August 2020 - vcf-midatlantic

Saturday network wiring help @ InfoAge
by Jeffrey Brace 27 Aug '20

27 Aug '20

Martin and I need help with network wiring around museum building this Saturday 9/29 from 9AM onwards. Anyone available? Hoping to get outside work done before rain in the afternoon. -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey(a)vcfed.org cell: 732-759-1783

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Sound blaster 16 with IDE interface
by Sentrytv 27 Aug '20

27 Aug '20

I’m looking for an old ISA sound blaster 16 with IDE interface, not the PNP version, but the one with the jumpers for settings. Driver disk with it would also be helpful. If anybody has a working one that’s a reasonable price, please let me know. I’m in Edison NJ about 45 min from museum. Mike R. Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.

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Wanna VCF 2020 t-shirt?
by Jeffrey Brace 27 Aug '20

27 Aug '20

There is still time to order a VCF 2020 t-shirt for pickup at The VCF Museum. Cost for t-shirts is $20. Then I will send you a PayPal invoice. Fill out this Google Form to order one: https://forms.gle/a8PzyP9xuipgD8bL8 They come in Amber or Green. You can look here for pictures of them here: http://vcfed.org/wp/t-shirts If you want to order and have it delivered to your home, then do that here: http://vcfed.org/wp/t-shirts. Ordering from here is expected to continue to the end of the year, but may stop at any time. Cost is $20 + shipping. Deadline for ordering is September 17, 2020. Expected delivery date will be October 3 (a week before VCF East 2020). -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey(a)vcfed.org cell: 732-759-1783

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IBM Selectic
by Andrew Diller 27 Aug '20

27 Aug '20

https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/selectric/ <https://www.ibm.com/ibm/history/ibm100/us/en/icons/selectric/> Just came across that and it looked interesting. Dean- I know you recently got a nice one, and I just got a nice Selectric II (thanks DaveR) - but mine needs some cleaning. It powers on but random ghost keypresses ensue and it's either in need of contact cleaning or it's haunted and warning me to get out of my house... Anyone have some good leads on resources they can share to clean and lube up these guys? -andy

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] The good old days of user groups.
by Jeffrey Jonas 27 Aug '20

27 Aug '20

replying to Herb Johnson: A major offshoot of user groups/clubs was shareware. SIG/M was a library of over 100: 8" floppies freely shared by the CP/M groups. There were IBM 1130 groups in the 70s that shared software and newsletters. SHARE was for IBM mainframe folks to share software, libraries, documentation, etc. Science Fiction fandom and anime clubs were similar with APAs, newsletters and fanzines (fan published magazines), being slow to adopt all electronic forums due to the digital-divide (many members had no computer access). -- jeff jonas

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Repair workshop wrap-up 7/11 & 7/12, 2020
by Jeffrey Brace 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

