- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Re: [vcf-midatlantic] LSI-11 simulator
by Herb Johnson 10 Sep '20

10 Sep '20

> No RT-11 disk image I’ve used will boot, > I was hoping someone could point me to a listing of what the on-disk boot block code on an RT-11 floppy might look like. Rich, I don't understand your problem. If you have access to RT-11 disk images on the Web, my guess is some of them are "bootable". By "bootable" that means by your account, they have PDP11 boot code on their first sector. If they have boot code on their first sector - then extract the first sector and *hand disassemble the binary*. Then you know what that code quote "looks like". 256 words (512 bytes) is just a handful of disassembly work - hardly worth bothering to run an emulator to run some debugger to produce some PDP-11 code. and you seem so deep into this custom emulator and the LSI-11 architecture, that you seem to know what you'd need to make sense of the boot code. I'm familiar with PDP-11's a little, it's not horrendous binary code. YOu also say, this emulator apparently needs a custom RT-11, presumably with custom boot code. But the creator doesn't recall the details. Well, 24 years is a long time to remember such things. That being the case, you will have to figure out the boot process anyway. You already have to dig into the emulator. And you seem to know the hardware. Thus doing the hand disassembly will be, er, "informative". What am I missing here? Do you need some known bootable RT-11 diskettes, so you can put one in some drive and read off the boot sector? Or someone to send you that binary or disk image? Likewise: > It’s like looking for a disassembly of the MS-DOS boot sector. (snort) MS-DOS DEBUG will do that, with a IBM PC tech manual in hand. I don't mean to belabor the point, but maybe this is as I suspect: a desire to avoid hand-disassembly. If that's a personal issue, my apologies, but I think it's a very useful skill. And if it's not a desirable task, well, there's usually debuggers which do that, or one can cobble up a disassembler in one's favorite language (or borrow one and rework it). I've done all those things, and still do, but that's just me. Puzzled, 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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Soda and Water for repair workshop
by Jeffrey Brace 09 Sep '20

09 Sep '20

I got the soda and water for the repair workshop. If anyone has any preferences for next time, then let me know. This time there was a sale on both Coke and Pepsi. I know that people really like Mountain Dew so I got that again. This is what I got for this time: Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Pepsi Max. -- ========================================= 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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September 11th exhibit @ InfoAge
by Jeffrey Brace 09 Sep '20

09 Sep '20

Volunteers at InfoAge are doing their grand opening of their September 11th memorial exhibit this weekend on September 12th. I got a sneak peek at it and it's really a great tribute and memorial. I encourage everyone to stop by and see the exhibit. I helped them with technical assistance in getting a digital playback machine to play a slideshow automatically. -- ========================================= 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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Info for Repair Workshop 9/12 & 9/13
by Jeffrey Brace 09 Sep '20

09 Sep '20

Remember the spaces are first come first serve to the CDL space. We have a limit of how many we can fit in there. Otherwise members will have to go to the 9032-A where we used to have our workshops. The workshop is $10 *per* person, *per* day. This is InfoAge's rule and not our decision. So that means for two days it is $20. Sign up to guarantee a table. DATE: September 12 & 13, 2020 LOCATION (two locations): InfoAge: 2201 Marconi Road, Wall Township, NJ 1) Building 9059 (CDL Hackerspace - Formerly IXR) AND 2) Building 9032-A (Old workshop area in main building) TIME: Saturday START time == 10 A.M. END time == 11PM. Sunday START time == 10 A.M. and END == 5 P.M. SIGNUP: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QPWVJSRL94SdHKtmkUmH6WESwckeXbn8PgV… > Workshop area is limited to 10 people per building and facemasks are required. Hand sanitizer is available. COST: - $10 per person, PER day. This is required by InfoAge for us to pay for renting the space. - $25 for those wanting to stay overnight (Money goes to InfoAge). Please pay ME (Jeff Brace) upon arrival. Cash or PayPal is acceptable as payment. Ask ahead of time if you need to use a credit card. OVERNIGHT: Bring your own pillow, blankets, soap etc. We provide a bed frame and an uncovered mattress. There are showers and a kitchen for your use. - You can pay via PayPal to paypal(a)vcfed.org. or to me via cash or credit card in person. EQUIPMENT: - VCF will provide a table and you can use any available electrical outlet. - Bring your own tools, power strips, power cords, and supplies etc. - If you need particular tools that you don't know or particular parts, please post to the list for those going. They may have what you need. Let them know ahead of time. - Please bring an extra power strip to lend to someone that forgot. DRINKS: You should bring your own. We have a refrigerator in CDL to keep them cold. VCF will buy some water and soft drinks for member use. FOOD: *Saturday afternoon*: Pizza from Attilios (Tinton Falls) *Saturday Night*: Applebees (Tinton Falls) signup here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BO_JyNgDfebd1hgsKEQTcZUXdexQrCwSEUP… *Sunday Morning*: Bagel order from Delicious Bagels ( https://www.deliciousbagelspointpleasant.com/) Fill out Order here: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MR8t6lHGraOwd5NiQA0oGzm-GauVQA5j6-a… > *Sunday Afternoon*: Wawa order GATE: Please close the gate behind you at all times. We want to discourage random strangers from wandering the campus. We have had this happen numerous times. PARKING: Park in the main parking lot, unless you are unloading. Don't park on the lawn. QUESTIONS? Contact Jeff: 732-759-1783 jeffrey(a)vcfed.org Have fun everyone! -- ========================================= 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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Searchlight BBS questions
by Richard Cini 08 Sep '20

