Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

From: J. Maynard Gelinas <jmg_at_iac.net>
Date: Wed Feb 25 11:32:14 1998

        [Reply further on down]

> Date: Wed, 25 Feb 1998 08:28:45 -0800 (PST)
> From: Tim Shoppa <shoppa_at_alph02.triumf.ca>
> To: "Discussion re-collecting of classic computers" <classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Re: Photo of Smithsonian microcomputer exhibit

        [snip]

>
> You've also got the issue of date codes on IC's to deal with. And not many
> 40-pin DIPs are still made the same way as original 8080A's, i.e.
> white ceramic with a gold cap.

        My recent COSMAC 1802 find had a white CPU with gold cap. I'd
never seen anything like that before.

>
> > Prediction: 10 years from now, we'll be able to go to Hong Kong and buy a
> > couterfeit Altair for $100!
>
> Not a chance. While the actual electronics "silicon" inside an Altair is
> worth less than $50 today, the sheet metal and the power supply transformer
> would cost you a couple hundred dollars to duplicate. (While the total
> cost would be about the same, the distribution of the costs is almost
> exactly reveresed from 20 years ago.)
>
> For those who really want a S-100 front panel machine, maybe they'd be
> willing to pay for me to make duplicates of my TIMSAI. Features:

        Actually, I don't think this is a bad idea. Though I'd rather
you not build the kit for me... Given the impossibility of building
new fast computers in kit form because of high speeds and multilayerd
boards, the electronic hobbyist has been left in the dust holding
prefeb motherboards, trident cards and a Power Supply. Well, I bet
there's quite a number of old time hobbyists who would like a nice
open kit to build, even if it isn't a 32bit 333mhz x86 box. I don't
know that the S-100 should be revived, but it certainly was the most
open of the late 70's standards - and there are still quite a lot of
old boards available - plus great documentation. OTOH, I could be
convinced to go with a Q or Hex bus kit as well...

        Just wanted to say, your TIMSAI looks pretty cool! And I
think there are enough hobbyists around interested in such stuff to
make it an economically feasable, though small, business. What about
a 680x0 based S100 (or something) box which would be easy enough to
port Linux on?

Just futzing around with the thought...
J. Maynard Gelinas
Received on Wed Feb 25 1998 - 11:32:14 GMT