[Techtoolslist] 9132a-80286 memory pod

[Tony Jones]

On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 7:51 AM Marc Desfossés <mdesfoss at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> I’m currently working on a 286 project and am looking for the 80286 memory
> pod for the 9132A. If you have one available and are willing to part with
> it, please let me know.
> Additionally, I’m also interested in the 9132A-68000 memory pod if you
> happen to have one.
>

Anything 9132A (and obviously 9132FT) that wasn't part of the AF kit is
very hard to find.

I've never posted about this.   I suppose I should in case I get run over
by a bus or decide I can't make it through another 4 years of Trump.

Long ago I stumbled on this:
https://groups.google.com/g/comp.os.cpm/c/BWGqrrgcOTU/m/9slgXo2ax0IJ

I thought I'd posted here asking if anyone had a copy of the manual which
was titled "9132A Pod Retargetter's Course" (August 13, 1990, 382 pgs) but
I can't find it in the Techtools archive.

The course was only given one time to 9 attendees.

Anyhow using my full ex-girlfriend stalking skills I tracked Doug down by
telephone back in 2021.  I was the first person to ask him in 20 years.
He'd been asked previously just after he posted on Usenet (he'd left Fluke
by then).  He told me he'd reached out to Fluke asking if he could release
the manual and the response was "we will sue you if you release it".    So
he would only give it to me with written auth from Fluke.

I ended up getting that auth from Fluke and Doug's response was then "ok
but what about all the other stuff".     What other stuff.   It turned out
he had the full source tree for the 9132A and FT.   Plus a bunch of other
docs.    So I go back to Fluke again and I'm now in possession of all
that.      All the code for the personality modules (PAL + EPROM) and all
the TL/1 code (including the unreleased 9132A-z80) plus all the C code for
the 9132A/9132FT main units.  Alas none of the schematics for the sync
module adapters.

Unfortunately I can't give it out as the auth was for my use only.   It was
clear that if I'd pushed for them to "open source" I'd have been shown the
door.    Also even though I treaded carefully and the person I dealt with
at Fluke was very pleasant at the end of this second pass through the tone
was one of "we've done all we intend to, please don't contact us again".

So I need to be clear on the following.  I'm not going to give out the
person's name but if someone wants to make a fresh pass through Fluke legal
to try and get this all released under a wider license I'd obviously
assist.      Back before I found a contact at Fluke I'd reached out to Al
Kossow (as I know of his role at CHM) but never got a reply.    Maybe he'd
help more now though it's not exactly the Lisa level source code.

It's funny as if Doug had only tar'd off the full source tree rather than
just the Jane (9132) subset,  I'd have all that code also.   Rats.

Clay (Cowgill) and I have agreed to be each other's tech equipment estate
sale guardians if either of us croaks prematurely so I'll fwd this to Clay
with a note on where to find the files.

Tony