Date   : Sun, 26 Dec 1982 02:30:00-EST
From   : Jerry E Pournelle <POURNE@Mit-Mc>
Subject: VT180

       Digital (DEC , not Digital Research) sent me the
conversion kit for making a VT-100 into a VT-180.  We inst alled
it.  If you like Apples, you may like this; alas, the disk
drives don't seat wel, and you have mounting problems getting
the machin e to believe the disks are in there.  Once you have
them seated and moutned, all seems well, and it is a good
machine; but I never had a machine that had more problems
getting it booted.  The conversion is simple, (I don't recall
what it costs) and if you have a VT-100 it doesn't harm the
terminal capabilities, but rather enhances them; but I guarantee
you will go mad if you try using it long.
       They were supposed to have a FIX for that; some system
that would spin up the drives as you were closing the doors or
something; but if they do, I have not ever got it (and the
people at DEC I was dealing with seem no longer to be in that
division, but rather are now off with the rainbow and thus
uninterested in the VT-180.)  I get the impression that DEC
regarded the VT-180 as a thing to keep their name prominent
while they got out the Rinabow, and that they no longer care
about it.  That may be an uncharitable view, but I have no
evidence to the contrary.
JEP