test-drb May 2000

test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

172 participants
541 discussions

by allain＠panix.com

My neatest memory regarding OS/2 is of seeing a demonstration on 'Computer Chronicles' all the way back in 1987-88. It was more than a decent, polished demo of multitasking and enterprise apps. The wild thing about it was that the point man seen on the air was Lee Reiswig himself, who I found out later was at the executive level. If you watched Computer Chronicles very much you knew that unless it was a 10-50 man company the demonstrator was always a tech or sales guy. For IBM to send a VP, and for the Demo to have worked as well as it did really made it stand out in the context of that show. Lee got my respect for being more than just a title for that. (A little like, but better, watching Alex Trotman change oil on Michael Moore's 'TV Nation') John A.

25 years, 2 months

Notes on repairing the Apple Lisa power supply

by rigdonj＠intellistar.net

At 09:26 AM 5/26/00 -0400, you wrote: >> FWIW I usually use an old disk drive. It's very handy since many >> computers already have a power connector that will plug >> directly onto the >> drive and it provides a load to both the +12 and +5 volt >> power supplies. >> > >Joe, > >Aren't you afraid of damaging the disk drive by doing that? Just kidding... >;-) That's why I only use DEC drives! Just kidding :-) Joe

25 years, 2 months

CT Miniframe

by rdd＠smart.net

Greetings, Are there still users on this list who've used a CT Miniframe running CTIX and have experience installing the OS from tapes? -- R. D. Davis rdd(a)perqlogic.com http://www.perqlogic.com/rdd 410-744-4900

25 years, 2 months

Prime Parts: was "Documenting how old computers..."

by steverob＠hotoffice.com

I've got a small Pr1me buried somewhere in my garage. I'm not prositive but, I *think* it's a 2550. It's a complete system but, it has a bad CPU. That being the case, I'll make any of the parts available for anyone that's looking to resurrect one. Let me know exactly what parts you need and I'll see if I have them. I'm really not too familiar with that hardware so, you'll have be *real* specific about the parts you need. I also have a bunch of Pr1me DOCs (many still in the shrink wrap) if someone needs them. I'd like to get a token fee for the parts and of course you'd have to pay shipping from South Florida. Later, Steve Robertson <steverob(a)hotoffice.com> > -----Original Message----- > From: Douglas Quebbeman [mailto:dhquebbeman@theestopinalgroup.com] > Sent: Friday, May 26, 2000 3:23 PM > To: 'classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org' > Subject: RE: Documenting how old computers were used > > > I'm working on some sources for spares; but I'm not even sure > what I'll find in the machine. The owner had a stroke around > Christmas, and some things are returning more slowly than others. > > But I'll definitely be needed either a 7110 or 7210 SCSI controller > and an LHC300 ethernet controller. > > So, what's a Xyplex? > > -doug q >

25 years, 2 months

Unix TERMCAP contains interesting historyical tidbits

by foo＠siconic.com

I was going through the Unix TERMCAP on this Linux box I'm setting up and noticed that it contains quite a few tidbits about classic computers in there. It actually has some useful info for research. There is even a section describing the dip switches on the Heathkit H19 terminal. Sellam International Man of Intrigue and Danger ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking for a six in a pile of nines... Coming soon: VCF 4.0! VCF East: Planning in Progress See http://www.vintage.org for details!

25 years, 2 months

Documenting how old computers were used

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> > Any other Pr1me fans hanging out here??? > > Yep. I'm the proud keeper of a 2550 with assorted spares, > media and boxloads of manuals. I purchased this machine > from John, who in turn had purchased it from the original > owner, who in turn has been helpful in bringing it back > to life. > > The plan remains to make this thing available on the Net > via the xyplex I've got sitting here, but I need to re-rack > it first -- it's original rack was lost somewhere along the > way and it's present rack doesn't provide adequate > airflow :-( Yeah, you're the guy I was thinking of when I was talking to someone else (I asked him if he was the guy from Maine, but he's down in Tennessee). I'm working on some sources for spares; but I'm not even sure what I'll find in the machine. The owner had a stroke around Christmas, and some things are returning more slowly than others. But I'll definitely be needed either a 7110 or 7210 SCSI controller and an LHC300 ethernet controller. So, what's a Xyplex? -doug q

