https://gunkies.org/w/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Larsbrinkhoff&feedformat=atomComputer History Wiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T12:51:20ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_VAX_models_with_PDP-11_compatibility_mode&diff=33969List of VAX models with PDP-11 compatibility mode2024-03-22T11:12:32Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Will this ever end?</p>
<hr />
<div>[[VAX]]en which have the [[hardware]] (often mostly [[microcode]]) which allows them to [[execute]] [[PDP-11]] [[object code]]:<br />
<br />
* [[VAX-11/730]] and variant: [[VAX-11/725]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/750]] and variant: [[VAX-11/751]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/780]] and variants: [[VAX-11/782]], [[VAX-11/784]], [[VAX-11/785]], [[VAX-11/787]]<br />
* [[VAX 8600]] and variant: [[VAX 8650]]<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-11s]]<br />
[[Category: VAXen]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_VAX_models_with_PDP-11_compatibility_mode&diff=33967List of VAX models with PDP-11 compatibility mode2024-03-21T07:25:38Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: More clear? as four main models and variants thereof.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[VAX]]en which have the [[hardware]] (often mostly [[microcode]]) which allows them to [[execute]] [[PDP-11]] [[object code]]:<br />
<br />
* [[VAX-11/730]] and variant: [[VAX-11/725]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/750]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/780]] and variants: [[VAX-11/782]], [[VAX-11/784]], [[VAX-11/785]], [[VAX-11/787]]<br />
* [[VAX 8600]] and variant: [[VAX 8650]]<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-11s]]<br />
[[Category: VAXen]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_VAX_models_with_PDP-11_compatibility_mode&diff=33958List of VAX models with PDP-11 compatibility mode2024-03-20T11:59:43Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Nice to have this spelled out clearly somewhere.</p>
<hr />
<div>* [[VAX-11/725]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/730]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/750]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/782]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/784]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/785]]<br />
* [[VAX-11/787]]<br />
* [[VAX 8600]]<br />
* [[VAX 8650]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=SITS&diff=33908SITS2024-03-15T20:43:25Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Overview */ Hardware problem caused flakiness.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox OS<br />
| name = SITS<br />
| creator = [[MIT AI Lab]], Logo group<br />
| current version = 136<br />
| year introduced = 1974<br />
| type = Multi-tasking, multi-user, virtual memory<br />
| architecture = [[PDP-11]]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''SITS''' means "Small Incompatible Timesharing System". It was a [[time-sharing]] [[operating system]] for a [[PDP-11/45]], created in the mid-1970s at [[MIT]] for running [[Logo]].<br />
<br />
[[Image:SITS_and_logo.png|thumb|right|SITS and Logo]]<br />
<br />
=== Overview ===<br />
<br />
SITS' design is vaguely reminiscent of [[Incompatible Timesharing System|ITS]], with large influences from MIT's [[PDP-1-X Time Sharing System]]. Like ITS, there is a [[main memory]]-resident [[kernel]] [[debug]]ger; SALV for managing [[disk]]s; a [[TECO]]-like editor called TINTE for text editing, and [[DDT]] for debugging and running user programs. [[Process]]es can be [[PCLSRing|PCLSR]]'ed just like in ITS. From the PDP-1-X it inherited capability-based security and the concept of spheres. It has a hierarchical tree-structured file system inspired by [[Multics]]. SITS supported [[raster]] [[display]]s similar to those used with the MIT-AI Knight TV, a few [[vector graphics|vector]] displays, and [[General Turtle]] [[Turtle Terminal 2500|2500 terminals]]. Programs can be stored in either [[PDP-11 Absolute Loader|absolute loader]] format, or [[SITS PDUMP format|pure dump]] format.<br />
<br />
The kernel debugger was written by Radia Perlman and was called RUG from the phrase "snug as a bug in a rug". In addition to debugging, it can also read and write [[file]]s in the SITS [[file system]] which is how SITS is booted. It can also read files from paper tapes, or from ITS through the Rubin 10-11 shared memory interface. The default file name is DAZZEL, perhaps a nod to the [[Dazzle Dart]] game that was hosted on the same machine.<br />
<br />
AI memo 356 "Logo Progress Report 1973-1975" has this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
Originally Logo was implemented in [[assembly language]] on the PDP-10. In order to provide a computer system dedicated to educational use, it was adapted for the PDP-11. The first milestone in this direction was the completion in 1973-1974 of a dedicated timesharing system running 11LOGO.<br />
<br />
