On Fri, 16 Apr 1999, Tony Duell wrote:
> However, for people starting out, getting their first computer, they are
> going to want to be able to use the software from the local PC shop.
> They're going to want to be able to use the 'learn to use your home
> computer' type magazines. And, unfortuantely, you can't use a PDPx or a
> PERQ or a TRS-80 or an Apple ][ or a PET or a BBC or a ... for any of
> that. Sure _we_ can get these machines to do useful work, but probably
> others can't.
Sure, anyone can. Just deliver them an old home computer with a stack of
books and magazines that were published around it and they could figure
anything out. You can find old issues of Nibble, Incider, A+ for the
Apple ][ in lots of places. I'm sure the prevailing magazines for the
other common machines can be found just as easily. Of course a PERQ or
PDP would be a different story, but the home micros are well documented.
> I'm even more amazed by the amount of test equipment that I've been given
> as 'beyond repair' that's had trivial faults. It's one thing that the
> little-old-lady can't fix the TV (even if the only fault is a wire off in
> the plug), but an electronic engineer who can't find an blown fuse in
> some expensive piece of equipment? What is this world coming to?
I've gotten some real good test equipment that had only trivial faults for
real cheap. Now to find those faults and fix them :)
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar_at_siconic.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't rub the lamp if you don't want the genie to come out.
Coming this October 2-3: Vintage Computer Festival 3.0!
See
http://www.vintage.org/vcf for details!
[Last web site update: 04/03/99]
Received on Fri Apr 16 1999 - 22:56:12 BST