- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

InfoAge and VCF closed today Saturday, Oct. 11
by Jeffrey Brace 11 Oct '26

11 Oct '26

InfoAge and the VCF Museum are closed today Saturday, 10/11/26 due to heavy rains and intermittent power outages. There is no indication as to the cause of the power outage, but it is localized to a small area of the neighborhoods around InfoAge. The heavy rains are due to the remnants of hurricane Isaiah. Take care! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner VCF Fundraising Manager VCF Evangelist Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

1 1

Margaret Hamilton dies at 90
by Christian Liendo 08 Oct '26

08 Oct '26

https://www.wsj.com/science/space-astronomy/margaret-hamilton-who-developed…

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Replay of the CDL - Software development using AI class
by Neil Cherry 08 Oct '26

08 Oct '26

Reposting this on the VCF list: We have a request to run the class again for some people that were unaware of the class being taught. So Neil and i have decided to teach the class again starting on Oct 28,2026 and running for a total of 4 Wednesdays not 5. *BUT* We will only run the class if 5 or more or more people sign up for the class and prepay the tuition in cash or check before the class starts. The deadline will be SUNDAY OCT 25, 2026. joe (and Neil) -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry(a)linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies KD2ZRQ

1 0

Robert X Cringley passed
by Ethan O'Toole 08 Oct '26

08 Oct '26

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49949438 Triumph of the Nerds and Nerds 2.0.1 guy.

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Swap meet in two weeks! Oct. 17
by Jeffrey Brace 07 Oct '26

07 Oct '26

Just a reminder. The swap meet is in two weeks. Information is here: https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/ We do need volunteers, so email me privately if you can help. Some of our usual volunteers are away on that day. Take care! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner VCF Fundraising Manager VCF Evangelist Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

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VCF Montréal Virtual 3D Floor Plan
by Jeffrey Brace 07 Oct '26

07 Oct '26

https://cvcfed.org/vcf-montreal-2-0/plan-de-salle/ Enjoy! Jeff Brace

1 0

Website with Macintosh Look and Feel
by Jeffrey Brace 06 Oct '26

06 Oct '26

https://davescomputermuseum.com/ Take care! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner VCF Fundraising Manager VCF Evangelist Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

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Tandy Assembly
by Mike Loewen 01 Oct '26

01 Oct '26

This weekend! Tandy Assembly 2026 will take place October 2 through October 4, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Doubletree by Hilton Cincinnati Airport hotel. https://www.tandyassembly.com/ I'll be exhibiting a TRS-80 Model 16B with some modern upgrades: 7.5MB RAM with MMU-3, Real Time Clock module, and a FreHD48 hard drive emulator. The system will be running Xenix 3.4 with two terminals. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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LSSM fundraiser better link
by Dave McGuire 30 Sep '26

30 Sep '26

I just realized that I put a link to the Facebook page in the fundraiser announcement email. That was dumb, I blame caffeine shortage. Here's the actual fundraiser page: https://lssmuseum.square.site/s/order?item=ZVRQRT72ES3KOZJKKAEWFSK6 -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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LSSM software release
by Dave McGuire 30 Sep '26

30 Sep '26

It is my pleasure to announce the release of several software packages from LSSM. These packages were developed over several years for our internal use to support our work. We've recently spent some time cleaning them up, writing documentation, and preparing them for public release. The list is here: https://www.lssmuseum.org/our_software Some highlights: - An extensive serial PDP-11 disk image transfer tool - A block browser for RSP (DEC TU-58) drives - MODCOMP diagnostic transfer utilities - A TUI viewer/navigator for .tap and .tpc tape image files - Emulator and cross-assembler for the Varian 620 family - Emulator, cross-assembler, and BASIC for the Westinghouse P-50 - New programming documentation for the V620 and P-50 - Some new clients and servers for the CCSO Ph/Qi protocol - A new, modern Gopher client - Some other random tools Bug reports are welcome; there's a link to the bug report form on the page referenced above. -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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LSSM's 2026 fundraiser is live!
by Dave McGuire 29 Sep '26

29 Sep '26

Hi folks! Every year, the Large Scale Systems Museum asks our community to help keep computer history alive. This year, we're doing it with our POWER ON fundraiser. Your support helps us preserve, maintain, and share our collection of working historic computer systems and continue making the museum available to the public. We've also created some special supporter rewards this year, including our limited-edition LSSM 11th Anniversary Coin. There are several ways to support POWER ON 2026, from $32 all the way up to $2,048, in nice civilized powers of two. See all the supporter levels and rewards here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1735010831960116&set=a.526497526144792 Thanks, -Dave McGuire, LSSM -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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Complete Saturn V Guidance Computer Core Memory Module
by Christian Liendo 29 Sep '26

29 Sep '26

Anyone looking for a Saturn V Guidance Computer Core Memory Module https://connect.invaluable.com/usspace/auction-lot/complete-saturn-v-guidan…

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IA status?
by Dave McGuire 28 Sep '26

28 Sep '26

Is everyone/everything ok at IA? -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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VCF Museum (and all InfoAge museums) closed due to Northeaster
by Jeffrey Brace 26 Sep '26

26 Sep '26

Emergency Closing Saturday 9/26 and Sunday 9/27 due to the Northeaster.The NJ Governor has declared a state of emergency for this weekend. It covers Monmouth and Ocean county. VCF and all InfoAge museums will be closed Saturday and Sunday. Stay safe everyone! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner VCF Fundraising Manager VCF Evangelist Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

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free comp history books on FB mktpl
by Bill Degnan 24 Sep '26

24 Sep '26

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DpdYsAQB9/?mibextid=wwXIfr (i saw this, but I already have these) b

