Re: KCC and parenthesis in preprocessor lines

2020-01-08 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Jan 7, 2020 at 8:25 PM David Griffith via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I'm having some trouble getting Frotz 2.50 ported to TOPS20. Version 2.32 > with dumb interface compiles fine under KCC. With 2.50, there are several > preprocessor lines that include parentheses. For

Re: Design flaw in the SCSI spec?

2020-01-08 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jan 8, 2020 at 4:57 PM Bill Gunshannon via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > And then you have DEC. I have often heard DSSI described as > SCSI done right That's reportedly what DEC thought of it, but in practice it was SCSI done differently so as to be incompatible. The only

Re: Design flaw in the SCSI spec?

2020-01-08 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jan 8, 2020 at 4:44 PM jim stephens via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > The electronics of the SCSI interface were designed initially by the > precursor to Adaptec. At the time that the SCSI committee was formed, > there was work by a number of companies. Among them were HP,

Re: Design flaw in the SCSI spec?

2020-01-08 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jan 8, 2020 at 10:55 AM Liam Proven via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > With his express permission, I'm forwarding a mail from a public list. > I am interested in Gene's comments about the design of SCSI, but I > don't know enough electronics to judge. > > And all that

Priam 3450/7050 schematic wanted (Priam interface)

2020-01-07 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Bitsavers has a schematic of the ANSI interface version of the Priam 3450/7050 eight-inch hard drives, but does anyone happen to have the schematics of the "normal" version (Priam interface, as opposed to SMD or ANSI)?

Re: First Internet message

2020-01-02 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Dec 30, 2019 at 4:44 AM W2HX via cctalk wrote: > software is currently non-patentable. Not sure the order of when it > was/wasnt but currently is not. > I don't know anything about patents in other countries, but in the USA, software is _definitely_ patentable, and has been since the

Re: SMD disk specifications

2019-12-15 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sun, Dec 15, 2019 at 12:31 PM shad via cctalk wrote: > I have two CDC Lark Disk modules I would like to revive, they are in good > [...] > IIRC there was a sort of adapter board between SMD and (xxx blank spot) > interface. There was a description of the interface, it was really similar

Re: SMD disk specifications

2019-12-15 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sun, Dec 15, 2019 at 3:05 AM jim stephens via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I don't know that I recall SMD being a product as much as a reference to > the interface they had though. > "SMD" was in fact a product name. The CDC976x, BK4XX, BK5XX, BK6XX, and BK7XX series drives had

Re: SMD disk specifications

2019-12-14 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sat, Dec 14, 2019 at 2:47 AM jim stephens via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > CMD was the name of the division that manufactured the disks, The division was Magnetic Peripherals Inc. (MPI). I've never heard of it having been called CMD either before or after it was called MPI. There

Re: SMD disk specifications

2019-12-13 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 10:55 AM Guy Sotomayor via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I’ve been trying to find *detailed* specifications (mainly detailed signal > timings) for the SMD disk interface but all I’ve found so far are the > interface specifications for individual disks (CDC,

Re: SMD disk specifications

2019-12-13 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 11:10 AM Al Kossow via cctalk wrote: > ANSI has a spec, X3.91M_1987 I don't know if it covers the SMD-E , etc. > X3.91M-1987 section 6 covers "Interface Extensions", which includes adding tag 4, 5, and 6, dual-port provisions, spinup sequencing, index mark and sector

Re: TRS-80 Model IV PALs

2019-12-06 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Dec 5, 2019 at 6:49 PM Lamar Owen wrote: > The 12/16B/6000 mainboard's PAL equations are printed in the service > manuals for those machines; Some are, some aren't, and it's doesn't appear that they are 100% accurate, though that might just be formatting errors in their reproduction of

Re: TRS-80 Model IV PALs

2019-12-05 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Dec 4, 2019 at 11:08 PM rescue via cctalk wrote: > I have a TRS-80 Model III with a IV upgrade in it (non gate array). > I have a hunch that one or two of the HALs are bad (the primary one > Anyone know if these can be read, or if they are protected (for > example, if I were able to

Re: Scanning docs for bitsavers

2019-12-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Dec 3, 2019 at 10:59 AM Paul Berger via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Is there any way to know what compression was used in a pdf file? > There's not necessarily only one. Every object in a PDF file can have its own selection of compression algorithm. I don't know of any

Re: One old Sol, Two old names...

