Circuit Writer Version 8.1

By Jim Scheef

Vintage Computer Festival - Mid-West

This past weekend I traveled to Chicago for the Midwest version of the Vintage Computer Festival. VCF-MW was a lot of fun. There are links to pictures on the website. One of the exhibits was an actual Xerox Alto, the first commercial computer (1973) with a graphical user interface. This is the machine that inspired the Apple Lisa and Macintosh. The owner and several attendees worked most of the day trying to debug the machine. They thought they made progress and someday this near-cosmetically perfect machine may be returned to working condition.

The event was very different from the VCF East in Wall, NJ, run by my other computer club (midatlanticretro.org). This is not to say that one was better or worse, just different. The main difference was no admission charge which meant that people could stop in just to look around. A $10 admission keeps such casual visitors out of VCF-E. There was no judging of the exhibits which meant there was no pressure on first-timers to build elaborate displays – just bring your stuff and have fun. Nevertheless, some displays were quite ambitious. There was a working IBM AS-400 minicomputer connected to the show’s LAN. Those who wanted Internet access for their exhibit could participate in a LAN managed from a PC running Linux that acted as a router.

One of the larger exhibits was a display of a dozen ASCII terminals of various makes. The youngest was from the early-eighties. Several of these were connected to a terminal server that in turn connected to a MicroVAX 4000 running VMS 7. The uVAX had Internet access thru the Linux server. The critical missing piece was the text-only Lynx web browser program on the uVAX. With Lynx we could have browsed the web (text only, of course) from these vintage terminals. While some of us have shell accounts on other hosts, no one could (or should) log into such an account using telnet, which was all that was available. Just wait ‘till next year!

Another exhibitor was Vince Briel who makes several absolutely professional-quality single-board computer kits including Apple I and KIM-1 “work-alike” clones. My favorite is the Altair 8800micro kit for $199 exactly as pictured including the front panel and case. It is improved from the original in that it includes VGA video and a PS/2 keyboard connectors for I/O so you don’t need a serial terminal to run programs.

The front panel

(click picture above for actual-size view) is fully functional so it is possible to enter data and instructions using the switches, just like the original from 1977. Vince sells these kits at computer shows like VCF. At the vintage-oriented shows he runs workshops where you can build, solder and test your kit along with other hobbyists.

Airport Security

Thankfully both of my flights were uneventful. This was my first time at Bradley since the opening of the new security lanes and the new fees from the airlines. I normally check my duffle bag but when told it would cost $25 to check a bag, I asked for my options. It seems I could carry my duffle to the gate where they would “valet check” the bag for “free”. The security x-ray check revealed my nail clipper kit. One item was a combination screwdriver, nail file and about 1.25” straightedge knife. Needless to say, my little kit is no longer complete. The rest of security check went smoothly as I wear sandals when flying in warm weather. I felt so much safer.

At O’Hare I had a choice between a lane with a traditional metal-detector and one of the new “virtual strip search” imaging machines, so I tried the new machine. After placing my sandals on the x-ray belt and dropping all my coins into a tray, I stepped into the machine. Those who have done this know that you are asked to raise your arms like a bandit in an old cowboy movie. There seemed to be a faint breeze then the machine was operating. When I stepped out, the TSA guy asked what was in my right pocket. He seemed almost uncomfortable looking thru my wallet which would never have been an issue in a metal-detector. As you may recall, Michael Chertoff, former Secretary of Homeland Security, pushed hard to have TSA adopt these machines. Now Rapiscan, one of only two companies that make the full-body scanners to specifications required by the federal government, is a client of Chertoff Group, the security consulting company he founded after leaving the federal government. Read more at “Full Body Scanner Lobby: Michael Chertoff & Rapiscan” and “Ex-Homeland Security chief head said to abuse public trust by touting body scanners”. Imagine a former government official getting rich as a lobbyist. How does this happen?!

Cyberwar

Cyberwar is back in the news as NPR begins a two-part series on the ethics of war in cyberspace. If some nation were to attack the power grid to disable a military base and put all of Florida in the dark for a month or two as a result, is that a war crime because it affects civilians? When is it ok to wage cyberwar? Should such an attack be considered an “armed attack” for which a conventional military response is appropriate? There are actually serious people sitting around very large conference tables worrying about this and similar nuances of war waged via TCP/IP. We have not experienced conventional warfare within the continental U.S. since the Civil War. Cyberwar could change all that and it would be over in minutes. Should that time ever come, I sure hope we’re appropriately prepared.

The opinions expressed here are the author’s and not necessarily those of the Danbury Area Computer Society, its board or officers.