November 2018 - vcf-midatlantic

FESTIVUS SIGNUP 2018!
by Jeffrey Brace 09 Nov '18

09 Nov '18

Festivus signups are looking great! Lots more people signing up. :-) We are up to about 33 people. Let's keep it up. Here is the FESTIVUS signup: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CYLtFeyBlKwX7h2ohfXz421hFQjZTPPAkdV… > We ALSO need volunteers to sign up to be DOCENT for one hour. The holiday train show is that weekend and InfoAge will be quite busy. Here is the signup for that. DOCENT signup: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yyENBp9Oi2Cudkns4X9ssZc2usaGRYHQmbv… > Here is more information. *DATE:* December 1 & 2, 2018 *TIME:* Start about 10 A.M. on Saturday and goes late into the night until everyone sleeps. End about 5 P.M. on Sunday. (Re-starts around 10 A.M. Sunday morning) *LOCATION:* InfoAge Building 9010-D - (2201 Marconi Road, Wall Township, NJ) - It will be straight ahead once you enter through the gate. The door is marked Sandy Recovery and is up the steps. *PARKING:* InfoAge management wants us to park inside the campus, in a neat orderly row, between the Festivus building and the hackerspace building. The main parking lot remains available for guests of the model train show. Do not cost IA money by leaving it open to confuse paying guests. Always close it behind you when you enter/exit, EVEN IF IT WAS ALREADY OPEN! *COST:* $10 for all members attending Festivus, which VCF pays to InfoAge to rent the space and buy burgers, hot dogs and some supplies. $25 if you are staying overnight. See below for details. *EQUIPMENT:* VCF will have tables setup for food and games. We will have full sized refrigerators to temporarily store food and drinks. VCF had a grill donated and will buy a propane tank to cook hamburgers and hot dogs outside. *DRINKS:* Everyone is encouraged to bring their own drinks and enough to share with others. Bring your favorite and put what you are bringing on the list: *FOOD:* VCF will be supplying burgers, hot dogs, condiments, plates, forks, napkins, cups. You are encouraged to bring your own favorite good and put what you are bringing on the list. If you are not sure what to bring, then ask me. I will have some suggestions. *IMPORTANT TO KEEP FOOD AND DRINKS IN THE CAFETERIA! THIS IS THE RULE OF THE FACILITY OWNERS.* *ENTERTAINMENT?* Movies this year in the woman's bunk room. Ian: Vintage video games Jeff Brace: Commodore 64 games: 1) Bear, 2) 4 Player game, 3) PAL C64 to play European games/demos Cards Against Humanity! Vectrex Alex Jaccocks: C128 Games *STAYING OVERNIGHT?* Let me know if you want to stay overnight. The cost is $25. You provide your own mattress cover, blankets, pillows. There is a shower area, lounge, bunk beds, hot water for tea, microwave oven, toaster oven, keurig, coffee pot, ice machine, sink, cable TV, wi-fi. To get an accurate headcount, let me know as soon as possible that you are staying overnight and how many nights. There will be coffee, milk, cream, sugar and tea bags available as well. * SIGN-UP LINK:* < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CYLtFeyBlKwX7h2ohfXz421hFQjZTPPAkdV… > *MAP WHERE TO PARK:* <https://drive.google.com/open?id=1i_2cgAqnjub4rYE922Cwki38Nsdt8cp_> *DOCENT SIGNUP:* < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yyENBp9Oi2Cudkns4X9ssZc2usaGRYHQmbv… > -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Museum Report 2018-11-04 November 4, 2018
by Jeffrey Brace 09 Nov '18

09 Nov '18

Bill Sudbrick stopped by on his trip back from a rescue. Donated a Weller soldering iron and a anti-static matt to VCF. He hadn't seen the museum for quite some time, so he looked at the updates. -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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OT: Laptop wanted
by Evan Koblentz 09 Nov '18

09 Nov '18

I love my Chromebook, but sometimes I want a regular laptop. Dell Latitude E6510 isn't cutting it anymore. It's a brick and only has 4MB memory. I'm looking for something lighter with modern-ish specs. The software doesn't matter because I will wipe it and install Linux. Also, as inexpensive as possible... Anyone have something suitable? Please reply off-list.

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Supercomputer is all set!
by Evan Koblentz 08 Nov '18

08 Nov '18

I sent this message a few hours ago but it bounced somehow: Ian, Bill I., and myself all unloaded the VAX 9000 this morning. Diver Dan operated the forklift. A 28-foot trailer arrived here at 8am followed by another at 9am. There were 13 pallets on the first trailer and 12 on the second. Somehow, the space that we made in the warehouse yesterday and throughout the last few weeks was MORE than needed! We saved even more space after the delivery because Ian found a way to consolidate five of the new pallets onto others. Ian and I also discussed how to display at least part of the system in the museum. The simplest thing we can do is put the Cray YMP-EL back into storage and use the space for the 9000 main cabinet and maybe one peripheral cabinet. Side benefit: it would better match the StorageTek Timberwolf tape library than the Cray does. Here are some pictures: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1By6kUcofbhJfW6X3oMGOosStv85DPrpS/view?usp=… https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E-Q5xrsYXyjrZEZh92xIBhlStvvNUcRV/view?usp=… https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bEpSMzBEeOvuDnzPQ9Npc7iYmDhjZq8c/view?usp=… It took us a few pallets to get the hang of things this morning, but once we got going then everything went pretty well. There were no significant problems, just a couple of minor challenges that we solved on-the-fly, and no people/computers suffered any harm -- except our stomachs, which we cured with pizza. I can't wait to show this to you all in person at Festivus and beyond! Special thanks to our new best friends in Colorado and to the person who funded the transportation. ________________________________ Evan Koblentz, executive director Vintage Computer Federation a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit evan(a)vcfed.org (646) 546-9999 www.vcfed.org facebook.com/vcfederation twitter.com/vcfederation instagram.com/vcfederation

