I received a Pocket386 today!

For anyone who hasn't heard of Pocket386 (I have mentioned it lately, but who listens to me), it's a new small-form factor 386 notebook sold on AliExpress. New old stock - or possibly pulled, as in the case of these 386 CPUs - parts are combined with new parts to build a weird little retro PC.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005542582463.html

Dimensions: 21x12x3cm

386 SX 40MHz Ali M6117
8MB DRAM
VGA
640x480 / 800x480 resolution
CompactFlash storage
USB storage (CH375B)
OPL3 sound card

There is an included dongle for a parallel port, and a dongle for VGA & 2x PS2 ports. The ISA bus is available on the back of the machine, adapter to plug in ISA cards is sold separate (or DIY).

I just opened the box and turned it on for a couple minutes, my first impression of it is positive.

First off, the printed manual in the box has the pages in the correct order - this is already an improvement over the Book8088 I received. :)

Second, I plugged the power adapter in, turned on the machine and it booted right up to the DOS prompt. Typed 'win' and Windows95 started. There is a "built in mouse", the arrow keys on the keyboard can be used to control the mouse cursor - my first impression after trying it is it seems more usable than I had expected.

Back in DOS, I checked the GAMES folder on the included CompactFlash card (drive C:) and Wolf3D fired right up, with Adlib sound, looks and sounds good. I didn't try DOOM yet but they've included it also.

Things I don't like - I would have liked to see a serial port included, but at least it's possible to plug into the ISA bus so a dongle can be added. (I got the version 2 Book8088 with serial port built in and that's handy for BBSing of course.)

I ordered the Pocket386 March 31 and it was delivered to me (Vancouver Island, BC, Canada) April 17.

Now I have to spend some time with the Pocket386 and see how it holds up after the excitement of unboxing a weird little gadget wears off.


Chris/akacastor

--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

I received a Pocket386 today!

Isn't it the last 'open' CPU? Not old hardware, but new??



|07p|15AULIE|1142|07o
|08.........

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

I received a Pocket386 today!

For anyone who hasn't heard of Pocket386 (I have mentioned it lately,
but who listens to me), it's a new small-form factor 386 notebook sold
on AliExpress. New old stock - or possibly pulled, as in the case of these 386 CPUs - parts are combined with new parts to build a weird
little retro PC.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005542582463.html

Dimensions: 21x12x3cm

386 SX 40MHz Ali M6117
8MB DRAM
VGA
640x480 / 800x480 resolution
CompactFlash storage
USB storage (CH375B)
OPL3 sound card

There is an included dongle for a parallel port, and a dongle for VGA &
2x PS2 ports. The ISA bus is available on the back of the machine, adapter to plug in ISA cards is sold separate (or DIY).

I just opened the box and turned it on for a couple minutes, my first impression of it is positive.

First off, the printed manual in the box has the pages in the correct order - this is already an improvement over the Book8088 I received. :)

Second, I plugged the power adapter in, turned on the machine and it booted right up to the DOS prompt. Typed 'win' and Windows95 started. There is a "built in mouse", the arrow keys on the keyboard can be used
to control the mouse cursor - my first impression after trying it is it seems more usable than I had expected.

Back in DOS, I checked the GAMES folder on the included CompactFlash card (drive C:) and Wolf3D fired right up, with Adlib sound, looks and sounds good. I didn't try DOOM yet but they've included it also.

Things I don't like - I would have liked to see a serial port included, but at least it's possible to plug into the ISA bus so a dongle can be added. (I got the version 2 Book8088 with serial port built in and
that's handy for BBSing of course.)

I ordered the Pocket386 March 31 and it was delivered to me (Vancouver Island, BC, Canada) April 17.

Now I have to spend some time with the Pocket386 and see how it holds up after the excitement of unboxing a weird little gadget wears off.

i has the 4:3 book 8088 machine and i love my 16 bit binky!

