Sean Dennis wrote to All <=-
I forgot to mention that I modified the echo rules a little. Since
there are so many great projects to bring back clones of classic
computers we all love, like the Amiga, ZX Spectrum, Color Computer, and several homebrewed Z80 systems, the discussion of these current systems
is absolutely on-topic in here and highly encouraged to talk about!
I follow several different computer hobbyist groups on Facebook and it
is absolutely amazing to me to see such dedication to these old systems being brought back to life with modern know-how. I am not smart enough
to do that myself but I enjoy reading about them.
I don't know if I ever made this clear but emulators for old systems is on-topic in here also.
Just a quick clarification. :)
I have been busy moving my BBS from OS/2 to Devuan Linux so I have been rather quiet in the echoes lately.
-- Sean
CLASSIC_COMPUTER Moderator
Not often that I tell a moderator "thank you" for a rules clarification.
But, not unheard of. This is one of those occasions. Thanks.
Dave Drum wrote to Sean Dennis <=-
Not often that I tell a moderator "thank you" for a rules
clarification. But, not unheard of. This is one of those occasions. Thanks.
Not often that I tell a moderator "thank you" for a rules clarification. But, not unheard of. This is one of those occasions. Thanks.
I agree. Many of these retro kit computers are a little above my skill level, but I enjoy reading about other people's experience with them.
Mike Powell wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-
Not often that I tell a moderator "thank you" for a rules clarification. But, not unheard of. This is one of those occasions. Thanks.
I agree. Many of these retro kit computers are a little above my skill level, but I enjoy reading about other people's experience with them.
I've built several such kits and have a couple more lined up. My advice would be that if it's something that interests you, go for it. No understanding of why or how it works is necessary to assemble a kit computer, and you don't have to build it all in one day. A little soldering here, a little soldering there... You might make some mistakes, and you'll have to figure out how to correct them, and that's when you start learning why and how it works. In my experience, the makers and/or designers of such kits are extremely willing to help in troubleshooting problems; *they're* the ones who have that knowledge.
Mike Powell wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-
I agree. Many of these retro kit computers are a little above my skill level, but I enjoy reading about other people's experience with them.
I'm by no means an expert, but I have restored several systems to working condition. And learned a great deal along the way.
[...]I've built several such kits and have a couple more lined up. My advice be that if it's something that interests you, go for it. No understandin
I think I would need to start out with a learn-to-solder kit before
moving up to these kits. :) Look forward to reading about some of your building adventures here.
I'm by no means an expert, but I have restored several systems to wor condition. And learned a great deal along the way.
This is certainly a 'hole in my arsensal', as it were. Soldering is
just not my thing (yet).
Hence the idea of recapping motherboards and so on (The Amiga is
notorious for requiring this) is beyond me. Thankfully, there are professionals who do this as a service out there.
I think I would need to start out with a learn-to-solder kit before
moving up to these kits. :) Look forward to reading about some of your building adventures here.
Sure thing and I don't know why this didn't occur to me earlier. It really is amazing how many "old computers" are being revived by
hobbyists these days. Makes me wish I'd held onto all of my issues of "Family Computing" now.
Daryl Stout wrote to Sean Dennis <=-
My first computers were:
Those were the days, weren't they? I have a Timex/Sinclair 1000 here. I had a ZX81 as my first computer. My parents bought me a brand-new CoCo 2 in
1984 but that was stolen, sadly.
One of these days, when I get the room, I'd love to set up all of the old computers I have in a mini-museum and an homage to the good old days of computing for me.
This weekend being a long one here in the US, I think I'm either going to work on an 1802 "COSMAC" kit or an "Altaid" kit. Both were purchased from Lee Hart, and the first step is checking that I have all of the parts, which I believe I do.
I have built one of Lee's kits previously, the Z80 Membership Card, but I took a little bit different route this time. For the Z80 kit, I bought the whole kit including all of the needed parts. For the 1802 and Altaid kits, I decided to source most of the parts myself. I strongly regret that decision and would very much recommend against it. Lee has all of the parts at his disposal and tracking them all down myself was a huge pain in the backside.
This weekend being a long one here in the US, I think I'm either going t work on an 1802 "COSMAC" kit or an "Altaid" kit. Both were purchased fro Hart, and the first step is checking that I have all of the parts, which believe I do.
It was not a long weekend here in Kentucky. :)
The "Altaid" is the one that is meant to fit in an Altoids box, right?
Sean,
Sure thing and I don't know why this didn't occur to me earlier.
