- vcf-midatlantic - lists.vcfed.org

Catweasel MK4 Plus
by william degnan 31 Dec '17

31 Dec '17

Ebay has a Catweasel MK4 Plus <https://www.ebay.com/itm/Catweasel-MK4-Plus-Multi-Floppy-Controller-for-PC-…> ending in two hours ... going to be pricey per its rarity, but here is your chance! Bill

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Museum report
by Evan Koblentz 31 Dec '17

31 Dec '17

Highlights from the museum today: - Bill Lange and his uncle stopped by - A few families visited. One family had a 10-year-old son who impressed me with his knowledge of Apple II history. He has a GS and knew BASIC. - I finished setting up our two new display cases in the microcomputer aisle. Last time (Wednesday) we selected the initial batch of artifacts: case #1 got our blue box, 6501 kit, early USR modem, Pennywhistle modem, and Popular Electronics Digital Logic Micro Lab (from 1970); case # has an top shelf open for now (to be filled with various early PDAs) while its other shelves have consoles (Tele-Games (Atari) Pong, Fairchild Channel F, Magnavox Odyssey). Today, I installed the black backings that we made for each case because they're glass on all four sides and nobody needs to see behind them. Here is case #1: http://snarc.net/case1.jpg .... I'm going to put another piece of thin black material under the 6501 box so it doesn't reflect onto the shelf below it (looks lousy from above). Here is case #2: http://snarc.net/case2.jpg. Both displays look better in person than up-close with the camera.

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Correction -- Semi-OT: Annual post: what tech did ya get?
by Herb Johnson 31 Dec '17

31 Dec '17

a Pro-Log model 980 EPROM programmer, with multi-PROM adapter. The unit's software is not working. But the value of the 4040 processor, several hex-digit numeric display, keyboard and other parts made the purchase worthwhile. And, I may get it running! Anyone with a Pro-Log 980, please contact me. (no Web page yet on this item.) Also obtained: a pre-microprocessor "micro"controller with core memory. It played a small part in MINIcomputer to microprocessor development. This is what microcomputers looked like, before microprocessors. http://www.retrotechnology.com/restore/varisystem.html Herb Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey in the USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

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IBM 1401 repair article
by Mike Loewen 30 Dec '17

30 Dec '17

Interesting article about repairing core memory and power supplies to get a CHM 1401 back up and running: http://www.righto.com/2017/12/repairing-1960s-mainframe-fixing-ibm.html Mike Loewen mloewen(a)cpumagic.scol.pa.us Old Technology http://q7.neurotica.com/Oldtech/

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Could a Blockchain based file system be the answer!
by Herb Johnson 28 Dec '17

28 Dec '17

This discussion thread, was/is about using some kind of "blockchain technology" to preserve vintage computing data, programs, PDF's, photos - you know, the digital bits - with some kind of distributed file system like "blockchain". I'm afraid that in my stone-age 20th century opinion, this is all besides the point, in any number of ways. 0) I refuse to engage in discussion of "blockchain" as per preservation of vintage computing content. Blockchain is a means to an end. I'll address the "end". 1) The issue of preservation of digitized content, is mostly about physical archives. Either one has physical media (say, CD-ROMs) or one has a physical presence for accessable data (some file server on a Web domain). A number of people and organizations do this; they should be supported. If someone wants to add themselves to the crowd, save and distribute copies, that's up to them. If someone wants to create a new organization, they can do that. Otherwise, show some love to those digital archives that you USE for vintage computing. Every day. For free - except someone is paying someone for your "freedom". 2) The issue of saving CONTENT does not preserve *physical artifacts*. I have worked for decades to support and preserve S-100 physical systems, root out their history, support their restoration. Real cards, real power supplies, real diskettes, real paper documentation. All the emulation in the world is not the same as a "ugly box of boards", sitting on your desk, roaring fans, clunking floppy drives, blinking lights, toggling switches (if any, that stopped in 1979 or so), and so on. The challenges of preserving physical artifacts are enormous. Physical space and collecting them is only the beginning. Putting them *back to use* is challenging squared. There's many "museums" which are stacks of computers on a shelf. They have "don't touch" policies, and few on-staff who know how to plug in an AC power cord. The legacy of use, and the capacity to read old data and programs, depends on *use* of vintage computing devices. Emulators succeed in running recovered data and programs. They are very useful in reverse-engineering programs and data files (even on audio cassettes) which are already (re)digitized. They simulate computing on a screen, on modern computers: this at the very least, encourages interest. But there was a time when personal computing was NOT about images on a TV screen! Preserve *that*! Regards, Herb "Flintstone Computing" 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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Object Photography
by william degnan 28 Dec '17

28 Dec '17

Object photographs of old vintage cards and parts that you might like. http://vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread.cfm?id=711 (link at the bottom of the page to the complete set) I did not identify them. Some I know what they are, some I do not. I am most curious about the tube modules, where they came from. I will eventually figure it out, but tips/speculations are welcome. Bill

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looking for specific S-100 chassis
by Dave McGuire 28 Dec '17

28 Dec '17

Hey folks. I'm looking for an Electronic Control Technology (ECT) model TT-10 S-100 enclosure. I realize this is a long shot, as there aren't many of these around, but would anyone here happen to have one that they might be willing to turn loose of? Thanks, -Dave -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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Zurich Vintage Computer Festival?
by Jeffrey Jonas 28 Dec '17

28 Dec '17

I wish I had a way to attend: Vintage Computer Festival Z\xc3\xbcrich, 18-19 Nov. 2017 It's VCF time again in Switzerland! https://vcfe.ch/doku.php https://www.facebook.com/vcfe.ch/

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Still needed: nice office chair, drafting stool
by Evan Koblentz 28 Dec '17

28 Dec '17

Someone's got to have these, or have spares which could be liberated from their job's office manager .... we need a modern desk chair (black/chrome), arms, adjustable height, etc. ...... and we need a drafting stool (for the workbench), also matching black/chrome. Currently our workshop has some beat-up ugly blue desk chairs which match nothing and are not comfortable.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Correction -- Semi-OT: Annual post: what tech did ya get?
by Neil Cherry 28 Dec '17

28 Dec '17

I've gotten several DC-DC supplies, several V/I/P displays, a couple of I2C V/I/P measurement boards (for solar experitments) and an Einstein robot (combination of a RoboSapien and a Google Home). -- 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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