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Anybody here been around long enough to remember the 386 being introduced?



 
 
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  #11  
Old January 20th 05, 02:41 AM
Ben Myers
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Well, then, you are also a true veteran of the computer industry, unlike these
wet-behind-the-ears newcomers who became enamored with the IBM XT running an
Intel 8088.

.... Ben Myers

On 19 Jan 2005 14:46:55 -0800, "Mark" wrote:


Ben Myers wrote:
...
Anybody been arould here long enough to have written programs in

FORTRAN using
punched "IBM" cards? ... Ben Myers


Yep, FORTRAN II on an IBM 1620... magnetic core memory, punch cards,
the whole works back in college. I also used an IBM assembler called
"SPS" (Symbolic Programming System) because, then as now, assembly
language executed MUCH faster (and also made it possible to do things
that those taking the FORTRAN class declared to be "Impossible!",
heh-heh! And then there was the trick of seeding pre-punched cards into
the input hopper of the keypunch machines that so that the phrase would
later appear in the error list received by the hapless fellow DP101
student: ERROR F7 UNRECOGNIZABLE STATEMENT: YOU BLEW IT, STUPID!
Ah, yes, I remember it well....

Mark


  #12  
Old January 20th 05, 10:13 PM
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Ben Myers wrote:

Anybody been around here long enough to have used an IBM XT as his or her first
office computer?

Anybody been around long enough to have worked with and cursed IBM's
MicroChannel computers or Compaq's and other EISA bus computers with their
hare-brained configuration diskettes?

Anybody been arould here long enough to have written programs in FORTRAN using
punched "IBM" cards? ... Ben Myers


Can remember using a Hewlett packard 9845 with resident basic, twin
micro cassette drives and an add on external 8" floppy drive that was as
big as some PC's nowadays.

Alec
  #13  
Old January 21st 05, 01:13 AM
Casey Tompkins
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My first micro was an Epson QX-10. Very advanced in some ways,
instantly obsolete in others (like using a Z80 cpu).

When I got a clue, my first "PC clone" was the original Compaq
Portable. I remember spending several hundred dollars to upgrade from
256k RAM to 640k on the motherboard, including the "Plus" BIOS. My
first modem was a Hayes 1200b internal, for $495. It was the only one
that worked with Kermit and the Miami U software.

And yes, I used Fortran 77 back in the early 80s at MU, but it was via
terminal (Televideo 920s IIRC) on campus, or dial-up and Kermit from
home. The IBM VM batch language was pretty nice; I managed to whip up
some batch files to automate the edit/compile cycle, and dedicated
some macros to certain PF keys. Most of the other guys were wondering
why it didn't work so hard... Heh.

Actually (I collect antique computers) I have a Portable, a Plus, a
Portable II, and a Portable 386. No Portable III yet. Also have the
original Deskpro, and a Deskpro 286. Now, if I can only get my hands
on a Deskpro 386...

Alas, there was one on eBay last month. I didn't HAVE the money last
month, naturally! Argh.

I missed out on MCA and EISA though. Darn...

While I'm here... Does anyone know of anybody who has Compaq MS-DOS
3.31? I'd love to get a copy for the large hard drive support, and the
special mode commands unique to Compaq MS-DOS. I think 4.x and later
were more like generic MS-DOS.

For some reason, my Portable 386 thinks it's monochorome only, and the
Setup program I have doesn't seem to have an option to change that. I
tried selecting video card, or default video mode (whatever it was,
about two months ago) and the proggy kept telling me I had to change
it somewhere else.

Now, I know it worked fine in graphical mode when I first got it, but
I mucked something up playing with the config files. I don't honestly
remember if there was a special driver loaded or anything like that
when I first got it. I never had this problem with the Portable and
the Deskpro. Ah, well...

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 19:46:08 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net
(Ben Myers) wrote:

Anybody been around here long enough to have used an IBM XT as his or her first
office computer?

Anybody been around long enough to have worked with and cursed IBM's
MicroChannel computers or Compaq's and other EISA bus computers with their
hare-brained configuration diskettes?

Anybody been arould here long enough to have written programs in FORTRAN using
punched "IBM" cards? ... Ben Myers

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:58:01 GMT, T wrote:


  #14  
Old January 21st 05, 01:47 PM
HH
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1200 baud? Thats modern. Try 300. Used that with an Atari 850 to send
columns from home to the ATEX main frame at my newspaper, circa 1978.
HH

"Casey Tompkins" wrote in message
...
My first micro was an Epson QX-10. Very advanced in some ways,
instantly obsolete in others (like using a Z80 cpu).

