- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

much ado about chording keyboards
by Jeffrey Jonas 30 Sep '19

30 Sep '19

Here are my chording keyboard references: Start with Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorded_keyboard Douglas Engelbart's chording keyboard looked like piano keys: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mother_of_All_Demos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJDv-zdhzMY "The Mother of All Demos is a name given retrospectively to Douglas Engelbart's December 9, 1968, demonstration of experimental computer technologies that are now commonplace. The live demonstration featured the introduction of the computer mouse, video conferencing, teleconferencing, hypertext, word processing, hypermedia, object addressing and dynamic file linking, bootstrapping, and a collaborative real-time editor." Here's a product with a chording keyboard: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwriter The Microwriter is a hand-held portable word-processor with a chording keyboard. First demonstrated in 1978, it was invented by UK-based, US-born film director Cy Endfield ... Take a chording keyboard and wrap it around a stick or put it on a small hand-held remote and you have a keyer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyer or a "Twiddler", intended for wearable computers: https://twiddler.tekgear.com/ The Twiddler has been "reinvented" as a cordless motion sensor wearable https://www.tapwithus.com/ as discussed here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17557593 Everything old is new again! -- jeff jonas

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Another great repair workshop
by Matt Patoray 30 Sep '19

30 Sep '19

Nice work Tony, Sadly the issue with so many of the Next mono megapixel displays is that the tubes are just low emissions. Since the monitors were powered on and running as long as the machines were powered on. This was not as much of an issue with the Philips and Hitachi color monitors as they were not powered form the CPU and had a power switch and could be turned off. You can boost the screen voltage to try and compensate for that, but it is just a temporary fix. Once tubes get to a point of real low emissions even the screen voltage boost will not help, and then you just end up with a cloudy out of focus mess. Sometimes you can try a rejuvenation of the tube with a CRT tester like the Sencore CR-70 or the Sencore CR-7000 (if you have deep pockets). it is not recommended to use B&K CRT testers for their restore function as it is rather harsh and sometimes can blow the cathode apart rendering the tube useless. As of right now, there is no company that is rebuilding CRT's (but the effort to start rebuilding down in Columbus Ohio at the Early Television Museum is moving forward). So that may be an option in the next few years. On Mon, Sep 30, 2019 at 8:05 AM Tony Bogan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vcfed.org> wrote: > > > The two museum NeXT printers and two Megapixel displays are now tagged > with their working state. One monitor just required a little manual > adjustment and focus and is now a viable replacement for the one on display > if it’s ever needed or can be used for one of the three NeXTstations VCF > has if we ever display them. Both printers need work, but replacement toner > cartridges are available (They use HP laserjet II or equivalent cartridges) > and intake rollers can be had as well. I’ve never done it but know it’s > been done before. > > One monitor is working but needs some attention from the Monitor Whisperer > (hi Ian!) to get the image bright enough again to be useable. I spoke with > Ian and Connor at the workshop and we talked about maybe doing a NeXTfest > at a future workshop to get everything working (or at least starting the > process) plus bringing any of our own NeXT machines to work on as well. > > > Tony > -- Matt Patoray Owner, MSP Productions KD8AMG

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Another great repair workshop
by Jeffrey Brace 30 Sep '19

30 Sep '19

Many got things fixed, a few are still working on some. Bill and Duane did some more work on the Univac. They will report on this in a few days as they are extending their repairs another two days. Ian fixed the museum's Amiga monitor and Apple 2 monitor. We had a nice BBQ Saturday night. How about others share what they worked on? The next repair workshop is November 9 & 10 and it will be in the CDL (formerly IXR) building. -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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RIP Adam Rosen
by Evan Koblentz 29 Sep '19

29 Sep '19

Adam Rosen, known for his Vintage Mac Museum website, died at just 53. He exhibited at VCF East a couple of times. Really nice guy. I was sad to read this article today. https://www.cultofmac.com/655174/adam-rosen-vintage-mac-museum

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Next Repair Workshop 11/9 & 11/10
by Jeffrey Brace 29 Sep '19

29 Sep '19

By popular demand the next VCF repair workshop will be ... Nov 9 & 10 This time it will not be in the usual spot: 9032A (not available due to holiday model train show setup. It will be in 9059 which is CDL (Computer Deconstruction Lab: The hackerspace by the entrance). Here is the signup sheet: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Le5_EtutRBgnOc9_4gLxJb7CGGEpIuTQWjZ… > -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Breakfast tomorrow
by Jeffrey Brace 28 Sep '19

28 Sep '19

OB diner at 9AM -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Vote Nov Repair Workshop preference
by Jeffrey Brace 27 Sep '19

27 Sep '19

5 votes for Nov 9/10 0 votes for Nov 2/3 Anyone for Nov 16/17? Last call -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Q-Bus data acquisition boards?
by Neil Cherry 27 Sep '19

27 Sep '19

I donate a Vax ee00 or 3400 to the VCF Museum and that had a DAC or ADC board in it. It was a hlf height board. Not sure what the Museum did with it, or the Vax. I never could identify the board. It had a huge 64 pin chip on it and I think a BNC connector. I didn't respond directly to the thread as I don't know how it can be transfered from the Museum to anything else. The laws are pretty strict on that kind of stuff. -- Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry ncherry(a)linuxha.com http://www.linuxha.com/ Main site http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog Author of: Linux Smart Homes For Dummies

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Q-Bus data acquisition boards?
by Richard Cini 27 Sep '19

27 Sep '19

I’m getting back to playing with my 11/23 and I was wondering is anyone could recommend a good board or boards for simple AD and straight digital data acquisition? Maybe even a combo board? The backplane is a Q18/CD (too chicken to convert it to Q22). Thanks! Rich Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>

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InFo RePaIr WoRkShOp Sep 2019 - 9/28 & 9/29
by Jeffrey Brace 26 Sep '19

26 Sep '19

As a reminder the workshop is $10 *per* person, *per* day. Sorry this is InfoAge's rule and not our decision. So that means for two days it is $20. Sign up quickly to guarantee a table. DATE: September 28 & 29 LOCATION: InfoAge Building 9032A (usual workshop room) - (2201 Marconi Road, Wall Township, NJ) TIME: Start about 10 A.M. on Saturday and ends whenever we go to sleep. End about 5 P.M. on Sunday. (Starts around 10 A.M. Sunday morning) SIGNUP: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pLLZqlotJBRhPYNQtIMZ70FoW6Yw2ycCj5I… > 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) when you get there so that I don't forget. Credit cards accepted. I will be using VCF's PayPal Here tablet with bluetooth credit card machine. 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 one or two power cords as these are often forgotten by people. DRINKS: You should bring your own. I would recommend bringing a cooler of some type. FOOD: Bring your own, but we will usually order pizza or go out to eat for dinner. If the weather is nice, then we might cook burgers out back. GATE: During the hours from 1 pm to 5 pm close the front gate behind you. We want museum visitors to go to the front lobby and not wander through the middle of the campus. Outside of those times, you can feel free to leave the gate open. PARKING: Park in the main parking lot, unless you are unloading in front of 9059. InfoAge doesn't like us parking on the lawn anymore. QUESTIONS? Contact Jeff: 732-759-1783 jeffrey(a)vcfed.org Have fun everyone! -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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