DEC VT05 with OS/8 -- basic system rebuild?

[Dave McGuire]

On May 19, 2009, at 3:21 AM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>>> In general, when talking about DEC equipment, the answer to that  
>>> question is *always* no, for the simple fact that DEC didn't do  
>>> hardware flow control. Hardware flow control is actually against  
>>> the RS-232 spec, and DEC didn't abuse standards (unlike most  
>>> other companies).
>> This reminds me of a comment I made about the HP82164 (HPIL to  
>> RS232 interface). That thing follows the RS232 standard to the  
>> letter (for example, it correctly handles the cotnrol lines in  
>> half duplex mode). It's just a pity that nobody else does :-).  
>> Getting it to work with some RS232 devices is 'interesting'..
>
> Yeah. HP was actually the other company that actually seemed to  
> read the standard. I don't know of anyone else than DEC and HP that  
> even tried to actually follow the specs.
> One could only wish companies had. Everything would have been soo  
> much easier in that case. Now almost everyone is confused when it  
> comes to serial communication, and it's not because it actually is  
> difficult, but people have just become so confused because they  
> think it works one way just because the equipment they have do it  
> that way, and when coming to any other equipment, nothing works the  
> same way they are used to.

   Well, you've got to admit that things would've been a whole lot  
easier if it weren't for the whole DTE/DCE fiasco.

            -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL