Herb's Stuff

The most recent revision of this page is Jan 31 2015. To email me, see see my ordering Web page for my email addresses.

VCF East 10.0 April 2015

I'll have a sales table at VCF-East in New Jersey, in April 2015. Check my VCF-E 10 Web page for details.

short story

Thanks for visiting my site. My name is Herb Johnson. I'm based in New Jersey, USA. Among "vintage" computers, I'm interested in "classic" computers of the 1970's; some Macintosh computers; and some minicomputers and graphics computers from DEC, SGI and Sun. Links below are to pages which show those systems and parts, many for sale. The photo on the left is me: here's a link to some basic personal information

I also have interests in amateur astronomy and older technology. Sometimes those interests overlap. Check the home page of my Retrotechnology domain to see those other interests.

My biggest computing collection is my S-100 personal computer equipment and documentation from the 1970's and 80's, for you to look at and/or purchase; and my on-line history of Digital Research Inc and Dr. Gary Kildall, who developed CP/M in the 1970's and beyond. I have descriptions, photos and links to related sites; documents and manuals; and some hardware.

In 2009 I started a new series of Web pages on restoration and repair of 1970's and 80's vintage computers. I show my work, other's work, and collaborative work.

To keep this going, I sell stuff.

I sell some classic Apple Mac equipment and parts; some Multibus, STDbus and VME cards and manuals; and some old SGI and Sun computers, also some DEC and DG equipment. I offer and document 8-inch and 5.25-inch floppy disk drives. I have some electronic test equipment that you may be interested in purchasing. Also some odds and ends bits of equipment and books that I've found while obtaining all those other items.

Contacts, ordering, navigating my site

My email address is on my ordering Web page. Brief questions get brief answers; give me some detail so I know what you are talking about. But don't be long-winded either. Please read my site's pages before asking questions, and see if what you want or want to ask is already on my site.

This Web site is updated often by the page. So some pages may be years old. Check the top of each page for revision dates. Most of my pages are text-oriented to speed up access and to support older Web browsers. Many of my images can be "clicked" to provide a larger image. Many of my descriptions include links to more detailed information. And, almost everything shown for sale has a listed price. Ordering is generally a matter of 1) seeing what I have, 2) deciding what you want, and 3) sending an email message listing your selections or requests and your city/state/ZIP code or city/country so I can figure shipping costs. Follow this link for contact and ordering information.

References: I've been in business for several years. I have references from many people. Here are references from my Apple Macintosh sales; from my S-100 sales; from my SGI system sales.

Herb's Mac Stuff

Follow this link to my Mac home page which has pointers to all my Mac pages, features and categories. Follow this link to my Mac frequently asked questions.

Herb's S-100 Stuff

S-100 systems are computers, designed between about 1975 and the mid-1980's, with a specific kind of 100-pin computer "bus". For decades, I've provided assistance, hardware, and documentation for S-100 computer systems, and for the 8-inch floppy disk drives often associated with them. I wrote a series of articles about these computers for The Computer Journal in the 1990's as "Dr." S-100. Most of these systems ran CP/M, which I explore on my Web site as noted below.

I have a S-100 documentation photocopy service of manuals from many systems including IMSAI, Altair, and other computers with the S-100 or IEEE-696 bus. I also have some S-100 equipment and cards; and some books about S-100 or CP/M for sale. Be specific about your needs if you want something. Follow this link to see a list of my S-100 stuff, including cards and documentation. Follow this link to my S-100 FAQ's, or frequently asked questions. Also check my restoration Web pages.

Digital Research, Gary Kildall, and CP/M

As of year 2014, Dr. Gary Kildall's operating system called CP/M is 40 years old. It was the leading operating system for Intel 8-bit computers, and its functionality was replicated in what became MS-DOS. Dr. Kildall's company, Digital Research Inc., sold that OS and subsequent operating systems and development tools into the 1990's, until the company was acquired by a series of other companies, who also sold DRI OS's into the 21st century. DRI intellectual property is still liscensed today. CP/M, S-100 and other microcomputer systems of the 1970's laid the foundations of personal computing that came later. See my Digital Research & CP/M Web page index, which has links to my many pages about Digital Research and related companies, products and people. I did most of that work from 2004 to 2008.

Herb's Floppy Diskette Stuff

Closely related to the S-100 and CP/M world is the world of floppy diskette drives and media. That linked Web page has become a technical reference used by many for years. If you would like to buy a drive, media, or manuals for vintage floppy drives, Here's the link to my page of docs, media, cabinets, drives, and manuals for 8-inch, 5.25-inch, 3.0 and 3.5-inch floppy drives. I have on-line some detailed discussion and 8080 AND Z80 code for operating floppy disk controller chips, using an S-100 floppy disk controller which I STILL stock and sell. Also, check my restoration Web pages about work on floppy drives and controllers.

Herb's Repair and Restoration

I have another set of Web pages about repairing and restoring computers of the 1970's and earlier; and why people should bother to do so. I consider that is a valuable activity. I show how restoration can be organized and supported. I list various organizations, Web sites, events, and individuals who actively support repair, diagnosis, restoration of these early computers. Check my repair and restoration home page for details.

Herb's Multibus & STDbus & VMEbus Stuff

Intel's Multibus and Motorola VME bus are closely related to S-100, by history and design. STDbusis another older bus design. We offer some docs and cards for all these bus architectures. Check out our non-S100 cards Web page for specific links to Web pages for each bus. In 2008-09 I restored an Intel System 320, a 386 and Multibus based system running Xenix.

Herb's DEC and SGI stuff

Follow this link to my SGI and Sun equipment. I had accumulated for sale, a variety of SGI's from Indy to 320's. I have a few older Sun systems. Since 2012, there's not much left of these items for sale.

Follow this link to my DEC and DG equipment, terminals and some SCSI items. I have a few old DEC systems. Also a variety of SCSI drives I've accumulated from SGI, DEC, SCSI towers, and such.

In 2007-2008, I helped or worked with the display of two DEC computers from 1969: a "straight 8" PDP-8, and a PDP-11/20. For more on the PDP-8 and PDP-11 systems, check this Web page. I also have a PDP-8/F which I restored to operation in 2012.

Herb's Test equipment, odds and ends

Follow this link to my electronic test equipment. Mostly old stuff, but in good condition and there is a demand for old oscilloscopes and basic test gear.

Follow this link to my list of odds and ends. These items include DDS and 8MM and other magnetic tape cartridges and tape drives; old terminals; high current or semiconductor fuses; and other "odd" electronic items or items of the 1970's.

Herb's Astronomy Stuff

I've been an amateur astronomer since about 1990. Check this page for a summary of my astronomical activities. I have links to some local (to New Jersey USA) amateur astronomy sites, some of my work, and a few items of interest. In 2004-05, I've worked on my own telescope mirror and telescope: check the details of how I finished a mirror; and in 2005 how I'm making a new one.

Herb's Personal Stuff

I live in New Jersey in the United States with my wife, some cats and various bits of old technology. For my biography, follow this link. Your good comments, and your purchases of manuals and equipment from me, allow me to continue the old-tech work I do including this site. Thank you. Also thanks to my wife, Lois Frankel, who is a fabric artist and sewing machine supporter and collector. Here is a link to her site where she tells her side of things.

If you are looking for my postal or shipping mailing address: you have to contact me first. My email address is on one of my ordering pages.

Copyright © 2015 Herb Johnson