Subscribe to our free newsletter!

Go to our online Newsletter archive.

DEC Tech Talks

via Zoom

Our last speakers:

Tom Stockebrand

Bob Anundson

Kerry Bensman

Gale "Jake" Jacobs

This is shaping up to be a great and well-received series! 

Tech Talk #8: April 18, 2023 -  A conversation with Tom Stockebrand, with Bob Anundson

Tom Stockebrand ("Stocky") is a highly-respected computing pioneer who contributed to Digital in amazing fashion over his 30-year tenure from 1960-1990.  Tom, who earned a mechanical engineering degree from Caltech, worked with Ken Olsen and others for 6 years at Lincoln Labs prior to joining Digital. There Tom worked on the predecessor to LINCtape, with giant 14" reels; then he helped morph it into the LINCtape used with Lincoln Labs' TX-2 computer. At Digital, Tom developed DECtape, which is, according to CHM, a very reliable block-addressed tape drive with a shirt pocket-sized tape reel (and probably the first commercial personal portable digital storage).  He followed this up by starting a group that created the Digital VT family of video terminals, beginning with the VT05 in 1970 and the VT50 introduced in 1974.  When Digital sold the terminals business in 1995, over 6 million VT units had been shipped -- an unqualified success by any standards.

Tom recently recorded an Oral History (this OH is a 3-1/2 hour interview) for the Computer History Museum (CHM) in Mountain View CA.  It covers his professional life history so, if you want to hear it just from Lincoln Labs through Digital, start the time slider mark at hour 1 and stop at hour 3.  That's still 2 highly engaging hours of Tom's history, most relevant to us.  Click here to view it on YouTube.

The purpose of this Tech Talk is not to repeat Tom's CHM OH, but to summarize 10 minutes of highlights of Tom's career, hear some great stories, and leave a lot of time for DEC Connection members' questions and discussion.   Bob Anundson, who gave our first DEC Connection Tech Talk, was the product manager for Tom's products, and Bob will serve as an interviewer. Bob and Tom have remained friends since working together in the 1960s.  They will be assisted in the Q&A by Al Goldsworthy of our DEC Connection board.

DEC Connection BBQ at the WooSox Game - Sunday, June 11, 2023 at 1:05 PM

For our main event this summer, 53 members and guests will enjoy this game and BBQ on Sunday, June 11, 2023 (ballgame vs. the Rochester Red Wings ) starting 1:05 pm, at the Red Sox minor league ballpark, Polar Park in Worcester.  This is a BBQ event for DEC Connection members and their family and guests with a ballgame included. This will be a fun afternoon with great food and entertainment, subsidized by The DEC Connection.  

The basics:

• We will have a PRIVATE AREA at the ballpark. It is nicer than your normal baseball seats. There will be tables and plenty of room to mingle.

• BBQ Food: The price of the tickets includes all-you-can eat hamburgers, hot dogs, cole slaw, mac & cheese, kettle chips, cookies, water, and lemonade.  Of course you can buy alcoholic beverages at their concessions.

• Not just for members: You may invite non-members of all ages on guest tickets. 

• In addition, we will have a raffle for free DEC memorabilia.

• Tickets are $25 for each paid-up member and $35 for non-member/guests. DEC Connection is subsidizing the true cost of $41 per ticket.

• Ticketing is now closed.  If you purchased them, we will email your tickets about 2 weeks before the game.  You should have received a PayPal receipt from us right away.

DEC Connection Meet-up at Kimball Farm

 Friday, August, 2023 from 3-6 PM

We will be holding a Kimball Farm (400 Littleton Rd. Westford MA) get-together on Friday, August 4 from 3-6 pm.

IMPORTANT: Meeting place will be in one of the 3 (free) public tents with picnic tables, just inside by food stand and behind the silo in the photo - NOT in the (expensive) corporate area for private parties. You must look for our group - we'll have at least one DECconnection table sign.

Lots of fun to be had for everyone with games, rides, food, drinks and of course their famous ice cream. You can see what Kimball's offers by visiting their website at http://kimballfarm.com/.

DECconnection will provide $15 gifts for all paid-up registered members, which can be spent on anything that takes your fancy (food, drinks, rides, games, ice cream, etc.) Non-members/guests are welcome to join us,but will not receive $15. You pay for your own rides, golf, ice cream, food, etc. otherwise.

To sign up (no advance tickets required, but we’d appreciate knowing if you plan to attend so we can stake out several tables together and bring enough $15 gifts) please email info@decconnection.org with your name, email address, and # of attendees. In the event of rain, outing will be postponed until Friday, August 25. We’ll announce a postponement on our website home page.

