May 2021 - vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Bernoulli Drives needed in working condition
by Jeffrey Brace 18 May '21

18 May '21

On Tue, May 18, 2021 at 10:56 AM Ben Greenfield via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > It’s important to realize that when I was introduced to Bernoulli’s in ’92 > they were already outdated. > What could this data possible be and who is a alive that would care... > It is payroll data that the couple used for their business for many years, so it is quite sensitive. > > > On May 18, 2021, at 10:54 AM, Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic < > vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > > On 5/18/21 10:49 AM, Ethan Dicks via vcf-midatlantic wrote: > >> Yes, you _can_ get edge bits and weak bits and all of that, but who is > >> going to go to that much effort? > > > > A lot of this (ok, ALL of this) is a psychological issue. Most people > > and organizations have a dramatically inflated opinion of the value of > > their data. The reality is that nobody really cares, in the vast > > majority of cases. > > > > LSSM has a boilerplate data protection/destruction contract (i.e., > > protect until we can destroy) that we've used to assuage the concerns of > > these types of people. It has satisfied the donor in the dozen or so > > times it has been used. > > > > One was a payroll company with live data on drives, and it was > > reviewed by their legal department. > > > > The contract is pretty simple, but I can send it over to VCF folks if > > it would be useful. > > > > -Dave > > > > -- > > Dave McGuire, AK4HZ > > New Kensington, PA > >

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The June Repair Workshop Signup
by Jeffrey Brace 18 May '21

18 May '21

The next repair workshop @ Camp Evans will be June 12 & 13. Signup is here: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11iQyGDYyrFsAFQp73YwYnL-3soQIVDGOLid… > ========================================= 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

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Apple Lisa XL and HP 41 for sale (not mine)
by Jeffrey Brace 17 May '21

17 May '21

David N. Hingston (dhingston(a)comcast.net) is selling the following: 1) Apple Lisa 2/10 It was converted to a Mac XL and it worked the last time it was turned off some 35 years ago. He has a pile of original apps for it (Odesta, AEC, Mac3D, etc.) with original documentation, and he may have the original Lisa motherboard somewhere. 2) HP41 calculator It has a number of accessories: a programming wand and a book of barcodes, specialty program cards, keyboard inserts, original manuals, etc. Contact him by e-mail if interested. ========================================= 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

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] GSA lighthouse offices available
by Gregg Levine 16 May '21

16 May '21

Hello! Yes it would be. If there was one closer to the present location. or is that yet another museum? Especially as I thought the one that lives at InfoAge was part of the VCF commitment to the location? And remember that was written by the people who brought us that strange serial about a strange location in that area. ----- Gregg C Levine gregg.drwho8(a)gmail.com "This signature fought the Time Wars, time and again." On Sun, May 16, 2021 at 6:29 PM Sentrytv via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > Here is a link that I found online after I read a newspaper article referring to the federal government, general services administration, providing free offices to Nonprofit organizations and others. > These “offices” happen to be old light houses that are no longer are used. > Would it be interesting if VCF were to have a computer museum in a lighthouse? > Link is below. > > https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mprnews.org/amp/story/2021/05/15/free-offi… > > Sent from: > My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. "I said do be careful with that! That's an heirloom.", the Doctor might have said that about his TARDIS.

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VCF East 2021 Exhibitor Registration is open!
by Jeffrey Brace 16 May '21

16 May '21

Sorry for the delay, but we wanted to make sure everything was in place as we start gearing up for VCF East 2021! Our assumption is that we will be doing a live show with few restrictions as things are looking really good in New Jersey and are expected to be even better by October. This is the link for registration of your exhibit: https://forms.gle/HMMqS5NbaS3Cu5c18 Over the next few weeks we will be sending out updates on VCF East 2021. We already have some exciting speakers lined up for the show and we have some changes to the show that I hope everyone will find exciting and make it a more festive Festival. ========================================= 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

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GSA lighthouse offices available
by Sentrytv 16 May '21

16 May '21

Here is a link that I found online after I read a newspaper article referring to the federal government, general services administration, providing free offices to Nonprofit organizations and others. These “offices” happen to be old light houses that are no longer are used. Would it be interesting if VCF were to have a computer museum in a lighthouse? Link is below. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mprnews.org/amp/story/2021/05/15/free-offi… Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Sun server not mine
by Bill Degnan 16 May '21

16 May '21

And i have a free sun server available Kennettclassic.com/freestuff/ On Sun, May 16, 2021, 4:26 PM Sentrytv via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > https://www.facebook.com/groups/vintagecomputerswapmeet/permalink/400865625… > > > Sent from: > My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. >

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Sun server not mine
by Sentrytv 16 May '21

16 May '21

https://www.facebook.com/groups/vintagecomputerswapmeet/permalink/400865625… Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device.

