(no subject)

[strredwolf]

If you want to know why I haven't posted in this LJ yet, it's because my GPU (graphics card) fan died on me, and I had to overnight a new fan that I felt was reliable.  $15 for the fan, $26 for shipping.

However, I did get a E-Type CD (which came sealed in it's origional plasticwrap) and a Mac SE (800K disk drive, 20 Meg HD) today.  I'll work on them later.

Comments

[amblinwiseass.livejournal.com]

Hey, I was reading fferret's friends-list and ran across your post.

I've just picked up a Mac SE/2 with (I think) a 10M hard disk; it boots fine and seems to enjoy life, but I have no way to get software on it -- for example, a serial comms package so I can plug it into one of my other machines and do things that way.

I have no idea where to find 800K floppies any more, and the SE/2 seems unable to read 1.4M disks even to format them -- I know a 1.4M disk formatted to 800K wouldn't be reliable and would quickly rot, but it'd be enough just to get the one thing over.

Of course, that presupposes another machine which can both have files transferred to it and write 800K Mac disks, and I don't have a machine like that. I have a Powerbook 3400c (also free! Free is good!) which appears to be capable of doing AppleTalk; would it be possible to arrange file transfers from it to the SE/2 that way?

I ask because you seem to know a little about this whole Mac stuff, and I hope you'll spare a few minutes to get me started figuring out how to make the old toaster useful again. (Especially with that lovely sharp screen it's got.) Thanks!

[strredwolf.livejournal.com]

Yes, the Mac SE series (SE, SE/30, and SE FDHD) support AppleTalk/LocalTalk over the printer port. Just take an Imagewriter cable and hook it into the Powerbook.

Do be warned, though. The SE's "sharp" 512 by less-than-384 screen is only a pure monocrome (black and white, 1 bit) screen.

However! If you can email me through "macse" via "stalag99.net" I'd like to get your SE's ROM. My Mac didn't come with a keyboard and mouse, but then I'm gutting it for a Via EPIA board.

[amblinwiseass.livejournal.com]

Hey, all right. Thanks! I think I know a place I can pick up that cable, and there's always eBay if not.

I've noticed that the screen is 1-bit, but that's okay; I'm planning on using it primarily as a serial terminal, and on doing some HyperCard stuff for nostalgia's sake if I can manage either to resurrect my checkerboard-screened Classic or to get the files off its disk. No need of color for that.

The nice thing about the serial terminal idea is that I've got an adapter from Mac mini-DIN serial to DB-9, so I can just hang it off one of my Linux boxes once I've got the terminal software over to it. I do wonder how the toaster Macs do with staying up for very long periods, though.

I've emailed you. Let me know what's up.