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Hello Introduction
by Richard Cini 08 Nov '18

08 Nov '18

Welcome to the group Tom! On Thu, Nov 8, 2018 at 11:27 AM Tony Bogan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > On Nov 8, 2018, at 11:01 AM, Tom McNicholas via vcf-midatlantic < > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > Evan suggested I post a hello and background not sure of length or > detail > > is the norm,, so here goes > > Retired a few years ago but still on the board of directors after a 45 > > year stint with a local electronics manufacturing company doing DOD work. > > during the 45 years did everything from testing, QA, engineering and > plant > > manager Prior to the 45 year stint was in the USAF working on VHF, UHF > and > > teaching then a couple of DOD manufacturing companies working on SSB > > transmitters, Radar, Sonar and microwave., > > > > During the 70,s at work used the Apple II and later the Mac during the > > 80,ss and at that time started using the commodore 64 and Radio Shack 100 > > at home latter moving to the 128 and then building IBM clones from > parts > > bought at computer shows. Now all I do is just buy them ,too many as per > my > > wife. . > > > > Presently have a small collection of vintage computers around 25 which I > am > > sure is nothing compared to other members of the group. But I am looking > > forward to meeting others in the group who share my interest in vintage > > computers. > > > > My only other interests outside of family and grandchildren are short > wave > > radio and occasional riding on my Can Am trike. > > > > Regards > > Tom McNicholas > > Wall NJ > > Welcome Tom! I’m right down the road in Bricktown. Knowing your background > with VHF and SSB I may need to call on you to help when we have a problem > with those installed on our fishing boats!! (I wouldn’t do that, retirement > should be enjoyed!) > > It’s nice to see another enthusiast in the general area (and even closer > than I am to the museum!) > > My main interest is Apple IIs through the early compact Macs/Mac II > machines so any questions, items you’re looking for or help with machines > don’t hesitate to ask! > > Tony Bogan

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Supercomputer is all set!
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 08 Nov '18

08 Nov '18

Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> writes: > >I sent this message a few hours ago but it bounced somehow: > >Ian, Bill I., and myself all unloaded the VAX 9000 this morning. Diver >Dan operated the forklift. > >A 28-foot trailer arrived here at 8am followed by another at 9am. There >were 13 pallets on the first trailer and 12 on the second. > >Somehow, the space that we made in the warehouse yesterday and >throughout the last few weeks was MORE than needed! We saved even more >space after the delivery because Ian found a way to consolidate five of >the new pallets onto others. > >Ian and I also discussed how to display at least part of the system in >the museum. The simplest thing we can do is put the Cray YMP-EL back >into storage and use the space for the 9000 main cabinet and maybe one >peripheral cabinet. Side benefit: it would better match the StorageTek >Timberwolf tape library than the Cray does. > >Here are some pictures: > >https://drive.google.com/file/d/1By6kUcofbhJfW6X3oMGOosStv85DPrpS/view?usp=… > >https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E-Q5xrsYXyjrZEZh92xIBhlStvvNUcRV/view?usp=… > >https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bEpSMzBEeOvuDnzPQ9Npc7iYmDhjZq8c/view?usp=… > >It took us a few pallets to get the hang of things this morning, but >once we got going then everything went pretty well. There were no >significant problems, just a couple of minor challenges that we solved >on-the-fly, and no people/computers suffered any harm -- except our >stomachs, which we cured with pizza. > >I can't wait to show this to you all in person at Festivus and beyond! > >Special thanks to our new best friends in Colorado and to the person who >funded the transportation. Was this a system from DEC CSC? When is it getting hooked up and running?

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Anyone want some Centronics style parallel cables and switch box?
by Bob Applegate 07 Nov '18

07 Nov '18

I’ve got at least four of the Centronics cables and a four-to-one switchbox looking for a new home, or a trip to the local dump, whichever comes first. Email me if interested and I can box them up. Bob

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Small museum improvement
by Evan Koblentz 07 Nov '18

07 Nov '18

Joe W. from IXR gave us a 26" LCD. It's an upgrade from the 22" one we had before.

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Carpool to Baltimore for workshop?
by Evan Koblentz 07 Nov '18

07 Nov '18

I can take three people now that I've got a normal-sized car! Rather go with others because it passes the time faster and saves on gas/costs.

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SS Gathering on Sunday, any IMSAI people?
by Ethan O'Toole 07 Nov '18

07 Nov '18

Howdy, I am planning to make the trip up on the 11th to System Source for the gathering. Anyone familiar with IMSAI systems going to be there? I have one that I've never gotten fully running. I'd like to try to make a little progress if possible. - Ethan

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