1 0

Flynn Lives Tron Jacket
by Christian Liendo 23 Sep '26

23 Sep '26

I remember a number of people complimented me on my jacket I wore at VCF East and West. It's available again. https://www.rsvlts.com/products/disneys-tron-light-suit-reversible-bomber-j…

1 0

Is there a date for the Festivus Party?
by Christian Liendo 21 Sep '26

21 Sep '26

My CG unit is now out of Virginia and my dates are all over the place and I wanted to see if this fell on a drill date

3 2

Workshop Entrance
by Jeff Salzman 19 Sep '26

19 Sep '26

For those new to the workshop, here is the entrance to the Workshop. The door is wedged open due to the automatic lock, but should remain closed throughout the day. https://drive.google.com/file/d/11_MXF40fY0SotE_2EFq8QG7HELd7MPIx/view?usp=… You will be able to see this door from the main gate. When you arrive, let the person at the gate know you are here for the VCF Workshop and they should let you in. Park anywhere along the edge on the road across from the Workshop building, but NOT on the side marked as a fire zone.

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Info about this weekend's workshop
by Jeff Salzman 19 Sep '26

19 Sep '26

The Workshop will still be held in the 9010D building at InfoAge as it has been during 2026. However, part of the room has been commandeered by the NJ State Police for training purposes. The NJ State Police will not be attending class over the weekend, but we won't be able to utilize the space they previously used as we did in the past. Therefore, we will be utilizing the other half of the 9010D room for this weekend's workshop. When you arrive, you will still go into the 9010D room as before, but instead of heading to the left side of the room, head to the right side. We will provide tables accordingly. Jeff Salzman

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Preliminary Member Survey: Exploring Options for Weekend Repair Workshops
by Jeff Salzman 17 Sep '26

17 Sep '26

Hi everyone, When on-site overnight lodging ended at InfoAge, it significantly altered the rhythm of our monthly Repair Workshops. For members driving in from upstate New York, Central Pennsylvania, Virginia, and beyond, having to secure commercial hotel rooms added a major expense to what used to be an accessible, low-cost weekend together. We are currently gathering preliminary feedback from membership to see if exploring alternative venues is practical and desired. *Please note:* This effort is exploratory. Our current workshop schedule at InfoAge remains in place and will not change at this time. If our research finds that an alternative location isn't feasible, affordable, or supported by the community, we will continue hosting our events at InfoAge as usual. To make an informed decision, we need to understand what works for you before taking any next steps: - Realistic budget limits for a full Friday evening thru Sunday afternoon workshop with lodging included - Travel preferences and maximum drive times across the Mid-Atlantic - Openness to a single home base versus rotating regional locations - How you would handle bringing parts and sharing specialized bench tools off-site Please take 3 to 4 minutes to complete our planning survey: Venue Change Survey <https://forms.gle/c5vokfJfRWtFxDGm6> Your honest feedback will guide our next steps... whether that means developing a proposal for an off-site retreat or keeping our operations firmly rooted at InfoAge. Thank you for your time and for continuing to support the workshop community. Best regards, Jeff Salzman VCF/March Steering Committee Workshop Manager

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Request from Compute’s Gazette Magazine
by Christopher Gioconda 15 Sep '26

15 Sep '26

Passing this request along to the group: ~~~ A question for anyone who was there. We are writing the October lead feature on whether software could ever actually damage 8-bit hardware, and the Commodore PET "killer poke" is at the center of it. We have been looking for a confirmed case, and we cannot find one. Not a story about somebody's cousin's school. An actual PET that actually died and had to be repaired or replaced. So here is what we are asking. 1. Did you personally see a computer damaged by a POKE or by a program? Any machine, any brand. What model, roughly what year, what failed, and what happened to it afterward? We are specifically after things you witnessed rather than things you were told. 2. If you typed the killer poke back in the day, what actually happened? Did the machine come back when you switched it off and on? 3. This one is a long shot and would make our year. We are trying to find the earliest place the poke appeared in print. One account has it circulating in a newsletter flyer that shipped with an order, as a tip to make a game run faster. If you have Commodore club newsletters, dealer flyers, or user group bulletins from roughly 1979 to 1981 sitting in a box, we would love to hear from you. Please do not go and try the poke on your own machine to find out. The effect is almost certainly survivable, but there is a real possibility of long term stress from two outputs fighting each other, and no reason at all to risk a 45 year old computer for a magazine article. Comment below or write to us at info(a)computesgazette.com

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Wanted: TRS-80 DT-1 or DT-100
by Mike Loewen 12 Sep '26

12 Sep '26

I'm still looking for a TRS-80 DT-1 or DT-100 terminal. If anyone has one for sale or spots one at VCF Midwest, please let me know. I'm in central PA. Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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September 2026 Workshop
by Jeff Salzman 12 Sep '26

12 Sep '26

The upcoming Workshop on September 19-20 is still on. Please sign up on this form if you plan to attend: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gKh8Rr0btGpXQfPoqwGi9J-yQ_6kManfNIq… This Workshop will have a theme to it. While it's still going to be open as usual for traditional Workshop activity, there will be equipment set up to do disk archiving. It will be a Greaseweazle theme. What is Greaseweazle? Greaseweazle is a clever hardware device that lets you connect standard 34-pin floppy drives (5.25" and 3.5") to a modern computer, and with open-source software, you can back up floppy disks at the flux level for later analysis or file extraction. I personally own two Greaseweazle systems and plan on setting them up for shared use. I can also show how I configure the setup and how the software works, in case you want to pursue setting up a Greaseweazle setup of your own someday. So whether you want to learn how to set up a Greaseweazle system of your own, or simply want to take advantage of the opportunity that weekend to archive a bunch of old disks you own, please consider attending the Workshop. Make sure to add your name to the spreadsheet form linked above to let us know you are attending. Under the notes column, let us know if you plan on attending so you can make archive copies of your old floppies. Please note that, depending on the popularity of the event, taking turns using the Greaseweazle may be necessary. If you plan to archive your disks, you must, of course, bring your disks. You must also provide your own portable media to save the archived disk images to. Any portable USB drive or USB thumb drive should suffice. We reserve the right to inspect the condition of the original floppies due to the possibility of dirt, mold, or other contaminants and/or damage before they are allowed to be inserted into the Greaseweazle drives. We also cannot guarantee successful reads and data extraction. Sometimes a bad disk is really a bad disk. Any questions, feel free to reply. Looking forward to seeing you at the Workshop! Jeff Salzman VCF Steering Committee MARCH Workshop Manager

