Greetings, Classic Computer Fans,
I've just subscribed. I've heard about this list for a long time, and have
been recommended to check it out by a number of folks, so...here I am.
My name is Rick Bensene. I live near Portland, Oregon. Some here may know
me from my old calculator collection (which I'll shamlessly plug here:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7510), which is my substitute
for collecting old computers. (Calculators take up less space)
I've been involved with computers since the early 1970's. I currently work
as a technologist at a large Electronic Design Automation software company.
I've always loved computers, and though I don't actively collect them,
I am hoping to live vicariously through all you folks who are active in
collecting.
I have a few older computers that I've run across, mostly as orphans.
These include a Tandy 100 (who doesn't have one of these?), a Tandy 600, a
Sun 3/50, a Sun 4/360, A couple of Tektronix 6130's, a Tektronix 4132, and
a Tektronix 4319. I worked at Tektronix for 13 years, from '77 through '90,
so
I have a particular affection for Tektronix equipment.
I've used/administrated/hacked/programmed quite a range of computers,
ranging from
a CDC Cyber 73 and later Cyber 176 at Tektronix, VAX 11/780's running both
VMS and
4BSD Unix, A Gould Powernode 9080 (interesting, all ECL machine with
dual processors), a DEC PDP8/E(OS8), a DEC RSTS system (running on
PDP 11/45), varios 11-based systems running RT-11, HP 2000C, E, F, and
ACCESS
timeshare systems, Apollo Domain OS (DN300, DN3000-series), Sun from as
early as the 68K-based VME-bus systems to latest Ultras, early HPUX machines
(700-series workstations), IBM RT workstation, IBM 360/30, early
micros (Altair, IMSAI, North Star Horizon, ProcTech SOL), Commodore PET,
TRS-80, TRS-80 Color Computer, homebrew stuff (8008, 8080 and 6809),
Tektronix 4051, Tektronix 6130/4132, Tektronix 4081, Tektronix
43xx-workstations, Alpha Micro (from the early LSI-11-based days), an old
(early 1960's) computer made by 3M
(can't remember the model number, but I'll write up some memories about it
for
the list), a SCM 7816 (strange beast, a cross between a computer and a
calculator), and of course, PC's since the original. I've programmed in
FORTRAN, COBOL, just about all variants of BASIC, C, Perl, Pascal, and in
assembly on PDP-8, PDP-11, IBM 360, Interdata 7/16, 8008, 8080, Z80, 6800,
6809, 8051, 8085, 8086, National 320xx, and 68K.
I'm looking forward to sharing memories with the list, and, as mentioned,
hearing about your memories, and all the great collector finds out there.
Best wishes to all,
Rick Bensene
Received on Sat Feb 20 1999 - 14:44:41 GMT