When I got a clue, my first "PC clone" was the original Compaq
Portable. I remember spending several hundred dollars to upgrade from
256k RAM to 640k on the motherboard, including the "Plus" BIOS. My
first modem was a Hayes 1200b internal, for $495. It was the only one
that worked with Kermit and the Miami U software.

And yes, I used Fortran 77 back in the early 80s at MU, but it was via
terminal (Televideo 920s IIRC) on campus, or dial-up and Kermit from
home. The IBM VM batch language was pretty nice; I managed to whip up
some batch files to automate the edit/compile cycle, and dedicated
some macros to certain PF keys. Most of the other guys were wondering
why it didn't work so hard... Heh.

Actually (I collect antique computers) I have a Portable, a Plus, a
Portable II, and a Portable 386. No Portable III yet. Also have the
original Deskpro, and a Deskpro 286. Now, if I can only get my hands
on a Deskpro 386...

Alas, there was one on eBay last month. I didn't HAVE the money last
month, naturally! Argh.

I missed out on MCA and EISA though. Darn...

While I'm here... Does anyone know of anybody who has Compaq MS-DOS
3.31? I'd love to get a copy for the large hard drive support, and the
special mode commands unique to Compaq MS-DOS. I think 4.x and later
were more like generic MS-DOS.

For some reason, my Portable 386 thinks it's monochorome only, and the
Setup program I have doesn't seem to have an option to change that. I
tried selecting video card, or default video mode (whatever it was,
about two months ago) and the proggy kept telling me I had to change
it somewhere else.

Now, I know it worked fine in graphical mode when I first got it, but
I mucked something up playing with the config files. I don't honestly
remember if there was a special driver loaded or anything like that
when I first got it. I never had this problem with the Portable and
the Deskpro. Ah, well...

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 19:46:08 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net
(Ben Myers) wrote:

Anybody been around here long enough to have used an IBM XT as his or her
first
office computer?

Anybody been around long enough to have worked with and cursed IBM's
MicroChannel computers or Compaq's and other EISA bus computers with their
hare-brained configuration diskettes?

Anybody been arould here long enough to have written programs in FORTRAN
using
punched "IBM" cards? ... Ben Myers

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:58:01 GMT, T wrote:





  #15  
Old January 21st 05, 04:26 PM
Dave Rowell
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Posts: n/a
Default

1965?, or thereabouts, FORTRAN (it was all caps then) on IBM 7074?
punched cards myself and after dropping the deck I learned about col
73-80 and sequence numbers! Just missed programming IBM 650? using mag
drum for main memory - bet that was quick!

HP mini's in 70's using paper tape (300 cps in 75 cps out) ASR 33
terminal 8k of magnetic core RAM - ALGOL was cool but I had to write
drivers ...

Got a VIC (3K) for the kids 'cause there was an assembler for 6502 -
FORTH - basic - made some money off that sucker. Several 64's an 128
which we finally got running CP/M :-( I KNOW why DOS was a success!

First "PC" was a Tandy 2000 - processor 8086/80286 hybrid - 2 5" 720K
floppies - hi res video - really smoking fast

Ran a region on Tandy 100 laptop - 8085 32K SuperROM programs - best
keyboard I've ever used - good basic operating system - more FORTH

BTW Compaq started out making CHEAP knockoffs of IBM equipment without
much regard to power requirements and IMHO only recently made anything
decent! Only work PC I had compatability problems with were Compaqs -
they didn't have a better idea!

Yes, I remember that!! Good old days - BS!

T wrote:


Compaq actually beat IBM to market with it, it was a feather in their
cap tat day.

Man, how things have changed over time; they spread out shrimp, no
prawns, ice sculpture, (where there dancing girls? Maybe.)

Nowadays it's a spot on some TV show that masquerades as a magazine and
is really an advertisement.

It was a really big deal back then, the 386. It had people running
around training folks on the architecture and pipe lines and this new
idea; a cache. What's that?

Ah, the good old days.


TBerk

  #16  
Old January 21st 05, 08:43 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

IBM XT was actually my third office computer.
1. TRS-80 Model I (NewDOS/80)
2. TRS-80 Model II (TRSDOS, Lifeboat CP/M, P&T CP/M)
3. Kaypro II (CP/M)

We used Borland's Sidekick (TSR) to simulate task swapping. We also
used Hercules's RAMfont (monochrome & InColor) cards to display "fonts"
on WordPerfect 5.1

The bank I worked at did "upgrade" to Micro-Channel. They were easier
to manage on the network. Otherwise they were just expensive &
underpowered.

My first programming class was FORTRAN-77 on a Univac-1100 series
machine (36 bit processor). Since I was/am a lousy typist, punch cards
were lots of fun

 




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