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Wanted: Motorola Astro Saber
by Andrew Mattera 12 Sep '26

12 Sep '26

hi all, Looking for Motorola Astro Saber Model II and Model III for official business, options unimportant as I have the depot software anyways. large lots preferable, needs to be UHF range 2 (450-520MHz) which I understand isn't typical HAM ranges Thanks, Andrew Mattera

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OT: Verizon application to discontinue POTS in New Jersey and other states
by InterLinked 09 Sep '26

09 Sep '26

Apologies if this is somewhat off-topic, but it seems pertinent given InfoAge's location in New Jersey and probably much of the audience here. Verizon is in the process of applying to discontinue copper POTS service to 270,000 lines in 9 states, including New Jersey and some other east coast states: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/26110070306/1 I seem to recall reading here at one point that InfoAge had a POTS line - is that still the case and did anyone receive a notice? Particularly given the significance of Camp Evans in hurricanes and other disasters, maybe somebody with VCF might be able to file comments opposing this discontinuance? (Comments can be filed at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express in docket 26-227.)

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Nice article on LSSM
by Christian Liendo 08 Sep '26

08 Sep '26

Note very detailed but I nice mention. https://arbesman.substack.com/p/visiting-the-history-of-computing

2 1

Trying to contact Ian Primus
by Kelly Leavitt 08 Sep '26

08 Sep '26

I have a bunch of CRTs looking for a home. I want Ian to have first chance at them due to our history. Thanks, Kelly

