Just as the vast majority of political discussions on the internet end with one person invoking the name of Hitler, when people talk computers on the internet there's a good chance the discussion will turn into a contest to see who has been messing with computers longer.
Most people think if they went into a Radio Shack in the 1980's and saw a computer for sale they were some sort of alpha geek. If you've seen these debates -or if you've been in one of these debates- you might like this week's Tech Tuesday.
Today we get to separate the graybeards from the wannabes. And put 50 bucks in the graybeard's pocket.
As I've gone thru my career I've saved a piece of technology every 4 or 5 years as sort of a milepost in our technological advancement. One day I'll frame them or donate them to a museum or something. For example I have a 5 1/2" 10MB hard drive that, at the time, was amazing.
This piece is a little older than that.
(Click for a closer look)
Do you know what this is? It might be worth 50 bucks to you.
I put both a tape measure and a dollar bill on it to illustrate the scale.
It's 16" wide and a foot deep!
More Below
(Click for a closer look)
So here's the deal. I spoke to Kevin and he said he'd give the first person to properly ID this hunk of computing history 50 bucks. And considering the age of this thing, if you remember it, I'll throw in a box of dried prunes and an extra large box of Depends.
Take your best guess below. (Note: If this is drop dead simple and you know it before anyone else has even guessed, email me rather than drop it in comments. (paul at wizbangblog.com) I want it to last more than 20 minutes.)
And I'll be pretty generous about awarding the prize.. (Hey, it's Kevin's money ;-) If nobody gets it exactly right but someone gets very close, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.
Update: We really have a winner. The comments are still open but unless you knock my socks off with knowledge, I'm pretty much done. See my comment about 9:30ish.
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Comments (114)
Memory. Do I have to count... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Brian J. | August 9, 2005 11:22 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Memory. Do I have to count the chips to provide a total?
1. Posted by Brian J. | August 9, 2005 11:22 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:22
2. Posted by Shaun K. | August 9, 2005 11:26 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Wouldn't happen to be a memory card from a VAX or PDP-11 would it?
2. Posted by Shaun K. | August 9, 2005 11:26 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:26
3. Posted by mojo | August 9, 2005 11:27 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Looks like a memory card from an EMC SAN
Big deal. Wanna see my mainframe memory card from 1978? A whopping 4K of RAM, baby....
3. Posted by mojo | August 9, 2005 11:27 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:27
4. Posted by Don | August 9, 2005 11:27 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Definitely memory, but the shocker is how much...or how little. I'll go with a whopping one megabyte.
4. Posted by Don | August 9, 2005 11:27 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:27
5. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 11:32 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
And I'll add in the comments.... If some people are close but one person nails it later in life, I'll probably go with the guy who nailed it.
Judging will be a fair and I can make it.
5. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 11:32 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:32
6. Posted by Robert | August 9, 2005 11:36 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
256 K of Memory.
6. Posted by Robert | August 9, 2005 11:36 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:36
7. Posted by SteveL | August 9, 2005 11:36 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Memory from an early EMC Symmetrix Storage Array. I'm guessing, circa 1991?
7. Posted by SteveL | August 9, 2005 11:36 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:36
8. Posted by SteveL | August 9, 2005 11:45 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hmm...can I have a second bite at the apple?
It's and EMC 1 megabit chip memory board developed for Prime computers, circa 1985-86
8. Posted by SteveL | August 9, 2005 11:45 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 11:45
9. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 12:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You disappoint me. You are all way off base. It's one of 3 main boards to Sen. Robert Byrd's first pacemaker.
9. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 12:00 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:00
10. Posted by MichaelT | August 9, 2005 12:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
My guess is that it is a TWENTY dollar bill in the first picture, and the remainder is historical junk that has (fortunately) been outdated.
Seriously, I have no clue. I was lucky to identify the TWENTY dollar bill, given my eyesight.
10. Posted by MichaelT | August 9, 2005 12:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:01
11. Posted by Michael K. | August 9, 2005 12:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Could it be an ALU? I guessed in email to Paul that it was memory, but something in the circuit tells me otherwise.
11. Posted by Michael K. | August 9, 2005 12:06 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:06
12. Posted by Larry Hardy | August 9, 2005 12:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I believe it is an ALU (Arithmetic Logic Unit) from some type of computer. I see some chips labeled as A18, A19... A24, which leads me to belive that they are accumulators. So perhaps this is the CPU of some computer system.