On Wed, Aug 26, 2020 at 6:29 PM laurakid via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > Just getting the data would be great. If possible the image files i might > want cross platform because I have a dual 2G Powermac and the Adobe > Creative Suite. I figure I may as well see if i can use that setup for art > photography/design rather than forking out money each month for > subscription. > Next workshop is September 12 & 13. Bring it to the workshop. > > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > > > On Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 3:31 PM, Ian Primus via vcf-midatlantic < > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > Recovering drives, as in, getting the data off unknown Mac hard > drives? If you want, I can bring along stuff to image them - convert > to a file on a PC which you can then mount and pull files out of or > use in an emulator. Making a full block image of a drive is a great > way to preserve it and ensure you can get whatever you need out of it. > Or are you just trying to get drives working with a Mac? > > -Ian > > On Wed, Aug 26, 2020 at 4:15 AM laurakid via vcf-midatlantic > <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > I really need help recovering hard drives from several old macs . I > have external drives also but honestly I was always terrible at labeling > anything. If anyone can help me at the workshop, that would be awesome. > It seems to be on topic this time around? > > > > > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > > > > > > On Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 12:13 AM, Jeffrey Brace via > vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > On Tue, Aug 25, 2020 at 9:20 AM Jeff Salzman via vcf-midatlantic < > > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > > At the August Workshop, someone asked me about the brushed metal > ZoomFloppy > > > case I had, and I forgot who asked me about it. The person I bought it > from > > > still has more of those cases available. If you're still interested in > > > getting one for yourself, I can pass contact information around. > > > > > > > I asked you about it. Send me the info please. > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Jeff Salzman > > > > > > > > > On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 6:41 PM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < > > > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > > > > We had 10 people come to our repair workshop. It was very successful > and > > > > everyone enjoyed it. We seem to have a pattern that works for > everyone, > > > so > > > > we will repeat it for the next workshop on August 15 & 16. > > > > > > > > I worked on recovering data from a modern hard drive Jonathan and Ian > > > > helped), which I will detail in another email. I also was successful > in > > > > repairing a Rev A Commodore 64 board. Alex Jaccocks and Jonathan > Sturges > > > > helped me. It had bad Character RAM (U6), Character ROM (901225) and > a > > > bad > > > > U1 chip (6526). This Rev A board has a ceramic VIC 6567 chip too! > > > > > > > > Bill Dromgoole successfully repaired the museum's Ohio Scientific > > > computer. > > > > There were 3 keys that needed replacing. > > > > > > > > Ian fixed one of his black and white TVs and worked on many other > things > > > > with others. > > > > > > > > Neville worked on his Kay Pro. I'm not sure how he made out with his > > > > repairs. > > > > > > > > Mike Rosen worked on Commodore 1541 repairs. > > > > > > > > Ian and Jason Perkins also worked on scanning some documents from the > > > > museum warehouse for preservation. > > > > > > > > Don't know what Alex Jaccocks and Jonthan Sturges were working on. > > > > > > > > Bill Indereidden continued to document and work on the Wang 4000. > > > > > > > > Maybe everyone can tell what they were working on and their progress. > > > > > > > > Next workshop is August 15 & 16: Sign up here: > > > > > > > > > > > > https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L3Jc_RIHiBG08kZOOAgzvqjf8G0ox9ZRa6B… > > > > > > > > There will be a limit to 10 people in the workshop area. If more > want to > > > > come, then there is room for 2 or 3 people in the museum workshop > space. > > > > Face masks are required for this gathering. > > > > -- > > > > ========================================= > > > > Jeff Brace > > > > Vice President & Board Member, VCF East Showrunner > > > > Vintage Computer Federation > > > > http://www.vcfed.org/ > > > > jeffrey(a)vcfed.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > ========================================= > > Jeff Brace > > Vice President & Board Member > > Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner > > Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity > > http://www.vcfed.org/ > > jeffrey(a)vcfed.org > > cell: 732-759-1783 > > > > > > > > > -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President & Board Member Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey(a)vcfed.org cell: 732-759-1783

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Repair workshop wrap-up 7/11 & 7/12, 2020
by Ian Primus 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

Recovering drives, as in, getting the data off unknown Mac hard drives? If you want, I can bring along stuff to image them - convert to a file on a PC which you can then mount and pull files out of or use in an emulator. Making a full block image of a drive is a great way to preserve it and ensure you can get whatever you need out of it. Or are you just trying to get drives working with a Mac? -Ian On Wed, Aug 26, 2020 at 4:15 AM laurakid via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > I really need help recovering hard drives from several old macs . I have external drives also but honestly I was always terrible at labeling anything. If anyone can help me at the workshop, that would be awesome. It seems to be on topic this time around? > > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > > > On Wednesday, August 26, 2020, 12:13 AM, Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > On Tue, Aug 25, 2020 at 9:20 AM Jeff Salzman via vcf-midatlantic < > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > At the August Workshop, someone asked me about the brushed metal ZoomFloppy > > case I had, and I forgot who asked me about it. The person I bought it from > > still has more of those cases available. If you're still interested in > > getting one for yourself, I can pass contact information around. > > > > I asked you about it. Send me the info please. > > > > > > Thanks, > > Jeff Salzman > > > > > > On Mon, Jul 13, 2020 at 6:41 PM Jeffrey Brace via vcf-midatlantic < > > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > > We had 10 people come to our repair workshop. It was very successful and > > > everyone enjoyed it. We seem to have a pattern that works for everyone, > > so > > > we will repeat it for the next workshop on August 15 & 16. > > > > > > I worked on recovering data from a modern hard drive Jonathan and Ian > > > helped), which I will detail in another email. I also was successful in > > > repairing a Rev A Commodore 64 board. Alex Jaccocks and Jonathan Sturges > > > helped me. It had bad Character RAM (U6), Character ROM (901225) and a > > bad > > > U1 chip (6526). This Rev A board has a ceramic VIC 6567 chip too! > > > > > > Bill Dromgoole successfully repaired the museum's Ohio Scientific > > computer. > > > There were 3 keys that needed replacing. > > > > > > Ian fixed one of his black and white TVs and worked on many other things > > > with others. > > > > > > Neville worked on his Kay Pro. I'm not sure how he made out with his > > > repairs. > > > > > > Mike Rosen worked on Commodore 1541 repairs. > > > > > > Ian and Jason Perkins also worked on scanning some documents from the > > > museum warehouse for preservation. > > > > > > Don't know what Alex Jaccocks and Jonthan Sturges were working on. > > > > > > Bill Indereidden continued to document and work on the Wang 4000. > > > > > > Maybe everyone can tell what they were working on and their progress. > > > > > > Next workshop is August 15 & 16: Sign up here: > > > > > > > > https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L3Jc_RIHiBG08kZOOAgzvqjf8G0ox9ZRa6B… > > > > > > There will be a limit to 10 people in the workshop area. If more want to > > > come, then there is room for 2 or 3 people in the museum workshop space. > > > Face masks are required for this gathering. > > > -- > > > ========================================= > > > Jeff Brace > > > Vice President & Board Member, VCF East Showrunner > > > Vintage Computer Federation > > > http://www.vcfed.org/ > > > jeffrey(a)vcfed.org > > > > > > > > -- > ========================================= > Jeff Brace > Vice President & Board Member > Vintage Computer Festival East Show-runner > Vintage Computer Federation is a 501c3 charity > http://www.vcfed.org/ > jeffrey(a)vcfed.org > cell: 732-759-1783 > > >

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Found treasure - Fluke 9010A
by Richard Cini 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

I was looking in the attic for something and a box I thought was empty actually contains a Fluke 9010A debugger with an 8080 pod. I used it for one of my first projects debugging my Altair -- 15 years ago I’m guessing. I thought I sold it, but I guess not ☺ My wife, unfortunately, doesn’t share my gleeful exuberance… If anyone has a Z80 or 8086 pod for it, keep me in mind! Rich -- Rich Cini http://www.classiccmp.org/cini http://www.classiccmp.org/altair32

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] The good old days of user groups
by Herb Johnson 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

Jeff jonas says: > giving them the false sense of entitlement > that Internet access is a "right". > No, like driving, it is a PRIVILEGE. "The Internet" was many things at many points in time. The ARPAnet was VERY privileged - for national defense and research. So it was something, then it became something else. Technology which was once scarce, but becomes a commodity, does that. My recent post described "scarcity" of personal computing technology. Many people lament the loss of the past. But this forum is not a political or social-action arena. So a discussion of the politics of the Internet is likely off-topic. I am not in charge so that's merely my working opinion. I will not debate rights versus privileges here, except to say Internet access is such an essential service to live and work in this country, that I think calling it a "privilege" and thus revocable is less than optimal. As for the past of social behavior, yeah, many people behave poorly these days on da Internets, and we also get access to that along with everything else we get. I don't think that's new. Imagine if you had to sit on a streetcorner in a busy city, and see *every single thing that happened there*. Now imagine, someone else feeds you views of the worst of it - for "free" (free access so your name is sold to people who want to sell you stuff). Who do we blame for that, eh? > The burning of the library of Alexandria pales in comparison > to the information and personal effort destroyed > every time a hard drive fails or a major web page does down. I don't know that. "It's harder to delete than it is to save". Stuff gets lost over time but there's services that preserve some of it and there's a lot of duplication. And a lot of stuff is very "forgetable". The Alexandria library was like destroying HALF "the internet" of the era (the other half being held in other cultures). A value of vintage computing is to preserve history, in various forms. People are telling their stories, they are informative and are being preserved by telling. I'm a technologist by training, I preserve physical stuff, but it has human meaning and a context of development and use. I have stumbled into history. Regards, Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net preserve, recover, restore 1970's computing email: hjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT com or try later herbjohnson AT retrotechnology DOT info

