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Welcome to DECOR, the DEC Owner's Registry!

Imagine DECOR as a kind of international, worldwide virtual DEC computer museum, where you can find your favourite DEC computer as well as the rarest models.

Table of Contents

Benefits

  • Proudly present your DEC computer collection
  • Retrieve numbers and types of remaining DEC computers
  • Get in touch with like-minded people
  • Help and get help
  • Manage your own collection
  • Receive support for worldwide Barter Trade

Participation

You can participate in DECOR by applying for membership* and entering your DEC computer collection's data into our database.

* You can apply for membership in two ways :

  • Write an email to [email protected] explaining why you want to be invited to DECOR
  • Ask a DECOR member you know to recommend your membership via email.

Backup

We strongly recommend that you regularly create backups of your data using the "Export / Import Your Data" page.

Naturally, we strive to ensure data security, but as a free service, we cannot guarantee it.

Rules

There are only a few rules that must be followed:

  • We only accept active private or institutional collectors as members, but no dealers.

  • Computer and Peripheral entries are only permitted for DEC hardware, hardware of DEC successors Compaq and Hewlett Packard whose origins go back to DEC (e.g. Alpha) or hardware with DEC architecture, e.g. from Mentec.

  • Entries for third-party computer components such as Emulex, Dilog or others are also permitted, as are entries for devices that emulate DEC hardware (or third-party hardware for DEC devices), such as floppy disk or hard disk emulators or Qbones / Unibones.

Definitions

  • Owners - Individuals or organizations (e.g. museums) that collect DEC items and participate in in the DEC Owner's Registry (DECOR).
  • Computers - A term that certainly needs no definition.
  • Peripherals - All devices that are connected externally to a computer and all storage devices such as disks, floppy drives, CDROM drives and magtape drives.
  • Components - Modules, assemblies, individual parts, etc.
    • Computers and peripherals can have components, in some cases even the same ones.
  • Connections - Connections indicate which devices are connected to which other devices.
    • A connection is made of two or more ports of computers and/or peripherals, e.g. a terminal connected to a computer.
    • Multiple computers can also be connected to each other, e.g., three computers via a network (Ethernet).
    • Both computers and/or peripherals can belong to more than one connection.
    • Connections have an optional connection type to specify the kind of connection (interface type).
    • Connections are identified by a mandatory ID (integer) that must be unique, otherwise you can choose it freely.
    • Ports of a connection are identified by a mandatory ID (integer) that must be unique for the connection, otherwise you can choose it freely.
    • Both connections and ports have a label field that can be used to add an explanatory text of up to 100 characters.
  • Software is a category of its own and very similar to Components, as it is useless without a Computer or Peripheral.
    • A specific software has got:
    • a name, e.g. "VMS"
    • a version, e.g. "4.7A"
    • a condition, e.g. "Complete"
    • Software can be installed either on a computer or on a peripheral device; if neither is the case, it is simply software included in your collection.

Usage

Recommended usage of data fields:

  • Computers/Peripherals
    • Model: Select from list of available models - If your model is still missing, contact the DECOR admin*.
    • Order Number: Enter the order number from the nameplate of your DEC computer/peripheral, which is normally located on the back of your computer.
    • Serial Number: Enter the serial number from the nameplate of your DEC computer/peripheral.
    • Condition: Select a condition.
    • Run Status: Select a run status.
    • History: Tell us about your computer, its provenance, previous owners, how you acquired it, etc.
  • Components
    • Computer/Peripheral Model: Selected a computer/peripheral; otherwise leave blank if this is a spare component not attached to a computer.
    • Computer/Peripheral Order Number: Auto-filled from the selected computer/peripheral.
    • Computer/Peripheral Serial Number: Auto-filled from the selected computer/peripheral.
    • Component Type: Select a type
    • Component Order Number: If it is a module, enter the module number; otherwise the part number.
    • Component Serial Number: Enter the serial number, if available (often on a small sticker).
    • Component Condition: Select a condition.
    • Component Description: Enter the option name.

* You can reach the admin at the following address: [email protected]