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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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Repair workshop wrap-up 7/11 & 7/12, 2020
by Jeffrey Brace 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

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

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Help Wanted: InfoAge Part Time
by Jeffrey Brace 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

Mike Ruane is looking for: Someone who wants to work part time for 8-10 hours per week. The person would work with Gloria (Mike's Administrative Assistant) and be able to back her up when she is out. The schedule would be two days at 4-5 hours per day depending on what schedule they work out and the salary would be $15.00 per hour. Computer skills and knowing Excel would help. If you know anyone, please contact Mike Ruane: thejamesthomasgroup(a)comcast.net -- ========================================= 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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First Exhibitor Video received! VCF East 2020
by Jeffrey Brace 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

Eric Rangell is first place to submit his exhibitor video! Who will be second place? Deadline is: September 21! Submit your exhibit idea here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSyp3A7yzPJw77Sc_gl0erV4a7QTN8x7W… We are looking for exhibitors for our virtual hybrid show. The format that we propose is that exhibitors create a short video about 5 to 10 minutes long to show off your exhibit. Send to us by September 21. During the event we would show your video which will stream to YouTube followed by 5 to 10 minutes of questions and answers live. The other option would be for you to show off your exhibit on InfoAge’s campus live on site and in person followed by live questions and answers. Don’t delay slakers! -- ========================================= 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] The good old days of user groups.
by Herb Johnson 25 Aug '20

25 Aug '20

[I wrote this but I put it aside, because who wants to hear what boomers did in the 1970's? But the discussion thread seems to be rooted in the 1980's when computers were things you bought at Sears and there were actual *computer stores* around, and BBS's you could dial up, and local computer clubs aplenty in any good sized town. There was a time before all that, you know. Except: most people I hear from, don't "know that". Things then, were very different from the times in ongoing discussion; and from times today. So, here it is. Pardon the length, this is unfamiliar to most who would read it, so I have to give background.- Herb] The generation of "computer clubs" of the mid 1970's, are of a period before most of the clubs and groups in discussion. I co-started one of the first such clubs in Columbus OH; attended others as they were created. Chronologically: Clubs & groups exploded in size and number once personal computers became production items and then commodity items, in and through the 1980's. BBS's in the period, reduced the need for physical meetings at clubs. By the 1990's there were: widespread dial-up Internet; with sufficient bandwidth and graphics and modem speed; and generic computers easily bought at stores (or online) fast enough to support Internet browsing. So the physical groups dissipated in size and number going through the 1990's and pooped out by 2000 or so, approximately. In the early days of the mid-70's, we got together because there was no other means to obtain and share computing devices and figure them out. The providers were, electronic kits or parts or surplus One bought from ads in electronics magazines. Or that surplus-store some towns had. Or surplus/trash from someone's company or a local university. We were our own tech support; and whatever kit-producing-engineers we got LETTERS and phone calls from; and again, the magazines. There were no personal computers in production in that early era; just things people built, or one bought used minicomputers and their terminals and printers. Then there were these new microprocessors that some technical people were buying to play with, or beginning to use professionally, or learn about in college. As a host of microcomputer items were produced, we'd buy 'em and compare notes. Same with things like terminals, modems, other categories of software and hardware. All these transactions are described, by the surviving computer-club paper newsletters one can find online. Some clubs *didn't even meet*: they were pure correspondence; newletters were contents of member's letters about their projects, reports on software and hardware. Most people did not have a lot of money to spend; most computer things were not cheap; technical skills were essential, not optional. Clubs let people pick each other's brains, share and trade "tech". Even when personal computers were more common, there would be clubs or sections of clubs about specific software: databases, word processing, business. There was no other institution to learn this stuff; otherwise one read "books" or "magazines" or "da manuals and schematics". These clubs that met, were much like other hobby clubs to this day. They printed newsletters and postal mailed them monthly (mimeograph or photocopies). We met at a home or sometimes an institution (university, library, museum). There was a meeting with minutes and resolutions and other business, then a presentation. People stayed a bit to chat before or after. Members also met at each other's homes to work on their own computers and to trade. Sometimes there was a meeting to trade things. There were dues, to pay for postage and printing, snacks, rent for the meeting space. The legacy these groups left behind, are the newsletters with technical content; the archives of software and manuals, which get mined often; and the survivors, who continue their vintage computing interests in varying degrees. Radio Amateur clubs today still do most of these things, by the way. And in these early years, computer-clubs used hamfests to obtain and trade scarce equipment. Dealers at hamfests were either "computer" or "radio", generally. The Hams got to tap this tech, and developed lots of ham computing tech; they supported early microcomputing. Some hams were unhappy about this alliance, which peaked in the 1990's when PC's were common. Computing stuff is now largely gone from hamfests. I know many other hobbies still operate as clubs as I've described. There is a social dimension to these organizations that all the online click-to-get activities cannot provide. And many clubs have activities which require multiple people to participate physically in some way. No mailed newsletters today, usually. However, all these clubs today which operate as I've described, seem to be predominantly run by and populated with "old people". There's a generational change in culture, as well as the technological changes I described. That would be another lecture: one today is enough. 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] Off-Topic:What is the most accurate large 48"ish plotter
by Dave Wade 25 Aug '20

25 Aug '20

Most pen plotters plot to 0.01" accuracy, so a big HP or Roland if you can find one. Dave From: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic-bounces(a)lists.vcfed.org> On Behalf Of Ben Greenfield via vcf-midatlantic Sent: 25 August 2020 20:57 To: vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> Cc: Ben Greenfield <ben(a)cogs.com> Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] Off-Topic:What is the most accurate large 48"ish plotter

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Off-Topic:What is the most accurate large 48"ish plotter
by Ben Greenfield 25 Aug '20

25 Aug '20

Hey All, Sorry for the noise but I did label it:) Say I want to print shapes on plywood size paper is there a printer that prints an inch long line in CAD that actual measure an inch? ( or milimeter) I would be ok with accuracy somewhere betwen a 1/6th and a 32nd. Wash your hands, Ben

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