The was not an entirely satisfactory solution because of the inability of the system to be self-maintaining or to run other languages or special purpose jobs (like a [[simulation]] environment or an educational real-time game). During 1974-1975, our programming staff, under the direction or R. Lebel, completed the design and implementation of a general purpose multi-language timesharing system for the PDP-11/45. The SITS timesharing system was developed to provide an environment suitable for running Logo and other PDP-11/45 programs. It incorporates a [[Multics]]-like tree structured file system including (potentially) full access control. It also provides unique capabilities for running programs as multiple process systems, rather than the more common single process approach, and the ability for each user to run many [[job]]s simultaneously. The system include provisions for using both the older refreshed [[display]]s and our new [[raster]] displays.<br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
When the SITS PDP-11/45 was decommissioned from the Logo group, it was donated to what became the Concourse Computer Center. It did not continue running SITS due to instability problems. Instead the computer ran [[Unix Seventh Edition|UNIX V7]], later 2[[BSD]], and was placed on the [[Chaosnet]].<br />
<br />
Possibly, SITS reputation for being unstable was unwarranted, and partly due to a hardware problem. From one of the then-undergrads at CCC:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
So the biggest player at CCC was Gill Pratt, who is a bigwhig with Toyota's Robotics group now. I have said, "If a rainy day was a Unibus device, Gill could fix it." We DID get the Logo 11/45, but never ran SITS on it. But we know WHY SITS was so flaky. Eventually Gill found the root cause: A mis-wired FCO that left the high bit of the Floating Point Processor floating. Depending on the incident radio frequency interference, that line might go high and cause an illegal instruction trap, even if there was NO floating point instruction in progress!<br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
=== Little SITS ===<br />
<br />
To provide the educational market with an inexpensive computer capable of running Logo, it was ported to an [[LSI-11]] based computer called the [[General Turtle|3500]]. It was done using a system abstraction layer called the '''Little SITS''' emulator.<br />
<br />
=== Preservation status ===<br />
<br />
Several snapshots of SITS exist on ITS backup tapes from the [[MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|AI Lab]] [[PDP-10]].<br />
<br />
* SITS 68 from 1973.<br />
* SITS 455 and 456 from 1974.<br />
* SITS version 1146 from 1975.<br />
* NSITS 111 and 112 from 1975. Version number reset?<br />
* SITS 103 from 1976.<br />
* SITS 117, 118, and 119 from 1977.<br />
* SITS 134 from 1978.<br />
* SITS 136 from 1979.<br />
* A set of disk images from May 1978 with SITS 122.<br />
<br />
Unsorted files from SITS, PDP-10 Logo, and PDP-11 Logo can be found here, courtesy of Ron Lebel: https://github.com/larsbrinkhoff/mit-logo-and-sits-raw-files<br />
<br />
=== Hardware support ===<br />
<br />
This is the list of required hardware for SITS version 119:<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Device<br />
! Description<br />
! Address<br />
! Vector<br />
|-<br />
| [[KB11-A CPU]]<br />
| [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]]<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[KT11-C Memory Management Unit|KT11-C]]<br />
| [[PDP-11 Memory Management|Full MMU]]<br />
| <br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[Core memory]]<br />
| 108Kword<br />
| 000000-657777<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[FP11-B Floating-Point Processor|FP11-B]]<br />
| Floating-Point Processor<br />
| <br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[KW11-P Programmable Real-Time Clock|KW11-P]]<br />
| Programmable clock<br />
| 772540-772545<br />
| 104<br />
|-<br />
| [[PC11 High-Speed Paper-Tape Reader/Punch Control|PC11]]<br />
| [[Paper tape]] reader/punch <br />
| 777550-777557<br />
| 70-74<br />
|-<br />
| [[DC11 asynchronous serial line interface|DC11]]<br />
| Asynchronous serial line interface<br />
| 774000-774007<br />
| 300-304<br />
|-<br />
| [[DH11 asynchronous serial line interface|DH11]]<br />
| Asynchronous serial line interface<br />
| 760020-760037<br />
| 340-344<br />
|-<br />
| [[RK11 disk controller|RK11]]<br />
| Moving head disk<br />
| 777400-777417<br />
| 220<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Optional hardware:<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Device<br />
! Description<br />
! Address<br />
! Vector<br />
|-<br />
| [[RF11 disk controller|RF11]]<br />
| [[Fixed-head disk]]<br />
| 777460-777471<br />
| 204<br />
|-<br />
| NG<br />
| Tom Knight's vector display controller<br />
| 764040-764043<br />
| 270<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
| Lebel keyboards<br />
| 764100-764107<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| TV<br />
