At 17:25 05-05-98 -0700, Sam Ismail <dastar_at_wco.com> wrote:
>On Tue, 5 May 1998, Gary Oliver wrote:
>> I realize this may be a bit "off topic" with respect to the other
>> "mainstream" collectable computers (dec/hp/etc.) but, hey! it's
>> what I learned on way back when. And the computer was far too large
>> to ever think of "owning" one.
>
>Byte your tongue. Old iron is NEVER off-topic. Nobody ever said this
>discussion was only for "collectable" (whatever that means) computers. If
>you want to collect it, we want to discuss it.
Yes, by golly, a subject like this is *never* off topic! How many folks
out there actually used any of those machines Gary worked with? Rather, how
many could use or learn to use one today? There's probably a few who would
like to, myself included. This is a project that works at preseving the
"essence" of a long defunct machine. Depending upon Gary's user interface
he includes with his emulator, a person could vicariously "operate" one of
these CDCs without having the good ole iron itself setting nearby. That is
a method to preserve and teach a part of the history of computers which we
all could never actually experience today or especially into the future.
Any of these CDC models in service or in a collection today? Maybe not, so
this is an important effort to preserve the software of the machine for all
of us who are interested to experience the feel of working on a real
classic CDC machine.
-- Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA
Member of Antique Wireless Association
URL:
http://www.ggw.org/freenet/a/awa/
Received on Wed May 06 1998 - 11:08:01 BST