Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #150997

Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall

From	Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca>
Newsgroups	alt.folklore.computers
Subject	Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall
Date	2015-09-02 23:42 -0400
Organization	National Capital Freenet, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Message-ID	<alpine.LNX.2.02.1509022338160.8227@darkstar.example.org> (permalink)
References	<e3l4uap5saiul7qpch603vfgsc3j24gmgo@4ax.com> <b087f317-1f0f-41be-a489-ffb0b9dc08a2@googlegroups.com> <l7meuadtmbienql1ql0ulr7iiknaajnial@4ax.com> <alpine.LNX.2.02.1509021733420.7903@darkstar.example.org> <d4p9nnFdu0iU26@mid.individual.net>

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On Wed, 2 Sep 2015, Bob Eager wrote:

> On Wed, 02 Sep 2015 17:35:51 -0400, Michael Black wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 2 Sep 2015, Louis Krupp wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, 2 Sep 2015 11:06:26 -0700 (PDT), hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Saturday, August 29, 2015 at 9:21:50 PM UTC-4, Louis Krupp wrote:
>>>>> I'm interested in hearing from computer museums that have -- or want
>>>>> to start -- a library.  Some of these books will be worth keeping,
>>>>> others will be good for door prizes (old books on compiler design,
>>>>> VAX architecture manuals -- all cool stuff, but how many copies does
>>>>> one library need?), and others -- well, I can't complain if they turn
>>>>> out to be worthless (there was a time when I saved Pascal manuals).
>>>>
>>>> To be honest, would people really care about PC DOS 3.3?  Quick Basic
>>>> compiler 4.5, including a section on utilizing expanded and extended
>>>> memory?
>>>
>>> They might care about, say, the Pick OS.  And how about the Operating
>>> System Toolbox, the "software construction set you can use to build
>>> your own multitasking Personal Operating System for IBM-PC, PC/XT and
>>> PC/AT computers"?  Wendin published a manual for that and one on PCVMS,
>>> which as far as I can tell was a VMS look-alike that ran on top of
>>> PCDOS, in 1986.
>>>
>>> Then there are books like _Inside Big Blue: Will the Real IBM Please
>>> Stand Up?_, published in 1988 by Jack Martin, according the liner notes
>>> an IBM employee from 1952 to 1987.  There's C. Gordon Bell and Allen
>>> Newell's 1971 _Computer Structures: Readings and Examples_, which
>>> includes a 1967 IEEE Transactions article called "System design of a
>>> FORTRAN machine."
>>>
>>> Ideally, the excess PCDOS and Quick Basic manuals would be recycled and
>>> turned to the paper pulp whence they came, but the good stuff would be
>>> preserved...
>>>
>> And sometimes books record a certain period of time.
>>
>> I found for a dollar each two volumes (I think that's all there were)
>> about XINU, another attempt at a Unix-like language.  Considering the
>> success of Minix, and even greater success of Linux, such books are
>> important as a reminder that not only were there different paths
>> attempting the same thing, but that there was a period when we all so
>> badly wanted to have Unix on our desk.
>
> But of course Minix was only ever intended as a teaching tool. To the
> annoyance of those who wanted Tanenbaum to extend it in multiple
> directions. Of course, that's where Linux was born, sort of.
>
I know that, but I also know at the time people were talking about it, 
"yes, here is a unix-like OS for the IBM PC, and the Atari ST".  I 
certainly contemplated getting it for my Atari ST.

Which reflects that desire to have Unix on your own computer.  We have it 
now, but there was that long period when it was seen as a good thing, but 
it was either too expensive (as was the hardware) or we were waiting for 
Gnu.  In retrospect, there were lots of attempts, of varying success.  I 
once mentioned Mark Williams "Coherent" here, and someone said something 
like how it wsa Unix in all but name, while back then I thought it was a 
unix-like OS.

And in the end Minix served its purpose.  It helped Linus Torvald create 
Linux.

> I have all the Minix books, and installed the original on an IBM PC with
> two 360kB floppy drives!
>
I have at least one Minix book, bought much later for a dollar.