| Ron Lebel's raster display controller<br />
| 764140-764163<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
| [[Frame buffer]]<br />
| 660000-757777<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| MB11<br />
| MAR and history<br />
| 770000-770017<br />
| 364<br />
|}<br />
<br />
List of attached terminals:<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Number<br />
! Type<br />
! Terminal<br />
|-<br />
| 0 || System console || Teletype<br />
|-<br />
| 1 || DH11, port 0 || Teletype, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 2-5 || DH11, port 1-4 || Teletype, 300 baud, and TK display<br />
|-<br />
| 6-7 || DH11, port 5-6 || Modem, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 10 || DH11, port 7 || [[Turtle Terminal 2500|2500]], 2400 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 11-16 || DH11, port 8-13 || Teletype, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 17 || DH11, port 14 || [[Turtle Terminal 2500|2500]], 2400 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 20 || DH11, port 15 || Teletype, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 21 || DC11 || Multiplexor<br />
|-<br />
| 22-61 || TVs 0-31 || TV and Lebel keyboard<br />
|-<br />
| 62-65 || Software || Multiplexee<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[SITS tutorial]]<br />
* [[Installing SITS on SIMH]]<br />
* [[List of SITS system calls]]<br />
* [[SITS PDUMP format]]<br />
* [[SITS file system]]<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-11 Operating Systems]]<br />
[[Category: Non-DEC Operating Systems]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=TYMCOM-X&diff=33887TYMCOM-X2024-03-13T06:57:01Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* External links */ Docs at Bitsavers.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[PDP-10]] operating system at Tymshare. Similar in appearance to [[TYMCOM-IX]] for their [[SDS 940]] machines.<br />
<br />
A version for the [[DECSYSTEM-20]]20 with a [[KS10]] processor was called TYMCOM-XX.<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/tymshare/tymcom-x/ TYMCOM-X documentation at Bitsavers]<br />
* [http://vtda.org/bits/software/DEC/PDP-10/tymshare/ Vintage Technology Digital Archive] - a set of tape images from TYMCOM-X<br />
* [http://its.victor.se/mailman/listinfo/tymcom-hackers_its.victor.se TYMCOM-X hackers] - discussion about the tapes and TYMCOM-X<br />
* [https://wiki.livingcomputers.org/doku.php?id=tymcom-x Living Computer Museum wiki pages] - work on restoring TYMCOM-XX on the [[SIMH]] [[KS10]] emulator.<br />
<br />
{{stub}}<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-10 Operating Systems]]<br />
[[Category: Non-DEC Operating Systems]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Information_Processing_Techniques_Office&diff=33883Information Processing Techniques Office2024-03-12T11:03:12Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: +BSD</p>
<hr />
<div>The '''Information Processing Techniques Office''' (usually given as '''IPTO''') was an element of the [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency]], and the primary funder of computer research in the US for many years.<br />
<br />
Under IPTO's first head, [[J. C. R. Licklider]], and his successors, IPTO launched an incomparable list of projects which have basically created the computers of today, which in their turn have changed entire societies:<br />
<br />
* [[time-sharing]] ([[Compatible Time-Sharing System|CTSS]], [[Multics]], and [[Berkeley Time-Sharing System]]; ancestors of, and inspirations for, [[UNIX]]);<br />
* [[user interface]] ([[graphical user interface]]s and the [[mouse]]);<br />
* [[data network]]ing (the [[ARPANET]] and [[Internet]]);<br />
* [[VLSI]]<br />
<br />
Among the bodies funded by IPTO were:<br />
<br />
* [[Bolt, Beranek, and Newman|BBN]]<br />
* [[Project MAC]]<br />
* [[MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|AI Lab]]<br />
* [[MIT Laboratory for Computer Science|LCS]]<br />
* [[Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|SAIL]]<br />
* [[Project Genie]]<br />
* [[SRI International|SRI]]<br />
* [[Information Sciences Institute|ISI]]<br />
* The development of [[BSD]] at Berkeley's [[Computer Systems Research Group]]<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
<br />
* Arthur L. Norberg, Judy E. O'Neill; ''Transforming Computer Technology: Information Processing for the Pentagon, 1962-1986''; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 2000<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [https://www.darpa.mil/about-us/timeline/ipto Information Processing Techniques Office]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Research Organizations]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=BCC_500&diff=33876BCC 5002024-03-11T11:59:09Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Also 940 instruction set.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:BCC-500_1.jpg|300px|right|thumb|BCC 500]]<br />
<br />
