May 2016 - vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Festivus 2016 - Dec. 3 & 4
by Jeffrey Brace 13 May '16

13 May '16

I know that this is *real* early, but some people coming from long distance need to plan ahead. Festivus will be December 3 & 4. We will be having it in the 9010-A classroom. It's a nicely renovated area. More details will be forthcoming in the coming months. Hope to see lots of you there! -- Jeff Brace

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Steve Dompier's coding...
by Herb Johnson 13 May '16

13 May '16

> [Cromemco Dazzler Dazzlemation...] > .... Mr. Dompier hand wrote that program > LITERALLY (hand, pencil, paper), no editor, no assembler. > He then toggled it in (or maybe raw keyed it in with a > primitive ROM monitor) and [used paper tape to save/restore it] I agree, it's informative to look at such code, to see methods of coding. But that's normal activity, given the era. When you don't have a computer with disk drives, an assembler program, a text editor...that's what you did, that's what we did in the era. Much of the earliest 8080 code (6502, 6800, 8008, 4004, 4040...) was hand coded. MOst of the early single-boards, didn't have resident assemblers. There was no choice, but this is how one understood the operation and programming of these processors. They were little logic engines; the code is the logic. It would be a lecture, to explain that further, and the history behind it. Some people today, still code by hand. Many 1802 COSMAC computer owners do that - I support some of that work. Example: I spent a few days recently, disassembling an 1802 FORTH implementation. About 1/3 of it was 1802 assembler; I used a disassembler for that part. The rest was just words - 16 bit addresses, one after another - which represented FORTH definitions. Those, I hand-aligned, determined the dictionary location, and "decoded" which FORTH word was represented. I learned a lot about setting up FORTH with an 1802. Herb -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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The June Workshop will be June 11 & 12
by Jeffrey Brace 11 May '16

11 May '16

The next workshop will be June 11 starting at 10 AM. June 4/5 and 25/26 are unavailable. June 18/19 is Father's Day weekend. So this is the only weekend available. So mark your calendars and I hope to see all of you there! Jeff Brace

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Testing....
by Evan Koblentz 11 May '16

11 May '16

No list messages since Monday night. Making sure this is still working...

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Testing....
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 11 May '16

11 May '16

Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic writes: >Ack https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YklZBA9UBjc

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Testing....
by Brian L. Stuart 11 May '16

11 May '16

> > > > No list messages since Monday night. Making sure this is still > > > > working... > > > > > > Arp > > > > Moog > > HA !! VCF-N-LISTPASS: List working normally BLS

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Bar in Philly tonight
by Evan Koblentz 09 May '16

09 May '16

A few of us are arranging to meet at a bar someplace in central Philly at 9pm tonight. Details to be determined. Open to all.

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ReallyPopular<tm> movie
by Evan Koblentz 09 May '16

09 May '16

>> Without giving out any spoilers, there's a shout out to our favorite hobby in the ReallyPopular<tm> movie released today. I think several people here became osmosisly aware :) of our involvement with such a movie. Presumably the NDA is moot now...

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Lo-Tech Z-80 Test Board
by william degnan 09 May '16

09 May '16

On May 8, 2016 9:26 PM, "Jeffrey Jonas via vcf-midatlantic" < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: > > replying to "Lo-tech_Z80_CPU_Test_Adapter > > It's an excuse for making and selling a PC board. > A 40 pin DIP CLIP does that and more: > for probing with a scope or logic analyzer. > Most system boards don't have the space or clearance for daughterboards. > > A stand alone Z80 CPU tester is just a clock source, > 5V and pull-up resistors, feeding the Z80 NO-OPS. > Then watch the CPU go thru its paces > > -- jeffj I know in the past people used a Sinclair zx81 or timex 1000 for this kind of thing. Easy to work with Bill Degnan twitter: billdeg vintagecomputer.net

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Lo-Tech Z-80 Test Board
by Jeffrey Jonas 08 May '16

08 May '16

replying to "Lo-tech_Z80_CPU_Test_Adapter It's an excuse for making and selling a PC board. A 40 pin DIP CLIP does that and more: for probing with a scope or logic analyzer. Most system boards don't have the space or clearance for daughterboards. A stand alone Z80 CPU tester is just a clock source, 5V and pull-up resistors, feeding the Z80 NO-OPS. Then watch the CPU go thru its paces -- jeffj

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