Computer Documentation

From: Richard A. Cini, Jr. <rcini_at_msn.com>
Date: Wed Jun 25 12:19:15 1997

Marvin:

        I, too, like to have documentation for my various holdings. I have copies of
the service manuals for the Radio Shack Model I, the Commodore PET 4032, the
VIC-20 and (I think) the VIC 1541 floppy drive. I'd like to get copies of the
schematics for the Altair, the IMSAI, and anything related to the System
23/Datamaster. If you need these, I can have copies made.

        As far as ROMs are concerned, maybe we can start a "ROM Archive"
database/repository. Members with EPROM programmers could make copies of
known-good ROMS from various machines at the request of other members.
However, there is a major pitfall: version control. Unless someone has an idea
as to which ROM versions go with each hardware revision, there is a risk of
incompatibility. Although, what's the worst that can happen -- it doesn't
work.

        As far as Copyright concerns, I don't think that there are any. First, many
of our target companies are out of business. Second, we are not selling these
chips (and the software contained therein) in a commercial sense. Third,
they're being used as a one-for-one replacement for defective firmware. I view
it like a diskette: I own Norton Utilities with a bad disk 1. My friend also
owns Norton Utilities, and he makes me a copy of his disk 1. Both of us have
valid software licenses because we both bought the program. It's like
preservation of matter.

Rich Cini/WUGNET
 - MCPS Windows 95/Networking
 - ClubWin Charter Member

Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 13:56:15 -0700
From: Marvin <marvin_at_rain.org>
To: classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu
Subject: Computer Documentation
Message-ID: <33B0346F.3FFC_at_rain.org>
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One of the things *I* like to have available is the documentation,
particularly schematics, on the things that I have. As such, there are
docs and schematics on quite a bit of stuff here but there are also a
lot of holes. I'm not sure how the copyright laws apply to machines
where the company has ceased to exist, but it would be great to be able
to exchange documentation as needed. Things I have machine schematics
on include:
Received on Wed Jun 25 1997 - 12:19:15 BST