It really is amazing how many "old computers" are being revived
by hobbyists these days. Makes me wish I'd held onto all of my
issues of "Family Computing" now.
My first computers were:
1) A Radio Shack TRS-80 MC-10 Micro Color Computer. A TV set (with a special adapter) was the monitor, programs were loaded and saved via cassette tape, an acoustic coupler modem was used for communication
with CompuServe or BBS's, and it had a small box like keyboard...with
an optional 16K RAM Expansion Pack (it originally only had 4K).
2) A Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100. I had a disk drive with it, and
special software to load/save files (it was faster than cassette). A special terminal program allowed one to access CompuServe for the
forums, with another one, allowing Xmodem file transfers.
3) An 8088 XT, with 640K RAM, a monochrome green monitor, a 20 MB hard drive, a keyboard, a mouse, plus a 3.5" and a 5.25" floppy drive, with DOS. 3.2 on it. That was the birthplace of The Thunderbolt BBS nearly
30 years ago.
telnet://bbs.roonsbbs.hu:1212 <<=-
This weekend being a long one here in the US, I think I'm either going work on an 1802 "COSMAC" kit or an "Altaid" kit. Both were purchased fr
Hart, and the first step is checking that I have all of the parts, whic
believe I do.
It was not a long weekend here in Kentucky. :)
No President's Day holiday?
The Altaid kit is basically another Membership Card but is based on an 8080 CPU, as was the 1975 Altair 8800. This provides opportunity for a further pun:
Altaid 8800. :)
what bbs (mailer, tosser, etc) did you run on your XT ?
Mike Powell wrote to JEFF THIELE <=-
* SLMR 2.1a * Tinnn Rooooooooof! --Rusted!
Those were the days, weren't they? I have a Timex/Sinclair 1000 here.
I had a ZX81 as my first computer. My parents bought me a brand-new
CoCo 2 in 1984 but that was stolen, sadly.
One of these days, when I get the room, I'd love to set up all of the
old computers I have in a mini-museum and an homage to the good old
days of computing for me.
what bbs (mailer, tosser, etc) did you run on your XT ?
Daryl Stout wrote to Daniel Path <=-
frontend (I ran BGFAX at the back end), and InterEcho for
Not sure about Daryl's, but mine ran GT Power BBS software. It had its own proprietary network mailer/tosser which was only compatable with networks built on its topology. One thing it had going for it was that all messages entered into an echo were routed to the
sponsor's/moderator's system first.
Made it much easier to moderate echos! :)
what bbs (mailer, tosser, etc) did you run on your XT ?
Not sure about Daryl's, but mine ran GT Power BBS software. It had
its own proprietary network mailer/tosser which was only compatable
with networks built on its topology. One thing it had going for it
was that all messages entered into an echo were routed to the sponsor's/moderator's system first. Made it much easier to moderate
echos! :)
My XT had an internal 2400 baud modem. For the longest time, I could
only get it to work at 1200 on outgoing calls. Finally figured out
how to set it up properly to get full use out of it.
I also tried once to put an upgraded 8-bit serial card in it so I
could use a 16550 UART and a faster modem. Did not work as well as I expected. That eventually lead me to my third PC, an 80386DX-40. I
loved that machine!
I still have it somewhere, too, but I think the power supply on it
stopped working.
telnet://bbs.roonsbbs.hu:1212 <<=-
and what was the setup for the 386? same bbs software?
B.J. Gulliot, the author of BGFAX, is still alive and well. He's a
member of my BBSing 2.0 Facebook group. Dale Barnes is still
developing InterMail and is a current member of Fidonet.
... There are lots of good $1.99 burgers but they run $8.99 these days.
I ran GT Power from 1992 to 2005, while it was still under dial-up only. For the same reasons you noted, I preferred the way GT tossed messages. If
I knew how to create a command shell, I'd do one for Synchronet.
I ran GT Power from 1992 to 2005, while it was still under dial-up only. For the same reasons you noted, I preferred the way GT tossed messages. If I knew how to create a command shell, I'd do one for Synchronet.
Interesting. There was a MajorBBS system called GT Power BBS out of Southern lifornia back in the early to mid-90s. If I were to guess, it wasn't yours.
| Sysop: | deepend |
|---|---|
| Location: | Calgary, Alberta |
| Users: | 253 |
| Nodes: | 10 (0 / 10) |
| Uptime: | 16:42:48 |
| Calls: | 1,646 |
| Files: | 3,994 |
| Messages: | 387,905 |