Dr.D.: Hi Richard. Dr.D.: I'm grading anatomy exams and running an extra session in the robot lab. rich-c: hi Rich, how's my t-shirt coming? ;-) rich-c: I gather teh robot lab means basically looking on Dr.D.: Ha, have to pack it up and mail it, sometime Wednesday I think is as soon as I can get to it. Dr.D.: Yes, troubleshooting and repair if needed. Dr.D.: Had to do a mini-lecture on some software stuff to one guy. rich-c: the heavy looking on - plus resource backup rich-c: I sympathize - software can drive anyone up a wall Dr.D.: I warned them that I was grading papers today and would appreciate no major catastrophes. Dr.D.: Just 2 more to go... Dr.D.: And I am here until at least 4 PM, or whenever Joan gets off work, since Christina had to bring me down here. Dr.D.: She needed the other car for some stuff this afternoon.
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changed username to rich-c1 Dr.D.: Two of you. rich-c1: damn server keeps chucking me off Dr.D.: This chat and your computer do not get along. rich-c1: getting rough when I'm active and still only last three minutes rich-c1: I don't know why - I'm using Win98SE and the latest Java, like several others Dr.D.: No way to know really... Dr.D.: black magic. rich-c1: and this time we didn't even have new entries or exits Dr.D.: I wanted to ask you exactly what cubic volume of stuff you are talking about getting moved out of your basement. rich-c1: oddly enough, it appears at significantly longer intervals on Wednesdays rich-c1: and is usually associated with someone coming in or exiting rich-c1: at the moment I am thinking strictly in terms of inoperative stuff rich-c1: some of it may be good for parts salvage Dr.D.: I understood about it being the malfunctioning stuff. Dr.D.: But how much is it, size, shipping-wise, etc.? rich-c1: first canadiates are 6 - 10 Colecovision units and 8 - 12 bare Module 3 cases rich-c1: the Mod3s can be sent with or without the circuit boards left in, with or without coverss rich-c1: BobS alre4ady has dibgs on teh DDDs as he and Doug can often fix them Dr.D.: If you were somewhere within driving distance in the States, I would just drive there with no seats in the van and take it all away. Dr.D.: But I can't do that to cross the border. Dr.D.: Not without paperwork and hassles. Dr.D.: My interest is not that I want it per se, but rather that I want to keep it out of the landfill. rich-c1: right, don't know what mailing will cost, have to find out rich-c1: usually the post office leaves stuff alone Dr.D.: <wry smile> I already have more than I want for me, were it just me. rich-c1: I think when I have shipped complete Adams it has been about $40 but printers are heavy Dr.D.: I'd rather have it in one big box and never unpack it until I got to it...easier to move from storage place to storage place that way. Dr.D.: I think I am going to have to rent an external storage place, we need to reclaim some basement room. rich-c1: there are limits to the size of package the post office will accept Dr.D.: There is that limit as well. rich-c1: if you want to get some sense of pricing, try the Canada Post website Dr.D.: But divvying up what you have into 20 boxes is not practical or cost-effective. rich-c1: the originating shipping postal code is M6A Dr.D.: Plus, the hassle of *you* having to get it all to the post. rich-c1: one obstacle is that the post office surcharges for excessive volume for the weightlike it's seriously expensive to ship styrofoam! rich-c1: oh, there's a postal outlet in our plaza and they're so hardened to my exxentricities they'll even let me bring big stuff in the back way Dr.D.: Sigh, the ideal thing to do would be for someone with skills, like me, to take a week's vacation and make a pass through it all, expecting to junk most of it, but that some bits would be salvagable. Dr.D.: My Christmas break is going to be too busy, I think. Dr.D.: 2 new courses to invent, plus a trip I have to take for Theta