ROM ARCHIVE (was computer documentation)

From: Cord Coslor <coslor_at_pscosf.peru.edu>
Date: Wed Jun 25 12:44:00 1997

Gret idea on the ROM archive. However, the work involved would be quite
little... as almost every ROM image has already been pulled and stored in
a PC or Mac readable image... Mainly with the recent boom in emulator
technology. These ROMs can then be written back to 'real' rom chips in
most cases.

Well, that's all I have right now.

CORD COSLOR
Archive Software

//*=====================================================================++
|| Cord G. Coslor P.O. Box 308 - 1300 3rd St. Apt "M1" -- Peru, NE ||
|| (402) 872- 3272 coslor_at_bobcat.peru.edu 68421-0308 ||
|| Classic computer software and hardware collector ||
|| Autograph collector ||
++=====================================================================*//


On Wed, 25 Jun 1997, Richard A. Cini, Jr. wrote:

> 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>
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
> 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 - 12:44:00 BST