ABUG Cambridge Sept 7th-9th 2018 BOOKING THREAD

[jgharston]

Tangentially, I had brunch at the famous Baron of Beef on Sunday. Hoo, their fish'n'chips are massive.

[1024MAK]

All the photos that I took are here including various taken around the Centre for Computing History museum.

Mark

[jbnbeeb]

Hi,

thanks all for the kind messages re the meet up. As others have said, it was great to meet both familiar and new faces; I think I managed to have a natter with almost everyone attending. As ever, it was great to see so many people working on their projects and get to learn about them.

Amongst other things, I got to see...
- A snooker hall booking system from Belgium that ran on an Electron with ROM box and some kind of interface that was now disconnected (z0m8ied0g has two of these!)
- A BBC micro with two 3 inch drives in a briefcase which had an ICI label on it (sixxdog_uk)
- Vintage music sequencing setup comprising (IIRC) Music 2000,3000,5000, keyboard connected to BBC..and a lovely 90s Roland synth module which the owner let me have a play with (via some wonky keyboard playing on my part) ..(chrisn)
- New project to provide "Mega Games Cartridge functionality" for the BBC B from JudgeBeeb
- An Exile level editor being worked on by sbadger.
- Tricky's latest game Scramble in all it's 50fps glory.
- pau1ie diligently collating the listings from the short type-ins thread so that they all run for a little while each in sequence
- flaxcottage diligently archiving (and hacking protection on) educational titles. I think he also scanned in a 50 page manual for somebody too
- tom_seddon's b2 emulator. Tom kindly took some time out to show me the features and how it is structured. It has some excellent debugging features which I've not seen in other emulators which I'll be keen to make use of. Tom also showed me his BASIC editor.
- keiranhj hunting down timing issues that occur with his recent demo on Masters with a VLSI 6845 variant (which my Master has). As I understand it, he has managed to amend the code so that it runs correctly on the VLSI 6845, but was frustrated that he couldn't find out WHY the behaviour was occurring. Keiran also took some 50fps screen captures of bitshifter demos, as well as my work-in-progress game (thanks Keiran!)
- Pernod, with the kind assistance of Prime tenaciously dumping numerous obscure Acorn related ROMs. I'm intrigued about the pre-release Elk OS and the Communicator variants.
- Prime very kindly fixing the museum's black Acorn Atom. Phill was subject to scope-creep; starting off with mod-ing it to take a 5v power supply, which soon led to replacing chips and providing composite video out. This went out on to the Acorn World display as soon as it was working. Thanks very much Phill!
- flynnjs generously taking up the challenge of fixing two museum econet-fitted Beebs. I believe they were "very dead" with numerous duff components..it looks like there was a "donor Beeb" involved
- flibble and MattH archiving Archimedes/RISC OS related software
- BeebMaster's amazing knitted dalek jumper

..There were many other projects taking place but sadly ran out of time to quiz/badger people about them !

Thanks so much to all who attended - it's the great people that come to ABUGs that make them such great events. Putting on the Cambridge ABUG has become one of the highlights of the year for me (even if I do get it a bit stressed here and there). There'll be another one next year, though no idea of date just yet. I'll do my best to get to the next one and look forward to seeing many of you at the Leicester meet up.

Cheers,
jbnbeeb
[edited as I remembered some more bits]

[tricky]

Thanks guys, I enjoyed myself, just sorry that my brain can't remember names or faces!

[Pernod]

- A snooker hall booking system from Belgium that ran on an Electron with ROM box and some kind of interface that was now disconnected (z0m8ied0g has two of these!)
- A BBC micro with two 3 inch drives in a briefcase which had an ICI label on it (sixxdog_uk)

With my limited time there and ROM dumping priorities I somehow missed these. Could the relevant owners post more details elsewhere please?

[jbnbeeb]

As long as people ask politely I'm pretty sure the museum will be ok with retrieving items.