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... A PC a day keeps the Apple away!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Isn't it the last 'open' CPU? Not old hardware, but new??

the 486 to 686 (pentium ][) is open i think

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... It said "insert disk #3", but only two will fit...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Isn't it the last 'open' CPU? Not old hardware, but new??

the 486 to 686 (pentium ][) is open i think

Now THOSE are systems that I'd love to see 'new options' for. My favorite platform of all time the the 486, but I'm looking to add something much faster this year - Pentium-II, Pentium-4, 686... something that runs the next generation OS and softwarez. :P



|07p|15AULIE|1142|07o
|08.........

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

Now THOSE are systems that I'd love to see 'new options' for. My favorite platform of all time the the 486, but I'm looking to add something much faster this year - Pentium-II, Pentium-4, 686... something that runs the next generation OS and softwarez. :P

yeah i love the 486 it is a great cpu and system platform! <3

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... It said "insert disk #3", but only two will fit...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Re: Re: Pocket386 is here!
By: Spectre to paulie420 on Fri Apr 19 2024 11:03 pm

Although a 6502 guy, and have had any number of x86 boxes... I have a soft spot for a Mac IIfx, all those nifty nubus slots, it was like the Apple II of the Mac world.

And the fastest Mac for a long time. You had to be a kick-ass creative guy to get a IIfx, the rest of us had to limp along with IIcis.

Although, my IIci with a cache card, high-end graphics, a 1GB external HDD and DAT tape drive and a 15" Sony monitor was one of my favorite systems of all time.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

Now THOSE are systems that I'd love to see 'new options' for. My favorite platform of all time the the 486, but I'm looking to add something much

Although a 6502 guy, and have had any number of x86 boxes... I have a soft
spot for a Mac IIfx, all those nifty nubus slots, it was like the Apple II of the Mac world.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

And the fastest Mac for a long time. You had to be a kick-ass creative guy to get a IIfx, the rest of us had to limp along with IIcis.

If'n I recall right, came with an 030 cpu, and there were 040 upgrades around for it. Friend o' mine had one for years.. until after Nubus disappeared completely.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Spectre wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

And the fastest Mac for a long time. You had to be a kick-ass creative guy to get a IIfx, the rest of us had to limp along with IIcis.

If'n I recall right, came with an 030 cpu, and there were 040 upgrades around for it. Friend o' mine had one for years.. until after Nubus disappeared completely.

Now, I'm hearing that "bong" startup chord in my head.



... Socks are carcinogenic.
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

If'n I recall right, came with an 030 cpu, and there were 040 upgrades around for it. Friend o' mine had one for years.. until after Nubus disappeared completely.

Now, I'm hearing that "bong" startup chord in my head.

Good day for it to come up - it's not the only bong sound being heard on this special day! Happy 4/20! :)


Chris/akacastor


--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

Now, I'm hearing that "bong" startup chord in my head.

Chuckle, you ever hear an Interlink Voidax modem start up? Came out with exactly the same bong... It'd annoy a lot of the Mac guys no end, when you started saying "Welcome to Voidax" after they turned their pooty on. :)

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Good day for it to come up - it's not the only bong sound being heard on this special day! Happy 4/20! :)

What is special about 4/20? Assuming its 20th o' April.... <boggle>

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Good day for it to come up - it's not the only bong sound being heard on this special day! Happy 4/20! :)

What is special about 4/20? Assuming its 20th o' April.... <boggle>

4/20 (April 20th) is a cannabis celebration day.


Chris/akacastor



--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

What is special about 4/20? Assuming its 20th o' April.... <boggle>

cannabis day. fuckin blaze it

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... A PC a day keeps the Apple away!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Hello AKAcastor,

Answering a msg of <17 Apr 24>, from you to All:

these are the guys who stole the open source bios ? :)

Regards,
--
dp

telnet://bbs.roonsbbs.hu:1212 <<=-

... Uptime: 0d 12h 53m 55s
--- GoldED/2 1.1.4.7+EMX
* Origin: Roon's BBS - Budapest, HUNGARY (21:4/148)

these are the guys who stole the open source bios ? :)

Yes, the Book8088 uses Sergey Kiselev's 8088_bios, and did so without proper attribution.

