Dug out of my basement...

[__sjgray]

Hi,

Just cleaning up my basement and came across my old system.



The C4P was my first computer. Added more memory and disk drive. Did lots of programming. Lots of fun and memories.

Steve

[__sjgray]

Well, I got a chance to test my system today. Needed a little work... had to resolder one of the power wires going to the backplane and reseat a bunch of chips but I got it working!

Note to self: Remember to make sure the SHIFT-LOCK key is down before trying to boot at the "H/D/M?" prompt!

As you can see, long ago I removed everything from the original case. I bought a floppy drive but not the OSI one in the nice wood finished case. Mine was in a simple metal case and I never liked it. I wanted to make my own case with the computer and drive in one, so I started building one out of plexiglass. Never got it finished. Wanted to have nice wood sides too.

Anyway, I'm trying to decide what to do...

1) Pack everything away again for another 20 years?
2) Restore everything to its original cases and state?
3) Finish my case?
4) Put everything in an old PC-type case?
5) Sell it or give it away?
6) Trash it? No, just kidding.

I wish I had more time to play with it. Any thoughts?

Steve

[__dave]

I'd say, restore everything to the original cases. Mismatched cases are part of the charm of the era. I'm curious to see what you end up with.

D

[__sjgray]

It will all depend on how much free time I can spare... I'm leaning towards finishing my case, simply because that's what I wanted to do many years ago. Restoring everything would probably be my second choice.

Anyway, I made an inventory of everything in my binders. I don't know if this would be useful to anyone but here goes:

OSI Domuments and manuals

Documents
---------

- The Challenger Character Graphics Reference Manual, Aug 1978
- The 8K BASIC-IN-ROM Reference Manual, Sept 1978
- Operating System Listing OS65D v3.0
- DAC 1 User's Manual
- 65D Tutorial and Reference Manual, Aug 1981 (238 pages)

Schematics
----------

- Model 502 CPU board with BASIC-IN-ROM
- Model 542 Rev B Keyboard
- Model 527 24K Memory Board
- Model 540 Rev B-1 Video Board

Newsletters
-----------

- TOSIE, June 26, 83 (TOSIE = Toronto Ohio Scientific Idea Exchange)
- TOSIE, July 31,83
- TOSIE, Feb 26,84
- TOSIE, Apr 1,84
- Aardvark Journal, Apr'80 Vol.1, No.1
- Aardvark Journal, Jun'80 Vol.1, No.2
- Aardvark Journal, Aug'80 Vol.1, No.3
- Aardvark Journal, Oct'80 Vol.1, No.4
- Aardvark Journal, Dec'80 Vol.1, No.5
- Aardvark Journal, Feb'81 Vol.1, No.6
- Aardvark Journal, Apr'81 Vol.2, No.1
- Aardvark Journal, Jun'81 Vol.2, No.2
- Aardvark Journal, Aug'81 Vol.2, No.3
- Aardvark Journal, Oct'81 Vol.2, No.4
- Aardvark Journal, Dec'81 Vol.2, No.5
- Aardvark Journal, Feb'82 Vol.2, No.6
- Aardvark Journal, Apr'82 Vol.3, No.1
- Aardvark Journal, Jun'82 Vol.3, No.2
- Aardvark Journal, Aug'82 Vol.3, No.3


Tiny Compiler V1.3 Source Listing and Info


Magazine Articles
-----------------

- Apr'81, Compute! - OSI C1P Control Functions
- Jun'81, Microcomputing - Nature Red In Tooth and Claw
- Jun'81, Microcomputing - OSI Baud Mod
- Jun'81, Creative Computing - OSI Tiger
- Aug'81, Compute! - OSI RS232 Port and the High Speed Printer Interface
- Sep'81, Compute! - Exploring OSI's Video Routine
- Oct'81, Compute! - Calling BASIC Commands from Machine Language
- Oct'81, Radio Electronics -Buyers Guide to Home Computers (C4P on front page)
- Feb'82, Compute! - Part II: A Small Operating System: OS65D, The Disk Routines
- Apr'82, Creative Computing - Improved Registration for Line Graphs


Misc
----

- Omega Science Inc (Reseller) - Sept 1980 Catalog
- Light Pen Assembly
- Brochure - Challenger Desk-Top Computers. The bookkeeper's bookkeeper
- Ad - Cleveland Consumer Computers and Components - Summer Sale, Sept'80


Steve

[__dave]

That's a really nice collection. I didn't realize that Compute! had so much OSI stuff. I wonder if they ever ported SpeedScript to the OSI. . .

All of your articles/journals (except the first volume of Aardvark journal--already scanned) would be excellent to have as scans. I will be moving this site to a new server with much more space, and will be hosting a lot of new material (courtesy of Mark). We will then have a fairly extensive online archive of OSI materials, and your stuff would be wonderful to have.

If you are considering scanning, I would do grayscale at 100-120 dpi, same image size for every page, saved as JPEGs or compressed TIFF (and if possible, compiled into a PDF).

[__sjgray]

Finally got around to building a web page. This is just the first draft to get something up. I hope to expand the scanned section, so request stuff you'd like to see.

The OSI C4P Page:
http://ca.geocities.com/sjgray@rogers.com/OSI/

As you'll see, I picked up an OSI Superboard II as well. It's not functional but I only had a short time to play with it.

Steve

[__dave]

Hi Steve,

Very nice web page. I'll add it to the links section. The first year of Aardvark is already scanned, so no need to duplicate the effort. Any and all of the rest of your stuff would be new, and really nice to have. Good luck with the Superboard.

Dave