1 0

Re: vcf-midatlantic Digest, Vol 178, Issue 1
by Jeffrey Golas 07 Sep '26

07 Sep '26

If you get no takers, Ill take it. Im in the Philly Burbs. Can possibly meet somewhere. I also have a couple Model 28s looking for a home. Jeff > On Sep 6, 2026, at 8:00 PM, vcf-midatlantic-request(a)lists.vcfed.org wrote: > > Send vcf-midatlantic mailing list submissions to > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send a message with subject or > body 'help' to > vcf-midatlantic-request(a)lists.vcfed.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > vcf-midatlantic-owner(a)lists.vcfed.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of vcf-midatlantic digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Bell Atlantic M15 available for pick-up -- Mid-Atlantic Region > (pbirkel(a)gmail.com) > 2. M15 w/ table and loop supply available for pick-up -- Mid-Atlantic Region > (pbirkel(a)gmail.com) > 3. Re: Bell Atlantic M15 available for pick-up -- Mid-Atlantic Region > (Glenn Roberts) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2026 07:03:34 -0400 > From: <pbirkel(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] Bell Atlantic M15 available for pick-up -- > Mid-Atlantic Region > To: <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> > Message-ID: <014f01dd3def$5c985c70$15c91550$(a)gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Last week I recovered a Teletype M15 from heading to the trash. > > > > It's been in storage near Great Falls, VA, for about two decades. I'm told > that it came out of a Bell Atlantic central office. The > > last one there, presumably abandoned in place years ago. And that on its > last day all the workers there signed the cover. > > > > The cover is white and carries the Bell Atlantic blue and yellow > racing-stripe livery plus employee autographs. The sound deadening material > on the inside is in quite good shape; one flap needs to be reattached. The > unit itself looks to be in pretty good condition, all keycaps in place I > haven't tried to move any mechanisms as I imagine that the main shaft needs > to be attended to first. > > > > Note that this is a 5-bit BAUDOT machine, so all UPPER CASE plus digits and > some other symbols. There are hobbyist-implementations using a MCU to > translate between BAUDOT and ASCII. It uses a 60mA interface to a typical > signaling voltage around 100 Vdc; there are hobbyist-implementations to > handle conversion to either 20mA and/or RS-232 signal levels. > > > > Photos are posted at: > > > > https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WOey5abqLVmyBHq9jedAZcbb9ADx4We7?usp > =sharing > > > > I will try to answer any questions that those photos may inspire, or take > additional photos of specific areas if requested. > > > > At the moment it's located near Wheaton, MD. > > > > If there is a committed recipient in the general vicinity of Lewes, DE, then > I probably can get it transported there on Saturday the 12th (one week from > yesterday) by a hobbyist who is making an infrequent trip to the DC area. > > > > It there is a committed recipient in the vicinity of Wall, NJ, then I may be > able to get it transported further from Lewes to the VCF swap meet on > October 17th (https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/) Next Saturday the 12th > would still be a critical date on that path as the hobbyist stopping by on > the 12th would be the "mule" to the VCF swap meet. > > > > So if relocation to either Lewes, DE, or Wall, NJ (only on Oct. 17th) would > "seal the deal" for someone then TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. And a firm > commitment! > > > > Hopefully there is someone here (or perhaps a friend/associate of someone > here) who would like to receive this unit, gratis :-}. > > > > For speed of response/interaction I recommend email to me directly at > pbirkel(a)gmail.com <mailto:pbirkel@gmail.com> with cc: to the list as deemed > appropriate to the community conversation. > > > > Thank you, > > > > * paul > > > > [PS: Of course I've also posted to the Greenkeys mailing list.] > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2026 07:08:45 -0400 > From: <pbirkel(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] M15 w/ table and loop supply available for > pick-up -- Mid-Atlantic Region > To: <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> > Message-ID: <015b01dd3df0$15c30290$414907b0$(a)gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > There's another Teletype M15 located nearby that is heading to the trash. > > > > Unlike the Bell Atlantic unit this one has the standard cover in black > wrinkle paint. Good condition, although the interior sound deadening > padding has deteriorated and will benefit from some repair. The unit itself > looks to be in pretty good condition, although one keycaps is missing and > the keyboard mechanism needs come cleaning. Note that the main frame is > cast aluminum. I haven't tried to move any mechanisms as I imagine that the > main shaft needs to be attended to first. > > > > Note that this is a 5-bit BAUDOT machine, so all UPPER CASE plus digits and > some other symbols. There are hobbyist-implementations using a MCU to > translate between BAUDOT and ASCII. It uses a 60mA interface to a typical > signaling voltage around 100 Vdc; there are hobbyist-implementations to > handle conversion to either 20mA and/or RS-232 signal levels. > > > > A limited set of photos are posted at: > > > > https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JnmckMv6Ei_VJPBDSfQmRyLSooQI6Wy0?usp > =sharing > > > > The unit is currently stored in a minivan near Wheaton, MD, that will get > called into service at some time in the future, at which point it will all > get unceremoniously trashed. I don't have ready access to the unit so can't > say much more specific about the unit but will try to answer any questions > that the current photos may inspire, or take additional photos of specific > areas if requested. I have personally inspected the unit so I -can_ say > that the current photos are representative. The table is in somewhat better > condition than the photos show as the rust is pretty much confined to the > top and in particular the three channels that hold in place the (missing) > sound deadening mat. > > > > At the moment it's located near Wheaton, MD. > > > > If there is a committed recipient in the general vicinity of Lewes, DE, then > I probably can get the M15 itself transported there on Saturday the 12th > (one week from yesterday) by a hobbyist who is making an infrequent trip to > the DC area. Maybe also the loop supply. > > > > It there is a committed recipient in the vicinity of Wall, NJ, then I may be > able to get the M15 itself (and maybe also the loop supply) transported > further from Lewes to the VCF swap meet on October 17th > (https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/) Next Saturday the 12th would still be a > critical date on that path as the hobbyist stopping by on the 12th would be > the "mule" to the VCF swap meet. > > > > So if relocation to either Lewes, DE, or Wall, NJ (only on Oct. 17th) would > "seal the deal" for someone then TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. And a firm > commitment! > > > > The table would require a local P/U. > > > > Hopefully there is someone here (or perhaps a friend/associate of someone > here) who would like to receive this unit, gratis :-}. > > > > For speed of response/interaction I recommend email to me directly at > pbirkel(a)gmail.com <mailto:pbirkel@gmail.com> with cc: to the list as deemed > appropriate to the community conversation. > > > > Thank you, > > > > * paul > > > > [PS: Of course I've also posted to the Greenkeys mailing list.] > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2026 08:27:24 -0400 > From: Glenn Roberts <glenn.f.roberts(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] Re: Bell Atlantic M15 available for pick-up > -- Mid-Atlantic Region > To: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> > Cc: vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org > Message-ID: <8B304A04-C36B-4F57-88DA-16F17F6A6243(a)gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > Right. I’m the guy in Lewes DE and plan to connect with Paul next weekend. I could help get this to Wall, or the Philadelphia area if we can find an interested party. Hope we can find a home and new owner for this cool antique! Awesome to see one of these in action. > > Sent from my iPad > >> On Sep 6, 2026, at 7:03 AM, pbirkel--- via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: >> >> Last week I recovered a Teletype M15 from heading to the trash. >> >> >> >> It's been in storage near Great Falls, VA, for about two decades. I'm told >> that it came out of a Bell Atlantic central office. The >> >> last one there, presumably abandoned in place years ago. And that on its >> last day all the workers there signed the cover. >> >> >> >> The cover is white and carries the Bell Atlantic blue and yellow >> racing-stripe livery plus employee autographs. The sound deadening material >> on the inside is in quite good shape; one flap needs to be reattached. The >> unit itself looks to be in pretty good condition, all keycaps in place I >> haven't tried to move any mechanisms as I imagine that the main shaft needs >> to be attended to first. >> >> >> >> Note that this is a 5-bit BAUDOT machine, so all UPPER CASE plus digits and >> some other symbols. There are hobbyist-implementations using a MCU to >> translate between BAUDOT and ASCII. It uses a 60mA interface to a typical >> signaling voltage around 100 Vdc; there are hobbyist-implementations to >> handle conversion to either 20mA and/or RS-232 signal levels. >> >> >> >> Photos are posted at: >> >> >> >> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WOey5abqLVmyBHq9jedAZcbb9ADx4We7?usp >> =sharing >> >> >> >> I will try to answer any questions that those photos may inspire, or take >> additional photos of specific areas if requested. >> >> >> >> At the moment it's located near Wheaton, MD. >> >> >> >> If there is a committed recipient in the general vicinity of Lewes, DE, then >> I probably can get it transported there on Saturday the 12th (one week from >> yesterday) by a hobbyist who is making an infrequent trip to the DC area. >> >> >> >> It there is a committed recipient in the vicinity of Wall, NJ, then I may be >> able to get it transported further from Lewes to the VCF swap meet on >> October 17th (https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/) Next Saturday the 12th >> would still be a critical date on that path as the hobbyist stopping by on >> the 12th would be the "mule" to the VCF swap meet. >> >> >> >> So if relocation to either Lewes, DE, or Wall, NJ (only on Oct. 17th) would >> "seal the deal" for someone then TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. And a firm >> commitment! >> >> >> >> Hopefully there is someone here (or perhaps a friend/associate of someone >> here) who would like to receive this unit, gratis :-}. >> >> >> >> For speed of response/interaction I recommend email to me directly at >> pbirkel(a)gmail.com <mailto:pbirkel@gmail.com> with cc: to the list as deemed >> appropriate to the community conversation. >> >> >> >> Thank you, >> >> >> >> * paul >> >> >> >> [PS: Of course I've also posted to the Greenkeys mailing list.] >> >> >> > > End of vcf-midatlantic Digest, Vol 178, Issue 1 > ***********************************************