25 years, 2 months

OS/2

by dhquebbeman＠theestopinalgroup.com

> Don't forget that OS/2 was written by Gordon Letwin > AT MICROSOFT! > > > You might enjoy reading "Inside OS/2" by Gordon Letwin; from Microsoft > Press. While I agree OS/2 is a better operating system than Windows, this book depressed me due to Gordon's wrongheaded-belief that a GPF should always be considered an indicator of a programming problem. Since Intel didn't give us a pointer fault, the GPF is the only proper way to implement dynamic linking. As they shipped, OS/2 >from version 1.0 to 1.2 never did properly implement dynamic linking; and Windows inherits the wrong way from OS/2. Strangely, Ed Iacobucci (who was Gordon Letwin's counterpart at IBM) wrote an article that appeared in a magazine that described OS/2's dynamic linking as operating the way it should. The key difference is this: in real dynamic linking, CALL instructions that are supposed to invoke procedures in a DLL are constructed in the executable image such that when the processor executes the CALL, it causes a GPF [pointer fault]; then the GPF handler looks at the faulting instruction. If the pointer is a faulted pointer to a routine in a DLL, then snap the link [map the DLL into memory and then modify the faulting instruction to point to the entry point of the routine as described in the DLL's export table], and restart the instruction. Otherwise, it's a bug and you signal a condition which somehere generates an error message. In this scenario, programs start up much faster because the OS is not reading and linking every routine in the executable's import table. If you never use feature <X> in the program, and if feature <X> resides tottally in a separate DLL, then that DLL never gets mapped into RAM. MUCH, MUCH better execution, more robust operation, in particular, the machine wouldn't thrash at startup dur to all those programs in your startup folder. Due to Ed's article, I always assumed that there was a turf was between IBM and Microsoft on this and other salient technical points. MS won and was wrong. So, having said that, you might see why I'm not a big fan of Letwin's. Shew! Glad I got _that_ off my chest again. respectfully submitted, -doug quebbeman

25 years, 2 months

Paper tape format

by RCini＠congressfinancial.com

>From the "just out of curiosity" department... What is the punch format used for a paper tape that would be used on an Altair or IMSAI? Is it straight binary or something like the Intel Hex format? The reason why I'm asking is because I'm toying with adding a virtual paper tape punch/reader to Claus Guiloi's IMSAI emulator. Rich

25 years, 2 months

OS/2

by bwit＠pobox.com

At 10:41 AM 5/26/00 -0700, you wrote: >Don't forget that OS/2 was written by Gordon Letwin >AT MICROSOFT! > > >You might enjoy reading "Inside OS/2" by Gordon Letwin; from Microsoft >Press. > I had always thought this was a really good read. I still have a couple of copies laying around somewhere. Long ago while working a bug in HPFS I got to work with Gordon over the phone. Sometimes I really miss the old days. I'll have to go home and dig out my "Microsoft OS/2" coffee mug :-) Bob

25 years, 2 months

Strange box

by mranalog＠home.com

************** I'm sending this again because my first attempt went to classiccmp-classiccmp-org(a)jade.tseinc.com and was rejected. If you are receiving a second copy of this,ignore it. ************** Joe <rigdonj(a)intellistar.net> wrote: > I found this in a pile of surplus computers yesterday. Can anyone tell > me what it is? It looks like an ordinary external 5 1/4" drive box but on > the back of the box it has a DB-25M connector marked "MODEM/CPU" and a > DB-25F connector marked "TERMINAL". There's also a rotary switch labeled > "RATE" with positions marked "10", "30", "120", "240", "480", 960" and > "EXT". Then there's a toggle switch with positions marked "BIN CTRL ON" > "ODD" and "EVEN". And another toggle switch with positons marked "FULL" and > "HALF". It has a socket for a standard AC line cord. It's made by Techtran > Industries of Rochester, N.Y. and it's a model 950A. My guess is that it's > a disk drive that's made to go between a terminal and it's MODEM or > computer but I've never heard of one before. If that's what it is, then > how do you give it coomands? Joe, I don't think this is one of those file-system/data logger type drives,I have one of those and it has a keypad on the front of the drive you use to open a disk file before dumping serial data to it and to close the file when you're done. Instead, I think you have a CP/M computer. It sounds alot like my PMC 101 "MicroMate". http://www.best.com/~dcoward/ebay/micromat.jpg The MicroMate is about the same size as and looks like a TRS-80 Model 1 disk drive. On the back it has DB-25s for "Terminal" and "Modem". It weights only 10 pounds but when you open the case there is a DSDD 400K floppy drive, a power supply and a board that runs the length of the case, which is a 128K 4Mhz Z80A based CP/M computer. If this is the "case" - you'll need a boot disk. What is inside this box of yours? --Doug ==================================================== Doug Coward dcoward(a)pressstart.com (work) Sr. Software Eng. mranalog(a)home.com (home) Press Start Inc. http://www.pressstart.com Sunnyvale,CA Curator Analog Computer Museum and History Center http://www.best.com/~dcoward/analog ====================================================

25 years, 2 months

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test-drb May 2000