Jim Bryce Chat
Conversation started July 30, 2011
Hi Jim,
It was a pleasure to visit with you today at the Boston Museum of Science.
Thanks Barry...I'm going to look at your google writeup now. Jim
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July 31, 2011
Feel free to suggest how to make the narrative clearer. I also have some other articles, both on Knol and on my personal blog that might be of some interest to you.
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October 12, 2011
Barry I'm meeting right now with Gary Hoover who you need to talk with. He's the founder of Bookstop (sold to Barnes and Nobel) and Hoovers (sold to Dun and Bradstreet). He's very interested in technology museums as profit making enterprises. Interested?
Sure. Put him on the line.
He's tied up right now: email him garyhov@msn.com He's quite interested.
OK. I sent him a note here on FB already.
Good. He'll get back with you. Tell him about the research you showed me a couple of months ago---the basis of your work at the Science Museum.
The material on emotions and learning?
Yes, as I recall. Was there something else?
I'd have to go back and find the logs.
Yep, that's what it was.
Please send me the reference too. Thanks.
It's my article on Google Knol. I'll get you the URL.
Great thanks.
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April 15, 2013
Hope you and all are OK. --Jim
If you are referring to the explosions at Copley Sq. I'm way out in the NW suburbs, about 20 miles from downtown Boston. I don't know of anyone who is running.
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August 1, 2013
Barry: Do you know anything about the Zeo sleep monitor? The company is in your area and developed out of MIT, I think? They disappeared a few months ago. I've been using the device for over a year and really like it. Second question: are you familiar with Quantified Self? Obviously the Zeo is of interest to QS folks. There is a group here in Austin, and there will be an international meeting in San Francisco in October: http://quantifiedself.com/ http://www.meetup.com/Quantified-Self-Austin/
Hi Jim. I've never heard of the Zeo Sleep Monitor. Is that also the name of the company that made it?
I am not familiar with the term "Quantified Self" either.
Barry: Yes, Zeo is the name, but their web site is gone. They had a good run until the money ran out. I know a lot of people using them. It reads several signals from you brain as you sleep. I believe you'll be interested in QS. There's a brief article in Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantified_Self
Oh. Hadn't heard that term used for it.
Let me know what you think when you have a chance to take a look. They may be on to something. I've been paying more careful attention to eating, exercise, and sleeping; it makes a difference. One of the speakers here Monday night was a prof at U. Texas who carefully tracking numerous elements on himself with extensive regular blood analysis and fMRIs twice a week.
My brother runs every morning, and his Android logs his time, distance, and estimated calories used.
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August 1, 2013
August 14, 2013
Barry: I've just had an incredibly delightful text exchange with Christy Johnson. Thanks for the FB intro. When she sent the invitation I noted the connection through you (a high recommendation) and took a look at her interests. Wow! The intersections with mine are remarkable and our conversation has only confirmed that. I'm learning a great deal from her as I always do from you. Thanks, Jim
She is quite the delightful conversation partner.
It's nice to know someone with such varied and delightful insights.
I've gradually found a small community of people on FB who resonate with systems thinking.
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October 23, 2013
Barry, (or barry@chezmoto.ai.mit.edu) You can run, but you can't hide, maybe. In researching the Venix OS I found an email from you (?) concerning making diskettes for the DEC Rainbow. Yes, I'm one of those who really does remember that phase of Digital's life when they thought they could create another world of microcomputers; I especially remember having to frequently reassemble a Rainbow that came apart in shipping, but that's another story. At any rate in your email of 4 August 1992 (only yesterday) you speak as one with knowledge of Venix. I am looking for information on this OS and hope you can point me to sources. I will be eternally grateful, or until, at least my personal end of time. Thanks, Jim Bryce
Venix is Bell Labs System III Unix. The versions I have run on the DEC PRO 350 and DEC PRO 380 machines (Venix 1 and Venix 2, respectively).
Those machines supported the DEC RD50, RD51, and RD52 drives.
Those were MFM drives running 5 MB, 10 MB, and 20 MB.
System III supported Unix-to-Unix Dial Out, but not Ethernet.
POS (DEC's own OS for those machines) did support Ethernet, but not TCP/IP. They only supported DECnet.
Thanks. My understanding is it is a real time interactive OS made to run in a small PC environment, 286 and 386. Can you point me to documentation? Does it take special HW to run, or can I run it on a vintage 386 clone?
I only ever ran it on the DEC PRO 350/380 machines, but there probably was a version for the 286 era machine.
I think you'd be better off trying to install NetBSD on old PC gear.
I certainly understand why you were working with the floppies since DEC didn't provide a formatting program and tried to make people use only disks they supplied.
I must use this OS and none other. I need to find out as much as I can about it. I presume it uses the usual Unix commands.
You format a 5.25" PC floppy to work on a DEC PRO with a special program that ran on Windows on a 286 or 386.
It's essentially the same as Bell Labs System III Unix of the early 80s.
That's what I thought. If you have any idea where I can find docs specific to Venix, please let me know.
I might have the manuals down in the basement. But all you really need is the manual pages for System III Unix.
As I recall that formatting program did not come from DEC. In any case my need is to run the Venix on a PC/AT clone and not a DEC machine.
Do you own a copy of it for the PC/AT?
Yes. I have Venix for the PC/AT. But I don't have the docs, at least I've not found them so far. There's no need for you to go to any trouble now. I'm currently gathering information prior to actually diving in.
The main hangup on the DEC PRO was the installation key. I have the program that computes the installation key associated with a serial number of the installation diskette and the hardware ID number of the physical machine. But that's for the DEC PRO. I have no idea if you will need something comparable for the PC/AT installation.
I have no idea if I'll need such a key. Thanks for the heads up. Was the key on a dongle or what? Does the program you have overcome the key? That may turn out to be an issue.
I have four manuals for Venix for the DEC PRO. They are ...
1) PRO/VENIX - Unix for Professional Support Tools Guide
2) PRO/VENIX - Unix for Professional Programmers Reference Manual
3) PRO/VENIX - Unix for Professional Installation and System Managers Guide
4) PRO/VENIX - Unix for Professional Programmers Guide
The installation key is just a number that is hashed from the serial number on the installation diskette and the machine ID reported by the installer program. Venix supplied the key after you told them both numbers. That's how they prevented duplication. But after the product was discontinued, they released the program to compute the hash key.
Wow. It sounds like you have it all. I may need them, but right now I don't know. Finding you have them is quite valuable and assures me I can get the details if I need them. Thanks.
Your main issue to check out is if the installer program asks for a computed installation key that is a function of the serial number and hardware machine number.
If you are lucky, it works the same as on DEC PRO, in which case I have the right program.
Great. I hope to know this in a day or two. I really appreciate this information. It give me the perspective I need to understand what's going on and prepare the tests. If I need to call on you, is FB the best method, or is there an email or whatever I should use. The mit.edu I tried and entered in the start of this thread bounced.
The installer reported a 4-digit software number and a 4-digit hardware number. You then called up DEC Support to receive your Access Key to continue the installation. That is how you registered as a customer. Later, someone released the program to compute the Access Key, and I have it.
I dunno if they used the same system on the PC/AT version.
I actually never needed to refer to the manuals as it was all pretty straightforward, and I already knew Bell Labs System III Unix.
I expect we'll find out for the PC/AT tomorrow or Friday. Thanks for the very much on target information. I'll let you know how things turn out when I make an attempt at installing and running the Venix.
If you do get the prompt for an Access Key, write down the Software ID and the Machine ID. If they are 4-digit numbers, expect the code is the same as for the PRO. If not, you'll be on your own.
The suspense builds. So, assuming I get 4 digit numbers you can provide the software needed that will "probably" unlock the program. My fingers are crossed.
I have to check, but they might be binaries that run on VAX. But I have working VAX machines available here.
Please don't go to any trouble now. With luck I may be able to make it run. If not, I really appreciate the possibility of getting what you have and trying it. Thanks. --Jim
Oh, I have the source for it, which I compiled to run on VAX.
I dunno if it will compile to run on newer systems. But maybe you can hack the source to make it run.
We'lll see as this rolls out. Let's hope it works to start. I'll be back in contact if I get stuck. Thanks.
Good luck. It's been years since I fired up those antique machines.
Please I try to avoid words like "antique" and the dreaded "O" word.
I'm off to get kids for diner. Thanks again.
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