zamp
Experienced Member
I have come across a document collection for an IBM 1800 computer (very closely related to the IBM 1130 model of computer). I’m not looking to sell it. I am looking to give it to someone who will preferably scan it and make it available to others, or at least place it in a collection where others can access it. I do not want to give this document collection to someone who is going to turn around and sell it.
I’m going to try to reach out to whoever is developing the SIMH IBM 1130 emulator and also reach out to bitsavers. Does anyone here know of a better person or group to pass this document collection on to?
The collection consists of approximately 350 microfiche cards. Each card has scans of up to 90 pages of text. Each card also has a red bar with black text labels on it that identify the contents of the card. I’ve inventoried the labels of 35 cards (about 10% of the entire set) and so far what I’ve found consists of one Index microfiche card and 34 fiche cards with either raw source code (appears to be text printout of 80 column cards) or source code listings as output by assembler or compiler. I don’t have a microfiche viewer or film scanner, so I can't read the documents themselves – I can only read the labels that identify the fiche card contents. The code I’ve come across on these 35 (out of about 350) fiche cards includes source code for Cold Start, Assembler, Builder, Basic Operating Monitor, and various Disk Utilities. It’s possible that the other (approximately) 315 fiche cards could contain engineering drawings or other documentation, though it’s possible all cards are just source code listings.
All of the microfiche cards appear to be in very good condition, though some have dust on them. I've not tried to clean them - if they have value, I'd prefer that someone who knows what they are doing clean and scan them.
Each microfiche card inventoried so far contains images of white text on a black background.
For all microfiche cards inventoried so far, there is a red bar with black printing at the top of the card with printed labels 1800-OS-010 and GJD1-3070-03 as well a date, a section name, section title, and a sequence number. Most also include a version number and some include other text labels. Some but not all cards are also labeled GSCO-4809. There is a sequence number on each card, so the cards can easily be placed in a useful order.
All microfiche cards inventoried so far (except for the one card named Index) are labeled either V3M03 or V3M04, which appears to be a version number.
Each inventoried card so far is dated either 4/2/1974 or 7/31/1976. Some of the sets/sections of the microfiche cards have some cards with 4/2/1974 and some with 7/31/1976.
I suspect that IBM prepared a V3M03 documentation set in 1974, then duplicated it in 1976 for a new release but replaced some of the cards with new V3M04 cards.
Following is a list of labels, dates, fiche card sequence numbers for the 35 fiche cards I inventoried:
I don’t plan on inventorying any more of these cards. But I did look at the bottom of the stack and saw the last card is labeled DATA COMM SYS. And I also looked at one more fiche card from the middle of the stack, which has subroutine listings. I know the particular 1800 this documentation was associated was generally programmed in FORTRAN and rarely in assembler. I think I recall there was an APL type ball for the system console, so it’s possible there could be some APL interpreter (or compiler? -- I can’t imagine keypunching APL) code listing along with OS, FORTRAN compiler, land various library listings in this set of microfiche cards.
Here’s what I know about the IBM 1800 that this document collection came from…
My workplace used to have an IBM 1800 computer. Before I worked here, when I was in junior high and high school, I was allowed to use that 1800. The person who oversaw operation of the 1800 passed away recently. When I cleaned out his office, I found this microfiche document collection.
Sadly, almost nothing else remains from that 1800 in terms of printed documentation or hardware. Except for the front panel, the entire system went to a recycler in the mid-1980s. I understand the recycler was going to reclaim some gold from plating on cards, pins, etc.
The front panel of the 1800 and door holding that front panel were saved, framed with wood, and given to a retiree who I believe is still alive. The front panel was left somewhere intact, though someone added a simple circuit to randomly flash front panel lamps on and off The original lamps were left in the original holders on the 1800 and those lamps were switched on/off with a dozen or so transistors or TRIACs (I can't recall what the hacker told me they used) with a "randomly" selected group of lamps on each transistor or TRIAC. I'll ask if the retiree still has it and see if he's willing to leave me the panel me when he passes away or no longer wants it. It's also possible that retiree has already passed away or has discarded the 1800 front panel. I'll try to reach out to him sometime soon. If I do get the panel from him, I'll keep it or find a good home for it.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions on who would be best to give this IBM 1800 document collection to.
I’m going to try to reach out to whoever is developing the SIMH IBM 1130 emulator and also reach out to bitsavers. Does anyone here know of a better person or group to pass this document collection on to?
The collection consists of approximately 350 microfiche cards. Each card has scans of up to 90 pages of text. Each card also has a red bar with black text labels on it that identify the contents of the card. I’ve inventoried the labels of 35 cards (about 10% of the entire set) and so far what I’ve found consists of one Index microfiche card and 34 fiche cards with either raw source code (appears to be text printout of 80 column cards) or source code listings as output by assembler or compiler. I don’t have a microfiche viewer or film scanner, so I can't read the documents themselves – I can only read the labels that identify the fiche card contents. The code I’ve come across on these 35 (out of about 350) fiche cards includes source code for Cold Start, Assembler, Builder, Basic Operating Monitor, and various Disk Utilities. It’s possible that the other (approximately) 315 fiche cards could contain engineering drawings or other documentation, though it’s possible all cards are just source code listings.
