Jorg
Veteran Member
Feels so lonely, an empty forum
Carlsson, where are you?
Interesting link I found
http://www.vcfe.org/E/index.html
Carlsson, where are you?
Interesting link I found
http://www.vcfe.org/E/index.html
- VCF South West - June 14 - 16, Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center at University of Texas at Dallas
- VCF West - Aug 2 - 3, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
- VCF Midwest - Sept 7 - 8 2024, Schaumburg, IL
- VCF SoCal - Mid February 2025, Location TBD, Southern CA
- VCF East - April 2025, Infoage Museum, Wall NJ
-
Please review our updated Terms and Rules here
The sixth annual European Vintage Computer Festival Munich
- Thread starter Jorg
- Start date
carlsson
Veteran Member
I've been here all the time (and the other Europeans I guess). There was nothing to write though - no meet-ups, no festivals, no interesting inter-European trade offers.
Since I'm quite reluctant on travelling (thus working as the web developer of a travel portal), I suppose I'm not going to München neither.
Since I'm quite reluctant on travelling (thus working as the web developer of a travel portal), I suppose I'm not going to München neither.
Jorg
Veteran Member
I was just looking for something to post, altough I am near Munich quite often. But i had no plans either.
carlsson
Veteran Member
At first, I read "ask the exhibitionst", but from what I understand, a such person would actually like the dismantling..VCFe said:
So, what do we do in the meantime? Write some programs in Basicode-2 to share between our different computers? It was some transfer tool developed by Klaas Robbers on the Dutch radio (NOS) between 1982-84, with Esperanto in mind. Among the systems listed to support Basicode-2 were Apple II, BBC, Commodore PET/VIC/64, Exidy, Sharp MZ-80, TRS-80 and CP/M machines with a tape interface.
The idea was that you load a Basicode parser into your computer. It changes the frequencies for zero and one to 1200/2400 Hz and 1200 baud rate. A Basicode program was mainly stored in ASCII. Now you could load a program independent on which computer it was stored. By adhering to certain limitations which Basic keywords you are allowed to use and how, the program would even be runnable on a different computer.
Dutch radio channel 2 broadcasted Basicode programs in the show "Hobbyscoop" on Sunday evenings around 19-20 back then. I've never tried it myself, only read about it. What about you?
Jorg
Veteran Member
You are well informed!
I do remember basicode indeed on the radio, and I thought I might even have some tapes- but I think they all greyed out.
Made your friends and parents inform 'WT* are you listening too now?!)
I didnt have my own computer at the time, I bought a C64 around '86/'87. I had a friend who used basicode for his BBC.
(I wish I could find a BBC btw, I loved all the mode switching )
I did do some in C64 basic, but put more time into the first versions of Turbo Pascal (And Pr1me Pascal, we had a pr1me at tech school then- whopping 4 MB RAM- for 64 users..)
I do remember basicode indeed on the radio, and I thought I might even have some tapes- but I think they all greyed out.
Made your friends and parents inform 'WT* are you listening too now?!)
I didnt have my own computer at the time, I bought a C64 around '86/'87. I had a friend who used basicode for his BBC.
(I wish I could find a BBC btw, I loved all the mode switching
)I did do some in C64 basic, but put more time into the first versions of Turbo Pascal (And Pr1me Pascal, we had a pr1me at tech school then- whopping 4 MB RAM- for 64 users..)
carlsson
Veteran Member
The information was copied from an article in a Swedish computer magazine from that time. My memory only limited itself to knowing that there was an article about it.. which itself is not so bad.
There was "traditional" computer exchange on Swedish radio too those years. By traditional I mean that every program would only be runnable on one type of computer. Every week they tried to give a share to users of all the popular computers, sometimes even the same program in several versions. I believe I still have one or two of the VIC/C64 programs on tape, but I'm not sure exactly which one it is.. there goes my memory again.
BBC had a rough time entering the Swedish market. It was delayed due to interference (?!) problems, but I think I know the real reason; in the UK, Acorn developed the BBC according to specs for use in school and education. About when it was ready for export, Sweden was in the middle of designing our own unique (in more than one way) school computer, the infamous Compis project. If the telecommunications authority had let in BBC into the country before Compis was finished, some schools may have asked to get BBC instead. There already were some IBM PC, HP, C64, TI99 and other brands in a few schools, but nothing country-wide and official. OK, I know this is my personal conspiration, but why not?
Compis was interesting: 80186 based, on purpose not MS-DOS compatible, programmed in Comal or Pascal, much delayed, not utilizing the existing national computer industry, and finally released in a rush so most schools would not get a chance to object before it was delivered. Most machines probably eventually went as land fill, which makes it somewhat collectable IIUC.
On my notice board at home I have some graphic printout made on a Compis in the spring 1991. That was about the last time I saw one for real.
There was "traditional" computer exchange on Swedish radio too those years. By traditional I mean that every program would only be runnable on one type of computer. Every week they tried to give a share to users of all the popular computers, sometimes even the same program in several versions. I believe I still have one or two of the VIC/C64 programs on tape, but I'm not sure exactly which one it is.. there goes my memory again.
BBC had a rough time entering the Swedish market. It was delayed due to interference (?!) problems, but I think I know the real reason; in the UK, Acorn developed the BBC according to specs for use in school and education. About when it was ready for export, Sweden was in the middle of designing our own unique (in more than one way) school computer, the infamous Compis project. If the telecommunications authority had let in BBC into the country before Compis was finished, some schools may have asked to get BBC instead. There already were some IBM PC, HP, C64, TI99 and other brands in a few schools, but nothing country-wide and official. OK, I know this is my personal conspiration, but why not?
Compis was interesting: 80186 based, on purpose not MS-DOS compatible, programmed in Comal or Pascal, much delayed, not utilizing the existing national computer industry, and finally released in a rush so most schools would not get a chance to object before it was delivered. Most machines probably eventually went as land fill, which makes it somewhat collectable IIUC.
On my notice board at home I have some graphic printout made on a Compis in the spring 1991. That was about the last time I saw one for real.
Jorg
Veteran Member
I know Philips made an 80186 computer too, but it was meant to be IBM compatible. It wasn't, really (no ms flightsimulator ) so it did not sell too well.
Named Philips YES! (http://www.betuwe.net/~mellemab/homecomputers/images/philips/Philips_Yes_Large.jpg)
We had a similar school PC project in the Netherlands, that was called Comenius. By the time they finally agreed on specs (8088 based) and finished the tender for the project, it was six years gone, and 80836 was mainstream...
) so it did not sell too well.Named Philips YES! (http://www.betuwe.net/~mellemab/homecomputers/images/philips/Philips_Yes_Large.jpg)
We had a similar school PC project in the Netherlands, that was called Comenius. By the time they finally agreed on specs (8088 based) and finished the tender for the project, it was six years gone, and 80836 was mainstream...
carlsson
Veteran Member
Phew. Didn't anyone realize that the industry moved on during all those years, and some of the nice tax money (I presume) could be spent on updating the project somewhat to recent standards?