Reunions

Memorials

click on link above for details

• Judy Christensen, 79, Berlin MA, 14 April 2023

• Marilyn Goodrich, 89, Sudbury MA, 2 March 2023

• Richard G. Smith, 75, Upton MA, 12 February 2023

• Greg Redden, 66, Colorado Springs, 6 February 2023

Info

David Mark's Zoom lecture on Digital History (14 June 2021) - here is link to recording on YouTube.  About 200 DECcies tuned in.  Link to their stories in the zoom chat is on our DEC Stories web page.

Where to Sell or Donate your old Digital hardware

Where to purchase official Digital logo products - from DEC Connection member Jack Rahaim.  Now a "Pop-Up" store, 2x per year.  Next coming in May!

DONATING OR RECYCLING COMPUTER EQUIPMENT

It's that time of year when you may be thinking of donating older electronic equipment to a Charity.  For those who have already done this, let us hear from you on the organizations you would recommend.   For Massachusetts readers, it has come to our attention that there is a local cancer charity that you may want to put on your list.  This charity is 100% run by volunteer cancer scientists, survivors, and information technologists.

The name of the organization is Recycle Computers4 Cancer [www.recyclecomputers4cancer.org]
and it donates all proceeds to help Cancer patients and their families through the SMCAC (Scientific & Medical Coalition Against Cancer). They have securely erased all data on hard drives that are donated for the past 12 years, including major pharmaceutical companies, banks, individuals, law firms, and financial institution. Also, all computer donations are tax deductible with no donation considered too small or large.  Equipment can be dropped off or arranged to be picked up. Items accepted for donation are listed at  www.recyclecomputers4cancer.org/items-accepted-donations-recycle-computers-4-cancer/

For free pickup, fill out and send in the donation form at      www.recyclecomputers4cancer.org/free-pickup-request-form/ 

The contact for RC4C is Eric Grund at eric@smcac.org.

-------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------

VAX and PDP-11 still live!

  -Thanks to Sue Yarger for sending in this note from the UK Register:

NASA dusts off FORTRAN manual, revives 20-year-old data on Ganymede - Analysing Galileo's Jovian moon results

  -And thanks to Jack MacKeen for this gem, same source:

Das blinkenlights are back thanks to RPi revival of the PDP-11 Retro computing fans wrap classic DEC fascia round world's fave hobby machine

--------------------------------------------------

HAPPY 60th ANNIVERSARY DIGITAL!  See article in the Telegram for pics and nostalgia.

HP Connection

• Medical Plan Enrollment Info for DEC/HP Retirees

• Handy Reference Chart: info on Retiree Benefits, Stock Plan

• Need Retirement/Pension info? 

  Fidelity Investments still handles all DEC pension plans for HP that have not been withdrawn or started income.  However, if you have been receiving income from your DEC pension, that responsibility has now been transferred to Prudential Insurance Co. and you should still be receiving those payments.

  - HP Retirement Services Center at Fidelity 1-800-457-4015

  - Prudential Pension Department: 1-877-778-2100

• Need Stock Plan info? 

  • First try: Morgan Stanley, Employee Stock Plan Service Center at (toll-free) 1-866-722-7310. You input your social security number and then a person will answer.

  • or this website for access to stock plan accounts. Employee StockPlan Connect tech support for N/S America for website is available at toll-free: +1 866-722-7310.  Europe: +1 801-617-7700.

• DEC Retiree Benefits include the HP Employee Purchase Plan

• Retiree Purchase Plan - Go to: http://www8.hp.com/us/en/jobs/retiree/epp.html

and click on the link under “US Alumni Product Purchase Program”. Then follow the instructions to register for the program.

     HP Alumni also suggests reading feedback:

• Know someone who is leaving HP? Please pass the word to anyone leaving HP to use the HP Alumni Association's "ASAP Checklist" immediately. It has advice and mutual help -- developed by HPAA members -- on the many things you have to do before you lose access to HP's internal systems. Thanks to Curt Gowan for this info. Go to http://www.hpalumni.org/asap (HPAA membership not required.)

Digital_Man/Digital_World

The first PBS showing of Digital_Man/Digital_World was 21 Feb 2012 in Indianapolis - here is a link to the 57-minute video on their website to watch on your computer!

http://video.wfyi.org/video/2282149336/

The DVD of Digital_Man/Digital_World is no longer available.