Hey, here's a tip.
If you're interested in knowing to what use you can put that
communications hardware you keep passing up at your preferred source for
classic computers, get yourself a Glasgal Communications catalog. The
older the better.
Glasgal was a company that sold thousands of communications products, from
cables & connectors to muxes & switches, and everything in between (and
I'm talking everything). The catalog I have from them is 1987, and has
some pretty interesting stuff in it, including things I've seen at thrift
stores or surplus shops, or things I've worked with.
This particular catalog is called "System/Configuration Guide and Product
Listing". So not only does it describe their complete product line but it
also goes into technical discussions about certain products and their
applications, including diagrams. Its basically a tutorial on how to hook
up and use the products they are selling. It is very thorough and
extraordinarily useful if you'd like to start building your own
communcations network between disparate computer storage sites with old
comm hardware.
I found this particular catalog in a thrift store. Alas (homage to Tony
:), Glasgal doesn't seem to be around anymore. I just made a bunch of
calls, first to the number in the catalog, then to toll-free directory
assistance, then to directory assistance in New Jersey, with no success.
I then did a web search on "Glasgal Communications" and found this on a
stock market discussion BBS:
"WE ARE MANUFACTURERS OF HIGH QUALITY EMPTY GLASS BOTTLES. WE PRODUCE
BOTTLES IN TWO COLORS AMBER & WHITE. WE ARE SUPPLYING TO THE LIQUOR,
PHARMACEUTICAL, FOOD BEVERAGES AND COSMETICS INDUSTRIES ALL OVER THE
WORLD."
So either Glasgal Communications has radically altered its business plan
or some new company has commandeered their name.
If you run across a Glasgal Communications catalog from days gone by, grab
it. This also applies to old Black Box catalogs (whom still exist)
because if their old catalogs have the same format of their current
catalogs, you can expect the same type of helpful information.
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar_at_siconic.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ever onward.
Coming in 1999: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0
See
http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 09/21/98]
Received on Sat Oct 10 1998 - 13:39:21 BST