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H89 for museum; gotek?
by Herb Johnson 16 May '21

16 May '21

The subject of the Museum's H89 and the May workshop continues. I'm not discussing the GoTek. In short summary, it works but there's some problems. It is not ready for Museum operation. I did not have time, to work on the companion external floppy drive, but I am aware of certain problems with it. I counted the H89's in the Warehouse, there are several which I did not examine closely. I will follow up in due course. Thanks to Jeff Saltzman, he provided assistance and tools some bootable diskettes from the H89 he successfully was able to operate. Thanks to CDL for their tools and workspace. Thanks to the VCFed staff for their assistance and borrowing the Radio Club's Variac, and conducting me to the Warehouse to assess the H89's there. By "works", I mean I could boot a HDOS 40 track hard-sectored diskette to the HDOS prompt. But 1) two characters on the keyboard, I and K and J, produce odd results. So it's hard to operate the H89 if you can't "type" I or J or K. The H89 has a CPU/computer board and a seperate terminal board, they are connected by a serial link. so the problem is more likely on the "terminal" side. 2) The drive and controller are single-sided 40 track and hard sectored. So only HDOS and CP/M disks for the Heath H89 in that format can be used. The drive initially did not spin disks well because the hub mech was gummed up. I disassembled, cleaned, relubricated that mech. 3) There's tantalum caps on the CPU board of the system which are running just at rated voltage (20 volts). From my experience, they are at risk of shorting and catching fire. They could be replaced with higher voltage ratings, or possibly the DC voltage can be reduced, or the H89 can be run at reduced AC voltage (below 120VAC which is at-the-outlet at InfoAge). These are known issues with known solutions. (Readers: there's no need to go nuts about diagnosing these problems. They are known to any H89 owner who does repairs. I'm not stumped. I'm just sayin', these are the results of a day's work. ) The H89 as displayed, has a companion disk drive in cabinet. The drive in it matches the drive described in the H89. It has at least the same gummy-spindle problem. I did not power it up or work on it Saturday, I won't be there Sunday. In the warehouse are about six H89's, condition undetermined. Rumor is, some were provided as with issues. I did not assess their operating condition, I just counted them, they are stored where they should be. I emailed some details to Jeff Brace today, and put paper notes on the units for the Museum staff. I'll publish details on my Web site in due course. I may be able to work further on these items, to be determined. 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 comcast DOT net

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Workshop schedule vs. Hamfest schedule
by Sentrytv 16 May '21

16 May '21

Hamfest schedule will determine whether I can make it or not, I had a full day at the hamfest yesterday. I just didn’t feel like making it to the workshop today, sorry. thanks for the invite I’ll try and make next one if I can Mike Rosen Sent from: My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. > On May 14, 2021, at 6:23 PM, Jeffrey Brace <jeffrey(a)vcfed.org> wrote: > > >> On Fri, May 14, 2021 at 5:14 PM Sentrytv <sentrytv(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> I would love to come to the workshop tomorrow but I can’t. >> I will be selling my off some of my stuff up at the hamfest in Succasunna, New Jersey on Saturday. >> I may be able to try for Sunday but not sure yet. >> It would be nice to see these systems. > > Well I hope that you can make it, if not then the next repair workshop on June 12 & 13. > >> >> Mike Rosen >> >> Sent from: >> My extremely complicated, hand held electronic device. >> >> > On May 14, 2021, at 3:52 PM, Herb Johnson via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: >> > >> > >> >> >> >>> On Sun, May 9, 2021 at 5:42 PM Jeff Salzman wrote: >> >>> I have an H89 that was donated to me, for my collection. I will not be >> >>> donating it to the museum. The museum already has one. However, I will be >> >>> bringing this system to the next Workshop to clean, troubleshoot if >> >>> necessary, and test. >> >>> >> >>> Along with what I received are about 150 SSDD hard sectored disks of >> >>> personal software from when this system was being actively used back in the >> >>> late 70s/early 80s. >> > >> >>> I don't see [the museum's] >> >>> need for more than three or four disks on hand for demonstration >> >>> purposes, just like the Osborne and Zorba. >> > >> > Looks like I'll be able to attend the Workshop tomorrow. So I'll be able to assist Jeff Salzman with the Museum's H89 and his new acquisition, if that would be useful. Otherwise I offer to look at the Museum's warehouse of H89's and assess them while Jeff does his work. I'll bring some component parts but it's likely Jeff will bring what he needs. I assume he can do some repairs, and likely he'll bring his own diskettes along with the ones he acquired. If not, we can work with what's available. There's variacs around and that's a good tool for dormant computers. >> > >> > The Heath H89 is a good example of early 1980's Z80 personal computers, and noteworthy as a Heath product. For those unfamiliar, Heathkit was a premier electronics kit company for many decades, in the mid-20th century where one could make a career and job from servicing electronics. They provided test equipment, radio amateur equipment; their products were both learning tools and teaching tools. The H89 was a good business computing system, with support from local Heathkit stores and local computer stores of the era. The Z-100 followed the H89 and became a noteworthy MS-DOS computer and an S-100 system; the H8 was an early 8080 computer before the H89. >> > >> > They are all entirely serviceable today as is much 1970's 1980's equipment if one has digital-component-level skills; that being my interests. They ran CP/M and Heath's HDOS and have VT52-class graphics, so there's lots of software they can run. For some time, SEBHC folks have made new Heath-class boards, so that generates 21st century interest. >> > >> > 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 comcast DOT net >>

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