12. Posted by Larry Hardy | August 9, 2005 12:08 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:08
13. Posted by Michael | August 9, 2005 12:09 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's part of a computer. (This makes me the default winner if everyone else is wrong.)
13. Posted by Michael | August 9, 2005 12:09 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:09
14. Posted by jmaster | August 9, 2005 12:12 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm sticking with the memory module ID. I would have guessed it was for a Prime system, but somebody beat me to that. So I'll go with an HP.
14. Posted by jmaster | August 9, 2005 12:12 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:12
15. Posted by Anachronda | August 9, 2005 12:14 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Well, I'm going to against the flow and say parity-protected memory for an 18-bit DEC machine such as the PDP-7, -9, or -15.
15. Posted by Anachronda | August 9, 2005 12:14 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:14
16. Posted by Micah | August 9, 2005 12:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I still have an AT knockoff in the basement, and I'll go along with the memory board theme. For specifics, I'd guess the original board from the IBM XT, with the UNBELIEVABLE amount of 640K RAM.
16. Posted by Micah | August 9, 2005 12:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:25
17. Posted by D. Carter | August 9, 2005 12:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hal? Is that you?
17. Posted by D. Carter | August 9, 2005 12:28 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:28
18. Posted by Charlie Quidnunc | August 9, 2005 12:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's for an IBM mainframe 9121.
18. Posted by Charlie Quidnunc | August 9, 2005 12:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:40
19. Posted by Howard | August 9, 2005 12:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It looks like it could be a 16k memory board for a late 80's early 80 minicomputer
19. Posted by Howard | August 9, 2005 12:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:40
20. Posted by ldglite | August 9, 2005 12:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hmm, I had some 24 bit video memory cards on
an ancient SGI workstation that looked sorta
like that.
20. Posted by ldglite | August 9, 2005 12:41 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:41
21. Posted by Joe Zwers | August 9, 2005 12:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
1MB EMC memory board from 1985. Was definitely between 1983 and 1987 since that was when they were in Natick.
21. Posted by Joe Zwers | August 9, 2005 12:41 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:41
22. Posted by John | August 9, 2005 12:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Circuit board for processing '80s Census data.
Wild guess, but for some reason this board makes me think big bureaucratic government.
22. Posted by John | August 9, 2005 12:41 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:41
23. Posted by leelu | August 9, 2005 12:45 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
...I'm guessing a 1 meg memory board out of a DEC VAX minicomputer.
As I recall they could hold up to eight. ;-)
I believe we ran with four meg, running 12 CAD terminals off one VAX. It could get *real* slow real fast....
23. Posted by leelu | August 9, 2005 12:45 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:45
24. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 12:50 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
This is emc's memory upgrade (circa 1983?) of 1 megabit RAM, or maybe it's the 64-kb memory board?
24. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 12:50 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:50
25. Posted by bender | August 9, 2005 12:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
do you know matt? he had one of those at my parents house a few months ago (maybe in october?)
Anyway - I cant remember if his was a 1 mb ,512 k, or 256 k... i just remember it being really small and we tossed it aroudn for the dogs.
25. Posted by bender | August 9, 2005 12:54 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:54
26. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 12:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
yes, again...how about 640K of memory? (The most memory that bill gates once said we would ever need....)
26. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 12:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:57
27. Posted by htom | August 9, 2005 12:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Sixteen bit wide error correcting memory, not s-100 or xt or pc or mac or VME from the form factor. One of the PDPs?
27. Posted by htom | August 9, 2005 12:59 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 12:59
28. Posted by DJFelix | August 9, 2005 1:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It looks like a line card from an EMC2 PBX system. I can't quite place it ... but definitely from a PBX.
28. Posted by DJFelix | August 9, 2005 1:00 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:00
29. Posted by Rob@L&R | August 9, 2005 1:04 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Memory module for a Sperry/Univac UYK-7 or UYK-20
29. Posted by Rob@L&R | August 9, 2005 1:04 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:04
30. Posted by Editor | August 9, 2005 1:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Gawd! We're surrounded by a bunch of geeks.
(Uh, Dude, how long have you been reading blogs? - Ed.)
