Collection list (just for phun)

From: Mike Kenzie <KenzieM_at_sympatico.ca>
Date: Thu Apr 12 13:22:53 2001

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Gregory" <gregorym_at_cadvision.com>
> From: "Bryan Pope" <bpope_at_wordstock.com>
>
>
> > In all the collections I am seeing I am surprised no one
has listed an ICON.
> > I believe this system was local to Ontario, Canada. The
systems were made
> > especially for schools, with a bunch of them in my high
school. Either the
> > GUI or the paint package included was called AMBIENCE.
The OS was QNX. The
> > case was like the PETs - steel one piece with monitor.
But it was a colour
> > monitor and there was also a trackball.

> A consortium was put together that created proprietary
hardware running a
> Unix variant (years before Linux put Unix in the
mainstream). In a world
> rapidly being swamped by the enthusiasm and high hopes of
the "Home
> Computing" revolution, where Commodore, Apple and Atari
were king, the Icon
> was a costly failure. It limped along for a few years, but
once the
> government lost its initial enthusiasm for
computer-assisted learning, the
> plug was quickly pulled. The last place I remember seeing
an Icon was at
> the Ontario Science Centre, where they were used to run
programs like
> Forest fire fighting simulations. I'd love to get one if I
ever run across
> one.

I wish I'd know more about them, I saw 4 in a junk shop a
few months back, but without any software or manuals. They
looked pretty beat up and I think they wanted $10 cdn each
for them. I have QNX on a CD and they're located not too
far from here.

I'm still looking for NVRAM to revive a sparc 1+, a cable to
get the VAXstation connected as well as complete ICON, timex
Sinclair, TI, TRS80, coco, and a SOL. Garage sales are just
starting so I'm hopeful that I'll find a few more.
Received on Thu Apr 12 2001 - 13:22:53 BST