Is This Australia's First PC?

[Ext User(Don McKenzie)]

After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this
page together:
http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html

Cheers Don...


--
Don McKenzie

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[Ext User(ArseClown)]

Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote in message
news:63mau7F27b2r4U2@mid.individual.net:

>
> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to
> put this page together:
> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.
> html
>
> Cheers Don...
>
>


Hmmmmmm. You'll have to run this past douglas, the creator of the
internet AND usenet.



--
http://improve-usenet.org/filters_ex1.html

[Ext User(Don McKenzie)]

ArseClown wrote:
> Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote in message
> news:63mau7F27b2r4U2@mid.individual.net:
>
>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to
>> put this page together:

<http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html>

> Hmmmmmm. You'll have to run this past douglas, the creator of the
> internet AND usenet.

I knew it wasn't going to be easy, when I took this one on!

Cheers Don...

--
Don McKenzie

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[Ext User(son of a bitch)]

Don McKenzie wrote:
>
> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this
> page together:
> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html
>
> Cheers Don...
>
>

Commodore had a PET way before this, with it's massive 4096 bytes of
memory, crikey my phone has more memory than that.

[Ext User(Don McKenzie)]

son of a bitch wrote:
> Don McKenzie wrote:
>>
>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this
>> page together:
>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html

> Commodore had a PET way before this, with it's massive 4096 bytes of
> memory, crikey my phone has more memory than that.

yes true, but Commodore wouldn't sell to me in Australia, this is
covered in the article.

Cheers Don...


--
Don McKenzie

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[Ext User(Zapkvr)]

On Mar 11, 3:50*pm, ArseClown <oksan...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Don McKenzie <l...@mysig.com> wrote in message
>
> news:63mau7F27b2r4U2@mid.individual.net:
>
>
>
> > After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to
> > put this page together:
> >http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.
> > html
>
> > Cheers Don...
>
> Hmmmmmm. You'll have to run this past douglas, the creator of the
> internet AND usenet.
>
> --http://improve-usenet.org/filters_ex1.html

Al Gore invented the internet

[Ext User(John Phillips)]

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:00:19 +1100 Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote:

> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put
> this page together:

Ah yes, them were the days!

I started with a TRS Model 3 (considered the Model II (2) but liked the
integrated screen and keyboard in the Model 3.

(According to http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=18
Tandy wanted to sell Both Model 3 & 1 at same time, but FCC in USA
forced them to discontinue the Model 1 because of excess radio noise it
put out).

IIRC the II had an 8" floppy disk drive. Was really better suited for
business. Tandy sold some good (for the times) software for accounting
and stock control for the II.

Never did learn much about puters, went down the business path, but
probably took the wrong fork in the road?

I was fascinated at the time about what the Model 3 could do; bought a
word processing proggy from the TRS80 magazine via mail order from
the states, and also some sort of basic spreadsheet, which cut down
stock-take reconciliation from days to hours. All were amazed!

I remember changing the O/S (fondly known as "TrashDos" by the Apple
boys) for another one, but can't remember the name. Also imported this
from USA.

In order to pay for these bits and bobs, I had the first Visa card
issued by The State Bank of NSW (now part of another bank - don't know
which one). Those were exciting days, but I suppose in 40 years time
someone else will be saying the same about today.

There was a hard drive available later, I recall it may have been 5 Mb,
of which about 40% was faulty tracks; weighed a ton and the size of
quite a few bricks slung together.

Years later I sold the Model 3 to a guy from Bankstown Airport who was
keeping track of his business of leasing planes to students on one -
needed mine for parts, although it was still working fine.

Also I seem to recall had 16K ram and 14k rom, the majority of which
was taken up by the OS, but my memory may be wrong here - figures sound
a bit strange!

[Ext User(Terryc)]

Don McKenzie wrote:
>
> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this
> page together:
> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html

sold or built?

I would be interested in knowing whatthe first "Australian made" PC was.

[Ext User(Know1)]

"Terryc" <newsthreespam-spam@woa.com.au> wrote in message news:47d68ef1$0$8154$c30e37c6@pit-reader.telstra.net...
> Don McKenzie wrote:
>>
>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this
>> page together:
>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html
>
> sold or built?
>
> I would be interested in knowing what the first "Australian made" PC was.

It was the Abodigital Abacus.

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote:

> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this page together:
> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html

Nothing like it with the definition of a PC that you are using.

There were some DEC LSI 11s that were a PC in the sense of your definition
and were only different from stuff like the TRS80 in the sense that the disk
drives were in a separate box, the cpu etc were cards in the side of the
VT103 which wasnt that different in physical config to the TRS80 etc.

[Ext User(Don McKenzie)]

Rod Speed wrote:
> Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote:
>
>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this page together:
>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html
>
> Nothing like it with the definition of a PC that you are using.
>
> There were some DEC LSI 11s that were a PC in the sense of your definition
> and were only different from stuff like the TRS80 in the sense that the disk
> drives were in a separate box, the cpu etc were cards in the side of the
> VT103 which wasnt that different in physical config to the TRS80 etc.

Yes, I know the type of thing you are talking about Rod.

I spent many years involved in DEC gear, well, Jan 1976 to Sep 1999.
I still have front panels from an 11/40, 11/34, and I think it's an old
11/08, but I have to check that last one.

Do you think the price, and operator experience required, would put a
DEC LSI 11 based system into the class of "Personal Computer" under
anyones definition?

Cheers Don...




--
Don McKenzie

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[Ext User(Rob.)]