30. Posted by Editor | August 9, 2005 1:08 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:08
31. Posted by Michael K. | August 9, 2005 1:23 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Is it the circuitry inside the joystick of an Atari 2600? ;-)
31. Posted by Michael K. | August 9, 2005 1:23 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:23
32. Posted by profligatewaste | August 9, 2005 1:24 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
DEC has already been mentioned, so I'm going to say a memory board for a Data General Eclipse.
32. Posted by profligatewaste | August 9, 2005 1:24 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:24
33. Posted by Michael K. | August 9, 2005 1:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Is it an old cell phone?
HA! I like that one!
33. Posted by Michael K. | August 9, 2005 1:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:25
34. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 1:30 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
ok, it's me again...it's a high heat dissipation mounting for solid state devices and circuits, circa 1975-1980.
34. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 1:30 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:30
35. Posted by Laurence Simon | August 9, 2005 1:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I believe that it's a piece of the original Cross.
If you look closely, you'll see the bloodstains of Jesus.
35. Posted by Laurence Simon | August 9, 2005 1:36 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:36
36. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 1:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's the memory card from the Heath kit that Al Gore created the Internet on while doing secret research for DARPA long before he was elected to office WHILE he was in Cambodia.
36. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 1:36 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:36
37. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 1:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Is it a drive controller?
37. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 1:47 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:47
38. Posted by Dustin | August 9, 2005 1:52 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
An I/O board for a Prime system.
38. Posted by Dustin | August 9, 2005 1:52 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 13:52
39. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 2:04 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
>It's the memory card from the Heath kit that Al Gore created the Internet on while doing secret research for DARPA long before he was elected to office WHILE he was in Cambodia.
We have a winner!
39. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 2:04 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:04
40. Posted by jack | August 9, 2005 2:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Processor board for the digital display on my mother-in-law's bathroom scale.
40. Posted by jack | August 9, 2005 2:13 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:13
41. Posted by MikeT | August 9, 2005 2:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm going to guess that it is a 640kb-1MB of memory board for either a minicomputer or a mainframe circa... 1979-1983. What can I say, the first computer I ever owned was a 386 w/ 2mb of ram and a 100MB hdd.
41. Posted by MikeT | August 9, 2005 2:13 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:13
42. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 2:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Update: Someone emailed me in Russian and I thought we had a winner...
Excepted I pasted some of the message into google translator and it said something about the fact I could "guzzel like a fountian" so maybe not....
Also, for all who mailed... No, it is not a processor from a "Cialas" brand computer whatever those are.
42. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 2:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:17
43. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 2:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
oh jack that was low - funny but low
43. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 2:19 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:19
44. Posted by mcg | August 9, 2005 2:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The motherboard for what became the very first SUN workstation?
44. Posted by mcg | August 9, 2005 2:20 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:20
45. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 2:24 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Last try...memory from an HP 3000.
45. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 2:24 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:24
46. Posted by Brad Warbiany | August 9, 2005 2:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Main processing board for a video game console?
I'll guess PacMan, but will expect to be announced the winner if it's anything close...
46. Posted by Brad Warbiany | August 9, 2005 2:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:25
47. Posted by Red Five | August 9, 2005 2:27 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's obviously a memory card of some sort. The main section of chips is in a perfect grid layout, and most board designers don't put anything in rows and columns unless it's RAM.
I'm guessing it's from an old VAX, 11/xxx series of some sort. Looking at the later VAXen, they had 2- and 4-slot boards, but no 6-slot boards like this one is. I'm 99.9% sure it's memory, though.
47. Posted by Red Five | August 9, 2005 2:27 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:27
48. Posted by Dustin | August 9, 2005 2:31 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Or a memory board for a Prime computer circa 1980's
48. Posted by Dustin | August 9, 2005 2:31 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:31
49. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 2:32 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Ok, can't. stop. submitting.
Memory board for Pong?
49. Posted by debra | August 9, 2005 2:32 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:32
50. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 2:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Look at Yahoo with a search argument of emc history
for your answer. It is the first hit.
50. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 2:35 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:35
51. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 2:48 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
64-kilobyte chip memory boards developed for Prime computers
51. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 2:48 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:48
52. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 2:52 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Bill,
Wow, $36,000.00 per megabyte of RAM!
