MooNoi Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Hi. Just a post on behalf of my Dad actually. My Dad worked in the I.T. industry in Australia here since 1967. He was one of the pioneers of the industry in Australia. He's now retired, but for years he has been collecting old computer "bits and pieces" and finding old computers and restoring them to working order. He has a warehouse here in Sydney full of them. If anyone has or knows where there are some old computer/I.T. relics, and even old things such as adding machines (both here in Australia and overseas - he has contacts overseas), then PT me and let me know and I'll pass them on to him. He also pays $ for top gear. To be honest, he's just been diagnosed with the early stages of Parkinson's disease, and I'm trying to keep his mind occupied with other things, and some sort of diversion "rescuing" some old I.T. gear would be a perfect distraction for him. Thanks in advance if you can help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous_Dog Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Talk to Mark Locksie at MicroSeconds in Sydney, Mark may have left Micro Seconds, but he was a avid Mac collector, as well as other bits and pieces. DOG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sporty Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Howdy, I am also a relic, like your Dad. I worked for Digital Equipment Corp, in the Mid Range System Development Group, in the 70's till early 80's. During my tenure, I was the THE lab engineer, responsible for all the hands on ECO's for Proto Types. (NOT a principal engineer, but the only one allowed to heat a soldering iron, in the room). During this time, the lab gave birth to the 11/03, 11/70, 11/74, VAX 11/780. 11/750 Processors, among other things. Recently, I tossed from my garage, the orginal hand made, front panel from the first ever 32 bit processor (VAX 11/780, Proto Type 1). Anyway, would your Dad be interested in either of the following. First production run, 11/03. (11/03, was the first 16 bit SBC, single board computer) Also, I got a very early Datavue, portable computer that is a box, pre laptop/notebook. (http://www.fortunecity.com/marina/reach/435/data vue.html) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 hes welcome to restore my old relic of a computer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchapstick Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 There are a bunch of small companies doing Third Party Computer Maintenance that are, in fact, glorified junk dealers. Some in fact make a very good living maintaining discontinued products. After a while, the demand for parts from discontinued systems dries up, and the TPM's sell the stuff to scrap dealers who try to extract the precious metals. I'd check out your local TPM's to see if they have any stuff they'd be willing to sell by the kilo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooNoi Posted July 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Thanks for the contributions guys - appreciated :thumbup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALHOLK Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Hi! The VAX 11/780 was the first computer I did serious software development on. It was a great computer and VMS was a great operating system. Many people believed that if it hadn't been a prprietary system UNIX would never have made it out of Bell labs. regards ALHOLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Unix predates VAX 11/780 and VMS. I was using a PDP 11/70 running Unix. I think Berkley Unix was the first virtual memory OS for the VAX 11/780. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Have him build a copy of this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sporty Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Unix was much older, first announced in late 60s. Bell Labs, first ported Unix V/32, for the Vax. Before that Unix ran on other PDP 11, machines and the System 10 as well, if I remember right, I think other PDP's as well. Later, for maitenance, they turned the project over to Berkley or maybe sold it? Either way it became known as Berkley Unix. Funny story, in late 1978, I set up a large VAX configuration, at the Sheraton Copley Place, in Boston. The next day, the V/32 was to be displayed for the Press/Decus and customers. Well the day before, 6 PM or so the Bell Labs folks showed up, and loaded the V/32 OS, to find out the system fell out ZAP 200 (illegal or reserved instrution). Would not come up enough to trouble shoot, at least not to have a resolution by the time of the presentation. During the night, every component was replaced, including the backplane. NO LUCK ! About an hour, before the announcement was scheduled, I started 999 passes of a diagnostic UTEP (total system). So, with all the tape and disk drives jumpin, as well as the lights flashing. The boot system, front end console, was diconnected from the main system, and the 11/03 ran unix, only from a set of 5 1/4" floppies. Only about 4 of us knew, everyone else was impressed, lots of system were sold. Sporty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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