Many things

From: Ashley Carder <wacarder_at_usit.net>
Date: Fri Jan 28 13:05:14 2005

> >>>> who actually _USE_ our classic computers for our day-to-day work
>
> Do you mean you use a classic computer as your ** primary ** machine, or
just
> that you happen to use it ** once in a while ** for your current work?
>
> RE: people who use classic computers as their primary machine, not
including
> those of you on the list who work for computer museums -- I'm very curious
how
> many of you exist. And, do you use classic computers by 1.) choice, 2.)
lack
> of budget, or 3.) technological need (that is, legacy connectivity)...?
>
> I love my vintage computer collection as much as anyone, or else I
wouldn't be
> on this list and producing my newsletter, and once in a while it is fun to
> actually use them for modern purposes. Just ask the guy who was startled
last
> week when I started taking meeting notes an Apple Newton. But in
day-to-day
> 'real life', I can't fathom using anything other than a modern system
running
> some equally modern version of Unix or Windows. (It's one thing to
request the
> PostScript file here in the classiccmp list, but how do you handle it in
the
> real world, where people may tell you "Sorry, our company only does
business in
> Microsoft"...?
>
> For those on the list who like to flame -- please don't -- I am ASKING
about
> this topic, not preaching my point of view.

I, too, like my vintage systems as much as the next guy, but lately I've
been finding
myself using the HyperTerminal app on my modern Win2K PC as the console
when I'm doing things on my 1973 PDP-11/40. I can toggle over to the web
browser while I'm copying RK05 disk packs, cut and paste the output of the
PDP-11/40 RT11 DIR command into an email on Outlook, and use simh to
test and run the RL01 disk image that I just sent from the 11/40 to my PC
via
the 11/40 console's serial port. I can use the latest version of Adobe
Acrobat
Reader to read a PDF version of an ancient PDP-11 manual that I downloaded
from Al's Bitsavers while I have my 11/40's console sitting there in a
Window
on the same computer, while I listen to my MP3 files on the same computer,
while I have Remote Admin running in another window so I can watch my
web server, which is 40 miles away!

When I have visitors and I want them to have the authentic 1970s computing
experience, I unplug my PC from the 11/40 console cable and connect my
VT52 DecScope as the console, to go along with the other vintage terminals
connected via the DZ11 multiplexer.

So..... my point of view is that I like to use my modern stuff right
alongside my
old stuff.

Ashley
Received on Fri Jan 28 2005 - 13:05:14 GMT