I believe the Book8088 has been brought into compliance after complaints were made, though I don't really know for sure if it's been dealt with to Sergey's satisfaction.

Sergey's version does now "officially" support Book8088 machines, so the BIOS can be replaced easily with an official / updated version.
https://github.com/skiselev/8088_bios


Chris/akacastor


--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

Sergey's version does now "officially" support Book8088 machines, so the BIOS can be replaced easily with an official / updated version. https://github.com/skiselev/8088_bios

i gotta update the bios then!

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

I received a Pocket386 today!

I will be checking that out! Cool - thank you!

I haven't gotten back to actually playing with my Pocket386, but I do still have that first impression of "it's pretty neat!" (just needs a serial port!!)

For anyone who hasn't heard of Pocket386 (I have mentioned it lately,
but who listens to me), it's a new small-form factor 386 notebook sold
on AliExpress. New old stock - or possibly pulled, as in the case of these 386 CPUs - parts are combined with new parts to build a weird
little retro PC.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005542582463.html

I don't remember it, but I also spent a while OFF the BBS's - and
Facebook - and HAM - etc. But now life is settling back into a
more smooth routine, and my knees are worse, so I have more
'screentime.' :-)

Sorry about the knees, trouble with knees is rough, though more screentime isn't entirely the worst situation - lots of BBSing to keep up on! :) I hope you're well and have plenty of time for fun projects.


Chris/akacastor

--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

AKAcastor wrote to Jimmylogan <=-

I don't remember it, but I also spent a while OFF the BBS's - and
Facebook - and HAM - etc. But now life is settling back into a
more smooth routine, and my knees are worse, so I have more
'screentime.' :-)

Sorry about the knees, trouble with knees is rough, though more
screentime isn't entirely the worst situation - lots of BBSing to keep
up on! :) I hope you're well and have plenty of time for fun projects.

Thanks. Gel shots every so often work wonders...

I have a Ham radio in the house now - working on getting an antenna on a nice tall pole/tower.

I have fallen behind on my Bible Study and working on my blog as a result
of more screen time, and I have to balance that, but otherwise it's been
fun. :-) I'm making contact with people on the air and on FB that I had
lost touch with. :-)

If you're interested -

https://jimmylogan.substack.com





... Can I blame my spelling on Line Noise?
--- MultiMail/Mac v0.52
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

Thanks. Gel shots every so often work wonders...

It's been years since I had Jello shots! Delicious.

I have a Ham radio in the house now - working on getting
an antenna on a nice tall pole/tower.

I haven't gotten into radio myself but I do appreciate hearing about the interesting equipment and infrastructure involved.


Chris/akacastor

--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

i think the 386 is too modern for me xD you can run much more stuff on a 386 than a 286. like netbsd! XD

if only they made a pocket 286 :>

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... 640K ought to be enough for anybody. -Bill Gates, 1981.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

i think the 386 is too modern for me xD you can run much
more stuff on a 386 than a 286. like netbsd! XD

16 bits does seem more than enough, was 32 bits ever really necessary?

if only they made a pocket 286 :>

I agree that would be an interesting machine! I think it's possible, if the developer happens to find a big stash of 286 chips, so we can keep hoping at least.


Chris/akacastor


--- Maximus 3.01
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

Re: Re: Pocket386 is here!
By: AKAcastor to Mary4 on Thu Jun 20 2024 22:40:28

16 bits does seem more than enough, was 32 bits ever really necessary?

I do have one example :)

When the mighty Acorn were deciding what to do after the 6502-based BBC micro, they assessed a bunch of 16 bit processors of the era and were pretty unimpressed, finding them all deficient in some way.

They looked at making their own processor and it soon occurred to them that the biggest bottleneck in current computers was memory access. It was slow and pushing data around a byte at a time multiplied the wait times. So if they were going to build their own processor, why not jump straight to 32 bits and quadruple the memory bandwidth?