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Bell Atlantic M15 available for pick-up -- Mid-Atlantic Region
by pbirkel＠gmail.com 06 Sep '26

06 Sep '26

Last week I recovered a Teletype M15 from heading to the trash. It's been in storage near Great Falls, VA, for about two decades. I'm told that it came out of a Bell Atlantic central office. The last one there, presumably abandoned in place years ago. And that on its last day all the workers there signed the cover. The cover is white and carries the Bell Atlantic blue and yellow racing-stripe livery plus employee autographs. The sound deadening material on the inside is in quite good shape; one flap needs to be reattached. The unit itself looks to be in pretty good condition, all keycaps in place I haven't tried to move any mechanisms as I imagine that the main shaft needs to be attended to first. Note that this is a 5-bit BAUDOT machine, so all UPPER CASE plus digits and some other symbols. There are hobbyist-implementations using a MCU to translate between BAUDOT and ASCII. It uses a 60mA interface to a typical signaling voltage around 100 Vdc; there are hobbyist-implementations to handle conversion to either 20mA and/or RS-232 signal levels. Photos are posted at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WOey5abqLVmyBHq9jedAZcbb9ADx4We7?usp =sharing I will try to answer any questions that those photos may inspire, or take additional photos of specific areas if requested. At the moment it's located near Wheaton, MD. If there is a committed recipient in the general vicinity of Lewes, DE, then I probably can get it transported there on Saturday the 12th (one week from yesterday) by a hobbyist who is making an infrequent trip to the DC area. It there is a committed recipient in the vicinity of Wall, NJ, then I may be able to get it transported further from Lewes to the VCF swap meet on October 17th (https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/) Next Saturday the 12th would still be a critical date on that path as the hobbyist stopping by on the 12th would be the "mule" to the VCF swap meet. So if relocation to either Lewes, DE, or Wall, NJ (only on Oct. 17th) would "seal the deal" for someone then TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. And a firm commitment! Hopefully there is someone here (or perhaps a friend/associate of someone here) who would like to receive this unit, gratis :-}. For speed of response/interaction I recommend email to me directly at pbirkel(a)gmail.com <mailto:pbirkel@gmail.com> with cc: to the list as deemed appropriate to the community conversation. Thank you, * paul [PS: Of course I've also posted to the Greenkeys mailing list.]

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M15 w/ table and loop supply available for pick-up -- Mid-Atlantic Region
by pbirkel＠gmail.com 06 Sep '26

06 Sep '26

There's another Teletype M15 located nearby that is heading to the trash. Unlike the Bell Atlantic unit this one has the standard cover in black wrinkle paint. Good condition, although the interior sound deadening padding has deteriorated and will benefit from some repair. The unit itself looks to be in pretty good condition, although one keycaps is missing and the keyboard mechanism needs come cleaning. Note that the main frame is cast aluminum. I haven't tried to move any mechanisms as I imagine that the main shaft needs to be attended to first. Note that this is a 5-bit BAUDOT machine, so all UPPER CASE plus digits and some other symbols. There are hobbyist-implementations using a MCU to translate between BAUDOT and ASCII. It uses a 60mA interface to a typical signaling voltage around 100 Vdc; there are hobbyist-implementations to handle conversion to either 20mA and/or RS-232 signal levels. A limited set of photos are posted at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JnmckMv6Ei_VJPBDSfQmRyLSooQI6Wy0?usp =sharing The unit is currently stored in a minivan near Wheaton, MD, that will get called into service at some time in the future, at which point it will all get unceremoniously trashed. I don't have ready access to the unit so can't say much more specific about the unit but will try to answer any questions that the current photos may inspire, or take additional photos of specific areas if requested. I have personally inspected the unit so I -can_ say that the current photos are representative. The table is in somewhat better condition than the photos show as the rust is pretty much confined to the top and in particular the three channels that hold in place the (missing) sound deadening mat. At the moment it's located near Wheaton, MD. If there is a committed recipient in the general vicinity of Lewes, DE, then I probably can get the M15 itself transported there on Saturday the 12th (one week from yesterday) by a hobbyist who is making an infrequent trip to the DC area. Maybe also the loop supply. It there is a committed recipient in the vicinity of Wall, NJ, then I may be able to get the M15 itself (and maybe also the loop supply) transported further from Lewes to the VCF swap meet on October 17th (https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/) Next Saturday the 12th would still be a critical date on that path as the hobbyist stopping by on the 12th would be the "mule" to the VCF swap meet. So if relocation to either Lewes, DE, or Wall, NJ (only on Oct. 17th) would "seal the deal" for someone then TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. And a firm commitment! The table would require a local P/U. Hopefully there is someone here (or perhaps a friend/associate of someone here) who would like to receive this unit, gratis :-}. For speed of response/interaction I recommend email to me directly at pbirkel(a)gmail.com <mailto:pbirkel@gmail.com> with cc: to the list as deemed appropriate to the community conversation. Thank you, * paul [PS: Of course I've also posted to the Greenkeys mailing list.]