Hi, Jason. Looks like none of the items on the list were rescued, in the end.

Oh, that's a bit sad. I'm happy to stop by the museum some other time and archive them.

Hi.. apologies for late response. The museum is very keen for Beeb and indeed any other software to be archived /rescued from ever-degrading media. I did ensure that staff got copies of the lists from the archiving thread. I know both Jason Fitzpatrick and Adrian were retrieving items across the weekend, including software and ROMs for several ABUG attendees. I guess re items not being archived, it came down to the priorities of those archiving and the time that they had to do it.

All that said - per (I think lurkio's) posts..I'm sure CCfCH would be very happy to retrieve items for people wanting to visit the museum for a day of archiving. I'll PM with contact details for the museum.

[flaxcottage]

... The museum is very keen for Beeb and indeed any other software to be archived /rescued from ever-degrading media. ...

Yes, I can second that. After everyone left to go to the pub on Saturday I had a word with some of the staff before I left. It seems that they have a loaning system wherebye researchers may borrow items from the museum. I think I qualified as a researcher as they offered a box of discs I was working on for loan so that they could be archived.

This turned out to be quite a detective story. There were 14 discs in all. The only label was a gold one with the program name in large black letters. There was an interesting protection method on the discs. Further exploration at home showed that they were all Xavier Educational Software titles and were written in 1989 for helping children with dyslexia with their spelling. Now this company is still trading (well it was in 2014) and has a website in which BBC micro software is mentioned. I have emailed the company with a view to getting further information. There may be a wealth of information that the museum could have with these discs when they are returned - maybe.

[jbnbeeb]

Hi,

flaxcottage - your last post reminds me. When we were putting everything back in to the classroom after the event, we noticed two or three boxes full of 5.25" floppies left on Paul1ie's desk. Were they items you were working on (or Pau1ie )? They looked to be copies rather than commercial disks. If either of you (or anyone else!) can identify, would be much appreciated as we weren't sure whether they were museum items or something left behind by an ABUG attendee..

[flaxcottage]

Not mine, sorry.

The pile of disk boxes Jason F gave me to look through I gave back to him and then borrowed one with the Xavier software in it. I only brought a blue disc box and a 3.5" box and they are here with me now.

They must be Paul1e's or the museum's.

[pau1ie]

we noticed two or three boxes full of 5.25" floppies

Not mine either.

[daveejhitchins]

Well . . . Here we are, on holiday, again - with a follow-up trip to Spain a week on Monday to see an old pal who's just been diagnosed with the onset of Alzheimer's - I've known Richard for over 40 years! Although he remembers when we met - his short term memory is getting very bad - he's on the latest medication that hopes to slow the process down - fingers crossed

Cambridge: I had a great time, as usual. Met new faces - tried to remember all the names - failed miserably I'll need to meet them another dozen times for the names to sink in

Spent some time with Robert (JudgeBeeb) who gave me a very detailed explanation of his Beeb-based MGC project - This changed the second day as he tried to get the price down! Robert had a simplified working system, with him, so all's looking good. Unlike my MGCs, Robert's will fit inside the Beeb replacing the 6502 with a PCB that doesn't rely on any extraneous wires/connections - so should be relatively simple to fit It also has some interesting ideas relating to easily selectable and replaceable sideway ROMs. I'm sure his Beeb MGC thread will be interesting, when he's ready to publish all the details.

Did some more work on the Cumana Disc Interface Restoration. Replaced a few components then started to reverse engineer the schematics. I'll post updates on the thread when it starts coming together. It seems, according to a magazine article, it was my AP3/4 that caused the Cumana interface to "fall out of favour" - It's very complicated interface, incorporating a 'time and date' IC. I'm not sure how much it sold for? In fact, I don't think I was aware of it BITD!

Presented a MGC to the Museum, who were very please and promptly asked for a second one (one to archive and one to use)

I committed myself (some say it was about time ) to concentrate on the repairing/restoration of the Museum's Electron collection, next year - should be interesting!

