[TriEmbed] Old computers

[Rodney Radford]

Nevermind, the photos 440k were deemed too large to be sent by the TriEmbed
server.

Sorry you will not be able to see them.


On Sun, Aug 9, 2020 at 5:38 PM Rodney Radford <ncgadgetry at gmail.com> wrote:

> I forgot to include the photos...
>
>
> On Sun, Aug 9, 2020 at 5:37 PM Rodney Radford <ncgadgetry at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> One of the passions I have put time in the last few months are collecting
>> and learning about old vintage computers.
>>
>> I currently have:
>> * IMSAI S-100 system
>> * Sol-20 S-100 system
>> * TRS-80 Model 1 and 4p
>> * Two Apple IIe systems
>> * Kaypro 10 luggable system
>> * TI 99/4
>>
>> I used to have a much larger collection including
>> * Burroughs L5000 (google about that beast)
>> * TRS-80 Model 2, 3 and 4
>> * Zerox CP/M system (I think I still have it, but can't find it)
>> * Pet Commodore 2001 (loaned to a 'friend' - never got it back)
>> * several Apollo systems
>>
>> While I wish I could have kept all the old systems, it just was not
>> possible due to storage space constraints.
>>
>> Back in highschool, a teacher gave me her old 4-function Singer (yes, the
>> sewing machine) calculator. I, of course, took it apart... ;-)
>>
>> I did keep two parts from the calculator - the keyboard (mechanica
>> marvel) and the storage device (a mechanical delay line).
>>
>> When I first looked inside, I saw the aluminum box with the words read
>> amp and write amp on it, and I *knew* I had found core memory. Then I
>> opened it and was completely surprised with what I found. It is a
>> magnetostrictive delay line memory device - memory was stored by twisting
>> the wire at one end, and the twist would propogate through the long coil
>> and out at the other end. By varying the direction of the twist, data could
>> be stored temporarily, and it was then sent back in again for storage again.
>>
>> The other item I kept from the calculator was the keyboard. On each
>> keypress, the key was decoded with gears and levers that move magnets over
>> reed relays - as that was more economical than a simple electronic keyboard
>> decoder.
>>
>>
>> Here is a link to information about the calculator (and some info on the
>> delay line):
>>
>>
>> https://www.oldcalculatormuseum.com/friden1160.html
>> <https://www.oldcalculatormuseum.com/friden1160.html?fbclid=IwAR1jtFCm3O_oRCn_hLop43h5fNOtefDedwSv1hVtzH7vUv_TSvCC4qqGjEs>
>>
>>
>> Photos included of the delay line and keyboard. If we were meeting in
>> person Monday, I would have brought them out for show and tell.
>>
>> I also really enjoyed the virtual vintage computer festival I mentioned
>> earlier. Some really good talks on that, and my first of four books I
>> ordered arrived today - the ENIAC Technical Reference manual, as written by
>> one of the first female programmers on it.
>>
>>
>> PS: If you have any old systems that need a home let me know. I really
>> should have grabbed the TRS-80 Model 100 that I brought last year that was
>> given to the club, but I let someone else take it (any idea who grabbed it?)
>>
>>
>> Anyway, back to current time where I need to finish up an IoT device for
>> work... ;-)
>>
>>
>>
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