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Cray supercomputer dollar coin, coming soon!
by Jeffrey Jonas 05 Sep '26

05 Sep '26

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/invention-featured-wisconsins-american-… NJ's coin continues Thomas Edison's PR campaign for the light bulb :-( https://www.usmint.gov/american-innovation-2019-1-reverse-proof-coin-new-je…

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Earliest version of MSDOS recovered
by Richard Cini 04 Sep '26

04 Sep '26

All — I haven’t been able to talk about this early MSDOS recovery project since a few of us began working on it in September, but you can see the blog post by Scott Hanselman here. Scott’s post links to both @BrokenPipe’s site and mine where we discuss the process. In short, I was able to get 700-ish pages of original source listings from Tim Paterson which I scanned and then we converted to workable source code. It’s the earliest known version of DOS code to exist in the wild. https://opensource.microsoft.com/blog/2026/04/28/continuing-the-story-of-ea… Rich http://cini.classiccmp.org/ https://github.com/RichCini Long Island S100 User’s Group Get Outlook<https://aka.ms/qtex0l> for iOS

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OT - Wanted for use at CDL
by Martin A Flynn 04 Sep '26

04 Sep '26

Thanks to a kind stranger (OK, really was one of the folks who help out), CDL now has a APC SUA3000RM2U UPS for the audio rack in the studio. Hopefully this shields the Studio gear from any additional spike and surge damage. It needs fresh batteries and mounting hardware, so check your junk & leftovers piles for a rack kit Part number is APC SU032A, picture is at http://compdecon.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/apc_rack_kit.jpg

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Re: Possibly OT: vintage vacuum tubes question
by Bob Shuster 04 Sep '26

04 Sep '26

Thanks for the advice! So these were my father-in-law’s. He was a PhD electrical engineer who did communications research and implementation for RCA and NASA/DOD (through RCA) in the 60s and 70s. He also built his own stereo equipment - amps, crossovers, etc. - and I suspect most of these were from that, although he may have scavenged some from work. I guess it would behoove me to catalog what’s there, but I’m not going to the trouble of testing. This is truly out of my area of expertise as I've never done anything with vacuum tubes other than building a Nixie clock. There may be some valuable ones in there but honestly I’d be happy to sell the whole unit as a lot for say $100. I definitely appreciate the input! - Bob Shuster

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VCF Mid-Atlantic Steering Committee Nominations
by Jeff Salzman 03 Sep '26

03 Sep '26

Members of the VCF MidAtlantic Mailing List, Another year has passed by, and it's time for the VCF-MA annual Steering Committee elections There are currently four seats becoming vacant. Jeff Salzman, Dave McGuire, Doug Crawford, and Ian Litchfield have either reached the end of their appointed terms or have resigned. Nominations to fill those positions are now open. The election will be held according to sections 4 and 5 of our published by-laws, listed at the end of this email and linked below. https://vcfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/VCFMA-Charter-Jul2022.pdf) Anyone who directly receives this message and has been a member of the VCF Mailing List for at least 30 days is eligible to vote. There is no 30-day restriction to mailing list membership to be nominated as a candidate. Current members of the mailing list in good standing are eligible to submit nominations for Committee member candidates. Nominations can be made by simply communicating the nomination via e-mail to a current Committee member: Thomas Gilinsky - thomas.gilinsky(a)vcfed.org, Dave McGuire - dave.mcguire(a)vcfed.org, Douglas Crawford - douglas.crawford(a)vcfed.org, Ian Litchfield - ian.litchfield(a)vcfed.org, or Jeff Salzman - jeff.salzman(a)vcf.org) Members of the mailing list may also self-nominate. To be eligible for the election, the prospective nominee must then accept the nomination by replying in the affirmative to the nomination email. One nomination per member can be made. Nominations will close on November 23nd at 11:59PM. An updated list of eligible nominees will be published regularly. Nominees are also encouraged to provide a position statement, which will be posted to the VCF-MA website for prospective voters to read. Voting will commence on November 30th, and will close at 11:59pm on December 13. Winners will be announced on December 14 during the Town hall event at our annual VCF Holiday celebration. Thank you, Jeff Salzman Chairman - VCF-MA Steering Committee ---------------------------------------- 4. COMMITTEE ELECTIONS Steering committee membership includes representation of VCF membership, as determined by the VCF governing board and VCF-MA sponsored elections. - The committee membership will be determined by elections to be held on a yearly basis (currently November). - Committee membership is ideally comprised of five people but may vary due to changing circumstances. Any committee vote to determine an increase in committee members shall be held within six months after a new election cycle. - A minimum of one seat will be up for election in every cycle, unless additional vacancies create the need for additional seats to be filled, in which case all vacant seats will be up for election in that cycle. - In the event of a tie, a two-week runoff election will be held. - If a tie still exists after the runoff, the non-running committee members will determine a winner. - In the event of a committee tie, the current chairperson or chair delegate will determine the winner. - Nominations for committee members can be made by current members in good standing simply by communicating the nomination to a committee member. One nomination per member can be made. Said members may also self-nominate. - In the case of off-cycle vacancies, the committee may move, without a public election, to appoint by simple majority vote new committee members to fill the seats until the next scheduled election. - A committee chairperson will be appointed by the committee members within 30 days of each completed election cycle. At that time a recording secretary will be selected. - Prospective committee members should be knowledgeable in some aspect of computing, preferably vintage computers, and show a demonstrated interest in vintage computing, computing history, and museum management and governance. - In order to be sufficiently aware and have proper perspective of museum and warehouse issues, prospective committee members should be able to physically attend VCF events at least quarterly and attend meetings regularly. 5. VCF MEMBERSHIP VCF general membership is open and granted to anyone who joins the mailing list. Voting rights will be granted to active list members who join no less than 30 days before an election.

