Category: Uncategorized

What happened in 2025?

Credit: H. Pedersen/ESO (the full license is at https://www.eso.org/public/copyright)

The Halley Comet is back!
We were able to read a few files from DDS-1..2 cassettes for ESO. Fabio Sogni was looking for a way to retrieve the data from the cassettes. After several attempts failed, he turned to Cray-Cyber and datArena. We had been using a working DDS-3 drive for the Cray YMP-EL in our archive since 2018. Using tools developed by Gerard J van der Grinten, we were able to create TAP files. This allowed us to rescue nearly 2,000 files. One of them is shown in the photo above.

Otherwise:
Unfortunately, we are repeatedly held back by deficiencies in air conditioning technology and buildings.

John and I were able to make progress on the 960, and the Cray YMP-EL is being excellently maintained by our new colleagues and is running wonderfully. The E10K is also making progress and will be back in operation in Q1 2026. Our colleagues were also able to get a PDP-11/40 up and running, along with many other machines.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer online access, but we hope that this will be possible again soon.

I wish you all the best, happy holidays, and a happy start to the new year.

Ralf N.

The Last CDC Cyber 180/960 Mainframes, a 39-year era comes to an end

https://santamariatimes.com/news/local/military/vandenberg/the-last-cyber-mainframes-a-39-year-era-comes-to-an-end/article_5ac69350-b95e-5457-8948-8991078b6495.html

The colleagues in Vandenberg (USA) have shut down their 960 forever in June 2021.

I really hope we get our 960 back in service. At the moment it doesn’t look bad, our small data center doesn’t have a suitable power connection. However, the new building is almost finished, only small things are missing.

Paul Allen

Paul Allen died very suddenly seven days ago.

That was very close to me, although I never met Him personally. I followed his projects like the “living computers museum + labs” with interest and respect.
Our member Gerard van der Grinten was personally on site in Seattle to help with the start-up and repair of the CDC 6500.

The world has lost a great man, he has moved so much.
My condolences to Paul Allen’s family and friends.

https://livingcomputers.org/