UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > Websites

Notices

Websites Found an interesting website? Post the details here and share it with the rest of us. Please stick to websites that are in some way related to our hobby/interest.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 11th Jun 2022, 9:32 am   #1
TonyDuell
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,190
Default Bitsavers

I am not sure if this site :

http://www.bitsavers.org/

has been mentioned here or not. Not strictly radio-related but I hope it's on-topic.


It's an american site for vintage computers, mostly larger machines (minicomputers, mainframes) but with stuff on micros too. User manuals, service manuals, circuit diagrams, etc.There's also a section for 'components' with lots of unusual databooks and one for 'test gear'.

Everything is free to download too.

One 'gotcha' is that it (by deliberate choice of the site's owner) uses http, rather than https. Some browsers moan about it being a security risk, but I doubt you'll get any form of malware from it, the owner is very active in vintage computing circles. I've never had any problems.
TonyDuell is offline  
Old 11th Jun 2022, 10:46 am   #2
SiriusHardware
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,484
Default Re: Bitsavers

Yes, it's a great resource.

Usually, if I can't find the data sheet for some obscure IC as a standalone document I can, with some patience, find it by trawling through the manufacturer's databook on bitsavers. Whoever scans all those books deserves some kind of medal, I have often found info there which I can not find anywhere else.

There are a lot of linear IC databooks on the site as well, it's not just one for the bit twiddlers.

Last edited by SiriusHardware; 11th Jun 2022 at 10:57 am.
SiriusHardware is offline  
Old 16th Jun 2022, 6:34 pm   #3
wireman
Heptode
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 528
Default Re: Bitsavers

I have this bookmarked, it had some old supercomputer manuals on it that I was interested in.

As for http[s], I don't see why anyone should be comforted just because someone added a certificate to their website, especially this style of site.
wireman is offline  
Old 16th Jun 2022, 7:01 pm   #4
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: Bitsavers

I too now have it bookmarked, especially as I don't have time to do it justice at present.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is online now  
Old 16th Jun 2022, 11:31 pm   #5
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
Default Re: Bitsavers

And there was me thinking it would be a tincture for soldering irons!

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 20th Jun 2022, 9:10 am   #6
Maarten
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Haarlem, Netherlands
Posts: 4,185
Default Re: Bitsavers

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyDuell View Post
I am not sure if this site :
One 'gotcha' is that it (by deliberate choice of the site's owner) uses http, rather than https. Some browsers moan about it being a security risk, but I doubt you'll get any form of malware from it, the owner is very active in vintage computing circles. I've never had any problems.
Apart from moaning browsers, http is not usually a problem. Https only adds authentication and encryption, which are both overkill in most situations where you don't have to enter personal information or passwords. Financial transactions are the only definite no-go without authentication and encryption. The advantage of https is somewhat similar to that of a VPN: it will make it harder for someone who's already got administrator access to your (local) network or some node in between you and the server, to manipulate or spy on your information. That situation is not really appliccable in most cases, and encryption is bad for the energy usage (both on the level of world wide carbon emissions and of portable device's battery life, even if only very slightly, maybe a few minutes of battery life a day).

Also, and that may be the reason for that particular administrator: according to information theory, any frivolous use of cryptography makes it weaker. Maybe not really a practical problem if the key is long enough and the algorithm is flawless, but it's a very principal argument and the first that I would suspect someone who's active in IT circles to make.

Last edited by Maarten; 20th Jun 2022 at 9:25 am.
Maarten is online now  
Old 20th Jun 2022, 11:25 am   #7
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,800
Default Re: Bitsavers

There is a counter-argument about cryptography on trivial data, that provided the crypto is hard enough so that it costs enough to crack a message, then the increased number of encrypted messages acts to make it difficult to decide which ones are worth cracking, though sender and recipient addresses may give clues. Choice of optimum game-plan needs to take into account a number of factors. It can all be rather non-linear with many cross-over points.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:51 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.