IBM 1800 computer document collection from 1974 / 1976
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Ron Pool
Jun 10, 2017, 11:06:59 PM6/10/17
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I have come across a document collection for an IBM 1800 computer (very closely related to the IBM 1130). 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:
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 2
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:
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 2
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.
Bob Flanders
Jun 10, 2017, 11:57:07 PM6/10/17
to ibm...@googlegroups.com
Ron,
I think this would be best to send to bitsavers, but also Johannes Thelen would probably be interested. He was restoring an 1800, so this may be helpful to his project.
You should send a message to Mr. Thelen and ask his thoughts.
Thanks for sharing the find.
Regards,
Bob Flanders
Bob Flanders
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Johannes Thelen
Jun 11, 2017, 10:24:10 AM6/11/17
to IBM1130
Hi Ron!
Very interesting find! If Al Cossow (Bitsavers) shows any interest to microfiches, please send them to him, I think that's the home for the documents. If not, I can take and turn them to PDF form and share here.
I would love to get that panel and it would be awesome if you can still find it. I have some broken switches on my 1800 panel and some small cosmetic flaws. Also I have planned to make FPGA version some day of 1800 and what would be more suitable for that project than original panel.
As Bob told I'm restoring 1800. Project is getting further pretty slow because of my work load. But below links to my blog posts of my 1800 (only in Finnish sorry, but lot of pics)
http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/04/uusi-loyto-talliin-ibm-1800.html
Al Kossow
Jun 11, 2017, 10:28:52 AM6/11/17
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I'm interested, but I have a huge backlog of fiche to process.
If you have experience with scanning fiche, Johannes, it should go to you.
On 6/11/17 7:24 AM, Johannes Thelen wrote:
>
> Hi Ron!
>
>
> Very interesting find! If Al Cossow (Bitsavers) shows any interest to microfiches, please send them to him, I think
> that's the home for the documents. If not, I can take and turn them to PDF form and share here.
>
> I would love to get that panel and it would be awesome if you can still find it. I have some broken switches on my 1800
> panel and some small cosmetic flaws. Also I have planned to make FPGA version some day of 1800 and what would be more
> suitable for that project than original panel.
>
> As Bob told I'm restoring 1800. Project is getting further pretty slow because of my work load. But below links to my
> blog posts of my 1800 (only in Finnish sorry, but lot of pics)
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/08/1800-kesakuvia.html
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2016/03/ibm-1800-se-toimii-sittenkin.html
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/12/ibm-1800-ensimmaiset-savut.html
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/10/ibm-1800-arkkitehtuuria-osa-2.html
> <https://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/10/ibm-1800-arkkitehtuuria-osa-2.html>
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/06/ibm-1800-arkkitehtuuria.html
> <https://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/06/ibm-1800-arkkitehtuuria.html>
> <mailto:ibm1130+u...@googlegroups.com>.
If you have experience with scanning fiche, Johannes, it should go to you.
On 6/11/17 7:24 AM, Johannes Thelen wrote:
>
> Hi Ron!
>
>
> Very interesting find! If Al Cossow (Bitsavers) shows any interest to microfiches, please send them to him, I think
> that's the home for the documents. If not, I can take and turn them to PDF form and share here.
>
> I would love to get that panel and it would be awesome if you can still find it. I have some broken switches on my 1800
> panel and some small cosmetic flaws. Also I have planned to make FPGA version some day of 1800 and what would be more
> suitable for that project than original panel.
>
> As Bob told I'm restoring 1800. Project is getting further pretty slow because of my work load. But below links to my
> blog posts of my 1800 (only in Finnish sorry, but lot of pics)
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/08/1800-kesakuvia.html
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2016/03/ibm-1800-se-toimii-sittenkin.html
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/12/ibm-1800-ensimmaiset-savut.html
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/10/ibm-1800-arkkitehtuuria-osa-2.html
> http://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/06/ibm-1800-arkkitehtuuria.html
> <https://ennenmikrotietokoneita.blogspot.fi/2015/06/ibm-1800-arkkitehtuuria.html>
> --
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> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to ibm1130+u...@googlegroups.com
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Ron Pool
Jun 11, 2017, 11:04:48 AM6/11/17
to IBM1130
I'll wait about a week in case anyone has better ideas, but if Al says it should go to Johannes, then that's probably where the fiches will end up.
Ron Pool
Jun 11, 2017, 11:12:27 AM6/11/17
to IBM1130
Hi Johannes,
Google Translate let me understand most of what you wrote on your 1800 blog. The true story you have written in your blog is very interesting. Thank you so much for saving that lovely 1800.
