[SunRescue] Ancient History

[David Bryant]

At 05:27 PM 11/05/2000 , you wrote:

>jester_123 at yahoo.com writes:
>
> >dave at cca.org wrote:
> >> Ha ha ha ha. We had two VAX-11/750s at my college - one running VMS,
> >> one running BSD4.3. I hated VMS. Slow as an 11/750 might seem now,
> >> that machine got me completely addicted to "real computers".
>
> >Oh yeah? I helped develop the scsi drtivers for the war effort back in
> >'34.... :)
>
>"Of course we had ADVENT running on the Babbage machine!"
>
>         :-)
>
>-------- david fischer -------- dave at cca.org -------- www.cca.org --------

In the spirit of Mel Brooks...

    Ones!!! When I got started with computers we only had zero's to work 
with...

Sorry, couldn't resist. It's my favorite end-of-the-line computer history 
one-UPSmanship line.

Myself:
o  First exposed to APL on one of the first DEC timesharing machine in 
Bethesda MD circa 1977.
o  College was a DEC-PDP 11/70. Best memory: toggling in the boot-strap 
code on the front panel switches (just for fun).
o  Worked with MP/M on a four user Altos 8000. Along with Trash-80 model 
1's & 3's.
o  First (working) computer I owned was a Seequa Chameleon  Z80 & 8086 
IBM-PC clone "lugable". Maxed out with 256K, dual floppy. I think I was one 
of 10 people that bought CP/M for the Chameleon.
o  Best marketing poster: Picture of Charlie Chaplin with the caption 
"Paying $5000 for a computer would make a tramp out of anyone". Word is 
that IBM was not amused.
o Got to be sysadmin of store's/employer's demo 3B1's & 3B2/300.
o Got an AT&T 6300 Plus (12MHz 80286, 40MB HD) with full AT&T System 5 Rel 
3. I think I know where the machine is now. You listening Woz?
o Went to the dark-side for a few years... Novell 3.1[12], Win 3.1, NT 
[34], AIX...
o Recovered... Worked where the wizards stay up late before they started 
changing names as fast as the New England weather changes.
o Now happily ensconced in an NE academic/research institution. Trying to 
clean up the mess left by the prior admin(s). All Sun, all the time.
o Personal collection has been weaned down to SS20 (128MB, 150MHz), Axil 
420, MTI RAID, Exabyte 8MM changer, 2U x86 server (looking for a job), 6u 
x86 Open BSD firewall, APC 2000 rack-mount UPS, all in a full rack.
o Oddest item in collection: IBM 5100, w/Printer and CAI manuals and tapes.
o Favorite pastime obtaining old Sun's and passing them on. (done 3/50's, 
SS2's & SS10's), and sorry I don't have in the pipeline right now. As soon 
as I come upon another "stash" I'll let the list know.

I guess I'm an old (but not the oldest) timer here. 42...

And the inevitable question...
Does anyone know of any good "surplus" dealers in the Boston area?  There 
really should be a lot of them around, but I haven't found them yet (other 
than the MIT Flea Market).

Bill: Best of luck! And Thanks for all the work on the list and the websites.
Good health is something you don't appreciate until it's gone. My sister 
in-law is now fighting Cancer, and about 10 years ago I had a business 
partner die of cancer. Four months from diagnosis till it was over, he was 30.

David (g = c800:5) Bryant