The '''BCC 500''' was a computer made by the [[Berkeley Computer Corporation]]. When the company went bankrupt in 1971, the prototype was sold to University of Hawaii. After two years of refurbishment it was successfully deployed as an [[ARPANET]] host until 1980. It was also the hub of the [[ALOHA network]] which inspired [[Ethernet]].<br />
<br />
The computer consists of six independent [[microcode]]d processors, having a 24-bit word width, 18-bit addressing, and access to a shared memory. The microcode implements an [[instruction set]] with a 6-bit [[operation code|opcode]] and 18-bit [[address]] field, as well as a subset of the [[SDS 940|940]] instruction set. Two of the processors have expanded hardware capabilities and run user code. The other four are each responsible for implementing their own part of the [[operating system]]; part in microcode and part in macrocode.<br />
<br />
At BCC, an [[IBM System/360|IBM 360/30]] acted as a [[front end]], handling tape drives, card readers, and printers. This was replaced by a [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]]2100A at Hawaii. A [[PDP-11/10]] running [[ELF operating system|ELF]] connected to the [[ARPANET]].<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/bcc/ BCC] - documentation at [[Bitsavers]] <br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/Aloha_BCC-500/ Aloha BCC-500] - more<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/R-1_BCC500_DesignFeatures_Rev_Mar74.pdf Design Features of the BCC 500 CPU]<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/Aloha_BCC-500/pictures/hawaii_bcc500_block_diagram.jpg BCC500 block diagram]<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/Aloha_BCC-500/logbooks/Last_BCC500_HW_Log_Entry_19800229.pdf Last BCC500 Log Entry]<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/bits/UniversityOfHawaii/BCC-500/ Tape image "BCC 500 Proof Tape]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06a-BCC500Notes/06a-BCC500Notes.pdf Some Remarks on a Large New Time-Sharing System]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06-DynamicProtect/06-DynamicProtect.pdf Dynamic protection structures]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Mainframes]]<br />
[[Category: 24-bit Computers]]<br />
[[Category: Unique Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=BCC_500&diff=33875BCC 5002024-03-11T11:58:01Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Sold 1971, back online 1973.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:BCC-500_1.jpg|300px|right|thumb|BCC 500]]<br />
<br />
The '''BCC 500''' was a computer made by the [[Berkeley Computer Corporation]]. When the company went bankrupt in 1971, the prototype was sold to University of Hawaii. After two years of refurbishment it was successfully deployed as an [[ARPANET]] host until 1980. It was also the hub of the [[ALOHA network]] which inspired [[Ethernet]].<br />
<br />
The computer consists of six independent [[microcode]]d processors, having a 24-bit word width, 18-bit addressing, and access to a shared memory. The microcode implements an [[instruction set]] with a 6-bit [[operation code|opcode]] and 18-bit [[address]] field. Two of the processors have expanded hardware capabilities and run user code. The other four are each responsible for implementing their own part of the [[operating system]]; part in microcode and part in macrocode.<br />
<br />
At BCC, an [[IBM System/360|IBM 360/30]] acted as a [[front end]], handling tape drives, card readers, and printers. This was replaced by a [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]]2100A at Hawaii. A [[PDP-11/10]] running [[ELF operating system|ELF]] connected to the [[ARPANET]].<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/bcc/ BCC] - documentation at [[Bitsavers]] <br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/Aloha_BCC-500/ Aloha BCC-500] - more<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/R-1_BCC500_DesignFeatures_Rev_Mar74.pdf Design Features of the BCC 500 CPU]<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/Aloha_BCC-500/pictures/hawaii_bcc500_block_diagram.jpg BCC500 block diagram]<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/Aloha_BCC-500/logbooks/Last_BCC500_HW_Log_Entry_19800229.pdf Last BCC500 Log Entry]<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/bits/UniversityOfHawaii/BCC-500/ Tape image "BCC 500 Proof Tape]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06a-BCC500Notes/06a-BCC500Notes.pdf Some Remarks on a Large New Time-Sharing System]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06-DynamicProtect/06-DynamicProtect.pdf Dynamic protection structures]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Mainframes]]<br />
[[Category: 24-bit Computers]]<br />
[[Category: Unique Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=BCC_500&diff=33836BCC 5002024-03-08T09:05:03Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Front ends.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:BCC-500_1.jpg|300px|right|thumb|BCC 500]]<br />
<br />
