The DEC Connection: A premier interactive networking organization for former Digital Equipment Corporation employees

This website is dedicated to the memory of our founder and hero, Kenneth H. Olsen (20 Feb 1926 - 6 Feb 2011).

Welcome to The DEC Connection!

The DEC Connection is an association dedicated to preserving the unique culture of Digital Equipment Corporation by reuniting the Digital family through face-to-face events, intra-personal and group communications, and joint activities. We want to preserve Ken Olsen's cultural, technical and management legacies. We promote events of local ex-DEC clubs. Membership is open to all former employees and contractors - JOIN HERE! To submit content, email webmaster.

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News At A Glance

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Go to our online Newsletter archive.

DEC Tech Talks

via Zoom

Gale "Jake" Jacobs

Our last speaker:

Link to amazon.com where you can buy Avram's book

This is shaping up to be a great series! And we have some terrific presentations in the making, such as:

Tech Talk #6: January 11, 2023; 1 PM Eastern, 10 AM Pacific - Gale "Jake" Jacobs

Gale Jacobs joined Digital in 1973 and served in sales, marketing and management positions in Portland, Oregon, Mexico City and Acton, MA. His talk will feature cultural differences and the agony and ecstasy of serving as National Sales Manager in Mexico during a time when the country’s economic pendulum was swinging from soaring heights to abysmal lows, and Digital’s efforts to manage the challenges. Plus, the trials and tribulations of relocating from Oregon to south of the border and the transfer back north to Acton. If you enjoy tequila, mañana, music, cerveza and a good war story, be sure to join us for this Tech Talk! Viva Mexico! Viva DEC!

To sign up for Jake's Tech Talk, email us at info@decconnection.org. Provide your name and email address for the Zoom invite (which will be emailed about a week ahead of the event). We now ask that, to attend the Zoom session, you be a paid-up member of DEC Connection. Here is where you can join or renew.

Generally, these sessions have run about an hour - 30-45 min. talk, 15-20 min. Q&A/discussion.

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To sign up to deliver a DEC Tech Talk, please email info@decconnection.org with your name and a bit about your Digital background and what you'd like to present. We do have a few in the queue so you have a while to work on your pitch! See the Tech Talks page for links to the video recording and presentations.

Reunions

Oct 17, 2022: Last Colorado Springs CO Reunion
Oct 1, 2022: Pittsburgh PA
Sun., June 19, 2022: Afternoon BBQ at the WooSox Baseball Game
Sun., Sept. 19, 2021: Maynard MA Sesquicentennial (150th Birthday)
- 11:30 am - Tour of Mill for paid-up members only
- 1-4 pm, Parade/Maynard displays and events
- 4-7 pm, DECconnection Dinner at Maynard Elks Lodge with Ray Humphrey
- Videos of events have been added to this page.
- For EVENT WRAP-UP, CLICK HERE.
Fri. July 30, 2021, summer get-together at Kimball Farms.
Sat., 2 Nov. 2019, Phoenix AZ luncheon
Recap from our Summer Italian Festa in Marlborough MA at Bob Alessio's home Sat., August 17, 2019
Sun., 2 June 2019 Management Sciences Consulting Group
Thu, 25 Apr. 2019, Colorado Springs Annual
DEC Connection Summer BBQ-Picnic on Sat. afternoon, Aug 18, 2018 in Marlboro at the Hunters' house
Maynard Mill get-together at the Battle Road Brewery House was Sunday, May 20, 2018. See the writeup and photos here.
Sun., Aug. 20, 2017 Kimball's Summer Get-together
Sat., Oct. 8, 2016 BBQ and Tour of Mill and Main
CLICK HERE FOR RECAP and Photos.
10/18/16 Beacon-Villager coverage of our Event
Visit "Mill and Main" online:
http://maynard.wickedlocal.com/article/20150618/NEWS/150616023
http://mill-and-main.com/

Memorials

click on link above for details

Denny (Denzil J.) Doyle, 90, Ottawa ON Canada, 26 October 2022
Kanailal Raha, Kolkata, India, 26 October 2022
Ron Holton, Colorado Springs, 20 September 2022
Bill Burns, 79, Wilmington MA, 19 September 2022
Ruth Armknecht, 89, Atlanta GA, 5 September 2022
Ted Sares, 85, North Conway NH, 30 August 2022
Ann S. Hurd, 73, Rockport MA, 3 August 2022
Rene Martinez, 68, Miami Beach FL, 19 July 2022
Carmine W. Tata, 77, Leominster MA, 15 May 2022
Thomas Eaton, 72, Gloucester MA, 1 December 2021

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.

Medicare 2021 - Materials updated

http://www.decconnection.org/medicareqa.htm

Where to Sell or Donate your old Digital hardware

Where to purchase official Digital logo products - from DEC Connection member Jack Rahaim

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.

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November 2018: Thanks to Jackie Kahle for submitting this article about Admiral Grace Hopper’s long association with DEC, and about her experiences when Adm. Hopper was her customer at DEC in Washington, D.C.

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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

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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:

There are lots of moving parts involved in HP product discounts (and discounts on non-HP products). Suggest you refer your members to the HP Alumni Association pages on discounts: https://www.hpalumni.org/discounts

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.

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