Conference 7.286::digital

        One of the things that you will quickly find, is that they all
        look the same (both inside and out.) An Experienced Digit can spot
        a DEC Building from some distance away. Given the sensitivity of
        projects, unaccompanied exploration is not particularly promoted
        (though not stopped). You will find that any thing of interest is
        usually behind locked doors.
        
        The nly things that I can think of, of interest, are :- the Mill,
        (ask Martin Minow for a tour, he knows the bowels of that building
        better than most...:-)). And the  ZK Computer Labs are something
        to behold at times, if you are astounded by large computer
        configurations. The ZKO Cafeteria is probably the best place to
        eat (despite what the locals say...)
        
        q

Answer .1 is correct. There is not a whole lot to look at out there ...

BUT there are two distinct ways to get there. The one way is rather
boring (by car), yet the other can be quite fascinating (by helicopter).

If you call Aviation Services (check your USA phone book, in the blue pages).
you can make arrangements to fly there from either LOGAN or Maynard. 

Unless you fly helicopters every other day, the ride is quite beautiful
and something different. It is also quite a relaxing ride and beats the
traffic jams.

Happy Flying

>If you call Aviation Services (check your USA phone book, in the blue pages).
>you can make arrangements to fly there from either LOGAN or Maynard. 

American Express Travel now makes all helicopter reservations.  I don't know
whether the helicopter reservations display is available from Amex locations
other than those explicitly authorized.

    re .1
    
    Don't get me wrong, I never intended to skulk through the labs or
    other such sensitive areas. Being modestly new to Dec (1 year) and
    never before travelling to Dec Country, I am most interrested in
    learning and seeing some of the history and culture. Also having
    to spend a weekend in Nashua looking at the 4 walls of a hotel room
    appeal to me about as much as a double root canal.
    
    Thanks 4 your help.
    
    
    jim

    Well, in Nashua proper the main site is Spit Brook Road (ZKO) and
    I assume that's where you're going to be.  That also means you will
    quite probably be staying at the Sheraton Tara, a fairly fancy hotel.
    If that's the case, you can rent a car right at the Tara, if you
    want to, and see what there is to see.  
    
    About a mile from the Tara (and, for that matter, from ZKO which
    abutts the Tara property) is the Pheasant Lane Mall.  Downtown Nashua
    has an Arts and Science Center and a pretty good Library.  But there
    isn't much by way of Tourist Attractions anywhere near here.  Nashua
    is on the NH/Mass state line, so it's only an hour to Boston (and
    there are tons of DEC sites in between).  It's about an hour to
    the shore, and a couple of hours to the White Mountains.  Skiing
    is good, I hear.  There are a number of pretty good restaurants
    in the area -- check the EATS notes file.
    
    The nearest site to ZKO is TTB (Ten Tara Boulevard) which is a leased
    building owned by the same company as the Sheraton Tara Hotel, and
    on the same property as the hotel.  I'm not too aware of the other
    Nashua sites -- I think most are small leased sites and some have
    recently closed.  
    
    As has already been mentioned, a tour of the Mill (in Maynard, of
    course) would pretty much cover your yen for DEC culture and history
    (and take the whole weekend, assuming you manage to escape the maze!)
    And ZKO's food does seem to be the best I've encountered...although
    you might want to scout around for better coffee than the cafeteria's.
    That's not their strongest point!
    
    You might want to look at the New Hampshire notes file too -- there
    might be something inspirational there!
    
    Welcome!  Have fun!
    
    Sherry  
    
    

I worked in ZKO and lived in Nashua for four years (I just moved six months
ago) so I can give you some idea of what's happening in Nashua.  Not much.
Seriously, I heard my colleagues in ZKO complain more than once about the
lack of social, historical, or any other -al activities.  I do have a couple
of comments however.

First, my favorite place to go (and take all my visiting friends and relatives)
was the Anheiser Busch Brewery in Merrimack.  They have free tours and free
samples at the end.  It's only about 15-20 minutes from Nashua (ZKO).  The
directions (as best as I can remember) are Rte. 3 north; exit 7E; at the top
of the exit ramp, go straight across the intersection (a hotel will be on 
your left after going through the intersection); go all the way until the
end and turn left at the "T" (you'll now be on old Rte. 3); follow this
road for several miles and you won't miss the brewery on your right.
Hopefully, you'll be able to not only tour the plant, but also stroll down to
see the Clydesdales as well.

One other semi-interesting thing in Nashua (if you're "into" these kinds of
things) is the bust of John F. Kennedy marking the announcement of his
presidential candidacy (I think).  I think it's in front of the "court-
house" (although there was some discussion about moving it).  It's located
on Main Street in downtown Nashua where it intersects Hollis Street (west-
bound).  It's the only "official" looking government building in Nashua
and is right beside Carvel's ice cream parlor.  You can't miss it.

