Re: modifiable backplane with sockets?

Well, since you're using a patch panel anyway, why not just run the
power and ground on the backplane?

Perhaps I misunderstand your question. But if I connect the patch panel
signal wires directly to the component modules, like I did with my
current (already built) analog computer, then the wires end up taking a
lot of space around the component modules, and you can't simply
remove/replace modules without wiring stuff back up to the card.

The patch panel can be variously organized according to how you want
various component I/Os grouped. I was wanting to be able, for example,
to plug in a new patch panel without having to do anything to the cards,
though maybe I would have to do some modification to the back plane
wiring if the new patch panel expected more signals.

--
Christopher Howard