[vcf-midatlantic] January workshop call to arms

Bill Degnan billdegnan at gmail.com
Sun Jan 19 12:08:36 EST 2020


replying to myself, you need one those old-school ethernet adapters
http://vintagecomputer.net/xerox/8010/xerox_star-8010_ethernet-port-b.jpg

also, you should start investigating how to hack the
inevitable user/password backdoor process to log into the thing.  I hope
you can avoid re-installing the software as you can see what was being done
with this system and document it.  My Star was from Kurzweil AI...but it's
in the hands of the Living Computer Museum now.
http://vintagecomputer.net/xerox/8010/xerox_star-8010_Kerzweil-AI_tagIDnum.jpg

The code on my system was "201"
http://vintagecomputer.net/xerox/8010/Xerox_Star_8010_front-panel.jpg

I always wondered if I actually had an 8010, or if there were many
types/roles within a Star Network, such as front end-terminal, file server,
email server, etc.  I am unsure if what I believe I have had is an 8010 for
sure, you should compare and contrast what you have with the photos of the
system I had.

Bill

b

On Sun, Jan 19, 2020 at 11:55 AM Bill Degnan <billdegnan at gmail.com> wrote:

> for what it's worth, here are my notes and pictures from when I had an 8010
> http://vintagecomputer.net/browse_thread.cfm?id=311
>
> If you power it on, there will be error codes in the little front panel
> display.  These indicate the status.  The drive is pretty straight-forward
> and other than seeing if the system powers up at all and boots at all,
> check that the disk drive is OK so you can load programs (I no longer have
> the disks).  Chances are the hard drive(s) will be weak, I'd start by
> testing the power supply, then add RAM boards, etc.  Don't expect to just
> boot in and start using the system.   Bruce Dalmer has many of these, ask
> him how to support.
> Bill
>
> Bill
>
> On Sun, Jan 19, 2020 at 10:26 AM Adam Michlin via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>
>> It looks like you, me and Andy Diller will be working on it.
>>
>> We don't know what is installed and don't yet know if it will turn on. I
>> haven't seen any written documentation of the username/password. Did the
>> 8010 (Star) have a username and password feature? So far I can only find
>> sporadic documentation that the admin password may have been:
>> "IAcceptTheRisk". Anyone?
>>
>> Generally, we try to make the machine as it would have been back in the
>> day (likely the Star software - where the 8010 got its more common
>> nickname), but our first priority is always to allow people to safely
>> use it. If that means leaving it as is, we leave it.
>>
>> I'll bring an extra transceiver, just in case. Do we need something to
>> connect it to? Even just a switch?
>>
>> On 1/19/2020 10:05 AM, David Gesswein via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
>> > I have done a little more investigation. To pass diagnostics the
>> machine needs
>> > Ethernet connected. Do you have a MAU/AUI to 10 base-t transceiver? I
>> > can bring one.
>> >
>> > There were three operating enviornments for it. Do you know what was
>> installed
>> > on it and usernames/passwords? Do you know what you want to run in the
>> > museum? Keep it as last used if possible or did you desire something in
>> > particular? I got copies for my emulator of Viewpoint, XDE 5.0, and the
>> > Koto release of Interlisp-D for use in testing.
>> >
>> > Are their more people who are planning to work on it? I've played
>> slightly
>> > with the DarkStar emulator to have some feel for it but have never
>> > seen one in person.
>> >
>> > On Mon, Jan 06, 2020 at 10:37:30PM -0500, Tony Bogan via
>> vcf-midatlantic wrote:
>> >> All, VCF recently acquired two Xerox 8010 computers. We would like to
>> assess and repair (if needed) these machines, and are hoping to have one on
>> display in the very near future.
>> >>
>> >> We are looking for anyone with the expertise and experience needed to
>> assess these machines. We are hoping to begin the process of restoring
>> these machines at the upcoming January workshop on the 25th and 26th of
>> this month.
>> >>
>> >> So if you???re out there (and I???m sure you are!) and you can attend
>> the workshop, please let us know! While there will be lots going on at the
>> workshop, this is something we are hoping to be able to work on in
>> preparation for the museum remodeling (or as soon as is practical)
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >> Tony Bogan
>> >>
>> >> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>>


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