And that's how we got the ARM...

BobW
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - bbs.magnum.uk.net (21:1/205)

mary4 wrote to AKAcastor <=-

i think the 386 is too modern for me xD you can run much more stuff on
a 386 than a 286. like netbsd! XD

Older version of MINIX run on a 286 - I was able to run a caching DNS
server, web server and mail server on a 286 with 2mb of RAM.

My desktop system at the time was a Pentium/133; I was bored at work and looking for a distraction.



... Are there sections? Consider transitions
--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

Older version of MINIX run on a 286 - I was able to run a caching DNS server, web server and mail server on a 286 with 2mb of RAM.

Way back when, at one stage I had examples of most every generation of CPU.. I still had an XT running mail on KA9Q along with some routing. Unfortunately
500 moves later, things had to go...

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Spectre wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

Way back when, at one stage I had examples of most every generation of CPU.. I still had an XT running mail on KA9Q along with some routing. Unfortunately 500 moves later, things had to go...

I played with KA9Q for a while - that was an amazing feat, showing
exactly how much you could do on an XT. I remember The Little Garden,
an ISP started by Tom Jennings ran on all KA9Q boxes when they first
started out. They ended up growing pretty successfully then getting
swallowed up in the ISP consolidation wars of the late '90s.
Best->Verio->NTT.



--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

CPU.. I still had an XT running mail on KA9Q along with some routing.

I played with KA9Q for a while - that was an amazing feat, showing
exactly how much you could do on an XT. I remember The Little Garden,

I stopped using it, because its POP3 was a bit non-standard and required patching of newer clients at the time, and eventually it was just to hard.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

I played with KA9Q for a while - that was an amazing feat, showing
exactly how much you could do on an XT. I remember The Little Garden,

I'm not familiar with KA9Q, what can it do? Could be fun to find a download somewhere and have a play with it.

... DAC: Divide And Conquer

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

16 bits does seem more than enough, was 32 bits ever really necessary?

I agree that would be an interesting machine! I think it's possible, if the developer happens to find a big stash of 286 chips, so we can keep hoping at least.

16 bit is all you need! :D i am using one of my 16 bit 286 machines here!
<3

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... Redundant book title: DOS For Dummies

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Older version of MINIX run on a 286 - I was able to run a caching DNS server, web server and mail server on a 286 with 2mb of RAM.

THATS COOOL!! 2MB OF RAM IS ALL YOU NEED!!!! :D srsly thats cool!
i need to upgrade the 286 here to 16 mb of ram if those darn boards WORKED! >:(. alot of rare fast 286 boards are faulty and need work because of bad soldering..

pF> My desktop system at the time was a Pentium/133; I was bored at work
and pF> looking for a distraction.


--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... Help! I can't find the "ANY" key.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

whats ka9q?

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... That's not a bug, it's an undocumented feature

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

I'm not familiar with KA9Q, what can it do? Could be fun to find a download somewhere and have a play with it.

me neihter what is it? :D and how to i get it for my 286s?

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... System halted - Press all keys at once to continue

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Older version of MINIX run on a 286 - I was able to run a caching DNS server, web server and mail server on a 286 with 2mb of RAM.

THATS COOOL!! 2MB OF RAM IS ALL YOU NEED!!!! :D srsly thats cool!
i need to upgrade the 286 here to 16 mb of ram if those darn boards

I was not aware that MINIX could do some much with such limited resources.
Also RE 16MB support with 286 class machines, I've had some odd results with the motherboard I am currenlty using in my 286 PC & that you might run into.

The board supports more than 4Mb of ram which is the usual max for most 286 motherbaords, but while it works fine with 10Mb installed (2 4Mb SIMMs + 2 1Mb SIMMs), 8Mb (2 4Mb SIMMs) just causes the bios to flip out completely, due to some weird bug. I have no idea what 16Mb would do as I just don't have enough 4Mb SIMMs to try.

