Jonathan, (01)
It sounds like you've really been "doing your homework"! (02)
Re Sellam: I don't know whether or not he is still looking into finding
someone to build new keysets -- maybe Al has a suggestion. (03)
Re the "exclusive property" label on the Alto schematics: I have had a
background project to find someone at Xerox to officially grant some
sort of access to Alto source code, etc. I did find the correct person:
Dan Swinehart. Unfortunately he doesn't seem very motivated to actually
work on this. (Again, maybe Al has some news.) I've also been working
with Roy Levin, currently head of the Microsoft Silicon Valley Research
Lab; this is going more smoothly. (Bernard and I are having lunch with
Roy tomorrow; maybe we can give you a progress report.) (04)
Paul (05)
Jonathan Cheyer wrote:
> Hi Paul,
>
> Yes, as part of the NLS/Augment project, we have been tracking down
> the different types of keysets that were used with NLS. So far, we
> have identified three types of keysets (I am labeling them A, B, C for
> now) that were used with NLS.
>
> We have the pinouts for all three types, and we have built converter
> cables that allows us to plug in any of the three keyset types into a
> modern day PC in order to connect to a back-end Augment system.
> http://blueoxen.net/c/hyperscope/wiki.pl?KeysetPinouts
>
> Just for completeness, we were also curious as to the Alto keyset. I
> understand that it was never used with NLS, but since Bill English
> brought the keyset idea with him from SRI to PARC, it seemed worth
> tracking down as well. Moreover, the keysets that the CHM has are all
> Alto keysets, not NLS ones (which I find somewhat surprising).
>
> As a side project, we have also been interested in finding someone to
> build new keysets. Is Sellam still looking into this area, now that he
> is not working with the museum? If so, it would be a good idea for us
> to join forces on this.
>
> Thanks for the link to Al's site. I wasn't aware the schematics were
> available there.
>
> Al, I noticed that the schematics are labeled "exclusive property" of
> Xerox. Were you able to obtain permission from someone at Xerox for
> making these materials available? I'm asking because we also have a
> number of materials that we would like to make available for the
> NLS/Augment project, and it would be good to know any suggestions you
> have for establishing this precedent as we try to do the same.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jonathan
>
>
>
>
>
> Paul McJones wrote:
>> Jonathan,
>>
>> I understand you are interested in information on Alto keysets. Al
>> Kossow has scanned a document with schematics for the Alto keyboard
>> cable/connectors, which includes the mouse and keyset -- see pages 4
>> and 5 of
>> http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/xerox/alto/AltoSchems/05b_KBD.pdf . This
>> seems like it is consistent with your photograph
>> http://nlsaugment.org/pics/xerox-alto-keyset.jpg .
>>
>> I asked Al about the availability of these Alto keysets, and he replied:
>>
>> I really would suggest building new ones, though. Keysets are extremely
>> rare. Sellam has been trying to find one for a deep pockets collector
>> for a
>> while now. The real Alto ones have an uncommon connector, too.
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul (06)
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