Chi, plus getting ready for the Science Fiction Marathon. Dr.D.: Nevermind normal Christmas and New Year's stuff. rich-c1: FrANCES HAS SOME OPININS AS SHE LOOKS ON rich-c1: sorry about shouting Dr.D.: I just hate to see it junked without a look, but I understand if it comes to that. Dr.D.: Frances always has opinions, she doesn't share them enough :-) Dr.D.: (Hi Frances) rich-c1: my sense is that the Mod3 cases are not worth keeping, have no realistic prospect of use rich-c1: the lids might be kept, and the circuit boards shoud be Dr.D.: Agreed about the boards rich-c1: the Colecovisoins might appeal to someone with a damaged case but transferrable working innards Dr.D.: 5 Dr.D.: oops rich-c1: printers are going to present some tough decisions when I get there Dr.D.: Are they working? rich-c1: I'm talking about teh non-working ones, but so many have salvagable parts rich-c1: the whole printing mechanism platen and its drives, even power supply are often OK Dr.D.: <I still don't have a tractor feed, never even seen one> rich-c1: the problen may be a bad logic board or slight misalignment of the printhead rich-c1: I think I have two now but I'm not sure rich-c1: away printers are heavy and cost a fortune to ship Dr.D.: Yes. Dr.D.: That is why just being able to haul them away would be such a nice thing. rich-c1: maybe I should plan to see the Champ Car race in Cleveland in 2005 rich-c1: might be able to get a cursor crony from Columbus to loin me Dr.D.: But no way in this international climate could I drive a van packed with computer parts laid out in plain sight for the border guys to see, through the border. Dr.D.: The US guy complained mightily that there was no paperwork for my stuff on the way back from ADAMcon 12. rich-c1: actually, there is no way of predicting which way the border gestapo is going to jump Dr.D.: I basically said, look, I laid it all out so you could see it, I could have packed it tightly and tried to hide it. rich-c1: yeah, I don't know if there's any way to set up pre-clearance Dr.D.: It is old 486 and far older 8-bit computer and a couple monitors, it is hobby with no commercial value, and it's mine. rich-c1: like give the duty officer a heads-up that we're harmless Dr.D.: If I have all boxes inventoried and a signed manifest. Dr.D.: That was what the US guy wanted back then. Dr.D.: Of course, who inspects and signs so that they believe it, etc. rich-c1: the trouble is that the US consulate here doesnt take phone calls rich-c1: you want info you have to go see them Dr.D.: Won't even write? rich-c1: these days, who writes? Dr.D.: Me if they would listen :-) rich-c1: haven't checked their website yet Dr.D.: Anyone from MTAG left who would be willing to make a pass through your stuff? rich-c1: don't know how they would feel about a Canadian coming to visit planning to drop stuff off Dr.D.: Someone not facing 6-hr drives each way... rich-c1: I haven't had any hassles in teh past, but one never knows rich-c1: no one there who knows as much about it as I do - which isn't saying much Dr.D.: Who is left in MTAG? rich-c1: anyway I'd be happy to take out the logic boards and mail them, keep teh lids myself (they fit standalones) and send the cases to landfill rich-c1: I don't know, you'll have to ask Dale or Harvie Dr.D.: If you get desperate, then I will have you do that and send me the stuff and the bill. rich-c1: btw I notice my first presence was quietly dropped Dr.D.: I didn't do it. Dr.D.: So what were Frances' opinions? rich-c1: no, it was the server rich-c1: she wants it gone rich-c1: but let's deal one item at a time Dr.D.: well, I am trying to assist with that :-) rich-c1: colecovison, base units, cases for parts unless a Z80 or video ram can be extracted rich-c1: they would be (relatively) compact, maybe 2 cubic feet for a bunch? Dr.D.: Boards in bubble-wrap would not be a big box. rich-c1: circuit boards only from Exp. 3s, for chip salvage - should be very compact to ship Dr.D.: Never had a