I used to sell 10MB hard drives for $700.00 at wholesale and I thought that was a lot.
52. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 2:52 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:52
53. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 2:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Solid state disk
53. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 2:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 14:57
54. Posted by Ken | August 9, 2005 3:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I agree with man:
64 KByte memory for minicomputer using 4Kx1 DRAM IC's
54. Posted by Ken | August 9, 2005 3:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 15:25
55. Posted by Brainster | August 9, 2005 3:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
E=MC squared! Omigosh, it's an atomic bomb! (A dirty bomb, too, from the looks of it).
55. Posted by Brainster | August 9, 2005 3:41 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 15:41
56. Posted by Michael | August 9, 2005 3:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It's part of a UFO that you swiped from Area 51.
56. Posted by Michael | August 9, 2005 3:43 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 15:43
57. Posted by steve manseau | August 9, 2005 3:55 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
PDP/11-70 memory
57. Posted by steve manseau | August 9, 2005 3:55 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 15:55
58. Posted by KobeClan | August 9, 2005 4:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Breathalizer at the Kennegy compound.
58. Posted by KobeClan | August 9, 2005 4:03 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:03
59. Posted by Brant | August 9, 2005 4:03 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm going to go out on a limb that I haven't seen anyone else venture onto yet, and say that its a memory or CPU upgrade for the Apple IIe. I remember installing one of those way back in the day, so I could play even more of the coolest games ever made.
59. Posted by Brant | August 9, 2005 4:03 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:03
60. Posted by KobeClan | August 9, 2005 4:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
That's "Breathalizer at the KENNEDY compound". Me Bad.
60. Posted by KobeClan | August 9, 2005 4:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:05
61. Posted by pylorns | August 9, 2005 4:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Its a Video Card circa 1983-1989.
61. Posted by pylorns | August 9, 2005 4:19 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:19
62. Posted by neil | August 9, 2005 4:27 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
couldnt tell you what the hardware is...but what you said was a dollar bill looks more like a twenty to me....no wonder you conservatives have fucked up the deficit and couldnt estimate the cost of the Iraq war and almost shortchanged the Veterans Affairs budget...thank god you wont be able to touch Soc Security now...
62. Posted by neil | August 9, 2005 4:27 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:27
63. Posted by cameo | August 9, 2005 4:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
16k of PDP-8 memory.
63. Posted by cameo | August 9, 2005 4:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:40
64. Posted by Rob | August 9, 2005 4:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Cache memory card for a WANG VM
64. Posted by Rob | August 9, 2005 4:43 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:43
65. Posted by AlexinCT | August 9, 2005 4:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
This is a SERVER!
65. Posted by AlexinCT | August 9, 2005 4:59 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 16:59
66. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 5:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It may be a calculator board but I can't recall any using this board.
66. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 5:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 17:01
67. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 5:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
OK I got it's a part for the Bull Express5800 server.
67. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 5:16 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 17:16
68. Posted by AztecL0B0 | August 9, 2005 5:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It is an EMC 1 Mb (megabit) upgrade RAM module from 1985.
68. Posted by AztecL0B0 | August 9, 2005 5:20 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 17:20
69. Posted by J Kevin | August 9, 2005 5:31 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
We used to have boards like that on our National Semiconductor C1700 & C1800 series processors. They were used in grocery sites to run the cash registers. Looks like 1-2 Mb memory boards. Probably 1Mb. I would be surprised to find that is is from a video game machine. Pac-Man or one of the shoot-'em-up games.
69. Posted by J Kevin | August 9, 2005 5:31 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 17:31
70. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 5:42 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Remember folks the most complete answer wins.
YES you can say "It's a computer part" and be correct.
But if someone comes behind you and says it's an XXXX computer part from an xyzzy computer they win. KnowwhtImean?
BTW there is a buried hint in this message.
70. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 5:42 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 17:42
71. Posted by MichaelT | August 9, 2005 6:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Too tired at the moment to try to figure out the hidden meaning. But have come back a few times, strangely intriqued by Debra's sense of humor. My guess would have been the digital display from TED KENNEDY's bathroom scale.
71. Posted by MichaelT | August 9, 2005 6:21 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 18:21
72. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 6:32 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Buried so deep I can't see it unless it has to do with the 4451 xxxx computer graphic.
