Ethernet on a 3B1

[Bill Gunshannon]

We often see laments about the lack of networking on the 3B1. Has anyone
(other than me) seen the WIZ110SR? It is an RS232 to Ethernet adapter
which, aparently has TCPIP built into the adapter. Could prove both
interesting and useful especially if one wrote a driver to to PPoE thru
it. :-)

bill

--
Bill Gunshannon | de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. Three wolves
bill...@cs.scranton.edu | and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton |
Scranton, Pennsylvania | #include <std.disclaimer.h>

[Thad Floryan]

On 4/8/2013 9:57 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> We often see laments about the lack of networking on the 3B1. Has anyone
> (other than me) seen the WIZ110SR? It is an RS232 to Ethernet adapter
> which, aparently has TCPIP built into the adapter. Could prove both
> interesting and useful especially if one wrote a driver to to PPoE thru
> it. :-)

Hi Bill.

Per the manual:

http://www.wiznet.co.kr/wiz110sr

http://www.wiznet.co.kr/UpLoad_Files/ReferenceFiles/WIZ110SR_User_Manual_V1.0.0.pdf

it appears to be a 1:1 Ethernet:RS-232 one port terminal server
quite similar to the StarLAN NAUs which were two-port:

http://thadlabs.com/PIX/StarLAN_NAU_front.jpg

http://thadlabs.com/PIX/StarLAN_NAU_rear.jpg

and many other similar products another of which I have is the
Central Data (now Digi) EtherLite EL-2:

http://thadlabs.com/PIX/Etherlite_EL-2.jpg

http://www.digi.com/products/serialservers/

http://www.digi.com/products/serialservers/etherlite

Worrisome is the fact the most recent data about the WIZ110ST is
circa 2007.

It's also a tiny unpackaged card, but entombing it would not be any
problem. I like the fact the WIZ110SR appears to use very little
power but the big issue is where these are available today (if at
all). A Google search found some and the prices vary considerably:

Digi-Key is US$43.70

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/WIZ110SR/1278-1000-ND/3829651

Embedded Works is US$24.00:

http://www.embeddedworks.net/pdetail.php?mn=wire&prod=wire014

Karlsson Robotics is US$29.95

http://www.karlssonrobotics.com/shop/wiznet-serial-to-ethernet-gateway-wiz110sr

and the Semiconductor Store is US$26.95, eval board is US$71.15:

http://www.semiconductorstore.com/cart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=47260

Note that most of the above four sites have links to the user manual,
programming manual, schematics, etc.

Have you purchased one and held it in your hands? :-)

If so, from whom did you buy?

Thad

[Thad Floryan]

On 4/8/2013 1:00 PM, Thad Floryan wrote:
> [...]

> Worrisome is the fact the most recent data about the WIZ110ST is
> circa 2007.

> [...]

Correction on that; the manufacturer's page shows 2013 firmware
and 2010-2012 documentation:

http://www.wiznet.co.kr/Sub_Modules/en/product/Product_Detail.asp?pid=1040

Click on [Download] there for the firmware and documentation list.

Thad

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <516321D2...@thadlabs.com>,

Thad Floryan <th...@thadlabs.com> writes:
> On 4/8/2013 9:57 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> We often see laments about the lack of networking on the 3B1. Has anyone
>> (other than me) seen the WIZ110SR? It is an RS232 to Ethernet adapter
>> which, aparently has TCPIP built into the adapter. Could prove both
>> interesting and useful especially if one wrote a driver to to PPoE thru
>> it. :-)
>
> Hi Bill.
>
> Per the manual:
>
> http://www.wiznet.co.kr/wiz110sr
>
> http://www.wiznet.co.kr/UpLoad_Files/ReferenceFiles/WIZ110SR_User_Manual_V1.0.0.pdf
>
> it appears to be a 1:1 Ethernet:RS-232 one port terminal server
> quite similar to the StarLAN NAUs which were two-port:
>
> http://thadlabs.com/PIX/StarLAN_NAU_front.jpg
>
> http://thadlabs.com/PIX/StarLAN_NAU_rear.jpg
>
> and many other similar products another of which I have is the
> Central Data (now Digi) EtherLite EL-2:
>
> http://thadlabs.com/PIX/Etherlite_EL-2.jpg
>
> http://www.digi.com/products/serialservers/
>
> http://www.digi.com/products/serialservers/etherlite
>
> Worrisome is the fact the most recent data about the WIZ110ST is
> circa 2007.

