[Info-vax] SimH with framebuffer and hobbyist kit?

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2013-04-04 21:42:54 +0000, Richard B. Gilbert said:

> On 4/2/2013 6:17 PM, Bob Koehler wrote:
>> In article <slrnkll78n.8vb.vrtsds at sdf.lonestar.org>, Vertis Sidus 
>> <vrtsds at sdf.org> writes:
>>> 
>>> It seems the last version supported on the 2000 was 7.2, so I
>>> may be just this side of out of luck.
>> 
>> If 7.2 was supported, there is a very good chance that 7.3
>> will run.
>> 
> 
> If something is "unsupported", it may work, but you use it at your
> own risk!  H-P has no obligation fix it if it doesn't work. . . .

True.

> If it's an "easy fix" and several customers want it fixed, H-P MAY try 
> to fix it.

Unlikely, in this case.  This case was the removal of formal support 
for specific VAX systems within the SPD, due to the lack of memory 
addressing.

> If it breaks again H-P MAY try to fix it again but don't count on it.  
> "Unsupported" means 'You are on your own'"

There's nothing particularly "broken" here.   It'll probably work, but 
the system performance with typical configurations and loads wasn't 
that great, short of doing less or hacking in more memory.

> The one and only thing you can count on is a contract signed by an H-P  
> "Big wheel".  If that contract says that H-P that will do something 
> specified, it will be done.

Because HP is just itching to add back support for an old VAX?

> You can frequently save significant amounts of money by reading the 
> contract proposal and correcting the errors.  H-P tends to believe that 
> everything you ever purchased from H-P or wanted to purchase from H-P 
> should be on that contract!

Subject to what's in the SPD, of which the old VAXstation 2000 and 
MicroVAX 2000 boxes are not, nor are the simh bits for that matter.

> I found it extremely helpful to create a small database with the Make, 
> Model, Serial Number, Location, and match the contract proposal! 
> Somehow, the contract proposal always included equipment and software 
> that we no longer had and equipment and software that should be on 
> contract but was not.

A good plan in general, when dealing with contract services.  Add the 
MAC address(es) and the static IP address(es) and the DECnet and SCS 
address(es) to your chart, too.  Spreadsheets work well, at a small 
scale.  Or get yourself an asset-tracking package, as there are various 
good commercial and open-source options available.  Depending on the 
scale and the budget and the interest....

http://www.helpdeskreloaded.com
http://www.otrs.com/en/
http://www.tracmor.com
https://launchpad.net/ocsinventory
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pcinventory/

Help desk packages are related to inventory, and there are options...

http://www.webhelpdesk.com
http://www.kace.com
http://www.zendesk.com
http://www.bigwebapps.com
etc...

> I don't know why, but we had to fight this battle every year.

If you're fighting this particular battle over VAX hardware support 
every year, you've probably lost the war...  :-)


-- 
Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC