In a message dated 25/01/02 12:57:14 Pacific Standard Time
rigdonj(a)cfl.rr.com writes:
<snip>
> But no one is forcing you to buy those bad deals. So take the good ones
> and leave the rest. That's how you "win" on E-bay.
>
> Joe
I totally agree with Joe. There are some nice bargains to be had and some
truly
awful crap. So far I think I'm breaking even on the bargain and crap score.
As the
Ebay novelty wears off I've learnt to more choosy in what I buy.
Over time you learn who are the good guys, the re-sellers, collectors or
enthusiasts
making an honest living, and the bad guys who just jump on the band wagon and
push up the prices.
If you really want something there are lots of places to look besides Ebay.
Chris
In a message dated 25/01/02 14:31:21 Pacific Standard Time,
bfranchuk(a)jetnet.ab.ca writes:
> Well tell me, I would like to know what other on-line places are there
> to look for older equipment.
>
BTW, I'm located in the UK so Ebay.co.uk is very poor in terms of choice.
'Ebay dot com' on the other hand is a totally different ball game so for you
it is like one stop shopping. As an example - on one day there were thirty
(yes three zero) items listed under "Test Equipment" in the UK and 1500
on Ebay.com. Sometimes I go hunting for RF test gear and to be honest
you guys on the other side of the pond are spoilt.
The same applies to vintage computer equipment. All you get on UK Ebay
is Spectrums, C64's and Atari 1600's, mostly games I must add. There is
a good selection of Acorn hardware but that's about it. Early SBC stuff is
rare (KIM and AIM65 etc). DEC and HP hardly ever appear on ebay.co.uk
Many electronic test equipment dealers have surplus computer equipment
for sale, especially in the US and Canada. It all depends on what you are
looking for.
I've often found that dealers haven't got the time to keep their websites up
to
date and often don't list many items. If I'm looking for a particular piece of
hardware or perhaps a service manual I find that an email sometimes gets
a favorable response.
Google is another option, and I often spend hours following links to sites
that may have an item I'm looking for.
In fact I sometimes spend hours following link to loads of other interesting
sites just for the hell of it. It's like being let loose in a library for the
very
first time :-)
I hope that's put things into perspective Ben. BTW if I was happy paying
the postage and import duties then Ebay.com would be one stop shopping
for me.
Post Script: For books try Abebooks.com
Best Regards
Chris
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Doc Shipley [mailto:doc@mdrconsult.com]
> I was able to find archived images of AIX v2.2.1 (which,
> interestingly
> enough, I may be able to use *legally*. IBM permits their AIX
> instructors to run AIX on personal machines for private/non-commercial
> machines. I'm NOT gonna call Mr. Wolden and ask....) The archive
> includes VRM, BOS and Extended Utilities, all IBM's updates & patches,
> the NFS add-ons, man pages (IBM *still* provides the man pages as a
> separate product!), TCP/IP, and some GNU stuff. And the all-important
> Diags disk set.
Any idea what the version overlap (if any) is between RT and RS/6000? In other words, are there any versions that would boot on either machine? This is just curiosity for now.
> every IBM I've
> ever worked on required the ritual blood sacrifice before booting.
Most machines require that occasionally.
> You need a "dumb" ISA IDE/floppy controller. It must be set to
> secondary IDE and primary floppy. Any serial/parallel/game ports will
> probably have to be disabled. The RT will boot from a secondary IDE
Heh. :) Maybe for a project you could get the game ports working? ;)
> Still to do:
> Find vi. I haven't installed the Extended set yet. Please
> Gods don't
> make me use ed.
Until I read that, I was going to suggest that you could just use ed.
> Yee-Haw. I now have AIX v2.2.1, toys, tools & updates, on 5.25
> floppy!
Congratulations.
Chris
Christopher Smith, Perl Developer
Amdocs - Champaign, IL
/usr/bin/perl -e '
print((~"\x95\xc4\xe3"^"Just Another Perl Hacker.")."\x08!\n");
'
Many thanks for the helpful comments from Pete, Tony and Adrian.
Lucky for me I discovered that the terminal pins unscrew.
ALL of the keyswitch terminal pins have be cleaned with a
mild abrasive (Brasso) and then washed in IPA. I had to
remove all of the switches to clean the rust from the
frame, but what the hell, they're back to original condition.
BTW I don't have any WD40 and would never ever use it on any
electrical or mechanical parts - never ever !
Also, as the leaf springs in the key switches are gold plated
I've left them 'as is' and not used any propriety "switch cleaners".
They should work for another 15 years :-)
Also, fixed the intermittent dry joint in the PSU and added the
composite video colour mod. Found the last one on the
Acorn FTP site http://acorn.riscos.com/documents/appnotes/
This was one of my better buys from Ebay. My only complaint
is the tatty case - I will have to think about "re-boxing" it.
Perhaps in a 1U 19in case, it will make the connectors a little
more accessible and support the weight of the Cumana dual
disk drives !
Thanks for the help
Chris
Chris
On January 25, Ian Koller wrote:
> Sellam,
>
> Or is it Sam?
>
> http://www.classiccmp.org/mail-archive/classiccmp/1998-05/0760.html
>
> Do you for a minute think I give a shit about what you want
> or what you think? Wake up and smell the coffee pal. I actually
> consider it a serious possibility your vcf is a front for your
> business, and you are just running a scam. So piss the fuck off
> asshole.
I can FEEL the love around here.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
St. Petersburg, FL "Less talk. More synthohol." --Lt. Worf
Joe,
After reading your three messages, it seems you also
see the disparity.
There is one point that the author of that page about
sniping did not seem to consider. If auctions did automatically
extend, but in each extension period, the minimum increment
doubled, it could autoextend, yet still come to an end fairly
quickly.
Because of the sniping issue, I feel that eBay can't really
be held as a true measure of the value of things. Only in auctions
that had a chance to "settle" at the highest price someone was
willing to pay for something, would it be valid measurement tool,
of that aspect only of an overall market system, also keeping in
mind the terms, i.e. untested, "as-is", tested, guaranteed, etc.
The on-line auctions run by the GSA use a proxy bidding
system, and also have an autoextend feature. Bear in mind
that their prices are not a true measure of actual value
either, because some of what they sell is broken damaged stuff,
and you don't know what is what until you've bought it. They
also don't entertain complaints.
Joe wrote:
>
> Ian,
>
> I don't like sniping but I understand why it's done. Good info, I'm
> keeping a permanent copy of it.
>
> Joe
>
> At 01:28 PM 1/25/02 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >Hello Pat,
> >
> > If you read these links, it gives other "perspectives" on
> >the issue of sniping. I guess you don't like sniping, because
> >you would like to get the best price you could for your items.
> >This we do respect.
> >
> >
> >http://www.geocities.com/phillipcreed/myths.html
> >
> >http://www.geocities.com/phillipcreed/
> >
> >http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/supersniper/
> >
> >
> > But the ones who complain that they didn't win an item because
> >someone sniped them, we have no respect for what so ever. No one
> >ever lost an item because someone out bid them. They lost the item
> >because they didn't bid the high bid utilizing the "proxy" bidding
> >system. Period. These are people that want to blame others for their
> >own failures which they themselves brought about. They seem to act
> >like the world owes them something, when in reality, their failure
> >is brought on because they are too cheap and selfish. They want what
> >other people have, but are unwilling to give much of themselves to
> >get it.
> >
> > A note to all. You'll win whatever item you bid on, if you put
> >in the high bid while the auction is running, regardless of when
> >that bid is placed.
> >
> >
> > As for the ones that complain about prices of goods being
> >sold on eBay as being so high, these people have been deemed
> >unsuitable for employment in our organization for being too
> >ignorant of commerce and economics. It's indicative of serious
> >flaws in personality, attitude, and intelligence. Generally
> >things on eBay often sell for a third to an eighth ( and
> >sometimes even 1/25 ) of what they are actually worth, and
> >we have hard data to prove that fact. So any that end up out
> >of work, just know, we'll learn more about what you're really
> >like by reading the messages you've posted, than we'd ever learn
> >in an interview. And we do research prospective applicants
> >in this manner. Thanks Google.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Pat Barron wrote:
> >>
> >> On Fri, 25 Jan 2002, Ian Koller wrote:
> >> > I looked at it, then checked your "me" page, then gave up.
> >> >
> >> > If you want auctions that automatically extend, you have
> >> > that option as a seller on Yahoo.