As opposed to the ultra-modern 3B1? :-)

>
> It's also a tiny unpackaged card, but entombing it would not be any
> problem. I like the fact the WIZ110SR appears to use very little
> power but the big issue is where these are available today (if at
> all). A Google search found some and the prices vary considerably:
>
> Digi-Key is US$43.70
>
> http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/WIZ110SR/1278-1000-ND/3829651
>
> Embedded Works is US$24.00:
>
> http://www.embeddedworks.net/pdetail.php?mn=wire&prod=wire014
>
> Karlsson Robotics is US$29.95
>
> http://www.karlssonrobotics.com/shop/wiznet-serial-to-ethernet-gateway-wiz110sr
>
> and the Semiconductor Store is US$26.95, eval board is US$71.15:
>
> http://www.semiconductorstore.com/cart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=47260
>
> Note that most of the above four sites have links to the user manual,
> programming manual, schematics, etc.
>
> Have you purchased one and held it in your hands? :-)

Not yet. But I hope to. They are on eBay (Buy Now) as well. I saw
them mentioned on a mailing list for the old Tandy Color Computer, a
6809 box mostly running a clone of OS9 (I have osme o fthem as well)
where they are talking about the potential for putting what started
out as a glorified game system on ethernet. They already have things
like telnet, shell, web server and SMTP servers for this little 8-bit
system. Surely we could at least as much with our 68K's. :-)

>
> If so, from whom did you buy?

When I am ready (in a few days probably) to take a look at one I will
likely just get it on eBay.

[Thad Floryan]

On 4/8/2013 2:45 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> In article <516321D2...@thadlabs.com>,
> Thad Floryan <th...@thadlabs.com> writes:

>> [...]

>> Have you purchased one and held it in your hands? :-)
>
> Not yet. But I hope to. They are on eBay (Buy Now) as well. I saw
> them mentioned on a mailing list for the old Tandy Color Computer, a
> 6809 box mostly running a clone of OS9 (I have osme o fthem as well)
> where they are talking about the potential for putting what started
> out as a glorified game system on ethernet. They already have things
> like telnet, shell, web server and SMTP servers for this little 8-bit
> system. Surely we could at least as much with our 68K's. :-)
>
>> If so, from whom did you buy?
>
> When I am ready (in a few days probably) to take a look at one I will
> likely just get it on eBay.

Why? eBay is the most expensive by far: US$32.95 and you get reamed
for another US$7 for shipping. It shouldn't cost more than $1 via
USPS based on its size and weight per all the things I buy and have
shipped to me. See the following as just one example of typical eBay
ripoffs for the WIZ110SR:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111037063841

which is why I stopped everything with eBay ages ago. eBay is only
partially useful for those who don't their homework. It took me only
2 minutes to find and check out the four vendors I mentioned earlier.

Thad

[Thad Floryan]

On 4/8/2013 7:14 PM, Thad Floryan wrote:
> [...]

> shipped to me. See the following as just one example of typical eBay
> ripoffs for the WIZ110SR:
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111037063841

> [...]

I didn't notice until just now that's Jameco Electronics, a good
company.

Visiting their actual website reveals 4 models of the WIZ:

http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDrillDownView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&search_type=jamecoall&freeText=WIZ110SR

with prices per:

WIZ110SR 1-port: $32.95

WIZ120SR 2-port: $28.95

WIZ105SR: $25.95

WIZ100SR: $23.95

It'd be chearper for me to drive to Jameco (in Silicon Valley, next to
the Oracle complex in Redwood Shores) than to pay their shipping costs.
Problem is: US-101 is a minefield of massive potholes and distracted
drivers and constant road-rage and shootings since California is quickly
becoming like a 3rd-world country.