I'll try to contact the person who the front panel was given to and see if I can get it for you. That person is a scientist who is very interested in technology and if I can get him to look a your blog, he might be willing to give the panel to you. I'll contact you when I know more.
Google Translate let me understand most of what you wrote on your 1800 blog. The true story you have written in your blog is very interesting. Thank you so much for saving that lovely 1800.
I'll try to contact the person who the front panel was given to and see if I can get it for you. That person is a scientist who is very interested in technology and if I can get him to look a your blog, he might be willing to give the panel to you. I'll contact you when I know more.
Steven Zoppi
Jun 11, 2017, 11:38:50 AM6/11/17
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Hi Ron,
If you have no luck with Bitsavers or any other source … I have had some success in digital imaging / OCR conversion of microfiche and am willing to give it a go if you can’t find anyone who is able to do so more quickly. I will be happy to do the imaging scans and OCR as a personal project (read: my day job takes a bit of time 😊 ).
Regards,
Steve
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Ron Pool
Jun 11, 2017, 12:21:40 PM6/11/17
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Thanks, Steve! That's very generous of you. Although I don't want the code from these fiches myself, if possible I want it saved and shared with whoever IS interested in it. I've made great use of Bitsavers and other similar archives when I was looking for documentation for PDP-8s, PDP-11s, software for them, and CP/M references and software. If anyone in the future wants this IBM 1800 source code, it would be good that it were available.
Unless automation is involved, this looks like it will take up a LOT of time for someone to scan it all in. If there are 350 fiche cards in this set, each holding up to 90 scanned pages, and guessing that on average 80% of each fiche is full, there could easily be 25,000 pages of source code listings in this collection. At least it appears that IBM's automation in creating these microfiches was very good, as every image of every page appears to be perfectly square to all other page on each fiche. Clever software should at least be able to identify the borders of each page on each fiche.
I'll wait to see if anyone else has ideas. And if Johannes thinks he is up to getting this scanned and is willing to share it with Bitsavers or another archive, I'll probably end up giving he microfiches to him. It would be nice to know that the actual microfiches ended up in the same collection as a working IBM 1800.
Unless automation is involved, this looks like it will take up a LOT of time for someone to scan it all in. If there are 350 fiche cards in this set, each holding up to 90 scanned pages, and guessing that on average 80% of each fiche is full, there could easily be 25,000 pages of source code listings in this collection. At least it appears that IBM's automation in creating these microfiches was very good, as every image of every page appears to be perfectly square to all other page on each fiche. Clever software should at least be able to identify the borders of each page on each fiche.
I'll wait to see if anyone else has ideas. And if Johannes thinks he is up to getting this scanned and is willing to share it with Bitsavers or another archive, I'll probably end up giving he microfiches to him. It would be nice to know that the actual microfiches ended up in the same collection as a working IBM 1800.
Al Kossow
Jun 11, 2017, 12:29:28 PM6/11/17
to ibm...@googlegroups.com
On 6/11/17 9:21 AM, Ron Pool wrote:
> Unless automation is involved, this looks like it will take up a LOT of time for someone to scan it all in.
can deal with a sheet that large. Mine certainly can't.
The good news is the page reduction isn't as great as DEC fiche, so page quality should be better and you should be
able to get good effective resolution above 300dpi.
Ron Pool
Jun 11, 2017, 12:29:50 PM6/11/17
to IBM1130
Hi Johannes,
I've reached out to the person who has the 1800 front panel, told him a bit about your 1800 rescue and restoration project, and asked if he'll donate the panel to your project when he no longer wants it. If I can end up getting the panel from him, I'll do my best to figure out how to get it to you.
I just remembered that some joker epoxied four calculator buttons on the left side of the 1800 front panel -- those buttons did nothing except encourage questions. Hopefully those fake buttons can be removed without damaging the paint too much. The good news is that the the last time I saw them, the real 1800 buttons and switches were all present and all appeared to be in at least working mechanical order.
I've reached out to the person who has the 1800 front panel, told him a bit about your 1800 rescue and restoration project, and asked if he'll donate the panel to your project when he no longer wants it. If I can end up getting the panel from him, I'll do my best to figure out how to get it to you.
I just remembered that some joker epoxied four calculator buttons on the left side of the 1800 front panel -- those buttons did nothing except encourage questions. Hopefully those fake buttons can be removed without damaging the paint too much. The good news is that the the last time I saw them, the real 1800 buttons and switches were all present and all appeared to be in at least working mechanical order.
On Sunday, June 11, 2017 at 10:24:10 AM UTC-4, Johannes Thelen wrote:
Johannes Thelen
Jun 12, 2017, 5:27:44 AM6/12/17
to IBM1130
I got your email, thank you Ron!
Al Cossow Wrote
There is also the problem that these are IBM card sized fiche, and I don't know of any commercial scanners that
can deal with a sheet that large. Mine certainly can't.
Oh, I didn't know that, I think I have to raise my hands up. My plan was drop microfiches local shop, but I'm now pretty sure they can't scan them automatically (and if they do it by hand, it will cost way, way too much). If Steven (or Al) can do the job, please send them to him then.
I have no really hurry with microfiches, even those looks very interesting. I can manage project further with ALDs which Bib Rosenbloom sent me a while ago. CPU seems to working ok (every op code), but here is lot of testing with IO adapters and interrupt mechanism.
By the way Ron, what did you guys do on that machine back then? Did you have a MPX operating system on it?
Steven Zoppi
Jun 12, 2017, 10:46:35 AM6/12/17
to ibm...@googlegroups.com
My scanner has a rig for doing odd sized film materials that I believe I can adapt to that format … so it’s worth giving it a shot if you’re interested.
Regards,
Steve
From: ibm...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ibm...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Johannes Thelen
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 2:28 AM
To: IBM1130 <ibm...@googlegroups.com>
--
Ron Pool
Jun 12, 2017, 11:27:47 AM6/12/17
to IBM1130
On Monday, June 12, 2017 at 5:27:44 AM UTC-4, Johannes Thelen wrote:
Al Cossow WroteThere is also the problem that these are IBM card sized fiche, and I don't know of any commercial scanners that
can deal with a sheet that large. Mine certainly can't.Oh, I didn't know that, I think I have to raise my hands up. My plan was drop microfiches local shop, but I'm now pretty sure they can't scan them automatically (and if they do it by hand, it will cost way, way too much). If Steven (or Al) can do the job, please send them to him then.
OK, I'll try to get the front panel for you, though it may not happen for possibly years or maybe not at all.
And unless something else turns up, I'll take up Steven's kind offer to try to scan these odd-sized microfiches. Hopefully will be able to share whatever the results are with you (Johannes) and Al (Bitsavers).
By the way Ron, what did you guys do on that machine back then? Did you have a MPX operating system on it?
I don't know too many details about the system. It was just one of the systems I'd talked my way into being allowed to run occasional jobs on as a way of learning more about computers. I can't recall much of what I ran on that 1800, though I do remember trying out all whatever I/O devices I could such as pen plotter, console printer (as opposed to line printer, though I certainly used that too), card punch (and all my jobs were submitted via the car reader), and front panel sense switches.
I've been told that my workplace purchased the 1800 used and that it had originally been used in the oil fields. I think this 1800 had one cabinet dedicated to A/D (analog to digital) data collection, though it's possible that cabinet served other functions as well. The 1800 was used for data collection from an old mass spectrometer located in a lab upstairs from the 1800 machine room, statistical analysis, data presentation (via pen plotter), some bookkeeping and billing for our research campus, school and city tax bill printing (but not payment processing), mail list printing (mostly labels, though some line printed form letters as well), printing of field books to track research plantings of grape vines, and for printing the occasional Snoopy calendar. I'm sure a lot more was done with the 1800 that I don't know about.
Mass spectrometer data collection sessions took priority from other jobs, and I think the code for the data collection was someone always resident and ready to run. There was a pair of old Bell crank-to-ring phones, one in the mass spectrometer instrument room and one in the 1800 machine room. You were supposed to prepare a sample for injecting into the the mass spectrometer, call down on the crank phone to the machine room and let whoever was around know that you were going to collect mass spectrometer data, and then you'd inject your sample into the mass spectrometer and press a button that started the 1800 data collection program. The reason for calling down before collecting mass spec data was to let anyone else running a job know that the pause in their job didn't mean there was anything wrong and if they were patient their job would resume.
I was a teenager when I used the 1800, but my dad was a research scientist. I feel fortunate that one weekend when my father was having problems interpreting the locally written cheat sheet for the 1800, I got to cold boot the 1800 by toggling in a start sequence on the front panel. I got it booted on my first try and was very (foolishly) pleased with myself. That was the one and only time I was allowed to boot the system.
Ron Pool
Jun 24, 2017, 3:10:19 PM6/24/17
to IBM1130
I have mailed the microfiche collection to Steven. Hopefully he'll be able to scan it and share the results.
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