September 2020 - vcf-midatlantic

Commodore 1702 door
by svcatitc＠aol.com 21 Apr '23

21 Apr '23

Jeffrey Brace jeffrey at vcfed.org Writes:Wed Sep 2 13:48:24 EDT 2020 Sounds like an Outer Limits episode where the world was taken apart and remade every moment and sometimes they made mistakes which is why when you lose your keys you find time in a place that you already searched. I thought this was a Spielberg "Amazing Stories" episode, obviously not. The episode is: "A Matter of Minutes" is the third segment of the fifteenth episode from the first season (1985–86) of the television series The Twilight Zone. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Matter_of_Minutes I remember that scene where the couple is in the "Void of White Space" and the "Supervisor of the Maintenance of Time" says: (paraphrasing) "Ya know how you go back to look for something you know is supposed to be there multiple times and then it finally is where you thoughtit should be? That's us. We forgot something. We are now working on moving Christmas!" I personally call them the "Minute-Ahead" men and you may hear me at a workshop cursing at them!!!! I DOOO BELIEVE! Bill Inderrieden

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UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) was: How's Everyone Doing
by Jeffrey Brace 30 Nov '20

30 Nov '20

I decided to make a new thread since there is a lot of interest in this topic, etc. @Dave Mcguire. Thanks for the tip on where to buy replacement batteries. As far as I know APC is the most recommended brand. I see others are using Panasonic. I'm curious to know which brands everyone recommends or discourages? On Fri, Apr 24, 2020 at 1:02 PM Mike Loewen via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > On Fri, 24 Apr 2020, Ethan O'Toole via vcf-midatlantic wrote: > > > I used to work for a large music streaming provider and we had thousands > and > > thousand of servers. The data center would put out a notice that they're > > going to do UPS maintenance or Switchgear maintenance... and usually > that > > night we would have maybe up to 20 servers have issues. Hard hang or > maybe a > > reboot. Meanwhile everything looked okay. > > At one point, I had a production server in the data center, an IBM > RS6000 > with redundant power supplies (2). The techs were moving systems to a > different power bus and unplugged one of the supplies: my system promptly > shut > down. It turned out that my system required THREE power supplies before > redundancy was in effect. Oops. > > > Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us > Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/ > -- ========================================= 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, VCF East Showrunner Vintage Computer Federation http://www.vcfed.org/ jeffrey(a)vcfed.org

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VCF East Swap Meet - Save the Date - Saturday November 7 (Rain: Sunday November 8)
by Adam Michlin 04 Oct '20

04 Oct '20

Hi Everyone, Alas, there will be no consignment at our hybrid VCF East coming up, but we have decided to try something new and have an *outdoor* Swap Meet. Vendors (which can be individuals) will be able to rent space and people will be able to attend the event for the very modest fee of $5. All VCF surplus will also be on sale at this event. DATE: Saturday, November 7, with Rain Date Sunday, November 8 TIME: 9AM TO 6PM Location: InfoAge, 2201 Marconi Road Wall, NJ 07719 $20 for vendors for first space, $10 for each additional space. 4 spaces max - BRING YOUR OWN TABLES/BLANKETS/WHATEVER $5 for admissions for general public We want to emphasize this will be an *outdoor* event with a rain date on the following day. There will be no indoor contigency in the case of rain both days because of social distancing issues. If the event doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, and no one will be charged if the event does not happen. This will be different from consignment as we wont have a central place to pay for items. Vendors and individuals will have to man your area (or have someone else man it) for the entire event. There is absolutely no reason you can't work together, though, and have multiple people's items in one space (therefore manned by multiple people). The event will be only about the swap meet, so there should not be much of a pull (beyond wishing to shop) from manning your space. No electricity will be provided, so all items will have to be sold as is. We are also working on a lunch plan. I'm particulary excited about this because, back in the 1990s, my first stint (habit, if you prefer) of vintage computer collecting was supported by attending regular computer swap meets in Silicon Valley at De Anza College and Lawrence Livermore Labs. The enthusiam at consignment each year tells me we are ripe to bring something like this back on a regular basis, but, of course, COVID make things trickier than usual. Best wishes, -Adam

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Cleaning Franklin cases
by Bob Applegate 02 Oct '20

02 Oct '20

I’m looking to clean up some Franklin ACE-1xxx cases and am wondering if Retrobrite is the best option. They were yellow when manufactured so will retrobrite do much to change the color? Is there a recommended cleaner to get plain old grim off the crinkled finish? That alone might be enough. How about cleaning the key caps? Bob

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help for Sun SPARCstation support
by Herb Johnson 30 Sep '20

30 Sep '20

For some reason, I got a request for help from someone who is running some Sun SPARC stuff on their day job; several systems for legacy purposes. I don't "carry" much Sun stuff but my Web site does attract eyeballs. The person tells me: > Sparc5’s, Ultras, and Sparc Classics I’m trying to get functional. The problem I have with the Sparc5’s and Classics is I can’t get the software to install. The Ultra boxes I have can be upgraded to a Windows VM ... So I looked around the Web as they did, and I didn't see much current discussion about these systems. A decade ago there certainly was hobby interest in the little Sun boxes, I had some myself. Today, not so much - people I guess got them running or not and didn't need to say more about them. Or went the VM route. Or of course lost interest when the hardware died. I don't know - this is not my domain. "too new", he he. I told the person, look around vintage-computing sites and discussions and stir something up. I mentioned this site and said I'd post some inquiries. The request is something between hobby and professional; I'll let those interested sort that out. The person didn't say but I think they are in the Minnesota area. So: either post some response on the subject, show some general interest, and/or contact me. I'll forward results to this person, or they may see results if they read the maillist archive going forward. Regards, Herb -- 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] Kennt Vlassic Wrap Up
by Bill Degnan 30 Sep '20

30 Sep '20

LOL...I noticed the subject typo after sending. oh well! CT is only 3 hours away...if you're in the area come visit. I might even take back that Banyan server I snuck into your car all those years ago. b On Tue, Sep 29, 2020 at 12:48 PM Jim Scheef via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > No idea this involved pickles! > > <snip> > > Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Kennt Vlassic Wrap Up > > > >

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Kennt Vlassic Wrap Up
by Bill Degnan 30 Sep '20

30 Sep '20

The first anniversary event yesterday at Kennett Classic was successful and the new exhibits were (more or less) completed on time. Today? Take it easy. (and Go Eagles!). I am very thankful to my friends from System Source and VCFed who came to support the event and the growing local vintage computing community who stopped by. The weather wasn't perfect but the swap was open the entire day. I greatly appreciate the effort everyone made load/unload swap tables with quality items for sale. We all wore masks and kept it safe. Thank you Evan K for the donation of portable computing artifacts, manuals and books. (Posted to facebook) Yes we must deal with Covid 19, but there is nothing wrong with working now for the time when people can travel and visit without a @#$%! mask, which takes a toll on our events and museum traffic. I am going to work on a "vintage computing map" brochure handout containing points of interest related to computing and technology history within the MidAtlantic that groups/members can hand out to visitors of our various museums and possibly other museums and hotels, etc. The MidAtlantic has the Large Scale Systems Museum in the west (Pittsburgh), Info Age in the East (Wall NJ). System Source (Baltimore), Kennett Classic (Kennett Sq) and the hopefully opening soon Computer Church museum (Parkesburg PA ) are all on the Route 1 corridor between Baltimore and Philadelphia. There are also a number of more broadly "technology" oriented museums and centers that can be included as well. If anyone wants to work with me on this project contact me privately. Step one, build a list of the points of interest and gather visual materials (photos and maps). Best, Bill Kennettclassic.com Vintagecomputer.net

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Posting Correction
by svcatitc＠aol.com 29 Sep '20

29 Sep '20

My last Museum Report post concerning Wednesday Sept 21, had certain text that may have been misconstrued as derogatory, or criticism given in bad taste.. That was certainly not my intent. I am sorry for any malice or insult being taken by the posting. Please accept my most humble apologies. Bill Inderrieden

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VCF East 2020 Virtual Show update 9/27/20
by Jeffrey Brace 28 Sep '20

28 Sep '20

Hey everyone, Just wanted to give you an update for those wondering and waiting. I am currently waiting for the last of the videos to be submitted. They should all be in by the end of the week Oct. 3 (hopefully), then I will send out the schedule for the show hopefully by Oct. 5. We plan on showing through YouTube in the Vintage Computer Federation channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MidAtlanticRetroComp I'm very excited about the lineup for this event! Lots of famous people (Bil Herd & Dave Haynie), interesting projects (C256 Foenix), cool stuff (Xerox Star), fun stuff (Atari8BitBot). We have 6 exhibitors showing off their exhibits in-person and on-site. The virtual show will be October 10 & 11 from 9AM to 6PM. The general public is not allowed to the show. This may seem obvious, but I've had to explain a few times to people what a virtual show is and now the general public isn't allowed only a small number of organizers and exhibitors only. More details to come! -- ========================================= 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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Repair Workshop for VCF Museum owned artifacts: October 24 & 25, 2020
by Jeffrey Brace 28 Sep '20

28 Sep '20

Date: October 24 & 25, 2020 Time: 10AM to midnight (24th), 10AM to 6PM (25th) Building: CDL, 9032A VCF has a list of artifacts that need repair in the museum and the warehouse. We are looking for volunteers to come and help us repair them. Anything is fair game to repair *with permission*. These are artifacts either in the museum or warehouse. We want to get the ones in the museum working first as we like to have as much hands on working computers in the museum as possible. We are also looking for good or better demos for the computers in the museum. Any volunteers working on VCF stuff are *not* charged a fee this repair day and stay for free in the Sandy bunkroom. VCF will likely even pay for a simple breakfast (Dunkin Donuts) and lunch (Pizza). NEEDS REPAIRING: Mac Portable (needs good power supply and machine testing) TI Portable SWTPC HeathKit H89 Zorba (monitor) NEEDS DEMOS: Mac Portable TRS-80 Color 2 Challenger 2P Atari Mega STE? OREL Sinclair SX 80 clone SX 81 SWTPC TRS-80 Model I Osbourne 1 HeathKit H89 Zorba Commodore PET Atari 1040ST Amiga 1000 Commodore PET Zorba Signup here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PC9h_XgDNuKPhEVFC6_PMjt9SlKeLMhZgfq… -- ========================================= 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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