Thad

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <51637970...@thadlabs.com>,

Because with eBay in most cases it is click and buy. No setting up
yet another account with god knows who that I have to give my credit
card number too.

If I didn't think it was worth the price, I wouldn't buy it. Sometimes
convenience is worth a dollar more.

Heck, after trying for a couple of years I have actually one a couple
auctions on eBay lately. :-)

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <5163840...@thadlabs.com>,

Thad Floryan <th...@thadlabs.com> writes:
> On 4/8/2013 7:14 PM, Thad Floryan wrote:
>> [...]
>> shipped to me. See the following as just one example of typical eBay
>> ripoffs for the WIZ110SR:
>>
>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111037063841
>> [...]
>
> I didn't notice until just now that's Jameco Electronics, a good
> company.

I know some people who might disagree with you on that. Seems there have
some problems with Jameco supplied 6809 CPUs and simple 7805 regulators
lately.

>
> Visiting their actual website reveals 4 models of the WIZ:
>
> http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDrillDownView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&search_type=jamecoall&freeText=WIZ110SR
>
> with prices per:
>
> WIZ110SR 1-port: $32.95
>
> WIZ120SR 2-port: $28.95
>
> WIZ105SR: $25.95
>
> WIZ100SR: $23.95
>
> It'd be chearper for me to drive to Jameco (in Silicon Valley, next to
> the Oracle complex in Redwood Shores) than to pay their shipping costs.
> Problem is: US-101 is a minefield of massive potholes and distracted
> drivers and constant road-rage and shootings since California is quickly
> becoming like a 3rd-world country.
>

[Thad Floryan]

On 4/8/2013 8:08 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> In article <5163840...@thadlabs.com>,
> Thad Floryan <th...@thadlabs.com> writes:

>>> [...]

>>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111037063841
>>> [...]
>> I didn't notice until just now that's Jameco Electronics, a good
>> company.
>
> I know some people who might disagree with you on that. Seems there have
> some problems with Jameco supplied 6809 CPUs and simple 7805 regulators
> lately.

Hmmm, that's not good. Fortunately I still have of bunch of 6803, 6808, and
6809 in tubes along with a box of 7805s leftover from the days when I made
power supplies at my factory in Campbell CA for Racal-Vadic and Ventel (both
were modem manufactures also located here in Silicon Valley) and security
devices for modems for Adalogic (one of my companies and my designs).

I have, over the years, bought some great stuff from Jameco so it's a bit
distressing to read they're apparently selling defective parts. Do you
have any URL cites to the problem?

Thad

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <5163881...@thadlabs.com>,

Thad Floryan <th...@thadlabs.com> writes:
> On 4/8/2013 8:08 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> In article <5163840...@thadlabs.com>,
>> Thad Floryan <th...@thadlabs.com> writes:
>>>> [...]
>>>> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=111037063841
>>>> [...]
>>> I didn't notice until just now that's Jameco Electronics, a good
>>> company.
>>
>> I know some people who might disagree with you on that. Seems there have
>> some problems with Jameco supplied 6809 CPUs and simple 7805 regulators
>> lately.
>
> Hmmm, that's not good. Fortunately I still have of bunch of 6803, 6808, and
> 6809 in tubes along with a box of 7805s leftover from the days when I made
> power supplies at my factory in Campbell CA for Racal-Vadic and Ventel (both
> were modem manufactures also located here in Silicon Valley) and security
> devices for modems for Adalogic (one of my companies and my designs).

I'm actually old enough to remember those companies. But then, if I
play with 3B1's I guess you already figured that out. :-)

>
> I have, over the years, bought some great stuff from Jameco so it's a bit
> distressing to read they're apparently selling defective parts. Do you
> have any URL cites to the problem?

No, just guys on a mailing list I belong to who work with them. The
CPU's are all mislabeled (things like -E when they are not, If you know
what that means you know how important it is) and numerous lots of 7805's
that were just bad. These guys make and sell devices for the COCO
community and this is keeping them from being able to manufacture their
products (one of which I was hoping to buy!!)

I used to buy from Jameco but haven't in years. But then, I haven't
been doing much homebrewing for years, either. It's just another facet
of the hobby I am getting back into, like ham radio. :-)

[supervinx]

Well...
My 3B1 lacks an ethernet adapter: what would you suggest ?
(To be honest, my 3B1 has no expansion cards at all ;) )




--
http://www.supervinx.com/Retrocomputer

[DoN. Nichols]

On 2013-04-11, supervinx <nes...@libero.it> wrote:
> Well...
> My 3B1 lacks an ethernet adapter: what would you suggest ?
> (To be honest, my 3B1 has no expansion cards at all ;) )

Well ... I think that was suggested to allow one of the serial
ports on the 3B1 to connect to ethernet with other systems, but you
would probably be stuck on only one conversation at a time on that.

Better to watch eBay for the Ethernet card -- and the software
to run it (by Willagong Software).

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: <BPdnic...@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

[Thad Floryan]

On 4/11/2013 5:47 PM, DoN. Nichols wrote:
> On 2013-04-11, supervinx <nes...@libero.it> wrote:
>> Well...
>> My 3B1 lacks an ethernet adapter: what would you suggest ?
>> (To be honest, my 3B1 has no expansion cards at all ;) )
>
> Well ... I think that was suggested to allow one of the serial
> ports on the 3B1 to connect to ethernet with other systems, but you
> would probably be stuck on only one conversation at a time on that.
>
> Better to watch eBay for the Ethernet card -- and the software
> to run it (by Willagong Software).

Hi Don,

A quick Google search

3B1 Ethernet cards for sale

doesn't turn up any cards for sale since the 1990s with the last [that
I saw in the search results] from 1997.

The correct spelling of the company who wrote the 3B1 Ethernet software
is "Woolongong" but most of us spelled it "WillGoWrong" since StarLAN, at
1Mbps, was faster on the 3B1 than the Ethernet verified by multiple tests
and multiple people running the tests.

There's some info about the Ethernet in these monthly threads per a Google
search (since Google archives a large portion of Usenet):

https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08

https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-02

I wish there was some way to download those archives so they could be
quickly grep'd locally on one's own system(s).

Thad

[tlvp]

On 12 Apr 2013 00:47:43 GMT, DoN. Nichols wrote:

> ... (by Willagong Software) ...

Err ... Wollongong, perhaps? as referred to in these? --

<http://www-mice.cs.ucl.ac.uk/multimedia/misc/tcp_ip/8705.mm.www/0024.html>
<http://www-mice.cs.ucl.ac.uk/multimedia/misc/tcp_ip/8806.mm.www/0072.html>
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/108007>
<http://www.thefreelibrary.com/WOLLONGONG+ANNOUNCES+NEW+TCP%2FIP+RELEASE+%27INDUSTRIAL+STRENGTH%27+PRODUCT...-a011729626>

Cheers, and good luck, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.

[tlvp]

On Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:58:14 -0700, Thad Floryan wrote:

> I wish there was some way to download those archives so they could be
> quickly grep'd locally on one's own system(s).

I imagine you've tried wget and found it wanting, eh? Pity. Cheers, -- tlvp

[Thad Floryan]

On 4/11/2013 9:00 PM, tlvp wrote:
> On Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:58:14 -0700, Thad Floryan wrote:
>
>> I wish there was some way to download those archives so they could be
>> quickly grep'd locally on one's own system(s).
>
> I imagine you've tried wget and found it wanting, eh? Pity. Cheers, -- tlvp

Huh?

wget does NOT fetch anything from either of the two URLs I cited:

https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08

https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-02

since those are NOT wget'able objects; for example:

$ wget https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08
--2013-04-11 22:36:06-- https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08
Resolving groups.google.com (groups.google.com)... 74.125.28.102, 74.125.28.100, 74.125.28.113, ...
Connecting to groups.google.com (groups.google.com)|74.125.28.102|:443... connected.
ERROR: cannot verify groups.google.com's certificate, issued by `/C=US/O=Google Inc/CN=Google Internet Authority':
Unable to locally verify the issuer's authority.
To connect to groups.google.com insecurely, use `--no-check-certificate'.

$ wget --no-check-certificate https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08
--2013-04-11 22:41:29-- https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08
Resolving groups.google.com (groups.google.com)... 74.125.129.139, 74.125.129.102, 74.125.129.113, ...
Connecting to groups.google.com (groups.google.com)|74.125.129.139|:443... connected.
WARNING: cannot verify groups.google.com's certificate, issued by `/C=US/O=Google Inc/CN=Google Internet Authority':
Unable to locally verify the issuer's authority.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 403 Forbidden
2013-04-11 22:41:29 ERROR 403: Forbidden.

[tlvp]

On Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:43:22 -0700, Thad Floryan wrote:

> ... wget does NOT fetch anything from either of the two URLs I cited:
>
> https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08
>
> https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-02
>
> since those are NOT wget'able objects; for example: ...
>
> ... [many gruesome details snipped] ...
>
> ... HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 403 Forbidden

> 2013-04-11 22:41:29 ERROR 403: Forbidden.

Sigh! Yes. I was hoping (against hope) you'd be able to find a work-around.
Sorry it turned out to be a wild goose chase. Forgive me? Cheers, -- tlvp

[DoN. Nichols]

On 2013-04-12, Thad Floryan <th...@thadlabs.com> wrote:
> On 4/11/2013 5:47 PM, DoN. Nichols wrote:
>> On 2013-04-11, supervinx <nes...@libero.it> wrote:
>>> Well...
>>> My 3B1 lacks an ethernet adapter: what would you suggest ?
>>> (To be honest, my 3B1 has no expansion cards at all ;) )
>>
>> Well ... I think that was suggested to allow one of the serial
>> ports on the 3B1 to connect to ethernet with other systems, but you
>> would probably be stuck on only one conversation at a time on that.
>>
>> Better to watch eBay for the Ethernet card -- and the software
>> to run it (by Willagong Software).
>
> Hi Don,
>
> A quick Google search
>
> 3B1 Ethernet cards for sale
>
> doesn't turn up any cards for sale since the 1990s with the last [that
> I saw in the search results] from 1997.

That would show up the eBay sales for sure?

> The correct spelling of the company who wrote the 3B1 Ethernet software
> is "Woolongong" but most of us spelled it "WillGoWrong"

Which probably influences my spelling. :-)

> since StarLAN, at
> 1Mbps, was faster on the 3B1 than the Ethernet verified by multiple tests
> and multiple people running the tests.

That would not have made much difference to me -- because the
other two machines (other than the three 7300/3b1/unix-pc) on my net
were a Sun 2/120 and a Tektronix 6130 -- both used plain ethernet via
AUI -- so at first I was using some RG-8 and vampire taps as thicknet).
No way to get those to talk StarLan -- let alone the later batches of
machines which were all AUI or Thinnet or 10BaseT and 100BaseT. (I've
got a few 1000BaseT machines now, but not enough to justify a 1000BaseT
switch or hub.

> There's some info about the Ethernet in these monthly threads per a Google
> search (since Google archives a large portion of Usenet):
>
> https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-08
>
> https://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.3b1/browse_frm/month/1992-02
>
> I wish there was some way to download those archives so they could be
> quickly grep'd locally on one's own system(s).

They probably don't *want* that possibility. Wasn't it easier
back in the DejaNews days?

Enjoy,

[Thad Floryan]

Heh! No problemo. :-)

Don't give up hope yet -- I just didn't make any effort on the assumption
it would have been easy. :-)

I have a program that downloads Yahoo groups' message archives in mbox
format. Problem is that if one runs the program and downloads too many
messages one's Yahoo account will be frozen -- that happened to me three
times now and I abandoned the effort unless/until I can get 100000+
people to assist per each person downloading no more than approximately
100 per week which won't trip Yahoo's sensors. Yahoo illegally claims
ownership of all messages in all Yahoo groups. I own and/or moderate a
bunch of Yahoo groups (including the linux group (as co-owner)) and I would
like complete message archives available on my systems for searching since
no one at Yahoo has any competence with databases or software and the Yahoo
message search is the proverbial POS missing over 40% of what it should find
per my tests..

Google is notorious for quirky software and webpages and I suspect I might
be able to find some way to download the archives but I won't have time to
look into that for at least another week or so due to a project consuming
most of my "free" time as described below.

I'm at the last stage of converting my entire LAN (home) to GigE and stage 2
was accomplished this week with a new DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem (Motorola SB6121)
which I bought at a steal from Newegg and I was surprised it was sold out in
less than a day of the email announcement -- I haven't seen a total sellout
before at Newegg during all the years I've been buying from them:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16825122015

The weekly e-Blast deal price for the modem was US$54.99 less a $20 MIR.

Stage 1 was upgrading all (except a few old ones) systems to GiGE that
didn't already have it onboard. Most systems simply needed an Intel GiGE
card and all my newer systems already had GiGE. I was surprised to learn
that one of my laptops, a Dell Latitude D600 circa 2005, had GiGE onboard.

All of my SheevaPlug servers have GiGE and those are the only systems I
have running 24/7/365 because their power usage is only 4 to 5 Watts as
measured using a Kill-A-Watt:

http://www.p3international.com/brochures/P4400.pdf

Stage 3 [last one] of the project is a GiGE router/firewall to replace
my SonicWALL TZ-170 which has only 100Mbps Ethernet ports. I won't have
the money to buy it until next Wednesday, 17 April 2013.

For the curious, here are some pictures; the "Thad desk" is 3+ years old
and I need to update it and the KVM wiring pic to include new systems.

http://thadlabs.com/PIX/Thad_desk.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/ThadLABS_KVM_wiring.jpg

http://thadlabs.com/PIX/ThadLABS_network_demarc.jpg previous gear
http://thadlabs.com/FILES/ThadLABS_network_demarc.txt needs updating

http://thadlabs.com/PIX/SheevaPlug_first.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/SheevaPlug_Webmin.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/SheevaPlug_GuruPlug.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/SheevaPlug_underside.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/SheevaPlug_ext_HD.jpg

Thad

[tlvp]

On Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:21:06 -0700, Thad Floryan wrote:

> ... I haven't seen a total sellout
> before at Newegg during all the years I've been buying from them ...

Highly tangential, but there's a CradlePoint PHS300 3G/4G Personal WiFi
HotSpot they sold me a year ago (at $30.-) that they're sold out of now :-)

: <http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875997431> .

Of course, whether that was a rapid sellout the same day I bought, or only
a slow depletion emptying stock much later, I have no idea. Cheers, -- tlvp

[Thad Floryan]

I suspect it's just normal attrition. A lot of what Newegg sells are
discontinued or overstocked items from other vendors and when they're
sold out that's it. Same is true for a lot of items at, for example,
Costco which only regularly stocks the staples, e.g., Bounty towels. :-)

I wanted to buy yet another (I already have 2) HP dc5850 low-profile
desktops but they're now sold out:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883256273

Contrary to Newegg's product page, the CPU is actually a 2.6 GHz dual
core AMD, RAM can be increased to 8GB, and the build quality is like
what Sun used to make because it's a business computer not the cheap
consumer variants of HP/Compaq; some internal pix of one of mine:

http://thadlabs.com/PIX/HP_dc5850.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/PROCYON_disk+grommet+washer+screw.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/PROCYON_disk_held_by_grommets.jpg
http://thadlabs.com/PIX/PROCYON_disk_inside_computer.jpg

One of mine is running a "frozen" version of CentOS 6.3 and the
other is running OpenIndiana (a fork of Solaris 11). Both systems
have 2 HDs and the stock 750GB HDs are Western Digital Caviar Black
and I added a Western Digital Caviar Black 500GB to both systems for
my choice of OSs and kept the Windows disk for testing purposes.

If you look at the "Feedback" selection on the above Newegg page you
can find my review on the 2nd page dated 12/27/2012 from "Pleased". :-)

The price was unbelievably low: US$134.99 and free 2-day shipping; as I
wrote in the Feedback it's the bargain of the century and I'm not joking
as it was previously selling for US$399.99 at Newegg.

Though I'm a night person with an astronomy hobby since the early 1950s
(see here http://thadlabs.com/) I peruse ALL of Newegg's email deals
early in the morning and buy instantly when I see bargains

Thad