Adam and I were at the museum today. Lots of awesome things happened. - VCFed owns two Laser 128 computers. Both fire up and both have working drives. One computer works completely, the other has a bum keyboard. The good one is missing the drive door handle. We had to turn the pin sticking out with pliers. We took both computers apart and tried swapping the drives, but they are different model drives and don't fit quite the same. Both computers said "128" but with different logos. I didn't get pictures. Neither said "EX" so I am unclear about which version(s) we have. Tony stopped by and said he may have a Laser or two available to us for parts, so we'll investigate that next weekend at the workshop. - We don't have any Laser power supplies, but we tried two //c supplies and they both worked fine with these computers. - Using the working computer and pliers to turn the drive door handle, I was able to successfully test the Lego software with our replica Apple Lego card (from Jon C.) in the Laser's expansion slot. The slot is made for a two-slot expansion box, but we don't have that and it works fine when you plug in a card directly. - The bad-keyboard Laser has a switch on bottom for configuring the expansion as slot 7 or slot 5. The working unit didn't have any switch. I tried the Lego software configured for slot 7 and it worked the first time. - This is good news (once we get the drive door handle settled). Laser 128 and a //c monitor use much less space than a //e and traditional monitor for the Lego programming demo station, and it's also much easier for me to bring on traveling demos. Less space, no separate drive needed, etc. - The reason Tony came over was to bring part 2 of a NeXT donation that he began bringing on Wednesday. This is a complete system from a woman in the DC area. It includes all hardware and a large assortment of original software/manuals. Very nice!!! - Roddy (the art guy across the hallway from our museum) finished putting our VCFed banner outside the building doorway. It's attached to a thick piece of white plexiglass which is held up by garden stakes. It looks very good. I'm going to get some white paint and go over the bolt heads. - There were several families who visited today. They all stayed for full tours. - Adam spent a couple of hours organizing part of our videogame console collection. He focused on systems and Atari VCF/2600 cartridges. - Some pictures: http://www.vcfed.org/evan/nextlogo.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next1.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next2.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/sign.jpg ________________________________ Evan Koblentz, director Vintage Computer Federation a 501(c)3 educational non-profit evan@vcfed.org (646) 546-9999 www.vcfed.org facebook.com/vcfederation twitter.com/vcfederation
Nice sign! People were having trouble finding us since our sign blew down. On Sat, Feb 4, 2017 at 9:20 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
Adam and I were at the museum today. Lots of awesome things happened.
- VCFed owns two Laser 128 computers. Both fire up and both have working drives. One computer works completely, the other has a bum keyboard. The good one is missing the drive door handle. We had to turn the pin sticking out with pliers. We took both computers apart and tried swapping the drives, but they are different model drives and don't fit quite the same. Both computers said "128" but with different logos. I didn't get pictures. Neither said "EX" so I am unclear about which version(s) we have. Tony stopped by and said he may have a Laser or two available to us for parts, so we'll investigate that next weekend at the workshop.
- We don't have any Laser power supplies, but we tried two //c supplies and they both worked fine with these computers.
- Using the working computer and pliers to turn the drive door handle, I was able to successfully test the Lego software with our replica Apple Lego card (from Jon C.) in the Laser's expansion slot. The slot is made for a two-slot expansion box, but we don't have that and it works fine when you plug in a card directly.
- The bad-keyboard Laser has a switch on bottom for configuring the expansion as slot 7 or slot 5. The working unit didn't have any switch. I tried the Lego software configured for slot 7 and it worked the first time.
- This is good news (once we get the drive door handle settled). Laser 128 and a //c monitor use much less space than a //e and traditional monitor for the Lego programming demo station, and it's also much easier for me to bring on traveling demos. Less space, no separate drive needed, etc.
- The reason Tony came over was to bring part 2 of a NeXT donation that he began bringing on Wednesday. This is a complete system from a woman in the DC area. It includes all hardware and a large assortment of original software/manuals. Very nice!!!
- Roddy (the art guy across the hallway from our museum) finished putting our VCFed banner outside the building doorway. It's attached to a thick piece of white plexiglass which is held up by garden stakes. It looks very good. I'm going to get some white paint and go over the bolt heads.
- There were several families who visited today. They all stayed for full tours.
- Adam spent a couple of hours organizing part of our videogame console collection. He focused on systems and Atari VCF/2600 cartridges.