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Re: Possibly OT: vintage vacuum tubes question
by Bob Shuster 03 Sep '26

03 Sep '26

Hopefully I can post a link, but I finally got around to laying out the tubes and taking some photos (link below.) Any interest? I’m near the Fort Washington Exit of the PA Turnpike - just outside of the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. There are 166 tubes in total, 8 are boxed, plus clips, sleeves, and sockets, plus a boxed Series 200 Relay Coil Assembly. - Bob Shuster https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14eD4bBqvaYx5AgVcnEKYGIePCNHwJlOa?us… > On Sun, Aug 9, 2026 at 12:53 PM Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic < > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > >> In going through my FIL’s things I came across a box with a few hundred >> vacuum tubes, most just loose in the box. For reference, my FIL was a PhD >> electrical engineer who worked at RCA - on NASA and other projects - but >> also liked to build his own speakers and amplifiers. I do not have a tester >> and in fact my electrical knowledge starts with transistors. I don’t want >> to give these away - I’m sure he spent hundreds if not more on them - but I >> also don’t want to go through the process of packing them all for shipping. >> There are some monster 13cm x 5cm tubes down to smaller c. 5cm tubes. I >> will lay them out and take photos and try to do some ID, but does anyone >> have any thoughts on these - or perhaps any interest? >> >> - Bob Shuster

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Re: Possibly OT: vintage vacuum tubes question
by Sentrytv 03 Sep '26

03 Sep '26

Bob If those were transistors from the 50’s, I would be interested. Maybe you have some of those ? Since the tubes are loose and not boxed, there may be a few that are new and in good condition. But most are average tubes. Personally, I would not be interested in the tubes, sorry. Mike Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. > On Sep 2, 2026, at 9:38 PM, Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > Hopefully I can post a link, but I finally got around to laying out the tubes and taking some photos (link below.) Any interest? I’m near the Fort Washington Exit of the PA Turnpike - just outside of the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. There are 166 tubes in total, 8 are boxed, plus clips, sleeves, and sockets, plus a boxed Series 200 Relay Coil Assembly. > > - Bob Shuster > > https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14eD4bBqvaYx5AgVcnEKYGIePCNHwJlOa?us… > >> On Sun, Aug 9, 2026 at 12:53 PM Bob Shuster via vcf-midatlantic < >> vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: >> >>> In going through my FIL’s things I came across a box with a few hundred >>> vacuum tubes, most just loose in the box. For reference, my FIL was a PhD >>> electrical engineer who worked at RCA - on NASA and other projects - but >>> also liked to build his own speakers and amplifiers. I do not have a tester >>> and in fact my electrical knowledge starts with transistors. I don’t want >>> to give these away - I’m sure he spent hundreds if not more on them - but I >>> also don’t want to go through the process of packing them all for shipping. >>> There are some monster 13cm x 5cm tubes down to smaller c. 5cm tubes. I >>> will lay them out and take photos and try to do some ID, but does anyone >>> have any thoughts on these - or perhaps any interest? >>> - Bob Shuster

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RCA 2020 tube
by daveyk021＠gmail.com 02 Sep '26

02 Sep '26

Someone asked me if I could locate some tube for him, an RCA 2020 tube. It is a Photo Multiplier Tube. I really do not know where to ask. This is Vintage, but I doubt an VT Computer used one, but one never knows -lol. If anyone has a forum suggestion, please give it. Thank you, kindly, * Dave

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VCF Swap Meet Oct. 17
by Jeffrey Brace 31 Aug '26

31 Aug '26

https://vcfed.org/vcf-swap-meet/ Signup for vendors: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXtLdCVrP3NOj7vPiSrCqlBBh8fQAJE7k… We are having it again in Brookdale's parking lot. Jeff Brace

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VCF Ontario Pre-Event Survey Results
by Jeffrey Brace 30 Aug '26

30 Aug '26

Here are the results of the VCF Ontario Pre-Event survey. Thank you for your participation! https://www.surveymonkey.com/stories/SM-5AjaEeVZi_2BzFa6kNxznYzA_3D_3D/ :-D Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner VCF Fundraising Manager VCF Evangelist Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

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Fujitsu 8" 80 MB SMD Hard drive available (Manhattan)
by Stephen A Edwards 27 Aug '26

27 Aug '26

I have a Fujitsu M2312K 8" 80 MB Winchester hard drive, which is too big for my collection to accommodate. The manual (on Bitsavers) points out it has "floppy disk drive dimensions," but they're referring to 8" floppy dimensions (two can sit side-by-side in a 19" rack!). I don't know whether it works. The power cabling appears intact and complete, but the ribbon cables are gone. It uses an SMD interface, which is old enough not to refer to a surface-mounted device. I'm located in Manhattan (New York City) and would be happy if you could pick it up and bring it to a spacious, appreciative home. Email me off-list if you're interested.

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Re: Can you identify this printer?
by David Hayden 27 Aug '26

27 Aug '26

And here it is for $399 in the July 1988 issue of Compute Magazine (page 82). That timing and price line up well with my recollections: https://archive.org/details/1988-07-compute-magazine/page/82/mode/2up?q=%22… Dave -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com

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Re: Can you identify this printer?
by David Hayden 27 Aug '26