2019-12-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Nov 25, 2019 at 7:43 PM William Sudbrink via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Other interesting things about the Sol include that it has an 80/64 video > modification > (with patches all over): > http://wsudbrink.dyndns.org:8080/images/fixed_sol/20191125_202606.jpg > Cool!

Re: Scanning docs for bitsavers

2019-12-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Dec 2, 2019 at 9:06 PM Grant Taylor via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > My problem with PDFs starts where most people stop using them. > > Take the average PDF of text, try to copy and paste the text into a text > file. (That may work.) > Sure. Now try thing same thing with a

Re: Scanning docs for bitsavers

2019-12-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Dec 3, 2019 at 1:50 AM Christian Corti via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > *NEVER* use JBIG2! I hope you know about the Xerox JBIG2 bug (e.g. making > That's _LOSSY_ JBIG2. YOU DON"T HAVE TO USE LOSSY MODE!

Re: Scanning docs for bitsavers

2019-12-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Dec 2, 2019 at 7:08 PM Grant Taylor via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I *HATE* doing anything with PDFs other than reading them. PDF was never _intended_ for documents that should undergo any further processing. The few things that have been hacked onto it for interactive use

Re: Scanning docs for bitsavers

2019-12-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Dec 2, 2019 at 5:34 PM Guy Dunphy via cctalk wrote: > Mentioning JBIG2 (or any of its predecessors) without noting that it is > completely unacceptable as a scanned document compression scheme, > demonstrates > a lack of awareness of the defects it introduces in encoded documents. >

Re: The Internet Archive

2019-12-02 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Nov 27, 2019 at 6:44 PM ben via cctalk wrote: > Well it is good thing, but the REAL Hyper-media is yet to come. > PROJECT XANADU *Founded 1960 * The Original Hypertext Project > The Foonly is not a /360. The Foonly is more like a -10. The Foonly is faster than lightning. Oh, I'll get my

Re: Scanning docs for bitsavers

2019-12-02 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 8:51 PM Jay Jaeger via cctalk wrote: > When I corresponded with Al Kossow about format several years ago, he > indicated that CCITT Group 4 lossless compression was their standard. > There are newer bilevel encodings that are somewhat more efficient than G4 (ITU-T T.6),

Re: "First Internet message" and ...

2019-11-25 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Nov 25, 2019 at 11:53 AM Nigel Johnson via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > No, your home has an intranet! > My home has multiple distinct IP networks, which are joined by routers, and by definition they constitute an internet. As a whole, my internet at home could be considered

Re: UniBone: Linux-to-DEC-UNIBUS-bridge, year #1

2019-11-22 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Nov 22, 2019 at 6:39 AM Noel Chiappa via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > So I think all our questions are answerered (except for the [RH11]-AB/-C > difference > issue). > One version of the RH11 added a small FIFO (called a "silo" by DEC, IIRC) in the data path. I don't recall

Re: WANTED: iSBC-202 microcode image

2019-11-14 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 7:17 AM Jay Jaeger via cctalk wrote: > The iSBC 202 is actually two boards: a controller, PSA 1000467 and a > interface board PWA 1001036. > > There are 4 PROMS on the controller/channel board, intel D3604 (512x8), > labelled A10: 52-722, A11: 52-729, A12: 52-741 and

Re: TI994/A Power Supply

2019-11-10 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sat, Nov 9, 2019 at 1:46 PM Jules Richardson via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I've got another /4A however which has a 2-pin plug on the back, and that > one appears to just take plain ol' 110VAC line voltage and the PSU is > completely internal (at least, there's a power cord with

Re: VAX & PDP-11 Stuff To Clean Out

2019-11-08 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Nov 7, 2019, 19:36 Jules Richardson via cctech < cct...@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 11/6/19 12:16 PM, David Coolbear via cctech wrote: > > M5976-AA KZQSA SCSI Controller Q > > Hmm, I could sure use one of those... > Be forewarned that a KZQSA isn't a "real" SCSI controller. It's doesn't