Returned a Plus 3 that I'd had since the last visit. Received it dead - it was dead when I got it back home - accidently left it switched on, over lunch, one day and when I got back to it found it working perfectly. I've been using it, intermittently, ever since without issues. I did consider replacing all the electrolytics - but in the end decided against it.

Recovered the contents of the original Acorn prototype Tube interface EPROM, for Nigel (PERNOD). I thought I had this but it may have been on one of my 'lost-to-age' discs. Anyway, I'll post a copy once I'm home. I believe the only difference is the (c) message etc.

Programmed (thanks to Phill (Prime)) a replacement MGC EEPROM for one that went missing in the post on its way to Canada (I've received full compensation - in record time - but what a pain to fill out the form!). I'd forgotten to pack my usual fine-tip soldering iron so had to make do with my usual general purpose PTL8 on my Weller. Managed OK (just), though. Just to pop the MGC into a case a try the post again . . .

Well that just about covers everything, apart from the many interesting conversations . . .

Dave H

[Pernod]

Well that just about covers everything, apart from the many interesting conversations . . .

You forgot to mention the fun you had disassembling the Briefcase Communicator

[z0m8ied0g]

- A snooker hall booking system from Belgium that ran on an Electron with ROM box and some kind of interface that was now disconnected (z0m8ied0g has two of these!)

With my limited time there and ROM dumping priorities I somehow missed these. Could the relevant owners post more details elsewhere please?

I've grabbed out the ROMS, it also has another chip which I think is battery backed RAM in one of the slogger sockets.
It looks like the app saves configuration details to it.

I'll take some proper photos at some point.

Timetender.zip

ROMS from the TIMETENDER hardware for the Electron

(7.57 KiB) Downloaded 101 times

[Pernod]

I've grabbed out the ROMS, it also has another chip which I think is battery backed RAM in one of the slogger sockets.
It looks like the app saves configuration details to it.

I'll take some proper photos at some point.

Thanks, seems to work in MAME with the ROMBOX. Will post further results when your photo thread appears.

[daveejhitchins]

Well that just about covers everything, apart from the many interesting conversations . . .

You forgot to mention the fun you had disassembling the Briefcase Communicator

So I did . . . I've always wanted one, as I think they're a bit Electron'ish (e.g. single, smallish, keyboard) I had to remove the 2 x batteries and clean-up a little corrosion.

Dave H

[Coeus]

With my limited time there and ROM dumping priorities I somehow missed these. Could the relevant owners post more details elsewhere please?

Nigel, you talking about ROM dumping makes me wonder - were you the person seated to the right of, i.e. next seat away from the window from, flynnjs?

[Pernod]

With my limited time there and ROM dumping priorities I somehow missed these. Could the relevant owners post more details elsewhere please?

Nigel, you talking about ROM dumping makes me wonder - were you the person seated to the right of, i.e. next seat away from the window from, flynnjs?

I didn't have my own space, but spent most of my time between Phill and Dave on the back row.

[flynnjs]

Nigel, you talking about ROM dumping makes me wonder - were you the person seated to the
right of, i.e. next seat away from the window from, flynnjs?

Nope that was Phill "Prime"

[flynnjs]

When we were putting everything back in to the classroom after the event, we noticed two or three boxes full of 5.25" floppies left on Paul1ie's desk.

I brought along a few boxes, some originals and some copies. John had a rummage through and took a few.
I didn't bring any of them back so they may be the ones I had. I've no interest in them so they can either
be absorbed by the museum, taken by anyone or binned. .... but they may not be mine

[flaxcottage]

Ah, yes. If the disc boxes were in a cardboard box on the floor next to the rubbish bin they would be the same ones. They were definitely rubbish. All the discs were damaged in some way.

[jbnbeeb]

Ah, yes. If the disc boxes were in a cardboard box on the floor next to the rubbish bin they would be the same ones. They were definitely rubbish. All the discs were damaged in some way.

