At 01:53 AM 9/20/01 -0400, you wrote:
>Hello, I have a chance to buy a VAXstation VLC 4000.  I am taking a VAX
>Assembly course, and it would be nice to practice on something!  I also 
>wanted
>an older machine to use as a unix server.  So I am wondering if it makes 
>sense
>to use the VLC for this purpose?

Yes, this is in fact the ideal VAX for that purpose. Small but reasonably 
fast, uses standard parts so other than the MMJ adapter you're in good shape.

>   The VLC unit that is forsale does not come
>with a monitor or keyboard, and I'm wondering if it is possible to use the
>machine through a dumb terminal.  I really have no room in my apartment for
>another monitor!

Yes it does, in fact the VLC's framebuffer is _not_ supported so that is 
the only way to use it with NetBSD. To connect it to a PC so that you can 
use the console you will need an MMJ to DB9 adapter cable. There are many 
places where "how to make one" is documented.

>   I also noticed that the VLC has an AUI Ethernet device.  My
>network at home is 10BaseT, can I buy some type of converter to make the VLC
>compatible?

Yes you will need an AUI->10BaseT transceiver. You do an Ebay search for 
them and find usually about a dozen advertised on Ebay, someone may have 
already offered to send you them, and if you talk to the system 
administrators at your school they may have one in a drawer some place.

--Chuck