Intro / 9800 series questions / HP story

[ekoblentz]

Hello world. I'm new here.

Background: I'm president of MARCH (Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists) which is a user group for vintage computing enthusiasts. We formed 10 years ago and have members spread out from New England to the Midwest to the Carolinas, but mostly we're within a few states of central New Jersey. Cental NJ is also where we have our bricks-and-mortar museum. It's co-located at the InfoAge Science Center. Among other things, we host the "annualish" Vintage Computer Festival East.

Tonight I have an HP calculator question and also a modest announcement for this community.

My question: did HP (or any other company) ever sell carrying cases for the 9830 or 9825?

As for the announcement .... several years ago I began writing a book about the history of mobile/portable computers. As part of that research, HP kindly gave me permission to re-publish the Gordon Dickson sci-fi story, "Thank you, Beep," originally published in the HP Calculator Journal (Digest), #5, 1979. I'm still working on the book. In the meantime, here is the Dickson story: http://www.snarc.net/pda/tybeep.htm.

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(01-20-2015 07:06 AM)ekoblentz Wrote:  As for the announcement .... several years ago I began writing a book about the history of mobile/portable computers. As part of that research, HP kindly gave me permission to re-publish the Gordon Dickson sci-fi story, "Thank you, Beep," originally published in the HP Calculator Journal (Digest), #5, 1979. I'm still working on the book. In the meantime, here is the Dickson story: http://www.snarc.net/pda/tybeep.htm.

Welcome!

You can also read "Thank you, Beep...!" online

[rprosperi]

(01-20-2015 07:06 AM)ekoblentz Wrote:  Hello world. I'm new here.

Background: I'm president of MARCH (Mid-Atlantic Retro Computing Hobbyists) which is a user group for vintage computing enthusiasts. We formed 10 years ago and have members spread out from New England to the Midwest to the Carolinas, but mostly we're within a few states of central New Jersey. Cental NJ is also where we have our bricks-and-mortar museum. It's co-located at the InfoAge Science Center. Among other things, we host the "annualish" Vintage Computer Festival East.

Tonight I have an HP calculator question and also a modest announcement for this community.

My question: did HP (or any other company) ever sell carrying cases for the 9830 or 9825?

As for the announcement .... several years ago I began writing a book about the history of mobile/portable computers. As part of that research, HP kindly gave me permission to re-publish the Gordon Dickson sci-fi story, "Thank you, Beep," originally published in the HP Calculator Journal (Digest), #5, 1979. I'm still working on the book. In the meantime, here is the Dickson story: http://www.snarc.net/pda/tybeep.htm.

Welcome to the MoHPC forum, I think you'll find much of interest here.

Jake and I attended the VCF East this past year, and found it far larger and more interesting than expected, and I heartily recommend attending to anyone in the region. LOTS of vintage stuff, including more HP machines (no calcs) than one might have excpected to see.

Is there any calculator activity within the group, and are there ever calculator exhibits? I scoured the sell/trade room pretty closely and didn't see much, but there may have been stuff before I attended on Sunday.

[Dave Frederickson]

(01-20-2015 07:06 AM)ekoblentz Wrote:  My question: did HP (or any other company) ever sell carrying cases for the 9830 or 9825?

You might try checking with Jon at the HP Computer Museum.

[ekoblentz]

Bob -- thank you! Very glad to hear that you and others attended and enjoyed VCF East. This year, we're going to have twice as many classes (16 vs. 8 last year), longer exhibit hall hours, and equally awesome keynotes. If you go again, then please track me down and say hello. Just ask any of the volunteers / exhibitors for the stressed-out nerd in charge ... that's me.

Vintage calculators are very welcome on the MARCH email list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/midatlanticretro) and at VCF East.

If you (or anyone else here) would like to do an exhibit at VCF East, then please contact me privately -- evank@midatlanticretro.org.

Dave -- thanks for the link/tip.

[Katie Wasserman]

(01-20-2015 07:06 AM)ekoblentz Wrote:  Hello world. I'm new here.

Hi Evan, it's nice to see you here!

I'm really going to try to get to VCF East 10.0 this year.