... "Chief, wait!" - Kira "When?!" - O'Brien

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

I was not aware that MINIX could do some much with such limited
resources. Also RE 16MB support with 286 class machines, I've had some
odd results with the motherboard I am currenlty using in my 286 PC &
that you might run into.

i have 2 super rare 25MHz M216 rev 1.2 mobos these boards support the maximum of 16 MB. it's a crazy mobo. i just wish the solder the manufacturer used was not bloody TRASH. like the chipset needs to be soldered really well with good nice solder not this cheapo junk solder. i had to send it to my friend multiple times.

ki> The board supports more than 4Mb of ram which is the usual max
for most ki> 286 motherbaords, but while it works fine with 10Mb installed (2 4Mb ki> SIMMs + 2 1Mb SIMMs), 8Mb (2 4Mb SIMMs) just causes the bios to flip out ki> completely, due to some weird bug. I have no idea what 16Mb would do as ki> I just don't have enough 4Mb SIMMs to try.

depends opn the mobo :D

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. Asks: 'Can I join you?'

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Hi Kirkspragg,

On Wednesday June 26 2024, Kirkspragg said to poindexter FORTRAN:

I played with KA9Q for a while - that was an amazing feat, showing
exactly how much you could do on an XT. I remember The Little Garden,

I'm not familiar with KA9Q, what can it do? Could be fun to find a
download somewhere and have a play with it.

KA9Q is a networking stack for DOS based amchines (It was also ported to
other machines, like the Amiga). It has/had many features for the limited resource of the early machines. Ie: 286.

You should be able to find it with a google search.

\/orlon
aka
Stephen

Rocking FSXnet with an Amiga 4000 and Zeus BBS.

--- Zeus BBS 1.5
* Origin: -:-- Dragon's Lair --:- dragon.vk3heg.net Prt: 6800 (21:1/196.0)

i have 2 super rare 25MHz M216 rev 1.2 mobos these boards support the maximum of 16 MB. it's a crazy mobo. i just wish the solder the manufacturer used was not bloody TRASH. like the chipset needs to be soldered really well with good nice solder not this cheapo junk solder.
i had to send it to my friend multiple times.

Oh that sucks! I hope you solder woes are over and that you get many trouble free years of use from them now. I've never seen 25Mhz 286 motherboards turn up for sale, only the harris 25 Mhz 286 CPU itself. Where did you find yours?

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbS>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

Also RE 16MB support with 286 class machines, I've had some odd results with the motherboard I am currenlty using in my 286 PC & that you might run into.

The board supports more than 4Mb of ram which is the usual max for most 286 motherbaords, but while it works fine with 10Mb installed (2 4Mb SIMMs + 2 1Mb SIMMs), 8Mb (2 4Mb SIMMs) just causes the bios to flip out completely, due to some weird bug. I have no idea what 16Mb would do as I just don't have enough 4Mb SIMMs to try.

For most 286 Mobos 4Mb simms wouldn't not have existed during their
lifetimes. If you can get your hands on one that came out of the US Defence then you've got more likelyhood. I don't remember what they got used for
now, but they had 25-30Mhz 286 models doing something, long after 286s in general were obsolete.

The one NEAT chipset board I had, couldn't see 4Mb SIPP/SIMMs at all.


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

poindexter FORTRAN was heard saying....

I played with KA9Q for a while - that was an amazing feat, showing
exactly how much you could do on an XT. I remember The Little Garden,

I ran an ISP for a while, and when we first opened we were using an old
386 sx-16 as the router running ka9q. The rest of the network were linux boxes.

Why did we do it this way? I can't remember. LOL



Shawn

--- Via Silver Xpress V4.5/P [Reg]
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

I ran an ISP for a while, and when we first opened we were using an old 386 sx-16 as the router running ka9q. The rest of the network were linux boxes.

If you get the basics of TCP/IP, then KA9Q has a lower learning curve than linux does. Might have been part of it, and or a machine that wasn't doing anything else? A 386 of pretty much any flavour was meant to be able to route enough packets for ~10 486 claass systems? Something like that, I forget.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Spectre was heard saying....