> >>
> >> I'm sorry that put you off; I've been thinking about toning down or
> >> eliminating that section, but I haven't done anything about it yet because
> >> this is a really sore point with me - it's particularly aimed at people
> >> who run "outbid-bots", that track auctions and place bids in (literally)
> >> the final 15 or 30 seconds of the auction, to ensure that the previous
> >> high bidder has no chance to rebid.
> >>
> >> In a "real" auction, the auction generally continues until activity
> >> ceases; if that's doable on Yahoo! Auctions (like the old Onsale.com
> >> system, in which a bid in the last 5 minutes of an auction automatically
> >> extended it), then that might be a better option for me. Though I haven't
> >> listed anything there for a long time, because I've had the impression
> >> that very few people use Yahoo! Auctions (as opposed to eBay)....
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> --Pat.
> >
Meanwhile, back at the ranch....
The IBM RT I was given last weekend turned out to be configured with:
Enhanced Advanced 032 processor, which is hardwired with 16MB of
RAM. No Advanced Floating-Point Accelerator, drat it all.
Extended Monochrome Display adapter (1024x768) w/6155 mono display
Ungerman-Bass Baseband [ethernet] adapter
Streaming Tape Drive Adapter - RT interface for 6157 1/4 tape drive
No tape drive or cable
1 5.25" DSHD floppy drive
3 E70 70MB ESDI hard disks - 2 dead as dirt.
1 SIIG 8-bit Serial/Parallel adapter, c.1998, which prevents booting
Keyboard
I was able to find archived images of AIX v2.2.1 (which, interestingly
enough, I may be able to use *legally*. IBM permits their AIX
instructors to run AIX on personal machines for private/non-commercial
machines. I'm NOT gonna call Mr. Wolden and ask....) The archive
includes VRM, BOS and Extended Utilities, all IBM's updates & patches,
the NFS add-ons, man pages (IBM *still* provides the man pages as a
separate product!), TCP/IP, and some GNU stuff. And the all-important
Diags disk set.
NOTE: If you ever have to work on an IBM workstation, as soon as
you get the case open, get a paper clip, solder pick, fountain pen, or
other not-very-sharp object, and gouge a couple of knuckles with it.
Bleeding directly onto the machine is not necessary, but every IBM I've
ever worked on required the ritual blood sacrifice before booting.
The machine booted to the Diags just fine, after I pulled the serial
adapter. There I discovered that the keyboard has several dead keys
(well, two, but the Escape key counts triple), that the RT wants
<Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Pause> to reboot, and that the display must be powered up
before the computer. Everything but the 2 dead E70 drives and the
keyboard checked out.
There are numerous refernces to the use of IDE drives in the RT
newsgroup. Although AIX actually will install in 70MB, it leaves little
room to play in. Plus, that one E70 alone was warming my house and
whining loudly enough to make my cats cry.
Final verdict: they're right, but I saw some glitches I haven't seen
documented.
You need a "dumb" ISA IDE/floppy controller. It must be set to
secondary IDE and primary floppy. Any serial/parallel/game ports will
probably have to be disabled. The RT will boot from a secondary IDE
controller, if you satisfy the drive specs. On mine, even aftetr
removing the ESDI controller, setting the IDE card to primary causes the
machine to freeze on boot.
Drive specs: A Seagate Medalist IDE drive. Period. Some posts suggest
that small Quantum or Conner drives will work, but not boot. The WD,
Quantum, and Maxtor drives I tried weren't detected at all. The Conner
340MB was detected and passed, but I haven't tried booting it. The
Seagate ST3250A Medalist is booting quite nicely as hd(1,0). I did try
an ST32122A 2G, and it installed OK and booted fine once. After that,
it drops into maintenance mode on boot, with unrecoverable errors.
Mount claims that the filesystem devices don't exist. I'm not convinced
that wasn't due to operator error during install.
Still to do:
Find vi. I haven't installed the Extended set yet. Please Gods don't
make me use ed.
Set up TCP/IP networking. Just got the TCP/IP set installed last
night, and configuration is waiting on vi. I hope.
I've been offered a copy of 4.4BSD/Romp for it, which I may try out.
I'd like to try AOS, but I can't find the full distribution, just the
tools, updates, and diagnostic utilities.
Find a mouse.
Suck it up, gird my loins, and try repairing the keyboard. I may try
using stty to remap the dead keys till I have a backup kbd.
Yee-Haw. I now have AIX v2.2.1, toys, tools & updates, on 5.25
floppy!
Doc
Well, for those curious, and those whom I said I would inform, here
is a list of (100lbs!) Commodore 128 and Atari 800 goodies I got courtesy of
Michael Brodt... (This list is for my own inventory purpose, as much as your
entertainment.)
Commodore 128 ---
- 1571 floppy drive
- Wico Command Control bat handle joystick
- TV connector/adaptor.
Atari 800 ---
(there's " #043 " rubber-stamped on the model sticker, above the printed No.
472297 Any ideas? Also a sticker with a handwritten "AW458710 1/28")
- Atari810 floppy drive
- 4 joysticks (one missing the 'stick'. Hey, the Commodore joystick will
work on this, won't it?)You know, it would be real easy to turn the busted
one into a gamepad, wouldn't it?
- Microbits Peripheral Products Parallel Printer interface
And software/books/magazines are:
(game names are writen exactly as seen on the label. Maybe Michael or
someone can say what the misspellings are supposed to be...)
*** C=128 ***
(this list coming soon...)
*** Atari 800 ***
---originals s/w diskettes---
Shamus Case II No:4705
Canyon Climber
The Goonies (it has C=64 version on side 2!) with hints...
Drelbs No:101210
Alternate Reality: The Dungeon
Alternate Reality: The City
Atari 810 Master Diskette II
Atari 400/800 BASIC cartridge CXL 4002 (priced at $59.95!)
Karateka
The Incredible Laboratory
Realm Of Impossibility
Cyclod
---copies---
Starwars
Frogger
Pogoman
Caverns
Actionquest (?)
Pacman
Krazy
Defender
Galaxian
Raiders
Miscom (?)
Speedway
Poype (misspelling on label?)
Joust
Donkey Kong
Nautilis
Caverns 2
Montezuma
Snokie
Sargon
Congo
Spy Hunter
Tutunkahmun
Archon
Zepplin
Slime
Mario Brothers
Dig Dug
Cyclod
Spy Huntrcom (?)
Spy Sutle (?)
War Games
Decathlon
Starfighter
PitFall II
Legion
Koalapad
Jumpman
Centioede
Wiz Of War
Koalapad
MTV
Zaxxon
Zork I
(on Cyclod disk--
DigDug
Spyhuntrcom
Spshutle
War Games
Decathlon
StarFighter
PitFall II
Legion
AtariWriter
Krazy
Defender
Galaxian
Raiders
Miscom
Anticks
Centipede
--- books ---
The Video Master's Guide To Defender
-(arcade version)
Basic Fun With Graphics The Atari Way
AD&D Eye Of The Beholder Clue Book
Free Software For your Atari
Dr. C Wacko's Miracle Guide To Designing And Programming Your Own Atari
Computer Arcade Games
Atari Basic - A Self Teaching Guide
Atari Games And Recreations
Atari Basic Quick Reference Guide
Your First Atari Program
Atari Sound And Graphics - A Self Teaching Guide
Owner's Guide for the 800 and 810
Atari 810 Disk Drive - Introduction To he Disk Operating System
Computers For Kids - Atari Edition
AtariWriter manual
Star Raiders manual
Review - A Catalog Of Atari Learning Systems - Fall 83, Vol 1, Issue 1
Antic - The Atari Resource - Feb 1988 Vol 6, #10
Analog Computing - Sep 1987, #57
Atari Explorer - Feb 1985
Atari Connection - The Home Computer Magazine - Summer 1983
Atari Connection - Winter 1984
Atari Connection - Spring 1984
Atari Connection - Summer 1984
APX - Atari Program Exchange Product Catalog - Summer 1983
APX - Fall 1983
Home Applications And Games For The Atari Home Computers
Atari 400/800 Basic Reference Manual
Atari 400/800 Disk Operating System II Reference Manual
--- David A Woyciesjes
--- C & IS Support Specialist
--- Yale University Press
--- mailto:david.woyciesjes@yale.edu
--- (203) 432-0953
--- ICQ # - 905818