Re: LISP implementations on small machines

2019-10-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
I wrote: > Code can be executed from the MMU PAR registers on processors with > 22-bit addressing (11/23, 11/24, 11/44, 11/70, and J-11 based systems). > On Fri, Oct 4, 2019 at 2:25 PM Noel Chiappa via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > My QBUS machine is apart at the moment, so I can't

Re: LISP implementations on small machines

2019-10-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Oct 3, 2019 at 12:04 PM Guy Sotomayor Jr via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > So does the PDP-11. The 8 registers are mapped to the top 8 words of > memory so you can do some quite interesting things. It is also possible to > run a (small) program in only the registers (e.g. no

Re: HP vintage boards being sold as scrap - WON

2019-10-02 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sun, Sep 29, 2019 at 8:33 PM Guy Dunphy via cctalk wrote: > That's always mystified me too. "1000 series" for model numbers like > 2108B, 2112B, 2113E, etc. > Weird corporate thinking. Maybe too much printed material with "1000" on > to change? > Or some other company had trademarked "2000

Re: DEC RP04 service manual available

2019-09-25 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Sep 25, 2019 at 3:23 PM Antonio Carlini via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > It's probably not related but I do have EK-RWP04-MM-001. Is the RWP04 > related to the RP04? > An RWP04 subsystem includes an RP04 drive and an RH70 Massbus Interface for a PDP-11/70.

Re: simh, professional 350, 380

2019-09-24 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sun, Sep 22, 2019 at 6:29 AM emanuel stiebler via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I saw an old version from 2006 as "xhomer" which emulates the > professional 350. Was there anywhere a version, which emulates the 380 I used to work at the same company as the author. He didn't own a

bit-slice and microcode discussion list

2019-08-22 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On another mailing list, someone asked if there was any list specifically about bit-slice design and microcoding. I don't know of one, so I've created a new mailing list specifically for those topics: http://lists.brouhaha.com/mailman/listinfo/bit-slicers The intent is for the list to

Re: DEC VT20 boot device

2019-08-11 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sun, Aug 11, 2019 at 1:18 AM Bob Smith via cctalk wrote: > The VT20 design team was, iirc, John Kirk for the video, and me for > the Unibus interface in the first version. The one with the slick > one shown here, > http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/terminal/vt20/vt20_2.jpg > That looks pretty

Re: MULTIPROCESSING FOR THE IMPOVERISHED Part 1: a 6809 Uniprocessor

2019-08-06 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Aug 6, 2019 at 1:19 AM Eric Smith wrote: > With the [MC6809]E version you have to supply a quadrature clock, but all > that's required to generate that is a single-phase 4x clock (which you need > with either the E or non-E part) and a single 74HCT74. > In case anyone needs to see how

Re: MULTIPROCESSING FOR THE IMPOVERISHED Part 1: a 6809 Uniprocessor

2019-08-06 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Aug 2, 2019 at 11:15 AM Liam Proven via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > 1993 article on building a multiprocessor 6809 box. > http://www.bradrodriguez.com/papers/6809cpu.htm > I disagree very much with the author's advice to use the MC6809 rather than the MC6809E. With the E

wanted: scan of Rockwell R6500 Programming Manual, Rev 2, January 1983

2019-07-23 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
I'm looking for a scan (or hard copy) of the later revision of the Rockwell R6500 Programmming Manual which includes coverage of the additional R65C02 instructions. I believe this is Rev 2 dated January 1983. There are several different scans of the original revision that did not cover the

Re: DEC Purchase Specifications, particularly 23-000A9-01

2019-07-17 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jul 17, 2019 at 4:31 PM Bob Smith wrote: > https://datasheetspdf.com/pdf-file/541962/AMD/AM27S13/1 > Listed as a 50NS part > 27S32 is listed at 70NS part. > 70ns is the mil temp range rating for the 27S32; the commercial spec is 55 ns. 70ns parts would probably work fine in an M9312, as