Finally, if you like night spots, probably the "hottest" (if you're not used
to too hot) one in Nashua is at the Holiday Inn.  Hmm, the name escapes me
at the moment but I think the theme is fishing or boats or something like
that.  Anyway, it's at the Holiday Inn which is exit 4 (turn left at the
top of the ramp and right at the second stoplight - gas station is on the
"corner") off of Rte 3 north.

For DEC history, definitely go to the mill.  I'd suggest you cajole someone
from ZKO to go down with you, especially if they know something about its
history.

As for the White Mountains, they're nice but I doubt if you want to go
skiing.  It'll probably be pretty crowded.  Besides, if your node name is
where you're located then you may have better skiing in your home town.

Phil

    RE: .6 "night spots"
    
    Is the "Brother's Four" still around???  I'm from Calif. but every
    time I get back to N.H. (it's been awhile) I drop in.  I like the
    way it is/was set up so you had a choice in music.  Last time I
    was there one room offered rock 'n roll and lip sync, the middle
    room offered easy listening/backgammon/dancing and the room on the
    right was hot dance music and crazy contests.
    
    Jodi-
    

    Re: .7
    
    Brother's Four is long closed.  The bar at the Holiday Inn is called
    the Bounty.  Not being a bar-hopper, I can't speak from first-hand
    experience, but it does have the best reputation in town.
    
    A tour of ZKO is not terribly exciting, and even the labs are somewhat
    boring.  However, a look at "the giant UPC code" is worth something
    (I won't spoil your fun by decoding it for you here, and it USED to
    say something a lot more interesting).  The ZKO caf's food is indeed
    above average, though for coffee, I'll put in a plug for the station
    I run in ZK2-3 near the Euclid room.  But you should make a special
    effort to visit the Hustvedt room in ZK3-4 and see the original SD-730.
    
    None of the other Nashua facilities are even remotely worth looking
    at - most are like warehouses.  TTB is rather lifeless.
    
    There's LOTS to do within an hour of Nashua.  Boston is less than
    an hour away, so is western NH and Mt. Monadnock.  Definitely take
    in Maynard and the Mill - at least then you'll know why we have this
    silly clock in the company logo (the one they put on 5-year pens, etc.)
    
    			Steve

    One would think that at least people who have moderating experience,
    especially those one who routinely point out to others to move the
    discussion elsewhere would be the _last_ one to engage in discussing
    inappropriate topics in the conferences.
    
    Nothing personal but I apply higher standards to the moderators even
    when they are not acting in that capacity but merely noting as rest
    of us.
    
    Also please note that I have absolutely nothing against the individual
    contributors who might start an inappropriately placed topic, so do not
    raise the issue that I should not bother to act as a pseudo-moderator.
    No, I have no desire to be one of the moderators of this conference :-)

- Vikas

        Vikas, if you're objecting to Steve's reply, let me point out that
        he is not a moderator of this conference. 
        
        As a moderator, I personally thought that the question was out of
        place here, and sent MAIL to the topic's author asking him why he
        chose *this* conference.  (The NEW_HAMPSHIRE conference on PICA::
        would perhaps be more appropriate, or maybe ASKENET or FRIENDS;
        there doesn't seem to be a conference for ZKO in general, although
        there is the ZKO_SUGGESTION_BOX and ZKO_TRAINING on UCOUNT::)  I
        have not received the courtesy of a reply. 
        
        Although this started off as a specific personal question about
        one person's trip, it does have the potential to be a topic of
        broader interest, although so far, it hasn't digressed into
        something more general. 
        
        I agree with Vikas that the topic really doesn't belong in this
        conference, but by the time I personally spotted the topic note,
        there were several replies, so I decided to let it stand. 
        
        Tom

    If I  read  correctly  what .0 asked was to visit DEC sites to better
    get acquainted with  the  DEC  US  way  of  things,  and that I would
    consider appropriate for this conference.
    
    HGO systems are in Hong  Kong,  so  I  would  recommend  .0 that your
    counterparts  in  GIA  HQ in Acton  set  up  meetings  for  you  with
    different  corporate  groups  to talk about their  business,  because
    just by visiting DEC sites you are not  going to get what I think you
    are looking for,  I  used  to do that when I was in GIA.  If what you
    are looking is a little history, visit the computer museum in Boston,
    which started in a DEC  facility  and  includes  a lot of our company
    history.  Also lately a small  exhibit has started again in the lobby
    of one of our large Marlboro complex buildings, MRO2.
    
    Octavio

    Re:< Note 689.0 by CGOO01::JIMCKAY "Jimmy the 'GEEK'" >

    I went  back  to read .0 and notice that it was CGO which is Calgary,
    not Hong Kong, but still part of GIA, so my comments still apply.
    
    Octavio