Macivory on Symbolics LISP Engineering

CLIM on Genera 8.3 [Updated]

Sun, 28 Aug 2016 18:55:07 +0000

In preparation of doing some actual software engineering on Genera, I decided to take a look at the CLIM implementation on my MacIvory III Genera 8.3.

There are a few steps to do first:

Load System CLIM: This will take a while. It loads a lot of files and several subsystems, including:
- Loading system CLIM version 66
- Initializing subsystem CLIM Utilities
- Initializing subsystem CLIM Silica
- Initializing subsystem CLIM Standalone
- Initializing system CLIM version 66
- Loading patches for system CLIM version 66
- Patches for CLIM (Current version is 66.3):
If you attempt to use CLIM at this point, however, it won’t work because there is no driver (in my parlance only, I’m not sure the official term). The example code will fail: Error: Cannot find port type: :GENERA
Load System Genera-CLIM will install the remaining parts

This whole process takes probably 15+ minutes of compiling and crunching, so you might want to save the world and restart after this (although I didn’t do this yet).

Telnet to MacIvory

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 04:12:24 +0000

Just a quick note about how to enable telnet to your MacIvory III running Genera 8.3.

First, Edit Object Site NAME (obviously, use your NAME and not mine) in the Namespace Editor and add your network to the Secure Subnets. For example, for typical home networks you might add INTERNET 192.168.1.0 or your office might be INTERNET 10.0.0.0. Save the object.

If you are logged in, it usually turns remote access off. This can be odd because you can telnet in when you first boot, but not as soon as you start doing anything on the local console. To turn remote access back on even when you’re logged in, (neti:remote-login-on) is your command. (See Networks pages 13 and 21.)

Genera Xquartz Keyboard

Sun, 17 Jul 2016 19:42:01 +0000

It has taken some effort, but I finally created a reasonable (and close-to-default) keyboard layout and mapping for Genera for using a modern, 87-key “tenkeyless” keyboard under Xquartz. I became reasonably familiar (at a reading level) with Flavors and Genera’s X implementation while reverse engineering all this stuff. I also used the apropos function a lot, of course.

This layout stays very close to the default one provided by Genera while adding a few tweaks such as:

MacIvory III Transplant

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 03:57:38 +0000

Space is a premium in my little vintage computing paradise, so I had the bright idea of transplanting my MacIvory III from a desktop Quadra 650 to a tower Quadra 950 and clear some desktop space. David K. Schmidt said this was a simple matter, and he was entirely correct. I effectively put the Quadra 650 hard drive and the MacIvory card into the 950, rebooted, and blam, it “just worked.” (I actually put a clone of the Quadra 650 drive from 3 years ago in to test first.)

MacIvory III Setup and X11

Tue, 12 Jul 2016 04:57:57 +0000

As I haven’t had the time to continue to debug the XL1201 hardware problems, I turned back to the MacIvory III and an Intel i7 NUC I had.

First I set up Ubuntu 14.04 on the NUC with NFS and the “time” service, so I could use it as an always-on server for the Symbolics computers. This way I can put the full size SCSI computer away when I’m not actually imaging SCSI drives.

MacIvory and MouseKey 1.2

Sun, 10 Jul 2016 22:37:38 +0000

Well, I couldn’t find MouseKey 1.0 or 1.1.1 software anywhere on the Internet. Logitech has 2.0 on their web site, and I found 1.1 elsewhere.

However, the 1.1 software can’t see my mouse and the 2.0 software crashes.

So, I decided to buy NIB ADB Logitech MouseMan from eBay if I could find one, and lo-and-behold, this one has MouseKey 1.2 software in it.

Let’s see if MacIvory Genera 8.3 on Mac OS 8 can see my three button mouse…!

3-button Mouse on MacIvory Fail

Sat, 25 Jun 2016 06:49:33 +0000

TL;DR: Still no luck using 3-button mouse on MacIvory. Need to find MouseKey 1.0 or 1.1 software.

My MacIvory III in a Quadra 650 running Mac OS 8 has a Logitech Mouseman (Model M-AH32), which is a three button mouse from Logitech. However, I never got that three button mouse working with Genera. I did just manage to get my hands on the MouseKey 2.0 software, though.

There are directions in the MacIvory User’s Guide section Configuring the Logitech MouseMan for Use with a MacIvory. I recall, however, reading things on the Internet saying that only certain versions of MouseKey will work, and I think those versions are 1.0 and 1.1 but not 1.1.1. (Thanks Google) I don’t recall reading anything about 2.0.