I'll just reread the lesbian article and look for hidden meanings there.
72. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 6:32 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 18:32
73. Posted by Shad | August 9, 2005 6:58 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hmm, a buried hint in that message, you say? ... from an xyzzy computer...
Some kind of memory card from a PDP-10 running Colossal Cave Adventure?
73. Posted by Shad | August 9, 2005 6:58 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 18:58
74. Posted by Henry | August 9, 2005 7:11 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
just to let you know, if you still look @ these...
there is a computer museum in San Diego, California that would probably love this.
I've visited it with my father and he claims he remembers using some of the older computers in there.
(He used to work for the IRS way back when)
74. Posted by Henry | August 9, 2005 7:11 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 19:11
75. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 7:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Memory card from a Commodore KIM-1.
75. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 7:21 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 19:21
76. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 7:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Or as they were called back then -- MOS Technology.
76. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 7:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 19:25
77. Posted by Shad | August 9, 2005 7:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
On the other hand, it does look an awful lot like this EMC Symmetrix 240-021-906 Memory Board.
Certainly hope that isn't it, though -- seems a bit off to be offering a $50 prize to identify a $12.99 item =)
Regardless, congratulations on finding a piece of hardware that you could put up for identification and not get an answer back within just a few minutes.
77. Posted by Shad | August 9, 2005 7:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 19:40
78. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 7:44 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Shad,
I searched eBay for EMC2 and missed that -- good catch.
78. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 7:44 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 9, 2005 19:44
79. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 7:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Good job Shad it does look exactly like the EMC Symmetrix 240-021-906 Memory Board in the ebay picture.
79. Posted by Man | August 9, 2005 7:47 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 19:47
80. Posted by Anachronda | August 9, 2005 7:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I dunno, Shad; these guys http://emisolutions.com/EMC.htm want $300 for one.
80. Posted by Anachronda | August 9, 2005 7:54 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 19:54
81. Posted by Jeff Medcalf | August 9, 2005 7:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The connectors look like a VAX plane, IIRC, and it's definitely memory, so my guess would be memory for a VAX. Actually, was that a VAX or the Encore Multimax that had those connectors and snaps? Memory fading... (no pun intended).
81. Posted by Jeff Medcalf | August 9, 2005 7:54 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 19:54
82. Posted by Eneils Bailey | August 9, 2005 8:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Looks like memory from an old Datapoint Display Terminal...2200 maybe.
82. Posted by Eneils Bailey | August 9, 2005 8:06 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 20:06
83. Posted by Anachronda | August 9, 2005 8:18 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Actually, Jeff, DEC used those connectors for almost everything. UNIBUS boards could be hex boards, as could later OMNIBUS boards of the PDP-8/a vintage (a hex board wouldn't fit into the earlier 8/e box). I suspect that other systems used hex modules as well.
83. Posted by Anachronda | August 9, 2005 8:18 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 20:18
84. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 8:29 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
OK Shad-- You are indeed the master search engine user.
Now what pray tell is a 240-021-906???
BTW The cool guys don't call it Colossal Cave
84. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 8:29 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 20:29
85. Posted by JohnW | August 9, 2005 9:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Mamory card, for sure.
Data General Eclipse series MV9000 or earlier, perhaps?
I myself have the processor daughterboard for an MV1000 in the basement, so I know whe're you're coming from.
My hands-on experience goes all the way back to DEC PDP-8's! :)
85. Posted by JohnW | August 9, 2005 9:08 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:08
86. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 9:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
EMC's mainframe compatible solid state disk subsystem, the Orion
86. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 9:10 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:10
87. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 9:19 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Advanced storage subsystems developed for IBM System/38 and AS/400 computers
87. Posted by Bill | August 9, 2005 9:19 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:19
88. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 9:27 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Somebody above must have won by now, with all the clues it looks like a memory board from an old DEC/VAX mainframe.
Colossal Cave was originally written for PDP-11
88. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 9:27 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:27
89. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 9:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Or the cool name -- "Adventure"
89. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 9:28 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:28
90. Posted by jmaster | August 9, 2005 9:29 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Well, I don’t have it in me to worry about this one anymore, but I will give some advice to anyone out there who wants to keep digging.