Re: DEC Purchase Specifications, particularly 23-000A9-01

2019-07-17 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jul 17, 2019 at 9:43 AM Mark J. Blair via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > On Jul 17, 2019, at 1:20 AM, Paul Birkel wrote: > > From some notes (origin misplaced!) you'll need a typical access time of > > 40ns from address, or 20ns from /CS: > > Thank you! That rules out using a

Re: KL10-A/KL10-B differences

2019-07-12 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Jul 11, 2019, 12:31 Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote: > it's also possible that > since the -PA to -PV involved a faster clock, I wonder if some backplane > lines turned into twisted pair, or coax? PA used 25 MHz (40 ns cycle). PV and PW used 33 MHz (33.3 ns cycle). I don't think PA to PV

Re: KL10-A/KL10-B differences

2019-07-09 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Jul 9, 2019 at 4:44 PM Noel Chiappa via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Could an -A be upgraded to a -B by swapping the I/O backplane? Electrically, yes, but physically it might not be easy. The portions of the chassis that support the backplanes are different, and the power

Re: KL10-A/KL10-B differences

2019-07-08 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Jul 8, 2019 at 1:30 PM Noel Chiappa via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > So early KL10's (KL10-A's, to be precise) only support a single DTE20, and > no RH20's. Later ones supported up to 4 of the former, and up to 8 of the > latter. > That's because the 1080 has different I/O

Re: Need Fileware twiggy diskette picture for Wikipedia

2019-07-01 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 4:58 PM David Griffith via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Someone informed me that the Fileware diskette image I uploaded to > Wikipedia has unclear copyright status. See > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fileware-floppy.jpg. Would someone > with a good

Teac FD55-GF drives wanted for experiments in reading Twiggy floppies

2019-06-21 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Is anyone willing to sell me a few Teac FD55-GF or -GFR floppy drives (PC 5.25-in high density) for less than eBay prices? I want to experiment with modifying them to read Apple Twiggy diskettes, primarily by adding a microstepping driver for the head positioning. I specifically want Teac drives

Re: Teletype 5620 schematics

2019-06-19 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Jun 18, 2019 at 9:43 PM Al Kossow via cctalk wrote: > came across these this eve, probably only of interest to Seth, since he > has one > http://bitsavers.org/pdf/att/5620/schematic > There's also a set here: http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/retrocomputing/att/5620/ I have not

Re: HP98035 Real Time clock and AC5954N clock chip

2019-06-06 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Jun 6, 2019 at 9:57 PM Tony Duell via cctalk wrote: > HP were fond of using NiCds as shunt regulators at that time. The did > it in many of > their handheld calculators (HP20 series 'Woodstock', HP30 series > 'Spice', etc). In > those it wasn't normally a problem (the calculator

Re: Modems and external dialers.

2019-06-05 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jun 5, 2019 at 11:38 AM Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: > Prior to Carterfone V Western Electric, (1968) . . . > There were DAAs RENTED by TPC ("The Phone Company" (cf, "The President's > Analyst")), dialers RENTED by TPC, and acoustic couplers in the > after-market. [...] > Prior to

Re: Modems and external dialers.

2019-06-05 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Jun 4, 2019 at 8:30 PM allison via cctalk wrote: > Keep in mins the hardware for auto dial required some for of micro and > that was a post 1974 thing for the most part. A few before that had a > lot of TTL state machine to do that. They obviously weren't cheap. > AFAIK the first

Re: Catatonic Rockwell AIM-65

2019-06-05 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jun 5, 2019 at 1:15 AM Eric Smith wrote: > I might use those for something else, but I don't think those specific > models aret useful for a base AIM-65. The 2332 ROMs in it (or 2532 EPROM > are 24-pin devices, and the adapters you linked plug into 28-pin sockets. > Mike pointed out to

Re: Catatonic Rockwell AIM-65

2019-06-05 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Jun 4, 2019 at 11:58 PM Mike Stein via cctalk wrote: > If you're going to get/make an adapter to convert the 2532 pinout to the > 2732 JEDEC standard, you might want to consider one of the commercially > available ones that let you put in up to a 27512; that lets you select any > one of

Re: HP-01 calc watch go withs - brochures, t- shirts, booklets, ad copy who else collecting?