I'll relay this to CCfCH..

[CMcDougall]

going by Flax cottage /John's post about the museum wanting things archived , and folk can take & bring back with working archive files, would someone look out the missing tape games from the mass of boxes, & any chance they can post to myself so can work my magic on them, as getting withdrawal symptoms , as not had any MIA tapes for over 2months

still got the shakes, but slowly recovering

& as Lee says , too time consuming for sitting in a group trying get to mingle

[lurkio]

going by Flax cottage /John's post about the museum wanting things archived , and folk can take & bring back with working archive files, would someone look out the missing tape games from the mass of boxes, & any chance they can post to myself so can work my magic on them

Thanks, Col. We may yet have need of your elite tape-based skillz! But I'm not sure what the museum's policy is on actually putting their tapes/discs in the post..?

An update on our attempts to archive the MIA tapes and discs in the museum's vaults: I emailed Jason Fitzpatrick, the curator, and he was very positive about Stardotters going down to the museum in person in order to archive his software. So I replied to his email and cc'd Phil, who volunteered upthread. I haven't had any further emails from either of them yet, but Phil did PM me to say he's planning to visit the museum soonish and see what he can achieve re transferring the museum's MIAs to UEF/.SSD.

I'll try to update this thread -- or more likely, and more appropriately, the other thread -- with any developments.

Fingers crossed.

[CMcDougall]

^ yes L, seen the thread's, every day that goes past the more they degrade, makes me sad

but if John got to take things home, then if jnBeeb can convince them that this is the tapes only hope /chance, & someone can hunt them out & post to me recorded delivery (like most last tapes in universe ) arrive at my door, then I will feel complete

[davidb]

I’ve got Taos on 3.5” for the RiscPC and Dos+ with Econet on 5.25” for the Master 512 that I’ve not got round to archiving yet...

Did the Taos floppy get archived at the event?

[lurkio]

An update on our attempts to archive the MIA tapes and discs in the museum's vaults: I emailed Jason Fitzpatrick, the curator, and he was very positive about Stardotters going down to the museum in person in order to archive his software. So I replied to his email and cc'd Phil, who volunteered upthread. I haven't had any further emails from either of them yet, but Phil did PM me to say he's planning to visit the museum soonish and see what he can achieve re transferring the museum's MIAs to UEF/.SSD.

In case anyone’s interested, this all seems to have fizzled out. I’ve tried to contact Phil, but he’s gone quiet.

[Prime]

An update on our attempts to archive the MIA tapes and discs in the museum's vaults: I emailed Jason Fitzpatrick, the curator, and he was very positive about Stardotters going down to the museum in person in order to archive his software. So I replied to his email and cc'd Phil, who volunteered upthread. I haven't had any further emails from either of them yet, but Phil did PM me to say he's planning to visit the museum soonish and see what he can achieve re transferring the museum's MIAs to UEF/.SSD.

In case anyone’s interested, this all seems to have fizzled out. I’ve tried to contact Phil, but he’s gone quiet.

Is that Me Phill, or Phil MW? As I'm deffo interested in archiving some of the Acorn System software they may have there, especially if they have any of the 6809 stuff, as I now have a clone processor card and no software.....

Cheers.

Phill.

[lurkio]

An update on our attempts to archive the MIA tapes and discs in the museum's vaults: I emailed Jason Fitzpatrick, the curator, and he was very positive about Stardotters going down to the museum in person in order to archive his software. So I replied to his email and cc'd Phil, who volunteered upthread. I haven't had any further emails from either of them yet, but Phil did PM me to say he's planning to visit the museum soonish and see what he can achieve re transferring the museum's MIAs to UEF/.SSD.

In case anyone’s interested, this all seems to have fizzled out. I’ve tried to contact Phil, but he’s gone quiet.

Is that Me Phill, or Phil MW?

Neither. It's "philb". Click on the word "upthread" in my post which you quoted, above.