Date   : Mon, 29 Mar 2004 09:18:40 +0100
From   : "Chris Jones" <chris@...>
Subject: Re: MDFS incomplete startup

Mike Tomlinson wrote:
> It'd be interesting to know what other types of cable people used in
> Econet installations, and what their experiences were.
> ...

I can remember the early Econet installation at Netherhall School in
Cambridge. It was wired using cheapo four-core burglar alarm cable (not
twisted-pair telephone wire) hand-soldered to 5-pin DIN sockets mounted in
standard electrical socket boxes. It seemed to work, but I don't know what
the clock speed was. There were never enough sockets to go round, so
eventually the whole lot got replaced (in about 1986, I suppose) with the
little black Acorn 2-port sockets and, I think, the official twisted-pair
solid-cored cable (quite thick, black outer sheath, with blue and orange
pairs in it). It was rather inexpertly installed by a group of pupils,
including a spur down two floors to the library which never worked properly.
Not surprising, really, given the wiring topology, but we didn't know
anything about that sort of thing at the time...

Chris