The '''BCC 500''' was a computer made by the [[Berkeley Computer Corporation]]. When the company went bankrupt, the prototype went to Hawaii and was successfully deployed as an [[ARPANET]] host until 1980. It was also the hub of the [[ALOHA network]] which inspired [[Ethernet]].<br />
<br />
The computer consists of six independent microcoded processors, having a 24-bit word width, 18-bit addressing, and access to a shared memory. The microcode implements a machine code with a 6-bit opcode and 18-bit address field. Two of the processors have expanded hardware capabilities and run user code. The other four are each responsible for implementing their own part of the operating system; part in microcode and part in macrocode.<br />
<br />
At BCC, an [[IBM_System/360|IBM 360/30]] acted as a front end, handling tape drives, card readers, and printers. This was replaced by a [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]]2100A at Hawaii. A [[PDP-11/10]] running [[ELF]] connected to [[ARPANET]].<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/bcc/ BCC] - documentation at [[Bitsavers]] <br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/ University of Hawaii] - more<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/R-1_BCC500_DesignFeatures_Rev_Mar74.pdf Design Features of the BCC 500 CPU]<br />
* [http://bitsavers.org/bits/UniversityOfHawaii/BCC-500/ Tape image "BCC 500 Proof Tape]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06a-BCC500Notes/06a-BCC500Notes.pdf Some Remarks on a Large New Time-Sharing System]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06-DynamicProtect/06-DynamicProtect.pdf Dynamic protection structures]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Mainframes]]<br />
[[Category: 24-bit Computers]]<br />
[[Category: Unique Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=BCC_500&diff=33835BCC 5002024-03-08T08:46:09Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* External links */ 1979 tape from U Hawaii.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:BCC-500_1.jpg|300px|right|thumb|BCC 500]]<br />
<br />
The '''BCC 500''' was a computer made by the [[Berkeley Computer Corporation]]. When the company went bankrupt, the prototype went to Hawaii and was successfully deployed as an [[ARPANET]] host until 1980. It was also the hub of the [[ALOHA network]] which inspired [[Ethernet]].<br />
<br />
The computer consists of six independent microcoded processors, having a 24-bit word width, 18-bit addressing, and access to a shared memory. The microcode implements a machine code with a 6-bit opcode and 18-bit address field. Two of the processors have expanded hardware capabilities and run user code. The other four are each responsible for implementing their own part of the operating system; part in microcode and part in macrocode.<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/bcc/ BCC] - documentation at [[Bitsavers]] <br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/ University of Hawaii] - more<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/R-1_BCC500_DesignFeatures_Rev_Mar74.pdf Design Features of the BCC 500 CPU]<br />
* [http://bitsavers.org/bits/UniversityOfHawaii/BCC-500/ Tape image "BCC 500 Proof Tape]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06a-BCC500Notes/06a-BCC500Notes.pdf Some Remarks on a Large New Time-Sharing System]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06-DynamicProtect/06-DynamicProtect.pdf Dynamic protection structures]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Mainframes]]<br />
[[Category: 24-bit Computers]]<br />
[[Category: Unique Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=BCC_500&diff=33829BCC 5002024-03-07T17:01:18Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Last page of log book posted to Bitsavers; it's from February 1980.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:BCC-500_1.jpg|300px|right|thumb|BCC 500]]<br />
<br />
The '''BCC 500''' was a computer made by the [[Berkeley Computer Corporation]]. When the company went bankrupt, the prototype went to Hawaii and was successfully deployed as an [[ARPANET]] host until 1980. It was also the hub of the [[ALOHA network]] which inspired [[Ethernet]].<br />
<br />
The computer consists of six independent microcoded processors, having a 24-bit word width, 18-bit addressing, and access to a shared memory. The microcode implements a machine code with a 6-bit opcode and 18-bit address field. Two of the processors have expanded hardware capabilities and run user code. The other four are each responsible for implementing their own part of the operating system; part in microcode and part in macrocode.<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/bcc/ BCC] - documentation at [[Bitsavers]] <br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/ University of Hawaii] - more<br />
** [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/univOfHawaii/R-1_BCC500_DesignFeatures_Rev_Mar74.pdf Design Features of the BCC 500 CPU]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06a-BCC500Notes/06a-BCC500Notes.pdf Some Remarks on a Large New Time-Sharing System]<br />
* [http://bwlampson.site/06-DynamicProtect/06-DynamicProtect.pdf Dynamic protection structures]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Mainframes]]<br />
