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A personal project
by Evan Koblentz 02 Jul '18

02 Jul '18

Time to reveal a personal project, unrelated to my role at VCFed. In the past two years, while getting neck-deep in the historic Lego robotic set, I learned that there is a TON of information about this set (and about other Lego robotic sets from before the Mindstorms generation) which is mostly missing, or at best scattered, on the web. I decided a few months ago to make a web site about it. I call the site www.mindsbeforethestorm.com. The site is under construction but you can visit now and see where it is going. I'm asking for contributions to the project. Most of you know that I make a very modest living through my work as a freelance tech journalist and additionally through VCFed fundraising. Many of you will also recall that a personal fundraiser is what enabled publishing of my computer history book in 2015. That was a positive experience. I do not plan to sell anything on this new site, only to offer helpful information that isn't currently available or is very difficult to find. As such, I cannot promise any Kickstarter-style rewards: I don't have any ideas about what a good reward for this might be (open to suggestions). Instead, I appeal to your altruism: fund this project because it is a good thing. Please visit my new site. If you think it exemplifies how the web should be used, if you'd like to see it get finished, and if you would like me to continue to be able to pay my rent and eat food, then please make a contribution via https://fundrazr.com/61N3ef?ref=ab_74VRia. Thanks, -Evan

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Breakfast?
by Tony Bogan 01 Jul '18

01 Jul '18

Still meeting at princess Maria diner for breakfast this morning? Never saw the usual reminder email. Tony Sent from my iPhone

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OFF TOPIC
by Martin A Flynn 30 Jun '18

30 Jun '18

OFF TOPIC WARNING!! I need advise on 3D printing 10" tall letters to be used as cores for sand casting aluminum versions. Anyone with a printer want to take this on? martin

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Good news / please read, Re: museum network rack
by Herb Johnson 30 Jun '18

30 Jun '18

The good news about buying a new unit, is new batteries. Any donated unit would have old or no batteries, you'd have to buy new ones for use. Typically gel-cell batteries are tens of dollars each plus tens of dollars shipping, bigger cost more. Your unit (reading the manual) probably uses three 12V 7Ah batteries; those are common enough, probably about $100 to replace. Probably replace every two-three years depending on how many times they get discharged (extended power failures). When they get cooked, they swell up, it's visible. Good luck! My $10 worth Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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This weekend VCF Repair Workshop June 30 and July 1
by Jeffrey Brace 30 Jun '18

30 Jun '18

There is still room to sign up for the workshop this coming weekend: < https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n8M9h5ZVbcA4VixgDy3GHyN2HTWzSsS3fAg… > Also can someone bring a dead test cartridge for C64? I have to locate mine in storage and might not have time. 1 Thanks -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Looking for a terminal as prop for a kids science program
by Bill Degnan 30 Jun '18

30 Jun '18

I was approached to provide a terminal for a science program. The props guy naturally wanted something I would not be willing to part with.. https://www.vintagecomputer.net/alphacom/AlphaCom_Front1.JPG Does anyone have anything like this? It does not have to be working but you have to be willing to sell for a few hundred dollars. I am happy to pass along the lead to whomever can furnish a similar-looking unit. Contact me privately via https://www.vintagecomputer.net/contact.cfm. Bill

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Good news / please read, Re: museum network rack
by Evan Koblentz 29 Jun '18

29 Jun '18

Hey everyone. Our rack is nearing completion, we just need a little more help. - We obtained a right-sized patch panel (1u / 24 ports) and returned the 2u to Martin (we don't need 48 ports and why waste the space?) - Jason P. is bringing us a console (sliding kbd drawer + monitor) this weekend - I talked to several people who know about UPS stuff and got various opinions -- there were suggestions ranging from small consumer units to 3000va cabinets. I considered them all and decided the best thing for us is a 1500va system because it is plenty of power / battery life, and it's much cheaper than the next step up (2200va which costs more + requires a 20A circuit to be installed). Plus you still get the management software. Three companies make these: APC, Cyperpower, and Tripp-Lite. I spent a couple of weeks trying to get one donated to us, but I failed to pull it off. Then I changed gears and started looking at prices. I decided on a specific unit, the Tripp-Lite SMART1500RM2U. Funny story: I checked Amazon, CDW, Newegg, and also did a generic Google search. Guess who has the best price ..... Home Depot! It's crazy. Same basic price as the others ($522) but they do ship-to-store so you save a lot on shipping as it's 58 pounds. Steve A. and Don C. each agreed to donate $200 for this, so all we need is another $120 to buy it. If just a few people each commit to 10, 20, or 50, then we'll have it in no time. Can you help? Thanks, -Evan

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(no subject)
by Herb Johnson 29 Jun '18

29 Jun '18

> Bill Degnan: > Anyone have any SGI Octane Drive Sleds for sale/trade? I have earlier SGI sleds but not for the Octane: http://www.retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/sgi.html Herb -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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VCF Repair workshop this weekend, high heat and humidity: re: fans
by Jeffrey Brace 29 Jun '18

29 Jun '18

It has been noted that there will be hot temperatures in the 90's and high humidity this weekend during our workshop. There is air conditioning in 9032-A where we hold our workshop and generally works well, but it has been suggest that everyone bring small personal fans because the wide open space is not the most efficient in heating and cooling. VCF has one or two small fans that can promote air flow, so we may bring them out if there will be no one in the warehouse working. -- -- ========================================= Jeff Brace Vice President Vintage Computer Federation

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Museum news / today's report
by Evan Koblentz 28 Jun '18

28 Jun '18

Everyone, I'll be at the museum most Wednesdays from now on, in addition to many weekends. This is due to a (positive!) change in my work. I went today and it was busy. Steady stream of families all afternoon. Most of them took full tours, asked good questions, and had children who were smart + well-behaved. Jeff B. stopped by to work on something and at one point he took a tour group around because I was busy with another family. After public hours ended, I fixed the Lego robot. It had two problems -- 1. the top forklift sensor was being flaky and saturating it in alcohol hadn't helped, so I replaced it; 2. One set of treads kept failing to move, which I thought meant performing robot surgery :) to replace that side's motor, but I figured out that what actually happened was a drive gear had slipped to the side and wasn't sufficiently contacting its pinion -- so I moved it back into place and inserted a spacer that will prevent it from sliding again, and did the same on the opposite side as preventative maintenance. Robot fixed!

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