The FirstComputer that TimRiker ever worked on was at [http://www.penfield.edu/phs/ Penfield High School] in [http://www.penfield.org/web/ Penfield, New York]. It was likely an HP-2114A model.
http://d116.com/vcf/east/1.0/ - see hp2114a.jpg
The system config as best recollected:
- mounted in a rack mount cabinet
- 32k of RAM installed split 5/5/3/3 or similar for the 2 CRTs, card reader and teletype
- 1 "graphics" terminal (honeywell? I remember it had a graphics character set with a toggle button)
- 1 text crt terminal
[http://www.pdp8.net/asr33/asr33.shtml ASR-33 teletype] with punch tape reader (writer?)
- 2? disk drives. (type? 8" floppy? drum?
- external tape punch was not connected.
- card reader
- line printer
It was running a time slicing basic environment. Perhaps the "TIME-SHARING EXECUTIVE" mentioned in the [http://oscar.taurus.com/~jeff/2100/family/family.html sales brochure]?
There are multiple emulators around for this platform. TimRiker is trying to get one running for old time's sake. Here are some useful links:
http://oscar.taurus.com/~jeff/2100/ <- pictures, even some software!
http://bitsavers.org/pdf/hp/21xx/ <- many of the manuals in pdf format
http://www.infionline.net/~wtnewton/oldcomp/hp2100/ <- new OS in development, if you can believe that.
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/hp/21xx/poyner1.htm <- article about the history
http://simh.trailing-edge.com/ <- SIMH simulator
Hacking HOWTO:
install SIMH above and start "hp2100"
load the hp basic sources: "LO basic1.abs"
jump into basic "RUN 100" Note! TimRiker has no idea if this is the correct location but it seems to work.
input a simple program like this one "forever":
10 DEF FNA ( X ) = ATN ( TAN ( ATN ( TAN ( ATN ( TAN ( X ) ) ) ) ) ) 20 DEF FNB ( X ) = FNA ( FNA ( FNA ( FNA ( FNA ( FNA ( X ) ) ) ) ) ) 30 DEF FNC ( X ) = FNB ( FNB ( FNB ( FNB ( FNB ( FNB ( X ) ) ) ) ) ) 40 DEF FND ( X ) = FNC ( FNC ( FNC ( FNC ( FNC ( FNC ( X ) ) ) ) ) ) 50 DEF FNE ( X ) = FND ( FND ( FND ( FND ( FND ( FND ( X ) ) ) ) ) ) 60 DEF FNF ( X ) = FNE ( FNE ( FNE ( FNE ( FNE ( FNE ( X ) ) ) ) ) ) 80 PRINT FNF ( 1 ) 90 END
list the program: "LIST"
then run it: "RUN"
- note that on real hardware this silly recursive program could take a very long time to finish. On a 1G ppc debian linux box with SIMH 3.3.1-1 it takes about a minute.