   Michael

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100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-08-29 19:21 -0600
  Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2015-08-30 01:37 +0000
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-08-29 19:56 -0600
  Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com - 2015-09-02 11:06 -0700
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Al Kossow <aek@bitsavers.org> - 2015-09-02 11:50 -0700
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-02 19:05 +0000
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-02 19:12 +0000
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-02 16:25 -0400
        Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com - 2015-09-02 13:40 -0700
          Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2015-09-02 17:55 -0500
            Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2015-09-02 18:00 -0500
              Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-02 18:11 -0500
              Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-02 23:18 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-03 10:03 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2015-09-03 10:05 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-03 10:53 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2015-09-03 13:33 +0200
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall JimP <solosam90@gmail.com> - 2015-09-03 07:54 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall ERSHC <ershc123@invalid.invalid> - 2015-09-03 15:33 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall JimP <solosam90@gmail.com> - 2015-09-03 11:08 -0500
                Re: radio, was 100 boxes of computer books on the wall John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> - 2015-09-03 16:16 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-03 17:18 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-03 17:41 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-03 15:56 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall JimP <solosam90@gmail.com> - 2015-09-03 18:00 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-04 05:02 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall JimP <solosam90@gmail.com> - 2015-09-04 08:22 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-04 10:48 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-03 17:16 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-03 11:56 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-03 20:01 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-03 15:52 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-09-03 15:27 -0600
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> - 2015-09-04 02:42 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-03 23:51 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-04 13:37 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-04 13:36 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-03 23:18 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-04 13:41 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-04 11:53 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-04 18:17 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-03 23:56 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-04 10:42 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2015-09-04 12:33 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2015-09-04 13:04 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-04 13:42 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-04 15:26 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-04 18:17 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-04 18:00 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall lawrence@cluon.com - 2015-09-04 16:41 +0200
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com - 2015-09-04 18:41 -0700
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Osmium" <r124c4u102@comcast.net> - 2015-09-03 06:43 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-03 11:59 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> - 2015-09-03 16:18 +0000
              Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Andrew Swallow <am.swallow@btinternet.com> - 2015-09-03 00:18 +0100
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-03 00:46 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-03 00:54 +0000
              Re: heard but not seen, 100 boxes of computer books on the wall John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> - 2015-09-03 00:59 +0000
                Re: heard but not seen, 100 boxes of computer books on the wall hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com - 2015-09-03 07:25 -0700
              Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-03 20:01 +0000
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-09-02 14:55 -0600
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-02 21:27 +0000
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-02 17:35 -0400
        Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-02 21:58 +0000
          Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-03 01:12 +0000
            Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-03 08:35 +0000
            Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2015-09-03 11:56 +0200
              Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2015-09-03 13:01 +0000
              Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-03 09:40 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> - 2015-09-03 16:06 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-03 13:27 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-03 20:01 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-03 16:18 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-04 10:51 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2015-09-04 13:46 +0200
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-04 13:46 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2015-09-04 16:15 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-04 16:25 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2015-09-05 13:04 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-05 15:36 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-05 18:52 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-05 23:49 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Bob Eager <news0005@eager.cx> - 2015-09-06 09:20 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2015-09-07 12:14 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-07 12:37 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-07 18:05 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com - 2015-09-08 07:57 -0700
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-08 15:56 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-08 17:36 -0400
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-08 18:27 -0500
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-04 18:11 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-04 18:17 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Huge <Huge@nowhere.much.invalid> - 2015-09-04 21:20 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Anne & Lynn Wheeler <lynn@garlic.com> - 2015-09-05 09:40 -0700
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-08 13:45 +0000
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Anne & Lynn Wheeler <lynn@garlic.com> - 2015-09-08 07:48 -0700
                Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2015-09-03 20:10 +0200
          Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-02 23:42 -0400
            Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall mausg@mail.com - 2015-09-03 10:06 +0000
            Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2015-09-03 16:07 -0500
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall sidd@situ.com (sidd) - 2015-09-02 21:17 -0400
        Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall pechter@S20.pechter.dyndns.org (William Pechter) - 2015-09-04 04:03 +0000
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Morten Reistad <first@last.name.invalid> - 2015-09-03 00:19 +0200
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2015-09-03 20:01 +0000
        Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2015-09-03 16:17 -0400
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall John Levine <johnl@iecc.com> - 2015-09-03 01:00 +0000
  Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-09-14 17:23 -0600
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Stephen Thomas Cole <usenet@stephenthomascole.com> - 2015-09-15 06:12 +0000
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-09-15 01:09 -0600
        Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Stephen Thomas Cole <usenet@stephenthomascole.com> - 2015-09-15 08:04 +0000
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-15 08:04 +0100
    Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2015-09-15 16:19 +0000
      Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2015-09-15 17:56 +0000
        Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-09-15 13:41 -0600
          Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall "James Harris" <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2015-09-15 22:42 +0100
            Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-09-16 06:15 -0600
          Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall jmfbahciv <See.above@aol.com> - 2015-09-16 12:54 +0000
            Re: 100 boxes of computer books on the wall Louis Krupp <lkrupp@nospam.pssw.com.invalid> - 2015-09-16 11:14 -0600

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