Jameco newsletter submission: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the H-8!

[Norberto Collado]

Any takers? See details below!

In a message dated 3/29/2013 5:23:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, WCo...@jameco.com writes:

The Jameco Newsletter requirements for customer submissions are simple, if anyone would like to take a stab at a story.

 

I hesitate to put a word limit on it, but about 2000 words … maybe?  (That’s about 4 typewritten pages with double spacing).  Essentially, do justice to the subject but don’t lose the reader (who should read the piece in one sitting).  It should appeal to a broad audience – techies and non-techies to some extent -- and specifically create nostalgia for the old-timers. The story should be in first person – how I resurrected the H-8 – and include personal anecdotes about the challenge. Readers are just as interested in the writer as the technology. It should not read as a how-to.  The author’s voice and personality should shine through the language (don’t be too formal or too technical).  Aim for a pleasant read.  

 

I would think the readers would be interested in some, or most, of the following

1. what is the H-8 and what happened to it
2. what are Heathkits (need photos)
3. the brief story about the Heath company
4. why this kit was the “bomb” back then – that’s what kids say now.  Maybe how the author first ordered one, waited for it, received and opened it and then built it
5. the current state of the H-8
6. the merry gang of loyal followers, or what’s left of them (pictures of them would be great)
7. how the H-8 worked
8. how the author recently brought the monster back to life (without a step by step how to guide) – in a story form (similar to #4) .  What were the challenges (obsolete parts …)
9. maybe why old technology still fascinates
10. where to find more info if any readers were interested
11. suggest a snappy title– How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the H-8 -- ?  The editor may change it.

 

If anyone submits a story, I will edit and run through management approval and then we publish and the readers are all enlightened with newfound respect for old geeks and the world keeps spinning.

 

The newsletter is sent to over 200,000 people. If the reader interest meter hits tilt, then maybe we talk about the next steps…

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Bill

[Glenn Roberts]

Could be fun, I'm game.  Do we want the exposure?  We've lived in relative obscurity.  There's something to be said for that...

Sent from my iPad

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[Les Bird]

Glenn, you have a point... But just think of all the Heathkit 8 bit computer users that don't know about us, who may discover us if there's an article in Jameco.

You'd be my top pick for this since you're going through the whole H8-2000 build now and it's all fresh in your mind.

- Les

[Les Bird]

What would be really cool is if Jameco would spring and get a bunch of PCBs fab'd and sell complete kits from their store... Yeah, that would rule!

- Les

[Glenn Roberts]

Hey fellow SEBHCers. I took a crack at a piece for the Jameco newsletter.  What do you think?  Comments, additions, enhancements, suggestions, corrections, etc. welcome…!

 

-          Glenn

--

[Dave McGuire]

I like it!!

-Dave

On 05/20/2013 09:43 PM, Glenn Roberts wrote:
> Hey fellow SEBHCers. I took a crack at a piece for the Jameco newsletter.
> What do you think? Comments, additions, enhancements, suggestions,

> corrections, etc. welcome�!
>
>
>
> - Glenn
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:*se...@googlegroups.com [mailto:se...@googlegroups.com] *On Behalf Of
> *Norberto Collado
> *Sent:* Monday, April 01, 2013 8:59 PM
> *To:* SEBHC List
> *Subject:* [sebhc] Jameco newsletter submission: How I Learned to Stop

> Worrying and Love the H-8!
>
>
>
> Any takers? See details below!
>
> In a message dated 3/29/2013 5:23:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

> WCo...@jameco.com <mailto:WCo...@jameco.com> writes:
>
> The Jameco Newsletter requirements for customer submissions are
> simple, if anyone would like to take a stab at a story.
>
>
>

> I hesitate to put a word limit on it, but about 2000 words � maybe?
> (That�s about 4 typewritten pages with double spacing). Essentially,
> do justice to the subject but don�t lose the reader (who should read
> the piece in one sitting). It should appeal to a broad audience �

> techies and non-techies to some extent -- and specifically create

> nostalgia for the old-timers. The story should be in first person �
> /how I resurrected the H-8/ � and include personal anecdotes about