Terryc wrote:
> Don McKenzie wrote:
>
>>
>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this
>> page together:
>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html
>
>
> sold or built?
>
> I would be interested in knowing whatthe first "Australian made" PC was.


micro bee ????????????? 16K tape input

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote
>> Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote

>>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this page together:
>>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html

>> Nothing like it with the definition of a PC that you are using.

>> There were some DEC LSI 11s that were a PC in the sense of your definition and were only different from stuff like
>> the TRS80 in the sense that the disk drives were in a separate box, the cpu etc were cards in the side of the VT103
>> which wasnt that different in physical config to the TRS80 etc.

> Yes, I know the type of thing you are talking about Rod.

> I spent many years involved in DEC gear, well, Jan 1976 to Sep 1999.

> I still have front panels from an 11/40, 11/34, and I think it's an old 11/08, but I have to check that last one.

Those werent as close to a PC tho, those were true minis.

> Do you think the price, and operator experience required, would put a DEC LSI 11 based system into the class of
> "Personal Computer" under anyones definition?

Yep, I sold quite a few to operations like accountants etc who
used them just like they later used PCs in the IBM compat sense.

Not many were used in the home PC, non business sense,
but then neither were the Tandy IIs and PETs either.

[Ext User(Don McKenzie)]

Rod Speed wrote:

> Yep, I sold quite a few to operations like accountants etc who
> used them just like they later used PCs in the IBM compat sense.
>
> Not many were used in the home PC, non business sense,
> but then neither were the Tandy IIs and PETs either.

just came across another entirely different view:
http://www.blinkenlights.com/pc.shtml

I guess the more I look for answers, the more questions I will find :-)

Cheers Don...


--
Don McKenzie

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[Ext User(Terryc)]

Don McKenzie wrote:

> Do you think the price, and operator experience required, would put a
> DEC LSI 11 based system into the class of "Personal Computer" under
> anyones definition?

lol, about that era, I remeber thinking bugger messing around with 8
bit, 16 bit and 32 bit computers, I'm going to get a 64bit computer.
{:-). ThenI found out the price {:-(. Damm, that was a sizeable house
deposit.


were the DECs you were talking about the paddle pop stick ones?

[Ext User(Bhagat Gurtu)]

On Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:57:41 +1100, Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com>
wrote:

>Rod Speed wrote:
>> Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote:
>>
>>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to put this page together:
>>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.html
>>

Was the mini-scamp based on the NatSemi SCM/P CPU? I had a SCM/P
evaluation card and recall that that chip was a pretty useless basis
for a PC. It was most suited for washing machines,dishwashers, garden
watering systems etc.

From that era, the Signetics 2650 was a pretty nice chip to make a PC
from (except for its 32K memory limitation). I had a home brew
wire-wrapped 2650 system in '76 or '77 that I was using as a
controller for a musical instrument keyboard. Geez those were the
days.

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote
> Rod Speed wrote

>> Yep, I sold quite a few to operations like accountants etc who
>> used them just like they later used PCs in the IBM compat sense.

>> Not many were used in the home PC, non business sense,
>> but then neither were the Tandy IIs and PETs either.

> just came across another entirely different view:
> http://www.blinkenlights.com/pc.shtml

Yeah, the main problem with this one is that it doesnt allow for
stuff that normally only got bought by small business, and not for
personal use in the home etc. Thats a pretty bogus distinction.

> I guess the more I look for answers, the more questions I will find
> :-)

Sure, that will always be the way with a question like that where there
can never be a nice tidy definition of personal, or even computer.

[Ext User(Rod Speed)]

Terryc <newsthreespam-spam@woa.com.au> wrote
> Don McKenzie wrote

>> Do you think the price, and operator experience required, would put a DEC LSI 11 based system into the class of
>> "Personal Computer" under anyones definition?

> lol, about that era, I remeber thinking bugger messing around with 8
> bit, 16 bit and 32 bit computers, I'm going to get a 64bit computer. {:-). ThenI found out the price {:-(. Damm, that
> was a sizeable house deposit.

> were the DECs you were talking about the paddle pop stick ones?

Not clear what you mean by paddle pop stick ones, presumably a front panel with toggle switches in banks.

Mine didnt have those at all, and neither did the Decmate which was
the PDP8 version that actually came a bit later than the LSI-11.

You've got to make a distinction between minis that were normally
in full racks, and the later ones that were packaged like the Tandy II
and PET which had the computer in the same case as the screen
and which were physically very similar to what most call a PC.

[Ext User(Don McKenzie)]

Terryc wrote:

> were the DECs you were talking about the paddle pop stick ones?

Curiosity got the better of me, so I dug out the front panels. The one I
couldn't remember, as I never worked on it, was an 11/05.

This and the 11/40 were paddle pop style keys, the 11/34 was a 7 segment
LED display and conventional keypad.

Cheers Don...


--
Don McKenzie

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[Ext User(Jonathan Herr)]

ArseClown wrote:
> Don McKenzie <look@mysig.com> wrote in message
> news:63mau7F27b2r4U2@mid.individual.net:
>
>>
>> After recently reminiscing about the mini-scamp, I decided to
>> put this page together:
>> http://www.dontronics-shop.com/Is-This-Australias-First-PC-sp-69.
>> html
>>
>> Cheers Don...
>>
> Hmmmmmm. You'll have to run this past douglas, the creator of the
> internet AND usenet.

I'll say though, that's one fine piece of machinery there. He took an old
4k Model 1 and basically added a bunch of the things that most users
would/could buy in a 16k Model 1 and some that you couldn't.

--
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