- Some pictures: http://www.vcfed.org/evan/nextlogo.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next1.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next2.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/sign.jpg
________________________________ Evan Koblentz, director Vintage Computer Federation a 501(c)3 educational non-profit
evan@vcfed.org (646) 546-9999
www.vcfed.org facebook.com/vcfederation twitter.com/vcfederation
-- Jeff Brace - ark72axow@gmail.com
- Some pictures: http://www.vcfed.org/evan/nextlogo.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next1.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next2.jpg
Which NeXT? Bill
On Feb 5, 2017, at 7:12 AM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
- Some pictures: http://www.vcfed.org/evan/nextlogo.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next1.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next2.jpg
Which NeXT? Bill
NeXT Station with megapixel display, NeXT Printer, mouse, keyboard and external cd drive. A significant number of manuals as well as the boxed NeXTStep 3.3 release manuals (but no disc) in addition to the 2.1 release floppies from Evans pictures Tony
OK. I have all of the OS's imaged if you want to download a copy of anything contact me privately and I can turn on the server that hosts them so you can grab a copy. I have a Next Station Color networked, set up and ready to run....one of my recent favorites and have been through a lot of the setup issues still fresh in the mind. Bill On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 7:19 AM, Tony Bogan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Feb 5, 2017, at 7:12 AM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
- Some pictures: http://www.vcfed.org/evan/nextlogo.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next1.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next2.jpg
Which NeXT? Bill
NeXT Station with megapixel display, NeXT Printer, mouse, keyboard and external cd drive. A significant number of manuals as well as the boxed NeXTStep 3.3 release manuals (but no disc) in addition to the 2.1 release floppies from Evans pictures Tony
On Feb 5, 2017, at 7:50 AM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
OK. I have all of the OS's imaged if you want to download a copy of anything contact me privately and I can turn on the server that hosts them so you can grab a copy. I have a Next Station Color networked, set up and ready to run....one of my recent favorites and have been through a lot of the setup issues still fresh in the mind. Bill
On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 7:19 AM, Tony Bogan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Feb 5, 2017, at 7:12 AM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
- Some pictures: http://www.vcfed.org/evan/nextlogo.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next1.jpg http://www.vcfed.org/evan/next2.jpg
Which NeXT? Bill
NeXT Station with megapixel display, NeXT Printer, mouse, keyboard and external cd drive. A significant number of manuals as well as the boxed NeXTStep 3.3 release manuals (but no disc) in addition to the 2.1 release floppies from Evans pictures Tony
This was a pickup from Maryland. A friend of mine (from Maryland) picked it up via a woman that contacted Evan about donating it and he dropped it off last week when he was here in NJ. It's working status is unknown and I personally did not have time to mess with it before bringing it to the warehouse. Hopefully there will be time in the near future to give it the once over and see what condition it's in (it's in good physical/cosmetic condition...I meant working condition) Tony
Hopefully there will be time in the near future to give it the once over and see what condition it's in
Workshop next weekend... ________________________________ Evan Koblentz, director Vintage Computer Federation a 501(c)3 educational non-profit evan@vcfed.org (646) 546-9999 www.vcfed.org facebook.com/vcfederation twitter.com/vcfederation
On Feb 5, 2017, at 7:50 AM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
OK. I have all of the OS's imaged if you want to download a copy of anything contact me privately and I can turn on the server that hosts them so you can grab a copy. I have a Next Station Color networked, set up and ready to run....one of my recent favorites and have been through a lot of the setup issues still fresh in the mind. Bill
That great! Thank you. I'll check my Nextstation at home and see what version it has. I'm pretty sure it's 3.3 but I haven't fired it up in a couple months. I have the discs for 1 and 2 but not 3. I'll drop you a line off list if I need a copy. Good to know too for once we ascertain the condition of the NeXT in the warehouse! Tony
On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 8:27 AM, Tony Bogan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
On Feb 5, 2017, at 7:50 AM, william degnan via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
OK. I have all of the OS's imaged if you want to download a copy of anything contact me privately and I can turn on the server that hosts them so you can grab a copy. I have a Next Station Color networked, set up and ready to run....one of my recent favorites and have been through a lot of the setup issues still fresh in the mind. Bill
That great! Thank you. I'll check my Nextstation at home and see what version it has. I'm pretty sure it's 3.3 but I haven't fired it up in a couple months. I have the discs for 1 and 2 but not 3.
I'll drop you a line off list if I need a copy. Good to know too for once we ascertain the condition of the NeXT in the warehouse! Tony
I also have SUN, Next and SGI OS and software. I may have some Mac stuff there. I did not upload to vintagecomputer.net because it's too much, but my local server can be fired up any time just let me know about when .. I am here during the day, less so at night. Bill
participants (4)
-
Evan Koblentz -
Jeffrey Brace -
Tony Bogan -
william degnan