> the challenge. Readers are just as interested in the writer as the

> technology. It should not read as a how-to. The author�s voice and
> personality should shine through the language (don�t be too formal or

> too technical). Aim for a pleasant read.
>
>
>
> I would think the readers would be interested in some, or most, of
> the following
>

> 1. what is the H-8 and what happened to it
> 2. what are Heathkits (need photos)
> 3. the brief story about the Heath company
> 4. why this kit was the �bomb� back then � that�s what kids say

> now. Maybe how the author first ordered one, waited for it,
> received and opened it and then built it

> 5. the current state of the H-8
> 6. the merry gang of loyal followers, or what�s left of them

> (pictures of them would be great)

> 7. how the H-8 worked
> 8. how the author recently brought the monster back to life (without
> a step by step how to guide) � in a story form (similar to #4) .
> What were the challenges (obsolete parts �)
> 9. maybe why old technology still fascinates
> 10. where to find more info if any readers were interested
> 11. suggest a snappy title� /How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love
> the H-8/ -- ? The editor may change it.

>
>
>
> If anyone submits a story, I will edit and run through management
> approval and then we publish and the readers are all enlightened with
> newfound respect for old geeks and the world keeps spinning.
>
>
>
> The newsletter is sent to over 200,000 people. If the reader interest

> meter hits tilt, then maybe we talk about the next steps�

>
>
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
>
>
> Bill
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "SEBHC" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
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> <mailto:sebhc+un...@googlegroups.com>.

> To post to this group, send email to se...@googlegroups.com

> <mailto:se...@googlegroups.com>.

> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
>
>
>
> --
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> To view this discussion on the web visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sebhc/002701ce55c4%24a7a76700%24f6f63500%24%40gmail.com?hl=en-US.

> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
>
>

--
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA

[Eggs Ackley]

Well written.  Good job!

--Bill

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[Norberto Collado]

Very Nice! Then the follow-up story must be around the H89.

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[hl...@aol.com]

Glenn,

 

Nice article. I am also in the group that "grew-up" during the early micro-computer age, and after 30-some years I am back again with my first computer kit - the H8!

 

Looking forward to seeing your article in print.

 

Regards,

Harold

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[Les Bird]

We probably should design a new H89 motherboard. Replace all the dram with a single SRAM chip and make it configurable for different ROM sizes without having to add a bunch of wires. Maybe even move the CPU to a more accessible location. Would also be nice to squeeze the H29 motherboard on there too.

I like the article.

- Les

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[Glenn Roberts]

What is the H29?

Sent from my iPhone

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[Les Bird]

It was the successor to the H19. Backwards compatible with more features like a built in setup menu for configuring baud rate, key clicks, etc instead of dip switches. Also has a built in 25th line clock. I have a complete set of manuals, I'll try to get them online.

- Les

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[Norberto Collado]

See attached picture!

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[geneb]

On Tue, 21 May 2013, Les Bird wrote:

> We probably should design a new H89 motherboard. Replace all the dram
> with a single SRAM chip and make it configurable for different ROM sizes
> without having to add a bunch of wires. Maybe even move the CPU to a
> more accessible location. Would also be nice to squeeze the H29
> motherboard on there too.

Maybe a 765 based drive controller too? Would make it easier to add
floppy drives. :)

g.

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[Glenn Roberts]

Ah yes, I had forgotten all about that, thanks

Sent from my iPhone

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[Mark Garlanger]

Hey Glenn,

  Great article. Thanks for taking the time to write that up. One minor point about the Z-67. It had 10M and was about $6000.

Mark

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[Glenn Roberts]

Wow. Thanks for the fact checking!

Sent from my iPhone

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[Mark Garlanger]

If we make a new H89, I'd suggest we try to make it compatible with one (or more) of the enhanced H89 CPU replacement boards (DG's Super H89, TMSI's H1000, Terry's add-on board) and/or support for the extra memory - MMS's 128k add-on, and CDR's 1M add-on.

If it's compatible with those original designs, software for them could be use. For example, I have a copy of MMS's CP/M Plus (3.0) and could provide images once I get setup to make soft-sectored images.

If we ever get a hold of MP/M it would be nice to be able to run it on this new board.

Mark

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