[[Category: 24-bit Computers]]<br />
[[Category: Unique Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:KS11_Memory_Protection_and_Relocation_option&diff=33818Talk:KS11 Memory Protection and Relocation option2024-03-05T06:12:08Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* And from Bob Supnik */ Binary form of emulation found.</p>
<hr />
<div>==Ken Thompson's memory of it==<br />
<br />
Ken was nice enough to respond to a query asking for help from old-timers; here is his brief reply:<br />
<br />
: i did all the programming for it.<br />
: it was based on the pdp-10 memory map. it had 2 pages growing toward each other and some horse crap to let the har[d]ware multiply unit shine through.<br />
: sorry, i dont remember too many details.<br />
which, alas, does not really add much to what little we know. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 04:16, 17 May 2023 (CEST)<br />
<br />
== And from Bob Supnik ==<br />
<br />
Bob's reply to my query:<br />
<br />
: The KS11 created a PDP-10 (KA) style memory management system for the 11/20: that is, high-segment (instructions, in theory, and shareable, in theory) and low-segment (data). It did create a user vs monitor mode. It [did] support memory expansion, although that may have required a separate option, the MX11. It did not, IIRC, do IO mapping (IO scatter/gather). Because the high and low segments were physically contiguous, scatter/gather wasn't needed, only a "simple" relocation and bounds check on DMA transfers.<br />
<br />
: The high/low segmentation wasn't automatic; that is, it didn't function like I/D space in official memory management. Rather, the software writer had to organize a program into two .psects - a "pure" instruction segment and an "impure" data segment. The stack was always impure; the 11/20 didn't have the MARK instruction to screw that up.<br />
<br />
So still some important open questions, but this adds a bit more. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 04:41, 17 May 2023 (CEST)<br />
<br />
: Maybe we should talk to Supnik again. I believe this is part of his MIMIC simulator. https://github.com/TYMCOM-X/169283.tape/blob/f58dedd26328b5c0ba3fd2a76f722194df41d933/oper/ks11s#L67-L85 [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 08:58, 29 February 2024 (CET)<br />
: Another file has the KS11 register set: https://github.com/TYMCOM-X/169283.tape/blob/f58dedd26328b5c0ba3fd2a76f722194df41d933/oper/ks11dd#L84-L91 [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 09:02, 29 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
:: Given how long ago he wrote that code (it's in PDP-10 assembler, so it long pre-dates SIMH), I'm not sure he will remember much more than he has already given us.<br />
:: Much more fruitful would be to find all the code of that simulator, and examine it - if the code to simulate the KS11 wasn't diked, it should be possible to re-create a programming manual for the KS11 from it. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 09:33, 29 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
::: A binary file KS11LB.REL has been found, which presumably is a PDP-11 emulator with support for the KS11. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 07:11, 5 March 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
== And my axe ==<br />
<br />
Clem Cole wrote me:<br />
: One of my old friends from DEC that worked in CSS, validated our belief that KS11 is supposed to have been modeled after the KA10 MMU.<br />
and<br />
: we only have some information from UNIX2 and 3 when run on an 11/20 with a KS11 - what we don't know is how much physical memory was installed. We know it worked as a bus repeater, so it's possible it could have supported 18 bits of Unibus.<br />
[[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 17:56, 8 June 2023<br />
<br />
: Alas, no kernel source from V2 or V3 is still extant, AFAIK. Pity; that would let us reconstruct the KS11 a bit (like the [[ANTS/ISI IMP Interface]], which was re-constructed from the ELF driver). Maybe the newly-located PDP-11 simulator for the PDP-10 (above), found in TYMCOM-X material, might do the same? [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 09:33, 29 February 2024 (CET)</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=MIMIC&diff=33782MIMIC2024-03-01T09:58:09Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: More authors, and GitHub link.</p>
<hr />
<div>'''MIMIC''' is a suite of emulators running on a [[PDP-10]], written at Applied Data by [[Robert M. Supnik|Bob Supnik]], Len Fehskens, and Mike McCarthy. Targets included [[PDP-8]], [[PDP-11]], [[PDP-15]], [[Nova]], and [[GRI-909]].<br />
<br />
MIMIC is a spiritual predecessor to [[SIMH]].<br />
<br />
{{stub}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/MIMIC Repository of MIMIC files on GitHub]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=MIMIC&diff=33754MIMIC2024-02-29T11:21:28Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Stub.</p>
<hr />
<div>'''MIMIC''' is a suite of emulators running on a [[PDP-10]], written by [[Robert M. Supnik|Bob Supnik]] et al. Targets included [[PDP-8]], [[PDP-11]], [[PDP-15]], [[Nova]], and [[GRI-909]].<br />
<br />
MIMIC is a spiritual predecessor to [[SIMH]].<br />
<br />
{{stub}}</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=KS11_Memory_Protection_and_Relocation_option&diff=33753KS11 Memory Protection and Relocation option2024-02-29T11:17:23Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Some information from MIMIC.</p>
<hr />
<div>The '''KS11 Memory Protection and Relocation option''' was a [[UNIBUS]] option which was apparently [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]'s first attempt at an add-on to provide [[memory management]] for the [[PDP-11/20]]. (Starting with the next [[PDP-11]] model, the [[PDP-11/45]], memory management was standard, so the KS11 became obsolete.) It was almost certainly produced by DEC's Computer Special Systems group.<br />
<br />
All documentation on the KS11 has been lost, so other than the name (below), and an amusing story (ditto), almost nothing is known of it for certain. (The story does reveal that [[Bell Laboratories]]' KS11 must have been one of the first ones built; certainly the first one used with a [[KE11-A Extended Arithmetic Element|KE11-A]].) A very early [[assembly language]] version of [[UNIX]], probably [[UNIX Second Edition]] ([[UNIX Third Edition]] had apparently already moved on to the -11/45) used it, but unfortunately that version has been completely lost, otherwise it would be possible to work out from inspecting the [[source code]] much of how the KS11 worked.<br />
<br />
From the story of the implementation error on handling the KE11-A (an ordinary UNIBUS device, in implementation), the KS11 was apparently not part of the [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]], but a UNIBUS active repeater, placed in the UNIBUS between the CPU, and the [[main memory]] and [[peripheral|devices]] on the rest of the the UNIBUS (in the same manner as the [[KT11-B Paging Option]]).<br />
<br />
In addition, several other things about the KS11 can be deduced from what little we do know. The name indicates that it proved both ''protection'' (i.e. it limited the bus [[address]]es to which the [[user]] could reference), and also ''relocation'' (i.e. the [[address space]] visible to the user was not just main memory, as visible to the CPU, but could be moved elsewhere in main memory).<br />
<br />
It is not known whether the KS11 also allowed use of more than 56KB of main memory, the capacity of an ordinary -11/20, by mapping part of the UNIBUS address space which the -11/20 CPU ''can'' see (i.e. in the 0-56KB range) up to higher addresses, where 'extra' memory is configured. Such a capability would have been trivial to add to something with the KS11's known capabilities, but some one-time users think use of an [[MX11-A Memory Extension Control|MX11]] might have been needed to add extra main memory.<br />
<br />
From memories of several people who worked with the KS11, apparently it did what the [[KA10]] MMU did, i.e. divide the user's address space into two [[segment]]s, which could be managed independently. The two segments apparently grew towards each other, in the address space, but were stored contiguously in main memory. In addition to mapping addresses around, the KS11 also definitely limited user access to so-called [[UNIBUS|I/O page]] addresses.<br />
<br />
It also reportedly supported some sort of user/kernel mode distinction, which might have require a tie-in to the CPU. But not necessarily; if there was a [[flip-flop]] in the KS11 which stored the 'CPU mode' bit, it might be automatically cleared (if being set meant 'in user mode') on all [[interrupt]]s (which can be seen on the UNIBUS). It is not clear how such a thing would have handled [[trap]]s, though (for that, the KT11-B used a link to the [[KA11 CPU]], to which minor changes were made). The 'Option and Module List' indicates that the KS11 was only for the -11/20, which might indicate it did have such a tie-in.<br />
<br />
==Hardware registers==<br />
<br />
From definitions in [[MIMIC]], we gather the KS11 had eight 16-bit registers.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Name || Description<br />
|-<br />
| KSS || Status<br />
|-<br />
| KSPL || Low segment protection<br />
|-<br />
| KSRL || Low segment relocation<br />
|-<br />
| KSPH || High segment protection<br />
|-<br />
| KSRH || High segment relocation<br />
|-<br />
| KSPC || PC save<br />
|-<br />
| KSAD || Relocation window address<br />
|-<br />
| KSRW || Relocation window<br />
|}<br />
<br />
A "protection block" is 64 bytes. The "high segment" begins at address 100000 (octal).<br />
<br />
