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I don't know, ask Cortana? 
If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.
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Not just any computer. The one that's often called the first home computer off them all: An Altair 8800.
Here is the construction article: Popular Electronics 1/1975, page 33[^]
The 8080 processor may be a little hard to get, but most of the (many) other ICs are standard TTL and still available for a few cents.
The RAMs are also have been out of production for decades, but any SRAM, like this 62256[^] will do fine. Ok, it does not have an access time of 850 ns. It's 55 or 70 ns, which is much faster and therefore good enough. Not as authentic, but we get eight times as much memory for less than two bucks and also can save about a pound of discrete logic ICs.
Shall I modernize the memory section or does nobody want an Altair? Except for the CPU the parts are not expensive or hard to get.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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My first computer was an Altair 8800, I got it from the college I attended they had it stored in the basement.
Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film. Steven Wright
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Don't tell me you don't have it anymore...
I took a look at the memory schematic. We can simplify the memory selection quite radically if we use a modern RAM. And I noticed the split data bus. The Altair's bus later became the S100 bus, right? There was no need to split the data bus. The 8080 processor already had a bidirectional bus.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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CodeWraith wrote: Don't tell me you don't have it anymore...
No it's long gone, that was 1980 or so!
My favorite computer from those days was the Commodore 64, had a blast with it!
Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film. Steven Wright
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Mike Hankey wrote: No it's long gone,
Sacrilege! Will you atone for this by building a new one?
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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CodeWraith wrote: Don't tell me you don't have it anymore...
On the topic of keeping old computers, I still have my TI-994/a in the box. AFAIK it hasn't been plugged in since around 1986. 
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Then let's hope the capacitors have not gone to popcorn mode when you ever do.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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kmoorevs wrote: AFAIK it hasn't been plugged in since around 1986.
The batteries will undoubtedly need to be charged before you can use it.
"One man's wage rise is another man's price increase." - Harold Wilson
"Fireproof doesn't mean the fire will never come. It means when the fire comes that you will be able to withstand it." - Michael Simmons
"You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him." - James D. Miles
modified 24-Aug-18 10:19am.
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What batteries?
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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Well there was optional real time clock board if I remember (didn't keep very good time)
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That's what's wrong with my MicroVAX 3100 -- so I have to set the clock every time I boot it up. 
But otherwise it's fine unless the disks die.
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No batteries afaik, probably a cmos, but would be no concern. btw, I highly doubt that I'll ever try to use it again.
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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My college apartment mate in the late 90's collected old computers. Among them he had a SGI setup for 3D rendering which still worked and did a better job at it than machines that were years newer. Another machine had a hard drive with a diameter similar to the side of to the case, not even sure who made that one.
Also taking up space was an old VAX that he bought at auction when the University upgraded. Big as a fridge, took 3-phase power, so unfortunately we were never able to power it up but it was working during said auction. Wasn't even that useful for a conversation piece.
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Ooohhh a VAX... 
I have four systems that run OpenVMS when I find a reason to boot them up.
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My (our) first PC was an IMSAI 8080. Some friends and I bought it in California during a 3 month motorcycle trip from Anchorage, AK to California. 48K RAM, 4 floppies made double sided with a hole punch, and a teletype and punched tape reader from an auction. Added a 10 MB, 14 inch dual platter HD from a PDP-11 (took my several months to design and build to interface board then write the assembly code for CP/M). Heh, happy days!
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, navigate a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects! - Lazarus Long
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stoneyowl2 wrote: took my several months to design and build to interface board then write the assembly code for CP/M). Heh, happy days!
More or less a glorified parallel port, bit banging the signals to the hard drive in software?
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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Just made some Chinese (style) Pork Balls for supper tonight (Prawns and Pork Balls with Singapore Noodles) and ... I had to taste them to make sure the seasoning is right. Honest.
Now I just want to eat the whole bowl full, and Herself isn't home for lunch for another hour and a half. Bwwa!
What's your plan for lunch / supper today, folks?
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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OriginalGriff wrote: What's your plan for lunch / supper today, folks?
Nothing special. A pair of "Wiener's" (Vienna sausages) with potato salad I had made yesterday.
Just after work I have to pepare a feta cheese salad and herb butter for a barbecue tomorrow. Then head over to build up the tent. Afterwards to the pub (Friday is my pub day).
But your post tells me to have the Wiener's before making the salad to avoid having the same problem as you
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Dinner - Local Mexican restaurant: Chile Colorado, ceviche, chips and salsa, fresh guacamole made at the table. Yummy to my tummy.
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How about thermonuclear chile relleno burritos?
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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Yeah, the explosive diarrhea is not my thing. Also, I dislike very much - chile relleno anything.
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I am going to grill 2 or 3 gilthead and a big bowl of salad, maybe some pieces of home made garlic bread on the grill too.
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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I dont eat till 7pm. Keeps the fat off.
(And oddly also keeps the brain sharp in the day, and energy levels up)
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