27 Aug '26

Herb Johnson wrote: > Bingo. > 80 Microcomputing (magazine) December 1985 page 146 (PDF page 147) > ad for the D80 *with photo*. Photo matches Hayden's fuzzy image. > https://archive.org/details/80-microcomputing-magazine-1985-12/page/n147/mo… Herb, you're my hero. Thanks!! As for why, it's purely nostalgic. I responded yesterday but the message was rejected. I just now realized that the reason is that I sent it to the subscription request address. Oops! Here's yesterday's message: --------------------------------------- Thank you again for everyone's help identifying this printer! Dave Shevett wrote: >Might be a Brother HR-15? that has a similar layout, but the panel is a little different. I don't think so for the reason you mentioned. The panel is different. Adam Sampson wrote: > An archive.org full-text search finds an announcement in Computerworld from August 26, 1985: That's very helpful! There's a mention in there of the ECS printwheel handling 200 characters, which would explain the "dual font" that I mentioned. I suspect that this is the printer. If only I could find an image of it. Herb Johnson asked several questions which I'll answer below. Thanks, Herb, for taking the time to ask these. > Are you sure it was a daisy wheel and not a dot-matrix Yes, I'm certain. > Do you remember how you used those "buttons" on the keypad to do different things? Not really. I think one was to load the paper, but I don't recall anything specific about them. > What computer did you use with this printer? That was an AT&T 6300 or 6300+. Here's the full photo <https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bwq02x447555dsdv5sde8/N04_025.tif?rlkey=pd71…> that the previous one was cropped from. It shows the computer. > What did you print on it? Heh, heh ... One specific thing I remember was travel & living vouchers for work. They would reimburse meals and didn't require receipts up to $25 per meal? Per day? Something like that. Anyway, I created a spreadsheet with code to auto-fill the meal amounts with random numbers from $15-$25 ... Strictly as an academic exercise you understand.... Anyway, that thing slammed out those forms in no time flat, and that edge sensor meant that it put everything in just the right box. Oh yeah... Other than that, I probably printed letters and other miscellany on it. > Where did this photo come from? I took the photo myself. That's the actual printer. > Finally - why are you interested? Purely for my own curiosity and nostalgia. > You are asking strangers to do work. I asked the question "Can anyone identify this printer?" I never asked anyone to do work, and I apologize if anyone thought that I did. I was merely hoping that someone might recognize it. Still, I deeply appreciate the effort that you others have put forth. I think I'll try looking up Xerox marketing materials from 1985-86 to see if I can find a photo of the D80. My memory says that I bought it for a great price, probably a few hundred dollars, but a 1988 catalog lists it for about $1500, which is way more than I would have paid. Maybe I got it as surplus from AT&T where I worked at the time. It's a mystery. BTW, I donated it to a local school some time in the 90s and they eventually disposed of it. Thanks again to everyone for your help. Dave -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com

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Can you identify this printer?
by David Hayden 26 Aug '26

26 Aug '26

Can anyone identify this printer? Here's what I remember about it. All of this is fuzzy: * Bought around 1990. I think I purchased it from DAK. * Daisy wheel printer * It had a left-edge of paper sensor, so you could just drop in a piece of paper and it figured where the edge was. * Cool dual-font daisy wheel. I think it contained normal and italics on one print wheel. * The name *might* read "Advantage D80." That rings a faint bell in my head, but I can't find any info about it. Thanks! Dave -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com

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VCF Ontario 2027 Pre-Event Survey
by Jeffrey Brace 14 Aug '26

14 Aug '26

You're invited to help the planning of VCF Ontario 2027 by completing this short anonymous survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VL2QD8N The Vintage Computer Federation is contemplating running "Vintage Computer Festival in Ontario" which would be in the Greater Toronto Area in 2027. If you receive this invitation multiple times, please only complete it once, to avoid duplication. Take care! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President VCF East Showrunner VCF Fundraising Manager VCF Evangelist Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity https://vcfed.org/ <http://www.vcfed.org/>

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Looking for Amiga Blue SCSI boot image
by Sentrytv 14 Aug '26

14 Aug '26

Yeah, I’d look for one for myself. Also, let me know if you find it. Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. > On Aug 14, 2026, at 8:54 AM, Kelly Leavitt via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > For my Amiga 2000 using Commodore's SCSI card. > > To0o lazy to make one myself. Workbench 3.1. > > Any reliable sources?

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Re: Looking for Amiga Blue SCSI boot image
by Sentrytv 14 Aug '26

14 Aug '26

I too would love to know this link, please Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. > On Aug 14, 2026, at 9:20 AM, Ethan O'Toole via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > There is a site full of them. Will dig it up. > >> On Fri, 14 Aug 2026, Kelly Leavitt via vcf-midatlantic wrote: >> For my Amiga 2000 using Commodore's SCSI card. >> To0o lazy to make one myself. Workbench 3.1. >> Any reliable sources?

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Looking for Amiga Blue SCSI boot image
by Kelly Leavitt 14 Aug '26

14 Aug '26

For my Amiga 2000 using Commodore's SCSI card. To0o lazy to make one myself. Workbench 3.1. Any reliable sources?

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Claim-It: Buying and Selling on VCF's Discord channel #for-sale and website
by Jeffrey Brace 14 Aug '26

14 Aug '26

Hi everyone, Dave Shevett, a long time member of VCF created a new system that hooks into VCF's Discord channel #for-sale and on a website. What is ClaimIt? ClaimIt is a website / app that allows for communities to give away / sell items in a localized, friendly, topic-focused way. It's not meant as a replacement for Facebook or ebay or craigslist, but it's a way for a specific community to publish and sell items to friends and acquaintances who have similar interests. He is regularly working on the application, and he has a Discord server/setup that he's happy to invite you to where you can give honest feedback and bug reports (or use the bug tracker). What should you do if you want to participate? Check out the VCF community here: https://claimit.cc/?page=community&id=4. By default, new listings in that community will publish on #for-sale. Enjoy! Jeff Brace VCF National Board Member Chairman & Vice President

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VCF mentioned prominently in this article
by Dean Notarnicola 11 Aug '26

11 Aug '26

https://abcnews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/abcnews.com/amp/Lifestyle/wireSt…

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