08 Sep '20

Is there anyone on-list with experience setting-up a Searchlight BBS? I have mine up and running with multiple dial-up nodes (for a hopeful future demonstration) but I’m having problems with setting up the file areas. If someone could drop me a note off-list, I’d appreciate it. Thanks. Rich -- Rich Cini http://www.classiccmp.org/cini http://www.classiccmp.org/altair32

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Vulcan Database manual
by Jack Rubin 08 Sep '20

08 Sep '20

I have a copy of the Vulcan Database manual (no software). Vulcan was the database Wayne Ratliff created and then licensed to Ashton-Tate where it was sold as dBase II. I don't have the software. Happy to donate it to the Museum if there is interest. Jack

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] SOT: Any dBase fans here?
by Michael Thompson 08 Sep '20

08 Sep '20

> > > From: Dave McGuire <mcguire(a)neurotica.com> > Subject: Re: [vcf-midatlantic] SOT: Any dBase fans here? > > Neat! I did a lot with Clipper too, at one of my first industry jobs > many years ago, in Lawrenceville NJ. We were a small (<5 people) > company writing custom software that joined databases with desktop > publishing, for the creation of large directories, like phone books. > The software was all written in Clipper, and output to files ingested by > Ventura, and produced camera-ready output usually on a Varityper VT-600. > Those were great times, and I learned a LOT. > > Clipper is a great compiler! > > -Dave > > -- > Dave McGuire, AK4HZ > New Kensington, PA > I maintained a Used Car Dealership management package that was written in dBase. I converted it to Clipper, dramatically enhanced the financial management capability, and made it multi-user through a network. The performance and capability that you could get from PC-XT and PC-AT systems was really impressive. -- Michael Thompson

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VAX 11-780 Rack Available
by W2HX 07 Sep '20

07 Sep '20

Hi friends. This rack is available for free. I am located in 10510 happy to drive, up to say 1.5 hours to meet up to transfer vehicles? https://w2hx.com/ForSale/DEC%20Rack/20200719_114742.jpg https://w2hx.com/ForSale/DEC%20Rack/20200719_114751.jpg it is in very nice condition. Comes with wheels/casters, no panels. It is, I believe 24" wide, but it has a set of vertical rails at 19" in addition to 24" I think the space on the right would carry cables etc? Regardless, it will work fine with 19" equipment. Just the perfect think you need to complete your DEC VAX or other DEC set up! Contact me directly. 73 Eugene W2HX PS Please pass onto any other list you may belong to that might have an interest in this rack. Thank you

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VCF East 2020 Exhibitor Deadline September 13, 2020
by Jeffrey Brace 07 Sep '20

07 Sep '20

If you want to do a virtual exhibit (or in-person) for VCF East 2020's Virtual Show, then you need to let me know by September 13, 2020. At this point there are very few slots available because the schedule has filled up. So there is no guarantee that there is a spot left. So act quickly. If you already confirmed with me, then your video is due by September 23 to allow proper time to process. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/DHF7FqezwVSNe3nZA Any questions? Send me an e-mail. -- ========================================= 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] SOT: Any dBase fans here?
by David Gesswein 07 Sep '20

07 Sep '20

I don't need the dBASE III stuff though thought I would reminisce some. I did work in dbase II with Clipper compiler starting on our TI PC. The family raised show rabbits and I wrote programs in it for keeping track of rabbits and printing pedigrees and running shows. We sold the programs to other rabbit people. Used dBASE III a little at work. Purchasing was oriented to production so engineering orders weren't tracked well. I used terminal emulator on a PC to screen scrape the MIS system running on the VAX, KEDIT (IBM XEDIT like editor) with REXX scripting language to reformat into files that could be read in by dBASE and merge the information from the files to print a report with status of parts to go bug purchasing/receiving. Did get KEDIT to run on the TIPC by editing the binary to adapt to the slightly different video hardware on the TIPC. I had the TIPC running this software at VCF 2016. On Sun, Sep 06, 2020 at 06:21:30PM -0400, Jim Scheef via vcf-midatlantic wrote: > Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2020 18:21:30 -0400 > From: Jim Scheef <js(a)sdf.org> > To: 'vcf-midatlantic' <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> > Subject: SOT: Any dBase fans here? > X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook 16.0 > > As I clean out my basement, I'm getting rid of some cool stuff. Before I try to give it away on eBay, I want to offer it here. > Once upon a time (mid-80's), I developed a few applications in dBase III. For our own productivity we used a dBase clone called dbXL for coding and QuickSilver, a compiler, to make the resulting code run faster and easier to distribute. Conveniently, both products, produced by Wordtech Systems, use the same dBIII-compatible index files. QuickSilver produces an object file which requires a linker. So, I'm including my copy of P-Link86. So far this is the manual only; still looking for the media. > Both of these products are free (f.o.b. my driveway*) to a good home. Included are the manuals and several versions of media floppies for both products. > As a bonus, this deal includes another dBase compiler called FORCE. I don't recall anything about it, but I do have both the manuals and media. > The manuals are typical of the era, loose-leaf and weigh several pounds so shipping would cost some actual money. Normally I would sell or give these away at VCF East. > At this point, you know what to do if you are interested. > Jim > * my driveway is located in western CT north of Danbury.

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