You should be able to identify the brand of computer this went into by studying the latches on top of the card, and by the pitch of the edge card fingers at the bottom. By the pitch, I mean the varying distances between the connector banks.
Those are mechanical features that were used back then to key the modules to specific areas of a particular system.
90. Posted by jmaster | August 9, 2005 9:29 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:29
91. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 9:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The judging was mighty subjective... A few people scared it and the "winner" scared the hell out of it without actually killing it. But he clearly remembers those days and that was the point.
As far as who won, the sprit of this contest was to give the person who actaully remembered the thing the cash.
One person cleary knows more than the rest of the contestants.
Don't feel bad, there were many good guesses and some that we technically correct but saying "It's memory" ain't enough to pry 50 bucks from my hand -- even if it is Kevin's.
I'm leaving comments open, and to extend the fun, I'm not going to tip my hand just yet. I'll probably post tonight or tomorrow.
BTW- Shad, you get the brownie points for best use of the search engine but while you actaully produced the best info, it was clear you learned it today. I assume you understand.
91. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 9:35 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:35
92. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 9:39 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
that wasn't the cool name ;-)
92. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 9:39 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:39
93. Posted by Rob | August 9, 2005 9:39 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
HP 1000
93. Posted by Rob | August 9, 2005 9:39 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 21:39
94. Posted by Michael | August 9, 2005 10:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Wait, don't make a decision yet. I knew I'd seen that thing before. I was called in after business hours to solder some cracked connections on an EMC Symmetrix 240-021-906 Memory Board. Can't believe it took me so long to remember because, y'know, I got overtime and everything.
94. Posted by Michael | August 9, 2005 10:01 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 22:01
95. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 10:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
XYZZY is taught by math teachers the world around as a mnemonic device to remember how to do cross products.
Guess I found the wrong hidden message (KWIM).
95. Posted by mesablue | August 9, 2005 10:06 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 22:06
96. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 10:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Soooo Lemme get this right.... You remember the exact part number of a board you soldered 20+ years ago....
OK let's see... What is it from???
96. Posted by Paul | August 9, 2005 10:06 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 22:06
97. Posted by Lew Clark | August 9, 2005 10:43 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I think it's the upper board of a matched pair of verticolators in the main hestifanz frameout of a Colbanda 915X.
97. Posted by Lew Clark | August 9, 2005 10:43 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 22:43
98. Posted by jmaster | August 9, 2005 11:32 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I have to admit that I am quite shocked that this post might break 100 comments.
I'm still pondering whether thats a good thing or a bad thing.
98. Posted by jmaster | August 9, 2005 11:32 PM |
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Posted on August 9, 2005 23:32
99. Posted by Juniper | August 10, 2005 12:22 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
WTF? Why does that have to be good or bad?
Why are you even shocked? It was interesting and people enjoyed it.
99. Posted by Juniper | August 10, 2005 12:22 AM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 00:22
100. Posted by Beth | August 10, 2005 2:51 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Why do I have this mental image of dozens of dudes all sitting in creaky computer chairs with worn-out seats, with bottles of piss stationed nearby?
::running away::
;-P
100. Posted by Beth | August 10, 2005 2:51 AM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 02:51
101. Posted by Michael | August 10, 2005 4:24 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Soooo Lemme get this right.... You remember the exact part number of a board you soldered 20+ years ago....
OK let's see... What is it from???"
That's easy. It was from a COMPUTER. What, you don't believe me? While I was soldering, we ordered a double-cheeze and sausage pizza from Dominos. You can check the records at the Dominos in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
101. Posted by Michael | August 10, 2005 4:24 AM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 04:24
102. Posted by fatman | August 10, 2005 4:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
DOMINO'S??? BLEEECH!!!
102. Posted by fatman | August 10, 2005 4:43 AM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 04:43
103. Posted by Michael | August 10, 2005 4:59 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The pizza was kinda just warm when it arrived, not really hot, but we didn't complain. So you won't find a record of of our complaint in the Domino's archives. But you can find our order of a double-cheese and sausage pizza, circa 1982. (BTW, Ann Arbor is where Domino's Pizza started out -- their basic business model back then was to deliver hot pizza to Michigan dormitories full hungry students that were sick of cafeteria food.)
103. Posted by Michael | August 10, 2005 4:59 AM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 04:59
104. Posted by mesablue | August 10, 2005 1:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Michael,
I was in a dormitory at the University of Michigan in 1982 and having grown up in Chicago would never have allowed myself or anyone I knew to eat that undercooked bread that Domino's tries to call pizza.
The Cottage Inn had a much better pie and every tenth pizza was free which was very important to us poor college kids.
But, I guess if you didn't know any better, anything was better than the dorm food -- in the West Quad at least.
Go Blue.
104. Posted by mesablue | August 10, 2005 1:13 PM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 13:13
105. Posted by Michael | August 10, 2005 2:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Mesablue:
Thanks for confirming at least part of my story.
105. Posted by Michael | August 10, 2005 2:08 PM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 14:08
106. Posted by John Cole | August 10, 2005 3:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
XYZZY is taught by math teachers the world around as a mnemonic device to remember how to do cross products.
OK_ so what is the story behind PLUGH and PLOVER?
106. Posted by John Cole | August 10, 2005 3:16 PM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 15:16
107. Posted by Victor | August 10, 2005 3:34 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I can only ID it as a memory card for an older model computer, probably along the lines of a DG NOVA or another 32-bit machine. However, I feel I can safely say that thing sold for a couple grand back when it was new. I was trying to figure out how large a block of RAM that was, and I admit I'm confused by the 8X19 array. Would you mind explaining that when the winner is announced?
107. Posted by Victor | August 10, 2005 3:34 PM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 15:34
108. Posted by mesablue | August 10, 2005 5:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
John,
Plugh is supposed to have been randomly generated by Crowther and plover was added by Woods and refers to the species of bird.
108. Posted by mesablue | August 10, 2005 5:05 PM |
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Posted on August 10, 2005 17:05
109. Posted by BR | August 11, 2005 6:24 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
IBM Displaywriter? I never looked inside, so I don't know about the "EMC-2" thingie, but the dimensions sure remind me of the CPU of my beloved old Displaywriter. Used to cost around $10,000 in 1981. Later on, when offices were selling them for $600 a piece, a friend and I stacked up her garage with them. We never used them after that, but oh, the sentimental value! That was the word processor made (in)famous by Ollie North's secretary during her testimony in the Iran/Contra hearings. And it had a "toaster" standing next to it for the 2 large floppy disks. We who knew all the shortcuts were loathe to change to PCs - so much so that even today I'm computer-savvy-resistant :) Never got over them taking our Displaywriters away! Never forgave IBM for not keeping up and expanding its Displaywriter's software into PCs. Boo hoo hoo, I'm crying all over again! Oh Paul, even if your pictures are not of the Displaywriter, thanks for the memories. (Actually, I'm not that old, it must have been a past life recall :)
109. Posted by BR | August 11, 2005 6:24 AM |
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Posted on August 11, 2005 06:24
110. Posted by BR | August 11, 2005 7:09 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hee, well thanks to Paul, I finally got to see the insides of an IBM DisplayWriter - found it here - allegedly a 1983 version:
http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/displayw/scott05.jpg
(Since I'm still trying to figure out what "hot linking" really is, I haven't added the "
110. Posted by BR | August 11, 2005 7:09 AM |
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Posted on August 11, 2005 07:09
111. Posted by BR | August 11, 2005 7:11 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Oops - forgot preview.
...haven't added the "a h r e f" stuff around the above link :)
111. Posted by BR | August 11, 2005 7:11 AM |
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Posted on August 11, 2005 07:11
112. Posted by mojo | August 11, 2005 1:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
XYZZY?
What about ELI the ICE man?
112. Posted by mojo | August 11, 2005 1:10 PM |
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Posted on August 11, 2005 13:10
113. Posted by Michael | August 11, 2005 7:46 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Are you going to announce the winner? Cuz, I'm checking my mailbox, and I don't see my money.
113. Posted by Michael | August 11, 2005 7:46 PM |
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Posted on August 11, 2005 19:46
114. Posted by Gil | January 23, 2006 10:54 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Actually, quite funny reading some of the attempts...
The board is a memory board for UNIBUS DEC systems...
now, as to whether it is for a PDP11/x4 or a VAX-11 is a good question...
I'm still looking for some docs for my EMC uVAX II memories...
114. Posted by Gil | January 23, 2006 10:54 AM |
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Posted on January 23, 2006 10:54