--- In midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com, evan@... wrote:
>
> However people like Bill are the exception. Most professors in such programs
are tenured and have advanced degrees in history and/or computer science.
>
-----------

I won't debate you on that point as it's (unfortunately) true, however, it
should be noted that if the school doesn't have such a class it can always be
proposed to the board and if there's a known interest in having such a class and
enough students sign up, then you've got a class to teach.

It does depend upon the school. My "institute of higher learning" was art
school, and they were very open to anyone walking in the door with an idea to
teach something there (as long as it appealed to enough students willing to pay
for the class).

If it works, instant teaching career.

>
>> However people like Bill are the exception. Most professors in such programs
are tenured and have advanced degrees in history and/or computer science.
> I won't debate you on that point as it's (unfortunately) true
>
Why do you find that unfortunate?

Just because they're professors / Ph.D.s does not mean they lack the
experience than hobbyists/collectors have.  Quite the opposite; most of
hobbyists/collectors who I know can learn a LOT from the academic site
of computer history.

In fact that was the topic of my lecture at the Society for the History
of Technology conference in 2007 -- "Bridging the gap between hobbyists
and historians of computer history."

Very good flow of visitors this past Sunday.  Easily in the double
figures.  A great follow-up to the visitors from the previous day's
InfoAge car show.

More problems with our IBM PC though.  This time it wouldn't even boot
to ROM.  Someone more experienced than me should look at it.

Next work day is officially scheduled for Saturday, July 11.  This is an
exhibits work day -- not a party or swap meet or tech day -- but of
course it's cool to bring specific things if anyone works out a
pre-trade, etc.

Things we still have to do:
- Empty old hotel room (waaaaay overdue) and empty random stuff from
exhibit rooms.  This can probably be done in a few hours with a few
people.  It's NOT a crapload of stuff like in the past.
- Pick up cheap carpet for our two rooms that lack it.  Joe: perhaps you
and I can do this ahead of the workday, using your SUV or Fred's pickup.
- Set up desks/tables for exhibit plan.  InfoAge has LOTS of desks we
can use.

We do NOT need to do any further painting.  That's the good news.  :)

We'll finish the MARCH library some other time.  Maybe post-VCF, or
later this summer if there is time.  For now our library books are
safely stored in boxes.  It is more important right now to build more
museum exhibits.  InfoAge visitorship is ramping up and so should we!

Dawn of the Personal Computer: From Altair to the IBM PC
by Erik Klein (vintage-computer.com)
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/dawn_personal_computer_altair_ibm_pc

These articles always generate a lot of controversy, but I think that's
why editors like them so much.  Overall Erik was careful to avoid
absolute statements, but I am sure that there will be some here who do
not agree with the choices.  Beyond that, I think it's important that
there are articles like this in magazines like Maximum PC (I am a
subscriber and recommend this mag) in that it helps bring new people
into awareness of computer history.  I think you're missing the point if
you dwell too much on whether this or that computer should or should not
be on Erik's list, as tempting as that may be to do.

Bill

Thankas for the link. I knew this was coming but I was sworn to secrecy.  :)

-----Original Message-----
From: B Degnan <billdeg@...>

Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:51:13
To: <midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [midatlanticretro] (another) vintage computer article in Maximum PC
Magazine


Dawn of the Personal Computer: From Altair to the IBM PC
by Erik Klein (vintage-computer.com)
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/dawn_personal_computer_altair_ibm_pc

These articles always generate a lot of controversy, but I think that's
why editors like them so much.  Overall Erik was careful to avoid
absolute statements, but I am sure that there will be some here who do
not agree with the choices.  Beyond that, I think it's important that
there are articles like this in magazines like Maximum PC (I am a
subscriber and recommend this mag) in that it helps bring new people
into awareness of computer history.  I think you're missing the point if
you dwell too much on whether this or that computer should or should not
be on Erik's list, as tempting as that may be to do.

Bill



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

--- In midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com, B Degnan <billdeg@...> wrote:
>
> Dawn of the Personal Computer: From Altair to the IBM PC
> by Erik Klein (vintage-computer.com)
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/dawn_personal_computer_altair_ibm_pc
>
-------------------------

I totally read that headline incorrectly (damn dyslexia!), and was trying to
figure out why a magazine that mostly features women in their underwear would
have an article on old computers...

But he has the PC, the XT and the AT but not the VIC 20.. WTF!?!?! >:O Hell hath no fury like a Commodorian Scorned!! C= FO-EVA! Just kidding, a bit of "vintage" computer sarcasm there. If you read the comments section the Amiga people are not happy. --- On Tue, 6/30/09, B Degnan <billdeg@...> wrote: From: B Degnan <billdeg@...> Subject: [midatlanticretro] (another) vintage computer article in Maximum PC Magazine To: midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 7:51 AM Dawn of the Personal Computer: From Altair to the IBM PC by Erik Klein (vintage-computer. com) http://www.maximump c.com/article/ features/ dawn_personal_ computer_ altair_ibm_ pc These articles always generate a lot of controversy, but I think that's why editors like them so much. Overall Erik was careful to avoid absolute statements, but I am sure that there will be some here who do not agree with the choices. Beyond that, I think it's important that there are articles like this in magazines like Maximum PC (I am a subscriber and recommend this mag) in that it helps bring new people into awareness of computer history. I think you're missing the point if you dwell too much on whether this or that computer should or should not be on Erik's list, as tempting as that may be to do. Bill

>
> I totally read that headline incorrectly (damn dyslexia!), and was trying to
figure out why a magazine that mostly features women in their underwear would
have an article on old computers...
It would have been more fun than men in suits!

http://www.esquire.com/style/fashion-story/suits-0708?click=main_sr

--- In midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com, Christian Liendo <christian_liendo@...>
wrote:
>
> But he has the PC, the XT and the AT but not the VIC 20.. WTF!?!?!
> >:O
> Hell hath no fury like a Commodorian Scorned!!
> C= FO-EVA!
-------------

Well, as usual, these types of articles always have a decidedly west-coast bent.
This is a failure on our part. The west-coast evangelists have written the
majority of books and seem to have the larger "public" collections, and
therefore, they recieve the lion's share of the publicity.

It's little wonder that many books out there portray the entirety of the history
of computers as Apple VS. IBM, hell, even Cringely's book (who should have known
better), made the entire story west-coast based, even cutting IBM out of the
picture when Microsoft became a better foil for Apple.

I think a lot of people forget that while Apple was designing the IIgs, they
were internally referring to it as "the Amiga killer", and in the earlier days
of computing, a "Business Machine" would be required to read a variety of disk
formats because there were so many competing "standards".

On the upside however, the photography in the article is very nice. It's
unfortunate that the author didn't feel it was notable to indicate the date of
each piece of "history". I guess the Sol-20 was built, what, 10 years ago?

I mean, that's a loooong time in computer years.

>
> Well, as usual, these types of articles always have a decidedly
west-coast bent. This is a failure on our part. The west-coast evangelists
have written the majority of books and seem to have the larger "public"
collections, and therefore, they recieve the lion's share of the
publicity.
>

The Franklin 1000 is included, at least one system from our neck of the
woods.

>
> On the upside however, the photography in the article is very nice. It's
unfortunate that the author didn't feel it was notable to indicate the date
of each piece of "history". I guess the Sol-20 was built, what, 10 years
ago?
>
> I mean, that's a loooong time in computer years.


That's a web master issue (maximum PC).  The print version is much nicer
and has the dates and other details.

Bill

I was playing around with my Burroughs Adding machine today. Its from the 50's-60's. It is motor driven. I have been trying to figure out if it is broken, of if I am not using it correctly. The machine has 8 columns of 9 through 1, a clear button (marked E), +, -, x, *TOT, -| |- NA, and ST. It also has a small electric button on the side.

Can anyone teach me? :)

Joe

> So I went and got the heathkit H8
Good work!!

> Would an exhibit of old adding machines be acceptable as a VCF exhibit
> or too off topic?
>
> bd
It's okay with me.  Bill, remember our "pre-industrial" exhibit at VCF
West 9.0?

Well more info It's a WH-8-47.. It doesn't have the 8080A, it has a HA-8-6 Z80 card.. And the drives are an upgrade as well Still doing more research on the unit --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Evan Koblentz <evan@...> wrote: From: Evan Koblentz <evan@...> Subject: Re: [midatlanticretro] Got the Heathkit H8 To: midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 11:15 PM > So I went and got the heathkit H8 Good work!!

> unless I can show non working machines
Nope!  VCF requirement: majority of the machines in the exhibit must be
alive and running.

Try pulling on the... erm... springy loady thingy (I don't know what to call it either) after inserting a disk, as it is supposed to be pushed out and sometimes doesn't get pushed out quite enough when the drive is too old.

On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 11:37 AM, Eric Adler <tonsofpcs2@...> wrote:

sounds like it may be an issue with the springy closing mechanism
(yea, that's a technical term). Try loading and unloading a floppy
you don't care about repeatedly, then load/unload nothing, then floppy
again to give it some exercise (with the system off)

On 6/27/09, evan@... <evan@...> wrote:
> Museum Apple II+ won't boot. I tried other disks. Drive spins, nothing
> happens though. Somebody want to come by today or tomorrow and fix it?

I don't know for sure, I would find a service manual.
bd

-------- Original Message --------
> From: "Joe Giliberti" <Starbase89@...>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:35 PM
> To: midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [midatlanticretro] OT: Operation of an Adding machine (are
old  calculators off topic?)
>
> It prints and has a ribbon. The sticker on the side indicates it was
last
> serviced in 1978. I would imagine WD40 would do more harm than good?
>
> Joe
>
> On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 11:12 PM, B Degnan <billdeg@...> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >  Joe Giliberti wrote:
> >
> > I was playing around with my Burroughs Adding machine today. Its from
the
> > 50's-60's. It is motor driven. I have been trying to figure out if it
is
> > broken, of if I am not using it correctly. The machine has 8 columns of
9
> > through 1, a clear button (marked E), +, -, x, *TOT, -| |- NA, and ST.
It
> > also has a small electric button on the side.
> >
> > Can anyone teach me? :)
> >
> > Joe
> >
> > One thing you need is a visor.  Most pictures you see of people using
these
> > things were wearing visors.    I don't think they work otherwise.
> >
> > But seriously you probably want to clean it of dust and then lube/NYE
oil
> > the moving parts.  I have a few here and there but I don't do much
with
> > them.  Does it have a ribbon/printer or is it just a calculator?
> >
> > Related question
> > Would an exhibit of old adding machines be acceptable as a VCF exhibit
or
> > too off topic?
> >
> > bd
> >
> >

-------- Original Message --------
> From: "Christian Liendo" <christian_liendo@...>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:37 PM
> To: midatlanticretro@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [midatlanticretro] Got the Heathkit H8
>
> I was hoping to do that with the Northstar..
>
> This needs more work...
>
> I have machines, just non-working machines.. trying to make them work
unless I can show non working machines.
>
>

What are the problems with the Northstar?  Maybe someone here can help.  I
was able to restore mine,

bd