All of the microfiche cards appear to be in very good condition, though some have dust on them. I've not tried to clean them - if they have value, I'd prefer that someone who knows what they are doing clean and scan them.
Each microfiche card inventoried so far contains images of white text on a black background.
For all microfiche cards inventoried so far, there is a red bar with black printing at the top of the card with printed labels 1800-OS-010 and GJD1-3070-03 as well a date, a section name, section title, and a sequence number. Most also include a version number and some include other text labels. Some but not all cards are also labeled GSCO-4809. There is a sequence number on each card, so the cards can easily be placed in a useful order.
All microfiche cards inventoried so far (except for the one card named Index) are labeled either V3M03 or V3M04, which appears to be a version number.
Each inventoried card so far is dated either 4/2/1974 or 7/31/1976. Some of the sets/sections of the microfiche cards have some cards with 4/2/1974 and some with 7/31/1976.
I suspect that IBM prepared a V3M03 documentation set in 1974, then duplicated it in 1976 for a new release but replaced some of the cards with new V3M04 cards.
Following is a list of labels, dates, fiche card sequence numbers for the 35 fiche cards I inventoried:
Code:
Num.
Vers. Low High Begin End Fiche
Label Num. Title Date Date Seq. Num. Seq. Num. Cards Note
-------- ---- -------------------- ------- ------- ---------- ---------- ----- --------------
INDEX INDEX 7/31/76 7/31/76 001.00 001.00 1
ASMASH- V3M04 ASSEMBLER 7/31/76 7/31/76 ASM.001.00 ASM.001.06 7
BLDBUILD V3M04 BUILDER 7/31/76 7/31/76 BLD.001.00 BLD.001.02 3
BOMHCL- V3M03 BASIC OPER. MONITOR 4/2/74 4/2/74 BOM.001.00 BOM.001.00 1
BOMBOM- V3M04 BASIC OPER. MONITOR 4/2/74 7/31/76 BOM.002.00 BOM.002.07 8
CLDCLD V3M03 COLD START 4/2/74 4/2/74 CLD.001.00 CLD.001.00 1
CLDLST- V3M04 COLD START 4/2/74 4/2/74 CLD.002.00 CLD.002.01 2
DMPAFOR- V3M03 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.001.00 DMP.001.00 0.5 Two doc. sets on one
DMPDCLE- V3M03 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.001.00 DMP.001.00 0.5 fiche card card
DMPDCLN- V3M03 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.002.00 DMP.002.00 0.5 Two doc. sets on one
DMPDCLT- V3M03 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.002.00 DMP.002.00 0.5 fiche card card
DMDCPY- V3M03 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.003.00 DMP.003.00 1
DMPDEF1- V3M04 DISK UTILITIES 7/31/76 7/31/76 DMP.004.00 DMP.004.01 2
DMPDELT- V3M03 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.005.00 DMP.005.01 2
DMPDFLE- V3M04 DISK UTILITIES 7/31/76 7/31/76 DMP.006.00 DMP.006.01 2
DMPDLBL- V3M03 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.007.00 DMP.007.00 1
DMPDMON- V3M04 DISK UTILITIES 4/2/74 4/2/74 DMP.008.00 DMP.008.01 2I don’t plan on inventorying any more of these cards. But I did look at the bottom of the stack and saw the last card is labeled DATA COMM SYS. And I also looked at one more fiche card from the middle of the stack, which has subroutine listings. I know the particular 1800 this documentation was associated was generally programmed in FORTRAN and rarely in assembler. I think I recall there was an APL type ball for the system console, so it’s possible there could be some APL interpreter (or compiler? -- I can’t imagine keypunching APL) code listing along with OS, FORTRAN compiler, land various library listings in this set of microfiche cards.
Here’s what I know about the IBM 1800 that this document collection came from…
My workplace used to have an IBM 1800 computer. Before I worked here, when I was in junior high and high school, I was allowed to use that 1800. The person who oversaw operation of the 1800 passed away recently. When I cleaned out his office, I found this microfiche document collection.
Sadly, almost nothing else remains from that 1800 in terms of printed documentation or hardware. Except for the front panel, the entire system went to a recycler in the mid-1980s. I understand the recycler was going to reclaim some gold from plating on cards, pins, etc.
The front panel of the 1800 and door holding that front panel were saved, framed with wood, and given to a retiree who I believe is still alive. The front panel was left somewhere intact, though someone added a simple circuit to randomly flash front panel lamps on and off The original lamps were left in the original holders on the 1800 and those lamps were switched on/off with a dozen or so transistors or TRIACs (I can't recall what the hacker told me they used) with a "randomly" selected group of lamps on each transistor or TRIAC. I'll ask if the retiree still has it and see if he's willing to leave me the panel me when he passes away or no longer wants it. It's also possible that retiree has already passed away or has discarded the 1800 front panel. I'll try to reach out to him sometime soon. If I do get the panel from him, I'll keep it or find a good home for it.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions on who would be best to give this IBM 1800 document collection to.