Neko

Xenix

I remember my first modem.  It was a Radio Shack/Tandy 300 Baud Manual Connect modem.  I had purchased it on clearance at a local Radio Shack for $15.   I brought it home and using the pinouts in the back of the manual for my VTECH Laser 128 Apple compatible computer, proceeded to wire-up a cable to connect the modem to my computer.  I don’t remember when, exactly, but this was somewhere around the mid to late 80’s.

I don’t remember where I got the communication software from — most likely from a friend.  But soon I was a frequent visitor to many local Bulletin Board Systems (BBSes) in the area.  For many years I would now use my Laser 128 as a VT100/ANSI Terminal — my gateway to the world.  Keep in mind, this was way before the Internet was easily accessed aside from Universities.

One of the BBSes I discovered was a BBS that went by the name of EDSI — Enterprise Data Systems Incorporated.   This system was different than the other BBSes that I had been connecting to.  All of the other ones shared the same variety of BBS software.  EDSI was different.

Here is an excerpt from the NixPub publication of that Era.  The NixPub was a list of UNIX systems which provided public access.

09/91  414-734-2499       edsi       Appleton        WI 3/12/24     24
IBM PS/2 Model 55SX, SCO Xenix 2.3.2;  Running STARBASE II Software.
Enterprise Data Systems Incorporated (Non-profit).  100+ local rooms,
PLUS USENET, Multi Channel Chat, 9 ports, $15 yr, flat rate for full
access to net news, mail.  The Fox Valley’s only public access Unix
based BBS.  Contact: Chuck Tomasi (chuck@edsi.plexus.COM)

Later I went on to meet Andy White, a good friend even to this day.  Andy showed me how to “sneak” into the UNIX shell from VI.   That little  “$”  prompt hooked me for life.  EDSI was running Xenix 2.3.2 on an IBM PS/2 Model 55SX.   What made EDSI so cool, was that it was “connected” to what we call today the “Internet”… Well, kinda.

EDSI was “connected” to the Internet via UUCP.  Chuck Tomasi, the sysop of EDSI, worked for a large company in the area that had an Internet connection.  Through Chuck’s arrangement, a system at this company would connect up to EDSI, via Modem, periodically to deliver e-mail and new USENET messages, as well as pick up outgoing items.

EDSI wasn’t connected directly to the Internet… So you couldn’t telnet, ftp, etc.   However, I did fully utilize a FTP to Email Gateway service that was run my Digital Equipment Corp. to navigate FTP sites and fetch files… all via e-Mail.

For the next several years, I would spend all of my time learning UNIX.  I would visit the public library, check out every book on UNIX, and then spent all day and night learning by example.

Recently, my cousin offered me an IBM PS/2 Model 55SX machine that he had laying around.  I’m hoping to clean it up, and setup a XENIX system as a tribute to the system that first got me started in the UNIX world.

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This entry was written by theunixguy, posted on April 16, 2009 at 5:04 pm, and filed under News and tagged .

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