- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Gauging Interest: CompuGraphic MCS hardware
by Kenneth Gober 05 Nov '19

05 Nov '19

I'm helping to clear out a storage unit that belonged to a deceased friend, and I've come across some CompuGraphic MCS hardware: 2 dual 5.25" floppy drives (I assume these are the system units) 2 CRT displays, ~12" diagonal (one with white bezel, one with black bezel) 1 keyboard with a DB-something connector (I hope to unearth another) 1 8204/HR phototypesetter 1 8216/HR phototypesetter many phototypesetter font cartridges several boxes of documentation, including some CP/M-86 manuals floppy disks Does anyone have any interest in this? Is it something VCF would want? I prefer for everything to stay together (i.e. a request for just the keyboard and nothing else isn't generally welcome, with one exception). Note that the phototypesetters are fairly large -- bathtub sized. While researching what this stuff is, I found a very old request from Al Kossow for a CompuGraphic keyboard needed for some reverse engineering work. So far I've only found one, and if I can't find another I'd consider sending the one I have to Al on extended loan (assuming the one I have is what he wanted, and he's still interested) but I really don't have space to store the rest (especially the phototypesetters) and I would really really hate to break up this set. -ken

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VCF @ Brickfair NJ report
by Evan Koblentz 04 Nov '19

04 Nov '19

Friday I gave a lecture at Brickfair on the history of Lego robotics from before Mindstorms (1980-1997). Only 5 people attended, but they were all enthusiastic about the subject. One guy knew about VCF. Another said he came to Brickfair solely because he heard about my topic. So that's cool. IMO the event management did a terrible job of advertising their Friday sessions. Saturday I demo'd my favorite of the various pre-Mindstorms sets, #9700, using the Apple II platform. I didn't bring the IBM version. The demo worked well until about 4pm. I troubleshooted it as best I could while also talking to visitors. Some of the basic diagnostics between the computer and the interface box stopped working. I know it's not the computer, so this will take more fixing than I can do. I will bring it to the workshop next Saturday. I told the show managers there was no point in me coming back today without having a working demo. My table was in an island of its own, so they understand and said it's fine. The show traffic Saturday was pretty good. I had a steady stream of visitors all day, most of which liked what I had to show them. Lego is an excellent gateway drug to vintage computing. :) Tons of parents my age (40s) came over to reminisce about 8-bit computers. Only one person ever heard of Laser. A lot of people came over and told their kids it's a "Mac II". I enlightened them... I found out there are several dozen Lego shows nationwide. They experts said Chicago and DC (Northern Virginia next summer) are the biggest. I'll look into Virginia next year. My goal is to have a schematic of the interface box done by then (Nevell agreed to do it) and a working replica made in time.

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VCF Repair List
by Jeffrey Brace 03 Nov '19

03 Nov '19

At the next workshop (Nov. 9 & 10) if anyone wants to repair any of the following VCF museum machines, then please let me know. OSI Challenger = Bill Drogoole will look at Sony monitor for Apple 2 = Ian will repair Apple /// = Tony will look at AT&T 3B1 = David Guesswein will look at Needs someone to look at: Sinclair ZX-80 IBM PC Convertible -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Museum Report 2019-11-03
by Jeffrey Brace 03 Nov '19

03 Nov '19

My day started out well and right away. I rarely get people wanting to see the museum at 1PM when I arrive. Usually people make their way to our museum by 3:30PM or later. A 7th grade boy with his grandmother were waiting for me and had previously been to other InfoAge museums on a previous trip, but ran out of time. I gave him the full 2 hour tour and he really enjoyed it. The rest of the day was filled with casual visitors. I also got a chance to try out the instructions for the SOL-20 and how to operate it. This was my first time using it! -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Speaking of the 3b1...
by Win Heagy 02 Nov '19

02 Nov '19

I have a 3b1 that I think is mostly complete and working, but I'm missing the mouse. Is there anything unique about the mouse (other than its looks)? Can another mouse be made to work with it? I've seen the mouse listed on eBay but for $$$$. Thanks, Win

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Brickfair NJ
by Evan Koblentz 01 Nov '19

01 Nov '19

Brickfair (Lego show) is arranged like VCF East: Friday sessions for serious hobbyists and weekend family-centric demos. I gave my 1980s Lego robotics lecture there today. Tomorrow and Sunday I'll have a VCF booth of the same stuff; the computer is the Laser 128 because I did not want to schlep the Compaq Portable too. It's at the Meadowlands Expo Center if anyone wants to go.

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Museum 3B1 & PDP-8
by David Gesswein 01 Nov '19

01 Nov '19

I'm looking fixing the 3B1 at the next workshop. From the last workshop it seems like the hard drive has died. Since I likely will need do do a new installation Was there anything in particular on it that people liked for demos? Is their anything people like on Unix machines to use for demos? If not I'll go with standard OS & software that was on the machines and see what interesting stuff I see in the archives. For the straight 8 has anyone tried to operarate it since the last workshop I was at (the one previous to the last workshop). If so was their any problems? If not would anyone doing the tours like to learn how to use it?

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Bell Labs
by Evan Koblentz 01 Nov '19

01 Nov '19

Our demo at Bell Labs today was great! I'll write more about it and post pictures later this week.

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Unix Tell All Book From Kernighan Hits The Shelves
by Christian Liendo 31 Oct '19

31 Oct '19

https://hackaday.com/2019/10/29/unix-tell-all-book-from-kernighan-hits-the-… Can we get him to come back and sell / sign books?

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Museum 3B1 & PDP-8
by Dave McGuire 31 Oct '19

31 Oct '19

On 10/31/19 12:22 PM, Brian L. Stuart via vcf-midatlantic wrote: > I used to use the 3b1 quite heavily in the early '90s, and > I'm pretty sure I remember running a build of rogue on > it, though I usually ran without the windowing system to > get a full 80 columns. Now that you mention it, I believe nethack could be built on the 3B1 as well. > As Dave mentiones, yes there are many other editors for > it. But there's only one TRUE editor, as you know: emacs! [dave ducks] -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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