rescued a beehive!

From: liste_at_artware.qc.ca <(liste_at_artware.qc.ca)>
Date: Tue May 23 18:39:46 2000

On 20-May-2000 Paul Williams wrote:
> Hehehe. Terminal junkie support group, anyone?
>
> Sellam, Philip, I'd love to see pictures of any terminals in your
> collections.

My collection of terminals is, like my classic computer collection, very
small. Space, money and availability are the primary restrictions.

The Wyse-85 I use daily. I first saw a Wyse at a local hospital, where i
was visiting a friend who'd just had a baby. I spoted the terminal,
played around with it trying to get something interesting out (it
required a key that went in a hole on the keyboard) and said "I want one of
these." 2 days later I wandered into the local used computer store. This
store is owned by a cranky old lady who smokes like a chimney and speaks
thick Qu?becois. A visit is always an adventure. I asked if she had a
Wyse, to which she replyed "No, I have a *mumble*" (I have no clue what
the *mumble* was. I think it was the same *mumble* as when I asked after
an X terminal previously). However, the person who she had been chatting
with said "Yes, you do have a Wyse. You sold me one last week". She goes
"Wasn't that a *mumble*?" "No, it's a Wyse". Then she stares me in the
eye "So, how much will you give me for it?" I haven't seen the
terminal yet, but I guess it's value at around 70 CAD. She goes, "Nope, I
want 20 CAD" Now picture me going "wheee!" and coughing on cigarette
smoke.

Turns out it's a Wyse-85, with a international/french keyboard. It has
a wordperfect F-key "cheat-sheet" glued to the keyboard. Previously, I'd
been using a Compaq II as a terminal, but they Wyse is much less noisy and
runs at 19200 reliably. As an extra bonus, wyse85 is in the linux termcap.

-Philip
Received on Tue May 23 2000 - 18:39:46 BST