If you get the basics of TCP/IP, then KA9Q has a lower learning curve
than linux does.

Honestly I don't remember why we went that way. I think just because it
was easier as you say.

Might have been part of it, and or a machine that
wasn't doing anything else? A 386 of pretty much any flavour was meant
to be able to route enough packets for ~10 486 claass systems? Something like that, I forget.

That ka9q box handled the dedicated 28.8 connection to the internet. Then
a linux box running a boca board handled the 8 lines we had for dialup
once we started getting clients it became ISDN, then T1, then we were
bought out. LOL



Shawn

--- Via Silver Xpress V4.5/P [Reg]
* Origin: Another Millennium - Canada - another.tel (21:1/162)

Oh that sucks! I hope you solder woes are over and that you get many trouble free years of use from them now. I've never seen 25Mhz 286 motherboards turn up for sale, only the harris 25 Mhz 286 CPU itself.

yeah it's a pain in the ass

Where did you find yours?

i was lucky to find one on ebay

--mary4 (Victoria Crenshaw) the 286 enthusiast

... Error, no Keyboard - Press F1 to Continue.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Datanet BBS | telnet://datanetbbs.net:23 (21:1/166)

Spectre wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

I stopped using it, because its POP3 was a bit non-standard and
required patching of newer clients at the time, and eventually it was
just to hard.

One of my first IT victories was replacing a horrid Mac LAN-based email
system with a BSD box, Qpopper and Eudora mail clients. We figured out
how to push out address books, back up mailboxes and use Majordomo for
most of our big email lists. It was all pretty cool for the early '90s.



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kirkspragg wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

I played with KA9Q for a while - that was an amazing feat, showing
exactly how much you could do on an XT. I remember The Little Garden,

I'm not familiar with KA9Q, what can it do? Could be fun to find a download somewhere and have a play with it.

It's out there. It was an early internet app/environment for DOS, you
could use it to route packets, it had a couple of internet servers
built-in, and it could act as a TCP/IP client. Pretty heady stuff for
DOS.

https://www.ka9q.net/code/ka9qnos/



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kirkspragg wrote to mary4 <=-

Older version of MINIX run on a 286 - I was able to run a caching DNS server, web server and mail server on a 286 with 2mb of RAM.

THATS COOOL!! 2MB OF RAM IS ALL YOU NEED!!!! :D srsly thats cool!
i need to upgrade the 286 here to 16 mb of ram if those darn boards

I was not aware that MINIX could do some much with such limited
resources. Also RE 16MB support with 286 class machines, I've had some
odd results with the motherboard I am currenlty using in my 286 PC &
that you might run into.

The board supports more than 4Mb of ram which is the usual max for most 286 motherbaords, but while it works fine with 10Mb installed (2 4Mb
SIMMs + 2 1Mb SIMMs), 8Mb (2 4Mb SIMMs) just causes the bios to flip
out completely, due to some weird bug. I have no idea what 16Mb would
do as I just don't have enough 4Mb SIMMs to try.

... "Chief, wait!" - Kira "When?!" - O'Brien

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AKAcastor wrote to Jimmylogan <=-

Thanks. Gel shots every so often work wonders...

It's been years since I had Jello shots! Delicious.

Not what I meant at all - but maybe you knew that?

I've never had Jell-O shots - no desire.

I have a Ham radio in the house now - working on getting
an antenna on a nice tall pole/tower.

I haven't gotten into radio myself but I do appreciate hearing about
the interesting equipment and infrastructure involved.

Our 6 year old grandson has been with us for the last 6 weeks, so it's been unhooked. He enjoys the radio in the truck with me, but at home we've
been busy with legos :-) And by the time the nightly nets start he's
bathing and down for bed...

Sadly he goes home this weekend, and next week we'll be at a conference.
After that things get back to a routine, so I plan to work with it
again.







... ETHERNET - A device for catching the ether bunny.
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