CV apart, really dunno what's inside. rich-c1: essentially the game board for a standalone rich-c1: I suspect teh cases might be more useful than the boards, though Dr.D.: Sigh, in extremity, probably boards saved from all, cases into trash. Dr.D.: Why cases? rich-c1: there must be gamers out there with dmaged cases they want to replace rich-c1: maybe we should float out an inquiry on one of teh gamer newsgroups? Dr.D.: I suggest a post to rec.games.video.classic Dr.D.: CV people hang out there, other 8-bitters. rich-c1: OK, copy that, have to set up a spam diverter address though rich-c1: also have to go on the awkward way - I'm not set up to go to newsgroups Dr.D.: I suppose I could do it. rich-c1: been looking at they through Google but they require registration under your "own" name Dr.D.: hehe, Google is starting it's things-to-make-money moves now. rich-c1: I"ll bet Daniel would have some constructive suggestions - maybe I should email him Dr.D.: I will never get a gmail account with them, I can archive my own E-mail, thanks. Dr.D.: His gamer buddies might know, yes. rich-c1: I have an address with mail.com that is reasonably expendable rich-c1: no, it's just that the will put you on the newsgroups through Deja News, which they own now Dr.D.: <one exam remaining to grade!> rich-c1: ah, the silence was worrying me, it's usually the signal I've been dropped Dr.D.: No, just multi-tasking here. Dr.D.: Have to write a lab practical and a lecture tomorrow. rich-c1: anyway, I will proceed on the basis of getting teh DDDs ready to go to Bob Dr.D.: Deliver lecture and have evening review session for lab practical Monday. Dr.D.: That is fine, he and Doug ought to be able to fix them. rich-c1: I will yank the motherboards and lids from the Exp.3 cases and scrap the cases Dr.D.: If you see any of interesting colors...save them. Dr.D.: E.g., my Dad's R59 was white top and bottom, only the front panel was brown. rich-c1: I'll let you know the shipping statistic on teh boards alone Dr.D.: Everything else I have ever seen was white top, brown bottom and front, Dr.D.: <phone> rich-c1: pro tem I'll see if I can get a nibble on the CVs on teh gamer boards rich-c1: OK, I'll put through a "refresh" every few minutes to see if we're still live Dr.D.: back Dr.D.: it was Joan, saying she's done. rich-c1: OK, you're here, am I? Dr.D.: She's my ride, but the session runs to 4 PM. Dr.D.: You are here, Richard. rich-c1: looks like we made it through Dr.D.: I see you. rich-c1: equally to the point, I see me - on some drops others can see me but I can't see myself Dr.D.: The chat only rarely throws me out. rich-c1: anyway I will let you think about teh printer question - they are so bulky and heavy but has so many salvagable modules rich-c1: does Joan come up to the lab to fetch you or just wait outside? Dr.D.: I have to walk over to the hospital. Dr.D.: She is parked in the deck we parked in when we came to campus at ADAMcon 13. rich-c1: which means, as quick as you can after 4, clean up and hike Dr.D.: Yes. Dr.D.: Not sure what is on the agenda for this evening. rich-c1: reasonable - as the chauffeur of our family, I have a similar setup Dr.D.: Last night was a concert for Christina's band. Dr.D.: We went for a late supper afterwards, 10 PMish. Dr.D.: The younger 2 were at separate overnight events. rich-c1: oh, I will spend a couple of hours on the chat board, some reading teh paper Dr.D.: Maybe a movie, who knows. rich-c1: tomorrow is the Grey Cup to keep me out of evening mischief Dr.D.: After this extra session and exam grading, I will be ready to call the workday closed. Dr.D.: What teams are in it? rich-c1: sounds like a plan to me rich-c1: I wonder at your patience, waiting to 10 p.m. for dinner rich-c1: Argos vs. Lions, a.k.a. Toronto vs. B.C. Dr.D.: I was hungry, but my plate was empty :-) Dr.D.: Christians vs. Lions :-) Dr.D.: How does the CFL handle ties? rich-c1: in regular season they have overtime rich-c1: each team gets