[HECnet] All gone silent

[Dave McGuire]

On 8/16/21 5:45 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
> On 2021-08-16 23:44, Dave McGuire wrote:
>> On 8/16/21 5:41 PM, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>>>>> However, should get to Uppsala to see MAGICA:: (real 11/70) and
>>>>> KRILLE::
>>>>> (real VAX-8650) before they get dismantled.
>>>>
>>>>     I'm sorry, what?  DISMANTLED??
>>>
>>> Update is scheduled to be evicted from the current location. As Update
>>> have a *lot* of stuff, currently at the University, gracefully sponsored
>>> until now by them, we need to find a new place to be, and the University
>>> does not appear to be it.
>>>
>>> We will most likely not be able to keep everything we have, and larger
>>> systems will be hard to keep in a running state, so best kind of
>>> scenario might look like they get kept in storage. But we'll have to
>>> disconnect and dismantle everything for now, as it for sure will have to
>>> be moved out.
>>>
>>> Not entirely sure about the time plan yet. Most likely spring 2022.
>>
>>    That is absolutely awful.  Being at the mercy of another organization
>> sucks.
>>
>>    It's a long shot, but LSSM may be able to get enough donor support to
>> pay to ocean-freight those machines here, if they would otherwise be at
>> risk.  We were very successful at this in the past, with a shipping
>> container full of IBM mainframes from Amsterdam.
> 
> Worth keeping in mind perhaps, but I think there are a whole bunch of
> people and organizations that will be interested if we need to start
> giving things away...

  No doubt.  But I think those that aren't peoples' houses will likely
be in the same boat as Update, i.e. dependent upon the good graces of an
organization that may withdraw support at any time.  That's a tough
problem to solve.  Just keep it in mind.  I know of NO other complete
VAX 8650s anywhere else.

           -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA