual memory. You can fit an acceptable basic into a 4K ROM so it will work without a disk drive. Its an interpreter so can do checks as you type it in. Its far easier to learn than Algol. 8K ROM got you APL.

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-13 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-13 3:10 p.m., Martin Bishop via cctalk wrote: Ben I shall simply comment that for a useless language it did a lot of good, signal processing, work for me all but 50 years ago I never said it was bad, just kept being delayed by politics. As an example, you could define matrix

[cctalk] Re: Try Algol 68 on Windows

2025-01-13 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2025-01-13 12:18 p.m., Brent Hilpert via cctalk wrote: I used AlgolW on MTS at UBC in ’78 as a CS undergrad. Still have the textbook “FANGET AN - an algolw primer”, and my greenbar listings (but threw out the box of batch cards some years go, lol). I rather liked algol, the course work moved

[cctalk] Re: very old UNIXes software, contact at typewritten?

2024-12-13 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-12-13 4:54 p.m., hupfadekroua via cctalk wrote: Look at https://winworldpc.com/library/operating-systems But the problem with privately operated sites could be, that they might vanish at some point. Andreas And how is that different from a Commercial Site? Geo-cities comes to mind. Th

[cctalk] Re: Old mainframe humor

2024-12-10 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-12-10 6:42 p.m., Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: Or, more importantly, are we all living in a VR? What is reality? On 12/10/2024 7:21 PM, Rick Bensene via cctalk wrote: Been waiting 45 years for the new IBM OS. Not holding my breath. :) Ahhh...but are you sure we're all not already r

[cctalk] Re: VT-100 Text Windows library

2024-12-10 Thread ben via cctalk
y one know the fine details of bit-banging a micro SD card, mostly the reset sequence and where to sample or set CS_ , MSO , MSI and clock. The boiler plate code is there, I just need Initialize data, write 80 clocks, read byte, write byte routines, to reset the SD card. Ben. Another midnight snack a 1 AM.

[cctalk] Re: VT-100 Text Windows library

2024-12-09 Thread ben via cctalk
What about porting the old share-ware window libraries for dos?

[cctalk] Re: A bit of humor to test the list

2024-12-04 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-12-04 12:14 p.m., Nigel Johnson Ham via cctalk wrote: On 2024-12-04 14:09, Tony Duell wrote: On Wed, Dec 4, 2024 at 7:06 PM Nigel Johnson Ham via cctalk wrote: [6809] I agree. The user stack pointer was a killer feature. I like(d) the progam counter relative addressing mode along with

[cctalk] Re: The 8086

2024-11-16 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-11-16 2:43 p.m., Mike Katz via cctalk wrote: Think of how much better the state of the microprocessor would be IBM had chosen the 68000 Linear Architecture rather than the 8086 Segment:Offset with separate I/O instructions and only 1 interrupt architecture. I don't mean to start a hug

[cctalk] Re: mains stroboscope / was Re: Running DOS executables on other versions of DOSRe: Looking for Sharp PC-5000 disk drive (CE-510F or possibly MZ-80B)

2024-11-08 Thread ben via cctalk
of infrequent use... If it works why change it? Don't modern leds use a still glow after being turned off? Ben.

[cctalk] Re: Innovations

2024-11-04 Thread ben via cctalk
PC world hasn't been the same since. Happy computing, Murray 🙂 2024 Ben has a new 18 bit computer design, using ATF1508 128 cell CPLD's. Of course I need the latest PeeCee to program them. https://store.rosco-m68k.com/products/little-atf-programmer Of course when I get the low cost p

[cctalk] Re: HCF [was: System 360 question]

2024-11-03 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-11-03 9:37 p.m., Tony Duell via cctalk wrote: On Mon, Nov 4, 2024 at 4:06 AM Mychaela Falconia via cctalk wrote: Paul Koning wrote: 1. Show a one-word PDP-11 program that writes all of memory, in reverse order. MOV -(PC),-(PC) Does that work on all models of PDP11? I had an idea