the ball on the opposing 35 and tries to score rich-c1: then the other team does the same - higher score wins Dr.D.: If tie, keep goin? Dr.D.: going? rich-c1: if no resolution on teh first OT then a second round rich-c1: if still no resolution, then it's a tie rich-c1: Grey Cup no ties allowed - they keep on playing, sort of a fifth quarter rich-c1: of course a recovered fumble or pass interception pretty well wins it for teh defending team Dr.D.: <student interrupt, back> rich-c1: it's easy to kick a single point from teh 35 Dr.D.: Sounds like what the college football championship bowl did when Ohio State won a few years ago. Dr.D.: I had never seen that system. Dr.D.: I've seen sudden-death overtime, that is what the NFL uses. rich-c1: you do know, don't you, that teh NFL is historically a perversion of teh Canadian game? Dr.D.: But I hadn't seen the each-team-gets-a-chance-on-offense-regardless version. Dr.D.: Wouldn't surprise me :-) Dr.D.: Blame it on Paul Brown, eh? rich-c1: well, our football is different and much more exciting rich-c1: actually football developed in Canada, then at one point Harvard came up to play McGill rich-c1: they liked what they saw and took it home Dr.D.: My gripe with NFL is too much specialization...leading to players who are too big. rich-c1: the NFL grew from that, but over time CFL and NFL rules diverged widely Dr.D.: Avg. weight of linemen has increased about 150 pounds since I was in high school! Dr.D.: No way they could be that big if they still had to play both sides of the ball... rich-c1: I wouldn't doubt that, Rich - that's why I watch CFL avidly, NFL not at all Dr.D.: NFL needs to limit team size to about 30. rich-c1: the Canadian field is wider and longer, and allows one more player Dr.D.: Then there would be selection pressure for endurance...with a concomitant reduction in player size. rich-c1: we tend to have linemen in the 300-lb. class - but they have to be incredibly quick Dr.D.: 300 lbs is unsafe at any speed for human knee joint. rich-c1: the Argo quarterback is Damon Allen - whose big brother Marcus will be up to see him play tomorrow rich-c1: as you might guess from this, a quarterback with good running skills has a definite advantage Dr.D.: Running QBs don't work any more in the NFL. Dr.D.: Running anything hardly works any more in the NFL. rich-c1: too small a field, one less backfielder, makes for head-butting rich-c1: we have a number of running backs with seasonal totals way over 1,000 years in 18 games Dr.D.: Also too many games :-) Dr.D.: I want 10-game season, championship by Christmas :-) rich-c1: Damon Allen himself has run for over 10,000 career yards here Dr.D.: None of this February Super Bowl stuff. Dr.D.: Too many teams... rich-c1: well, as long as they play it in Green Bay or Denver ;-) Dr.D.: It is dome only now, that gripes me too. rich-c1: though in February Buffalo or even Cleveland might do Dr.D.: Super Bowl is no longer for the hometown fans of the 2 teams. rich-c1: this year teh Grey Cup will be open-air in Ottawa Dr.D.: Good, hope it snows a blizzard :-) Dr.D.: Or rain :-) Dr.D.: Football needs cold and mud. rich-c1: not this year - temp about 7 though it may be moist Dr.D.: I think we started out around 20 C this morning, a little colder now. Dr.D.: Foggy. rich-c1: yes - in the "Mud Bowl" of 1950 a plaayer got cranked and almost drowned! Dr.D.: rainy. rich-c1: we have rain too although it is supposed to retreat to cloudy this afternoon rich-c1: anyway, are we keeping Joan waiting? rich-c1: don't want you to get into trouble Dr.D.: Yeah, I should go. Dr.D.: Close down lab. Dr.D.: Get some food. Dr.D.: So, I'll see you Wednesday night. rich-c1: I feared as much - catch you Wednesday then rich-c1: any progress on teh discards front, I'll let you know Dr.D.: All right. rich-c1: see you, then Dr.D.: Regards to Frances if she is still lurking about. Dr.D.: <poof>
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changed username to smoke?