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DEC legend - Just curious

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BobB

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Aug 21, 2009, 8:04:32 PM8/21/09
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Just curious.

At DEC's 50th Birthday Maynard, Mass., May 24, 2007,
several attendees retold the story of unfixable PDP-8's
being chucked out of the windows of building 1 and into
the pond.

During my training visits to Maynard in the 60/70's, I've
heard the same story several times. Any truth to this
legend and has anyone ever drained the pond to verify
this story ?

It's so hot here on the east coast, it might be a good time
and worth the effort to sent a diving party down ?

Here's a pic of Bldg 1:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bob.birch/VMSBootcampDECS50th#5072453154448769906

John Everett

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Aug 24, 2009, 10:29:13 AM8/24/09
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On Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:04:32 -0700 (PDT), BobB <bob....@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Just curious.
>
>At DEC's 50th Birthday Maynard, Mass., May 24, 2007,
>several attendees retold the story of unfixable PDP-8's
>being chucked out of the windows of building 1 and into
>the pond.
>
>During my training visits to Maynard in the 60/70's, I've
>heard the same story several times. Any truth to this
>legend and has anyone ever drained the pond to verify
>this story ?

Having worked in The Mill in the 60s and 70s, and having spent some of
that time in PDP-8 land, I've never heard that story. While I'm sure
lots of stuff was chucked into the mill pond from Buildings 1 and 21,
I'm guessing given the inventory control system in place at the time
there was little opportunity for an entire PDP-8 to just go missing.
;-)


--
jeverett3<AT>sbcglobal<DOT>net (John V. Everett)

BobB

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Aug 24, 2009, 7:06:18 PM8/24/09
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On Aug 24, 10:29 am, John Everett <address_igno...@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
> On Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:04:32 -0700 (PDT), BobB <bob.bi...@gmail.com>

Ah too bad, I was hoping there was a bit of truth in the story.
I can just imagine sitting on the porch over by RR street (IIRC)
have a cold one after class and suddenly see and hear a 8E
hit the pond. What a site.

Don North

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Aug 24, 2009, 7:49:47 PM8/24/09
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The story as I heard it was lots of flip chip MODULES (not SYSTEMS)
would mysteriously fly out the windows of Building 1 into the Mill Pond
when they could not be easily fixed in the repair facility. The practice
stopped, so I was told, when Ken Olson happened to be on one of his
walks thru the facility and saw it happen...

At least so goes the rumor, as told to me back in 1975, when I started
work in Building 21, right next door.

Don

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