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] The good old days of user groups
by Jeffrey Jonas 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

When I was an undergrad at the Cooper Union Computer Center [78-82], we were fortunate to be an early adopter of Unix version 6 on a PDP11/45. We were INTERACTIVE in a day when most other colleges were still mainframe batch via punched cards. But we were isolated. No modem or links to the outside world. When I consulted to AT&T in the mid to late 80s, I finally had USENET access. Yea, there were already "flame wars" but back then people were /mostly/ accountable for their actions. Students could lose computer access. Employees could get reprimanded by their boss. AOL's "perpetual September" ruined all that when subscribers could PAY for Usenet & Internet access, giving them the false sense of entitlement that Internet access is a "right". No, like driving, it is a PRIVILEGE. Back then, there were "net personalities". Kind folks who set a wonderful tone. Larry Lippman was a noted chemist whose replies were always fun to read and taught us something. "have your hugged your cat today" was his .sig Jeff Meyer @ Fluke was famous for his monthly net.comics "Moriarty reviews", as was jmb (Jerry Boyajian). The successful systems fostered a sense of community. I was late to understand that, thus missing out on some wonderful BBS fandoms such as Elfquest's Electronic Holt and early anthropomorphic fandom BBSs. My main FurryMuck character was Created Jan 1994. The "old guard" is still there having more fun than IRC since the system provides environment, ambiance and programmable characters to foster more imaginative interactions. replying to others: Dave McGuire gripes: > The Internet is presented to people as a "you can GET this, you can GET that!" > "Get get get!" ...not "participate", not "communicate" ... Tom Lehrer said it best "Life is like a sewer: what you get out of it depends on what you put into it" The Internet is seen as a source for entertainment, just like television/radio/cable-TV. A place to tune in and zone out. This is furthered by the way ISPs cheat us by taking away personal web spaces. The demise of systems such as Geocities destroyed countless man-YEARS of effort. Delphi forums died. Yahoo groups died. The burning of the library of Alexandria pales in comparison to the information and personal effort destroyed every time a hard drive fails or a major web page does down. Neil Cherry: > Except on AOL ... ;-) I even think Genie users > had more technical background than most Internet users. I was on GEnie and lurked on the round-tables. I didn't have much to say back then. I seem to recall that GEnie used a decent interface that worked on "dumb terminals" thus giving a full screen of content, vs Prodigy or AOL's user-coddling barely-almost GUI that barely give 1/4 screen of content. Ethan O'Toole: > The Internet has a ton of people sharing information. > I mean, look at youtube. How to fix cars, HVAC, build things ... > It far exceeds the old days millions times over. Agreed, but it took many years to reach that critical mass of GOOD content and ways to find it. Recent YouTube videos taught me how to fix my car, garage door and other stuff. But it's still outweighed by insipid videos from wobbly cellphones. On the bright side, it's a channel for tech folks to share and even earn some money, such as ladyada's Adafruit, Fran Blanche, Jeri Ellsworth, Nixie Pixel, Dave Jones' eevblog, Big Clive, Julian Ilett BradH the Vintage Computer Aussie, Techmoan, Andreas Spiess, The Ben Heck show, Great Scott Lab, Add Ohms, Christopher Barnatt's Explaining Computers, RetroManCave, LGR: vintage computers, The 8-Bit Guy, 8-Bit Show And Tell, Dr. Scott M. Baker's web site, among others. and so it goes -- Jeff Jonas

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