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Re: What is this xerox box I have?

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On Wednesday, February 10, 1993 at 3:02:57 PM UTC+1, Hugh J.E. Davies wrote:
> In article 5519@cs.su.oz.au, linda@cs.su.oz.au (Linda Distributed Language) writes:
> >I have aquired a xerox computer of some sort. I have no idea what it does.
> >Here is a descpiption:
> 
> [description deleted]
> 
> I'm sitting in front of one of these. Except that mine works!
> 
> It's variously called a Xerox 6085 or 1186 workstation, depending on
> what microcode is loaded. If it's running Dove microcode, it's called
> a 6085 and runs Xerox Viewpoint (now called GlobalView) office automation
> software, and/or XDE (Xerox Development Environment). If it has LISP
> microcode loaded, it's called an 1186, and runs LISP.
> 
> BTW, the mouse is optical, but uses infra-red (I think - that or UV)
> diodes, so you can't see the LEDs lit up. The row of icons you get at
> switchon tells the machine where to boot from - the spanners mean to boot
> with diagnostics. If you press the hard disk icon (F1) and it fails to
> boot, you should get a display of four small numbers (called an MPU code,
> for Maintenance Panel). What are they? This should tell you why the boot
> failed. If it's 7511, the file system is corrupt, and you need to run
> a scavenge, which you unfortunately need to get from somewhere else, since
> it isn't installed on the machine. If it hangs with an MP code of 0937,
> it's trying to get the time from the Ethernet, and this will fail unless
> it's plugged into an Ethernet with another machine running XNS time service.
> 
> You can't run anything vaguely industry standard on this machine - you'll
> need to approach Xerox for Viewpoint (they probably won't sell you XDE), or
> Envos in California for LISP. Both will probably cost you serious money. I
> doubt if there are enough of them in the world for there to be a serious
> hobbyist community to approach for software. Since you're an academic site,
> there *may* be a possibility of getting it looked at for free, but don't
> hold your breath, especially since Xerox have stopped making 6085s, and now
> run this stuff on Suns, instead.
> 
> 6085s (depending on configuration) sell for between US$500 and US$1000, in
> the States. I've never seen one for sale here, and I've no idea about Australia!
> 
>  
> >
> >Any ideas? Particularly, does any body have any technical specs on the monitor,
> >or where I can get them? Or can tell me how to get into a setup mode, or has
> >a floppy for it or something?
> >
> >Thanks in advance,
> >	David Monro
> >	
> 
> 
> 
> ---
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Hugh.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> I don't speak for Xerox. | "It's no use being clever - we are all
> Rank Xerox Centre, UK.   | clever here; just try to be kind - a
> Huge.wgc1@rx.xerox.com   | little kind." (F.J. Foakes Jackson)

Are any 1186's anywhere in existence ?  If so I am interested???

--Ralph

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Re: What is this xerox box I have? RP Sobek <rsobek@gmail.com> - 2018-04-11 06:05 -0700

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