>
> A.R. Duell wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > > Ok, you have just put us all to eternal shame. Do you have a list of all
> > > > you've got? cuz I'm entirely interested to know. Or perhaps just an
> > > > excerpt of your more rare systems. Where the hell do you store it all?
> >
> > Wow.... This lot totally dwarfs my little collection (I think I have about
> > 150 machines, including calculators, but excluding interesting
> > peripherals), and I thought I was doing pretty well!
>
> 150 computers is doing VERY well, I just have a lot of friends who found
Yeah, but I have been doing this seriously for just over 11 years (started
24th May 1986), and had a few machines before that. Needless to say I'm
not going to stop collecting, hacking and enjoying these machines just
because somebody else has more CPUs that I do.
> a suc, er, someone to take the stuff so they don't have to throw it away
:-). 'Unfortunately' most of my friends are also computer collectors,
which means that I don't get offered fun toys that they happen to have. Of
course the toys _are_ being preserved and used, which is a good thing.
> :). Yesterday, another friend gave me a C64, disk drive, and color
> monitor. I started collecting sometime about 1986 and was fortunate in
> having quite a few friends in the computer business as well as space to
> store the stuff. Additionally, I help a local private school put on a
> "Computer Rummage Sale" and end up with a lot of stuff they couldn't
> sell. Hope I haven't given you the impression I am a junk collector :).
What's wrong with being a 'junk collector'? One of my first actions on
getting this job was finding out what the policy was on raiding the skip
(dumpster) (It was a 'free for all' - grab what you want..) and getting
known by all those responsible for throwing stuff out...
> On a more serious note, there is also a local Classic Computer club with
> a small (a dozen or so) but devoted membership who are extremely
> knowledgeable about a wide range of the older computers. From that
> group, I was given a couple of Jonos computers, TRS Model 4, a Smoke
> Signal Broadcasting BFD-16, an Altos system, and a number of other
> computers. I also have three other friends who, like myself, are
> interested in putting together a computer museum. The biggest problem
> is financing such a venture since to do a professional job, we would
> most likely need at least 5000 sq ft of building.
Yep, that's something I ought to think of doing. Finding a building is a
big problem, and finding the money to buy it is even worse, but at least I
have the exhibits :-)
>
> >
> > > the earliest is probably the PDP 8i, and PDP 11/05. Of course the Mits
> >
> > Do you have any other minis? I find them a lot more interesting than
> > micros, as I think I've mentioned before, since you can actually
> > understand how the CPU works at gate level.
> >
>
> I have a bit of DEC stuff including a Minc (I think that is the correct
> spelling) that I have no idea what it was used for, a couple of 11/23s,
MINC = Modular INstrument Computer - basically a PDP11/03 or PDP11/23
controlled data logger. A very curious machine
> and at least one 11/34. There is also a Kennedy Disk Unit, a 470 MB
> Hard Disk (probably for the Dec stuff) that is a rack mount, and a bunch
> of spare M and K series interface boards. One thing I am *really* glad
Never had any K series. Got a large box (well, multiple boxes...) of
R,S,B,G,A,M,W boards, though. I've also got the test boards, extenders,
etc for repairing these machines (I got invited to clear a room that was
used for 'self-maintenance' on PDP11's, and got a lot of fun toys as a
result...)
> now that I didn't get rid of are the engineering drawings and
> maintenance manuals for the PDP 8i, PDP 16, PDP 11/05, PDP 11/45, and
Those manuals are _very_ interesting, and _nothing_ would separate me from
my pile of them
--
-tony
ard12_at_eng.cam.ac.uk
The gates in my computer are AND,OR and NOT, not Bill
Received on Mon Jun 09 1997 - 08:52:51 BST