2019-05-20 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Only just within the last month I finally obtained a ROM dump from a production HP-01, for potential use in my Nonpareil simulator. Previously I only had the preproduction code listed in a US patent. I'm not sure when I'll have time to actually work on the simulation, though. My original plan had

Re: Greetings

2019-05-01 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, May 1, 2019 at 1:54 PM Antonio Carlini via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Then (I think) came the VAX 8600 and that needed VMS V4.0. That (I > think, but I can't find anything to support this right now ...) is when > the last of the PDP-11 compatibility code was finally removed.

Re: Plane of core memory

2019-04-20 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 5:46 AM Noel Chiappa via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > where the description of the invention of 3-wire core can be found on pg. > 231; it was invented by a group of engineers, based on a similar idea used > in > Stretch. There is indeed a patent, No. 3,381,282,

Re: Interesting article in Spectrum about IBM's System/360

2019-04-12 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
The article says: Poughkeepsie’s engineers were close to completing work on a set of four > computers known as the 8000s that were compatible with the 7000s. AFAICT, that is totally wrong. The 8000 series was completely INCOMPATIBLE with any of the 7000 series machines. In fact, most of the

Re: Looking for Byte Jan 78 missing page

2019-03-28 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
pages 97-98 extracted from a different scan: http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/retrocomputing/byte/byte-197801-97-98.pdf

Re: Apollo Ethernet EPROM mystery

2019-03-28 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Mar 28, 2019 at 3:18 PM Eric Korpela via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > If it's like the PC version, the two populated ROMS are firmware for the > 80186 and the 82586. The empty socket is the boot prom. Well, firmware for the 80186 anyway. The 82586 doesn't execute external

Re: Seeking 4067 DRAM ICs

2019-02-26 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Feb 26, 2019 at 9:23 AM drlegendre via cctalk wrote: > In need of 8 pcs. MT4067-15 or equiv. to fill out the RAM board in a Tandy > 1000 EX. These are 64k x 4bit I believe. > You should be able to use the 4464, which are much easier to find.

Re: IBM 6360 - Filesystem(ish) info?

2019-02-19 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
>From a rather cursory examination of the manual, it looks like they put the controller in the diskette unit itself ("Diskette Signal Cable", figure 8-22), so you should be able to hook it up to just about any microcontroller. It's probably a 765/8272 style controller.

Re: Intel PC-BUBBLE Card documentation?

2019-02-14 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Feb 14, 2019 at 2:53 PM Josh via cctalk wrote: > The empty 40-pin should be an Intel 7224 if the card is using 7114 bubble > modules, and the 7220 if it's the 7110 bubble modules. > Although there is a datasheet for the 7224, I don't think it went into volume production. It looks like

Re: Intel PC-BUBBLE Card documentation?

2019-02-14 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Feb 13, 2019 at 5:39 PM Chris Hanson via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Does anyone have documentation stashed away for the Intel PC-BUBBLE Card? > The PC-BUBBLE is an 8-bit ISA card that Intel produced for prototyping > bubble memory applications in the mid-1980s, the ROM on

Re: sun 88780 on ebay

2019-02-11 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Feb 11, 2019 at 11:18 AM Al Kossow wrote: > Does it have the 800 bpi option board? > I haven't yet unboxed it. I took photos of the outside of the destroyed box to send to the shipper. The front bottom left corner of the 88780 is visible through a hole in the box, and is visibly

Re: sun 88780 on ebay

2019-02-11 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Jan 28, 2019 at 6:03 PM Al Kossow via cctalk wrote: > https://www.ebay.com/itm/132933407806 > It was packaged improperly by the seller and destroyed in transit.

Re: HP board "gold recovery" garbage

2019-01-24 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 1:00 PM Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: > Jesse/Cypress said "fifty bucks" for one. > I can come up with fifty bucks for you. > I don't really care one way or another about the eBay thing, which may or may not actually be related to Cypress, but I think it's great that

Re: HP board "gold recovery" garbage

2019-01-23 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jan 23, 2019 at 3:34 PM Jay West via cctalk wrote: > OMG no, that hurts more than just my heart because: That top board on the > stack is a 12922, part of that 3 board mux set for TSB. I sure wish I had > some spare cash at the moment. > > The ebay seller lists as "Cypress"? Pushing them

Re: OT? Upper limits of FSB

2019-01-05 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sat, Jan 5, 2019, 00:02 Jeffrey S. Worley via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Apropos of nothing, I've been confuse for some time regarding maximum > clock rates for local bus. > > My admittedly old information, which comes from the 3rd ed. of "High > Performance Computer

Re: Microcode, which is a no-go for modern designs

2019-01-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Jan 4, 2019 at 8:08 AM dwight via cctalk wrote: > May ability to understand these papers is somewhat limited. If I > understand correctly the following. > Most divide routines that I've seen allow the remainder to be 1,0,-1 > relative to the normal remainder. The answer will converge as

Re: Microcode, which is a no-go for modern designs

2019-01-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
And the original analysis paper, "It Takes Six Ones to Reach a Flaw": http://www.acsel-lab.com/arithmetic/arith12/papers/ARITH12_Coe.pdf

Re: Microcode, which is a no-go for modern designs

2019-01-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Also http://www-math.mit.edu/~edelman/homepage/papers/pentiumbug.pdf

Re: Microcode, which is a no-go for modern designs

2019-01-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 9:12 PM dwight via cctalk wrote: > I believe that is the one. Intel tried to say it wasn't an issue until it > was shown that the error was significant when using floating point numbers > near integer values. I suspect that the fellow that forgot to include the > mask file

Re: Microcode, which is a no-go for modern designs

2019-01-02 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 4:12 PM dwight via cctalk wrote: > I thought I'd note that the divide problem couldn't have been patched > with a micro code patch. If you're talking about the Pentium FDIV bug, present on the early 80501 chips (60 and 66 MHz) and 80502 chips (75, 90, and 100 MHz), they

Re: Which DEC machine made use of th pre Flip-Chip board?

2018-12-29 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Dec 21, 2018 at 10:37 AM Noel Chiappa via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > AFAIK, the first ICs (in the modern sense) on FLIP CHIPS were on M-series. > The B198, B199, and B250 modules of the KA10 use ICs. First customer shipments are claimed to have been in late 1967. >From

Re: OCR old software listing.

2018-12-26 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Dec 26, 2018, 17:15 Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: > On 12/26/18 3:17 PM, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote: > > On 12/26/18 2:55 PM, Steve Malikoff via cctalk wrote: > >> Scan them all as-is, put them up and 'crowd source' this list > > And TYPE the programs in again > > I've found that it's

Re: Core memory emulator using non volatile ram.

2018-12-15 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sat, Dec 15, 2018 at 11:55 AM Chuck Guzis via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 12/15/18 10:01 AM, Guy Sotomayor Jr via cctalk wrote: > > FRAM or MRAM. I make extensive use of them in my projects. > > > > Everspin has a few (all SMT and 3.3v). As I recall they run ~$20/ea for > 4Mb

Re: 34 pin Card Edge “Male to Male” Connector

2018-11-29 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Nov 29, 2018 at 11:52 AM Eric Smith wrote: > Sure, but that's just 0.05 to 0.125 microns of ENIG (electroless nickel > immersion gold). That's not intended for mating surfaces, and will wear > away after only a small number of connector cycles. > > For reliable edge fingers you need

Re: Re: 34 pin Card Edge “Male to Male” Connector

2018-11-29 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Nov 28, 2018 at 6:01 PM William Sudbrink via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > 1) how do you specify the slightly beveled edge required for easy > insertion? > 2) is there some way to specify "hardened" or whatever plating for the > connector traces? > Those have to be specified

Re: 34 pin Card Edge “Male to Male” Connector

2018-11-29 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Nov 28, 2018 at 7:05 PM Chuck Guzis via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > > 2) is there some way to specify "hardened" or whatever plating for the > connector traces? > My last order from OSHPark came with all traces gold-plated. > Apparently, it's getting to be standard practice.

Re: Re: 34 pin Card Edge “Male to Male” Connector

2018-11-28 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Nov 28, 2018 at 1:55 PM Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: > In the late 1970's in the TRS80 world, there were MALE 34 pin card edge > ribbon cable connectors! with gold plated fingers! (used on a short > extension for drives in enclosures, and to convert expansion interface > connections to

Re: IEFBR14 (was Re: IND$FILE)

2018-11-19 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Nov 19, 2018 at 2:24 PM Sean Conner via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > I've always been amused by IEFBR14 ever since I heard about it. I first > came across it by this quote: > Every program has at least one bug and can be shortened by at least > one

Re: TU58 tape formatter (was Re: rebuilding DC100A cartridges?)

2018-11-14 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Nov 14, 2018 at 8:53 AM Ethan Dicks via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On Sat, Nov 24, 2012 at 4:08 AM Eric Smith wrote: > > I spent some time reverse-engineering the firmware. There is only one > > undocumented opcode, decimal 10, and I haven't yet figured out what it > >

Re: TU58 tape formatter (was Re: rebuilding DC100A cartridges?)

2018-11-13 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Mark J. Blair (NF6X) has a git repo with various TU58 firmware disassemblies here: https://gitlab.com/NF6X_Retrocomputing/tu58firmware

Re: TU58 tape formatter (was Re: rebuilding DC100A cartridges?)

2018-11-13 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Nov 13, 2018 at 1:47 PM Ethan Dicks via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On Sat, Nov 24, 2012 at 4:08 AM Eric Smith wrote: > > I spent some time reverse-engineering the firmware. There is only one > > undocumented opcode, decimal 10, and I haven't yet figured out what it > >

Re: VAX 9440

2018-11-11 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sat, Nov 10, 2018 at 8:55 AM Jim Manley via cctalk wrote: > It's one thing to replace discrete transistors in our IBM > 1401, but, it's quite another to desolder and yank various little black > rectangles off extremely dense circuit boards without destroying anything > else ... and then

Re: i860: Re: modern stuff

2018-10-29 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Oct 29, 2018 at 12:13 PM alan--- via cctalk wrote: > I know i960 is a very different beast, but was there ever any high level > OSs that ran on it? It was originally the BiiN processor, and ran the Osiris operating system. However, few if any were sold, and it disappeared without a

Re: source for smt probe clip

2018-10-27 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
EZ-Hook XKM. I don't know whether they cloned the HP grabber probe, or supplied them to HP. They're expensive, so I usually buy the HP grabbers on eBay. Watch out. There are some Chinese clone grabbers that look like the XKM or HP, but aren't nearly as good. On Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 18:57 Al

Re: Scan of Micro Peripherals Inc MPI 91/92 Product Manual Avail?

2018-10-25 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Oct 25, 2018 at 1:28 PM Bill Degnan via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > So that brings me to the question - Should I buy a nice scanner that > handles two sided and schematic prints?...I have so many things more I > could scan if I had something cost effective. That's the last

Re: 70's computers

2018-10-25 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Oct 25, 2018 at 11:45 AM Chuck Guzis via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > Didn't at least one of the more popular MPU designs employ a serial ALU? > TMS9900? > I don't think the TI TMS9900 was bit-serial internally, but the RCA CDP1802 and National Semiconductor SC/MP

Re: modern stuff

2018-10-25 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Oct 25, 2018 at 12:48 PM Chuck Guzis via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > (the 432 is not a single chip > microcomputer--the basic family, as I recall was no less than three > (43201, 43202 and 43203) QIP chips. The General Data Processor (GDP) was split between two chips, the

Re: modern stuff

2018-10-24 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Oct 24, 2018, 17:58 Paul Koning via cctalk wrote: > > What about Intel's forgotten object oriented kitchen sink processor. > > IAPX-432 better or worse? > > Ben. > > Was that the one designed around Ada? > No, but it's the one that Intel's marketing department said was designed for Ada.

Re: modern stuff

2018-10-24 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Oct 24, 2018, 17:45 ben via cctalk wrote: > On 10/24/2018 3:58 PM, Eric Smith wrote: > > On Wed, Oct 24, 2018 at 2:18 PM ben via cctalk > > wrote: > > > > Well I can still run DOS BOX and get my nice 8086 instruction set. > > > > > > I've heard many

Re: modern stuff

2018-10-24 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Oct 24, 2018 at 2:18 PM ben via cctalk wrote: > Well I can still run DOS BOX and get my nice 8086 instruction set. > I've heard many different adjectives used with regard to the 8086 instruction set, but this is the first time I've heard it described as "nice". Admittedly there are

Re: Microsoft-Paul Allen

2018-10-22 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Mon, Oct 22, 2018, 02:36 Jim Manley wrote: Microsoft did offer a RAM expansion board specifically to allow the Softcard to access 64K of RAM dedicated to CP/M, Even that wasn't dedicated to CP/M. It was a 16K RAM card that was equivalent to the Apple "Language Card", which allowed replacing

Re: Microsoft-Paul Allen

2018-10-20 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Sat, Oct 20, 2018, 01:46 Jim Manley via cctalk wrote: > The Softcard was a Z-80 based single-board > computer It wasn't. It was only a processor card. that plugged into an Apple ][ slot, equipped with its own > 80x24 character x line black-and-white video output, No version of the

Re: Microsoft-Paul Allen

2018-10-19 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Fri, Oct 19, 2018 at 1:51 AM Jim Manley via cctalk wrote: > long before the Color Graphics Adapters were > available, about six months after launch, and the CGAs were only > produced in response to the completely unanticipated demand for the > PC. > Are you certain? My then boss* and I went

Re: Wanted: tech docs on original Iomega 8-inch full height 10MB Bernoulli drive (Alpha-10)

2018-10-15 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Hi Mike, The Bernoulli disks definitely do use servo, so as you say, if the servo patterns are damaged the data is toast. Do you have any advice on head cleaning? The docs on the second-generation drive (Alpha-10H) just say to use a cleaning cartridge, and I don't have one. I've cleaned floppy

Wanted: tech docs on original Iomega 8-inch full height 10MB Bernoulli drive (Alpha-10)

2018-10-12 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Does anyone have the user, technical and/or service manual for the original 10MB Iomega Bernoulli drives? Bitsavers has the manuals for the later half-height 10.0/10.5 MB "Alpha-10H", but I'm looking for docs for the original model, which was full-height with a SASI (pre-SCSI) interface. I have

Re: Ethernet names...

2018-10-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Oct 4, 2018, 14:19 Eric Smith wrote: > except that in the Pelkey account the Alto network wasn't designed and > built until June, _after_ the name change. > I should have written that it the design and construction _started_ in June. The initial Ethernet wasn't completed until late

Re: Ethernet names...

2018-10-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
The typo(s) in the quote are mine, not the book's.

Re: Ethernet names...

2018-10-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Thu, Oct 4, 2018 at 1:55 PM Bill Degnan wrote: > I must have misrepresented this then, the book does claim Aloha Net to be > just a working name in the very beginning. When it got to the beta testing > phase it was already called Ethernet > After you referenced _Where Wizards Stay Up Late_,

Re: Ethernet names...

2018-10-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Wed, Oct 3, 2018 at 11:21 PM Mark Kahrs via cctalk wrote: > I was there and it was always called "The Ethernet". When the 10 Mb > standard came into being, it was then referred to as "The Experimental > Ethernet". If you want to be *really* pedantic, you could refer to it as > the "2.94 MHz

Re: Ethernet names...

2018-10-04 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
On Tue, Oct 2, 2018 at 10:55 PM Grant Taylor via cctalk < cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote: > On 10/02/2018 05:27 PM, Eric Smith via cctalk wrote: > > 3 Mbps Ethernet is _NOT_ Ethernet I. Both Ethernet I and II were 10 Mbps > > DIX standards, with II having only minor differe

Re: Rack-mount or tabletop version of DEC RX50 floppy drive?

2018-10-03 Thread Eric Smith via cctalk
Thanks to Josh, Ethan, Bob, and Adrian for confirming that there were rack and table-top RX50 drives. It would be nice to get one since I have an RUX50, but having never seen one before, I won't hold my breath. It would also be nice to find the RUX50 manual and print set.

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