[cctalk] Re: Ward Christensen NY Times Obituary

2024-10-25 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-24 4:35 p.m., Bill Gunshannon via cctalk wrote: And yet, Minix ran on the 8088. NO the PC, and even then it was developed under a UNIX emulator. Some where I read, wen ported to the PC it would randomly crash. This was later found to a case of undocumented irq service routine for m

[cctalk] Re: Ward Christensen NY Times Obituary

2024-10-24 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-24 3:21 p.m., Sellam Abraham via cctalk wrote: On Thu, Oct 24, 2024 at 1:45 PM Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: The author, presumably a heavy Reddit, TikTok and Facebook user, seemed to have never heard about existence of computers before internet, nor about On Thu, 24 Oct 2024, Jo

[cctalk] Re: Ward Christensen NY Times Obituary

2024-10-24 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-24 11:49 a.m., Joseph S. Barrera III via cctalk wrote: The author, presumably a heavy Reddit, TikTok and Facebook user, seemed to have never heard about existence of computers before internet, nor about Y'all are ignoring CompuServe and that is hurting my feelings :-) Was all that

[cctalk] Re: Ward Christensen NY Times Obituary

2024-10-23 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-23 8:36 p.m., Doug Jackson via cctalk wrote: Yes, UUCP was literally a thing, but UNIX was unobtanium in the early computing eral - The world of the University Minicomputer. It certainly wasn't even vaguely accessible by a hobbyist running a Z80 or 6800 in the late 70's. I vividly re

[cctalk] Re: Might be antique computer parts

2024-10-20 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-20 10:34 a.m., Donald Whittemore via cctalk wrote: Finally got the program I had a friend write back in 2009 working. I had it written specifically because I had this disk. Shades of watching a 2311 working. 😀 http://www.myimagecollection.com/webpics/exercise.mp4 Now, let's do this

[cctalk] Re: CDC Cyber 180/8xx PSU

2024-10-12 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-12 7:40 p.m., Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: On 10/12/24 20:07, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: On 10/12/24 16:25, Wayne S via cctalk wrote: Didn’t all the IBM mainframes use 400hz? Maybe ask the IBMers how they got 400hz. Also, can the local power company supply it? Oh, the IBM 7090 seri

[cctalk] Re: CDC Cyber 180/8xx PSU

2024-10-12 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-12 1:47 p.m., Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: On 10/12/24 11:54, Brent Hilpert via cctalk wrote: I remember summer employment at a drive-in movie theater during my summers working as a projectionist. Power supply for the DC carbon arc lamps was supplied by a 40 Hp MG set located in i

[cctalk] Re: Valuable floppy archiving: seeking current best practice

2024-10-09 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-09 2:30 p.m., Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: MSX is unknown in USA! It was for Z80, and the disk format was MS-DOS I saw some at comdex. I waited for MSX machines to showup here, but it never happened, although I did find [and buy] a Yamaha MSX machine from Waite Group, at John Craig'

[cctalk] Re: Valuable floppy archiving: seeking current best practice

2024-10-09 Thread ben via cctalk
On 2024-10-09 4:08 a.m., Liam Proven via cctalk wrote: On Wed, 9 Oct 2024 at 04:37, ben via cctalk wrote: Dos also has no subdirectories. (?) So did the hundreds of other 8 bit operating systems. (??) The point here, was until hard disks with the PC became common you had the tiny

[cctalk] Re: Valuable floppy archiving: seeking current best practice

2024-10-08 Thread ben via cctalk
h my DVD player? I had it play once, hung and never worked since. How many times have you got a product, but it never worked with your system or it got discontinued? 3D movies are a good example, I got a 3D projector and then found they no longer made 3D movies in that format. Since I wear glasse

[cctalk] Re: Valuable floppy archiving: seeking current best practice

2024-10-08 Thread ben via cctalk
uot; SSSD was not applicable.  He said: The disks are boot media and other materials relating to the RSRE Flex operating system <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flex_machine> as developed for PERQ workstations. Why are we archiving now, 25 years ago was the deadline? -- Grumpy Ol' Fred ci...@xenosoft.com Ben.

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