2009/7/8 john lewis <johnlewis@???>
> On Wed, 8 Jul 2009 09:59:47 +0100 (BST)
> "Stephen Rowles" <stephen@???> wrote:
>
> > > On Wed, 8 Jul 2009 09:06:55 +0100 (BST)
> > > "Stephen Rowles" <stephen@???> wrote:
> > >
> > >> > right.. having installed midnight commander (never used it
> > >> > before) the following command should work:
> > >> >
> > >> > /bin/bash -c "su - -c mc"
> > >
> > > ah! it was the need for a second "-c" that had escaped me
> > >
> > > mc is a very useful tool as it will run on a system without X and
> > > give a semi-gui file manager (and more).
> > >
> > > I first became acquainted with its parent, Norton Commander, a long
> > > time ago when I bought a 32 meg hard card* that came with dos and a
> > > trial copy of Norton Commander installed on it.
> > >
> > > I found I preferred NC to Xtree which I'd been using till then and
> > > when I converted from OS/2 to Linux and found there was a clone of
> > > NC I started using that for all my file management stuff.
> > >
> >
> > Ah... now Xtree I remember from my very very early days using my dads
> > Tandy 1000 (HX model I think certainly looked like the picture of an
> > HX on wikipedia) we had the extra memory module to take us to the
> > full 640k and an external 3.5inch floppy drive to compliment the 5.25
> > inch drive in the side of it :).
>
> http://www.jeffreycjohnson.com/xtreehistory.html
> and a Linux clone
> http://www.unixtree.org/
>
> Interestingly for me that Xtree history page mentions the Epson QX-10
> which was the last CP/M system I owned before getting one of the
> original IBM PCs (I kept it for years before giving it to Jamies some
> months ago).
>
> Eventually I retired from work with a 386sx system on which I'd
> installed OS/2, initially to evaluate Lotus Notes as a suitable group
> ware package for the office. I decided it was too complicated for our
> needs and installed a WordPerfect Office package instead.
>
> Our first computers at work had been Concurrent CP/M systems and I
> managed to get hold of copies of Wordstar, SuperCalc and Dbase to
> play with from the BT engineer who installed and maintained those CP/M
> systems
>
> Eventually some CP/M systems got replaced by Dos based ones and the
> typists (who were in my 'command chain') got WordPerfect rather
> than Wordstar.
>
> So began my connection with computing and following a major office
> refurbishment, during the course of which I was able to influence how
> the computer systems were installed, I became a Novell Certified
> Network Manager and got the management team linked with computers,
> hence the need for groupware.
>
> Sorry to have gone all nostalgic guys/gals but the mention of
> Xtree/Norton Commander brought it all back. I really enjoyed those last
> few years at work when my Manager gave me considerable freedom to
> make decisions and implement changes.
>
> It wasn't unrewarded work either, I came across a couple of letters
> last week whilst looking for the quotation for the work to be done
> on that French Mantel Clock.
>
> One in 1989 told me I had been awarded a special bonus 'in recognition
> of your exceptional effort in carrying out tasks far beyond the call of
> duty' referring to work I did in connection with the office
> refurbishment* I mentioned earlier
>
> A later letter in 1994 awarded me another bonus for 'special efforts
> in relation to special projects' These projects included 'STAP'
> cabling, a new digital switchboard and a local area network.
>
> * a refurbishment which called for gutting a 6 storey office building
> and replacing in its entirety the external cladding and roofing and
> redesigning the interior layout. I did all of the re-design for
> the interior using GenericCAD and the architects incorporated my
> work into their final product.
>
> I had to arrange alternative accommodation for 300 plus staff for
> the period of the re-furb and bring them back to the new office once
> it was done.
>
> I loved it!!!
>
> I've had my moment of glory but now I am just getting older and
> finding it harder to learn new things.
>
> I am still doing some cycling and completed a Heart Foundation
> Charity Ride a few weeks ago, Family History Research is still
> the main reason for having a computer.
>
> --
> John Lewis
> using Debian Sid with windowmaker for a nicer desktop
>
Sadly, nostalgia ain't what it used to be....
Chris.
p.s.Now, if anyone should want to hear MY story, ......
>
> --
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