Herb's Stuff

The most recent revision of this page is Dec 31 2007. To email me, see see my ordering Web page for my email addresses.

Thanks for visiting my site. My name is Herb Johnson. I'm based in New Jersey, USA. I'm interested in "classic" computer of the 1970's, some Macintosh computers; and some amateur astronomy interests. My biggest and oldest 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. I also 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 have a large number of 8-inch floppy disk drives and docs and docs for smaller floppy 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. I also have some amateur astronomy interests. The photo on the left is me, and I have some basic personal information

This Web site is updated often, 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.

For general requests or comments, my email address is on my ordering Web page. (Sorry, due to spammers and spam filtering I have to hide my email address.) But if you want something specific, you should review the appropriate section of my site first. It will save time. Brief but broad questions get brief answers - but don't be long-winded either. While I am not full of "sage wisdom" and long-winded advice, I'm not a hermit either, just busy and respectful of your time and mine. So please READ MY WEB SITE FIRST BEFORE YOU ASK your questions, and see if what you want or want to ask is already on my site.

As of Dec 2004 my "Herb's Stuff" Web site is at Retrotechnology at http://retrotechnology.com/herbs_stuff/ . If that fails try "retrotechnology.net", my domain mirror, instead of "...com". As of Dec 2004, my previous Web site at New Jersey Computer Connection (http://njcc.com/~hjohnson/*) is no longer available.

Need my postal address? Email address? Check this link for that info.

Herb's Mac Stuff

Since 1997, I've provided Apple Macintosh systems and their parts and accessories; from the "compact Macs" (also called "9-inch Macs") and the Mac II series, to Quadras, Centris and PowerMac PowerPC models; and a few iMacs, G3's and G4's. Mostly I specialize in pre-PowerPC Macs. 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

In the S-100 world, I have provided assistance as "Dr. S-100" since the 1990's. I have a S-100 doc 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 full list of my S-100 stuff, including cards and documentation. Follow this link to my S-100 FAQ's: frequently asked questions.

Digital Research, Gary Kildall, and CP/M

As of year 2007, Dr. Gary Kildall's operating system called CP/M is at least 31 years old, based on the earliest sales of CP/M in 1975-76. 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. As of 2007 the current owners of DRI licenses including CP/M is DR-DOS Inc., which still sells DR-DOS as a commercial OS. Gary Kildall died in 1994.

CP/M was first written for 8080 based computers. It included the OS, a text editor, an assembler for 8080 code, a debugger, and sources for the BIOS; and a set of manuals for these programs and the OS. It was among the most popular of OS's for the 8080 and Z80 and 8086 systems of the 1970's and into the 1980's. It was the basis for what became MS-DOS, without question; an issue which nonetheless has been litigated repeatedly up to year 2007. (This site does not discuss that litigation or history; there is nothing I can add to such discussions.)

Since 2004, I've written on my Web site about the early history of Dr. Kildall, his associates, and the development history of CP/M. I have four major Web pages on the subject as follows:

Contents of my general Digital Research Web page include an editorial introduction to CP/M, brief descriptions of subsequent early OS's from DRI, where you can FIND CP/M today, and a list of DRI documents I have.

See my page on early CP/M development for a summary of early CP/M and DRI history, discussions of versions at the source code level, and early publications which mention or advertize CP/M.

See my page on DRI history and products of the 1990's and since for the later history of Digital Research Inc through the many companies which owned it; and the current status of various spin-off's of DRI operating systems from some of those companies.

I also have an outline of the history of Kildall and CP/M development. It covers Kildall and his colleagues up to their development of CP/M and the tools needed to run it the first time; and the earliest sales and subsequent development of the earliest versions of CP/M.

This work has been in progress since 2004, as time permits and as I've been able to uncover more information. As these events occurred in the early 1970's, they predate both the Web and most of early personal computing. Therefore this information is only available as magazines, documents, and hardware of the period; plus the recollections of the participants. Of course, documents are lost and people die, so I consider it important to do this today.

Herb's Floppy Diskette Stuff

Closely related to the S-100 and CP/M world is the world of floppy diskette drives.Here's the link to my page of docs, cabinets, drives, and manuals for 8-inch, 5.25-inch, 3.0 and 3.5-inch floppy drives. I also have some 8-inch disk drives and diskettes for sale. I have on-line some detailed discussion and 8080 AND Z80 code for operating floppy disk controller chips, using an S-100 floppy disk conroller which I stock and sell.

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. Of course, Nubus and PCI are part of our Apple Macintosh listings.

Herb's SGI, Sun and DEC stuff

Follow this link to my SGI and Sun equipment. I've accumulated a variety of SGI's from Indy to 320's. I have a few older Sun systems.

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 2005 I got a few Data General systems I'd like to pass along, which are also listed on my DEC page.

Herb's Test equipment

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. It's useful for servicing some of these older computers!

Herb's Odds and Ends

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 Pentium Laptops

I've obtained a number of Pentium/Windows laptops mostly for laptop parts. But some are working systems. But I have a good inventory of older Apple Macintosh laptops as well, as part of my Mac business.

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.

Herb Johnson
New Jersey, USA

If you are looking for my mailing address, to order something: I provide my address AFTER you tell me YOUR address and what you want to ORDER. I find otherwise that people send money first and ask questions later; or worse. Check my terms of ordering at the relevant section of my Web site: look and you'll find links to contact me and you'll see those terms. My sales policies are for your protection and mine. If you want to send personal correspondence or stuff, email first. Please don't send large files or pictures without asking me first. My email address is on one of my ordering pages.