[cctalk] Re: Tesla's Forgotten Founder Speaks Out - Exclusive w/ Martin Eberhard

On Aug 26, 2025, at 2:35 PM, Adrian Godwin via cctalk &lt;cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: Exploding boilers seem a lot worse than batteries. They can produce jets of flame and toxic smoke but not cast iron shrapnel. On Tue, 26 Aug 2025, 19:31 Steve Lewis via cctalk, &lt;cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: > Your quote "to get into the head of those original engineers" is a great > sentiment on what the hobby is about. > > I recall reading about early "steam tractors" - almost trains, before there > were any tracks. Monstrous things, I can't recall if they were before > steam ship engines - but exploding broilers was a problem (which I view as > being akin to "exploding batteries" that we might occasionally deal with > today- it happens now and then, as we still haven't perfected the tech {or > at least, hadn't 10 years ago}). > > I'm reading more about those electric powered flying vehicles - with some > becoming available around $120K? I think the Joby eVTOL recently did a > first public flight between two airports. I've been flying one in MS > simulator, neat to see that they might become a reality. The main > naysayers of electric-anything vehicles tend to point to cold weather > (northern winter) environments. > > > Anyhow, those "personal minicomputers" from 1968-1969 are neat. It's a > whole generation of computing that (IMO) is kind of forgotten about - but > then again, they cost as much as a house then, so generally only business > owners (like supermarket owners) could afford them. I suspect Gomez > Addams had a few in their basement :) I've seen some Data General's of > that era restored. I'm still trying to see if there are any functional > DDP-116 or SEL810B around - but you're right, flip-switch programming is > kind of a drag and working teletypes are hard to find these days. > > You mentioned having your own RAM card, like custom built? Someone > recently made an SRAM based replacement RWS for the IBM 5110. Neat stuff, > I never yet had the patience (or equipment) for that kind of detailed > signal analysis to reverse engineer something like that. > > > -Steve > (voidstar / Domesticating the Computer) > > > > > > > > > On Tue, Aug 26, 2025 at 11:26 AM Paul Koning via cctalk < > cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: > >> >> >>> On Aug 26, 2025, at 10:51 AM, Martin Eberhard via cctalk < >> cctalk(a)classiccmp.org&gt; wrote: >>> >>>> Interesting for Tesla’s early history, but skip to 49:00 for a nice > rack >>> he is putting together with an 11/20. >>>> https://youtu.be/88KHfX_kPIY >>>> He also appears to be on the cctalk list. >>> >>> :-) Yes, I'm on this list. I was surprised to see Kim Java show that >>> snippit of my PDP11/20 restoration project. I wasn't even aware that > the >>> camera was rolling at that point! >>> >>> So far, the CPU and the extended arithmetic element seem to be working >>> great. I've got my own SRAM board >>> < >> > https://deramp.com/downloads/mfe_archive/005-Documentation%20and%20Code%20b… >>> >>> in it. The RX211 is also working great, as is the DL11. I'm in the >> process >>> of restoring the RK11 disk subsystem (RK03 Diablo drives, external >>> controller). I can now read, write, and format on one of the drives. > The >>> other has lots of work to be done. I need to tear both drives apart >> enough >>> to replace the rotted foam seals for the air-blower interface, and the >>> rubber strip on the front door. I am also considering cleaning and >>> re-lubricating the bearings on the positioner assembly. as they feel a >>> little crunchy. Amazingly, I just bought new air filters for the > Diablo >>> drives! >> >> Nice! >> >> How do you load software into it? There's always the toggle switches if >> you have enough patience. Or do you just update the ROM? >> >> For that machine, with a full load of memory, you have a bunch of OS >> options. RT-11/SJ or /FB, DOS-11, RSTS-11. That last option would be >> amusing: a machine quite similar to yours, with the addition of DECtape > and >> another 15 DL11 interfaces, is what my alma mater used for the college >> timesharing system in 1973-1974. >> >> paul >> >> >> >