In the protection registers, bit 0 means "write protect". Bit 1 in KSPL means "user trap select".<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[MX11-A Memory Extension Control]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/odd.html Odd Comments and Strange Doings in Unix] - contains a story about an amusing KS11 bug (Section "A hardware story")<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/modules/modulesAndOptions/Options_and_Modules_List_197503.pdf Option and Module List] - listed here, as "Mem Protect & Relocate"<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-11 UNIBUS Processors]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:KS11_Memory_Protection_and_Relocation_option&diff=33748Talk:KS11 Memory Protection and Relocation option2024-02-29T08:03:06Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* And from Bob Supnik */ KS11 hardware registers.</p>
<hr />
<div>==Ken Thompson's memory of it==<br />
<br />
Ken was nice enough to respond to a query asking for help from old-timers; here is his brief reply:<br />
<br />
: i did all the programming for it.<br />
: it was based on the pdp-10 memory map. it had 2 pages growing toward each other and some horse crap to let the har[d]ware multiply unit shine through.<br />
: sorry, i dont remember too many details.<br />
which, alas, does not really add much to what little we know. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 04:16, 17 May 2023 (CEST)<br />
<br />
== And from Bob Supnik ==<br />
<br />
Bob's reply to my query:<br />
<br />
: The KS11 created a PDP-10 (KA) style memory management system for the 11/20: that is, high-segment (instructions, in theory, and shareable, in theory) and low-segment (data). It did create a user vs monitor mode. It [did] support memory expansion, although that may have required a separate option, the MX11. It did not, IIRC, do IO mapping (IO scatter/gather). Because the high and low segments were physically contiguous, scatter/gather wasn't needed, only a "simple" relocation and bounds check on DMA transfers.<br />
<br />
: The high/low segmentation wasn't automatic; that is, it didn't function like I/D space in official memory management. Rather, the software writer had to organize a program into two .psects - a "pure" instruction segment and an "impure" data segment. The stack was always impure; the 11/20 didn't have the MARK instruction to screw that up.<br />
<br />
So still some important open questions, but this adds a bit more. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 04:41, 17 May 2023 (CEST)<br />
<br />
: Maybe we should talk to Supnik again. I believe this is part of his MIMIC simulator. https://github.com/TYMCOM-X/169283.tape/blob/f58dedd26328b5c0ba3fd2a76f722194df41d933/oper/ks11s#L67-L85 [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 08:58, 29 February 2024 (CET)<br />
: Another file has the KS11 register set: https://github.com/TYMCOM-X/169283.tape/blob/f58dedd26328b5c0ba3fd2a76f722194df41d933/oper/ks11dd#L84-L91 [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 09:02, 29 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
== And my axe ==<br />
<br />
Clem Cole wrote me:<br />
: One of my old friends from DEC that worked in CSS, validated our belief that KS11 is supposed to have been modeled after the KA10 MMU.<br />
and<br />
: we only have some information from UNIX2 and 3 when run on an 11/20 with a KS11 - what we don't know is how much physical memory was installed. We know it worked as a bus repeater, so it's possible it could have supported 18 bits of Unibus.</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:KS11_Memory_Protection_and_Relocation_option&diff=33747Talk:KS11 Memory Protection and Relocation option2024-02-29T07:58:20Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* And from Bob Supnik */ KS11 simulation in MIMIC?</p>
<hr />
<div>==Ken Thompson's memory of it==<br />
<br />
Ken was nice enough to respond to a query asking for help from old-timers; here is his brief reply:<br />
<br />
: i did all the programming for it.<br />
: it was based on the pdp-10 memory map. it had 2 pages growing toward each other and some horse crap to let the har[d]ware multiply unit shine through.<br />
: sorry, i dont remember too many details.<br />
which, alas, does not really add much to what little we know. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 04:16, 17 May 2023 (CEST)<br />
<br />
== And from Bob Supnik ==<br />
<br />
Bob's reply to my query:<br />
<br />
: The KS11 created a PDP-10 (KA) style memory management system for the 11/20: that is, high-segment (instructions, in theory, and shareable, in theory) and low-segment (data). It did create a user vs monitor mode. It [did] support memory expansion, although that may have required a separate option, the MX11. It did not, IIRC, do IO mapping (IO scatter/gather). Because the high and low segments were physically contiguous, scatter/gather wasn't needed, only a "simple" relocation and bounds check on DMA transfers.<br />
<br />
: The high/low segmentation wasn't automatic; that is, it didn't function like I/D space in official memory management. Rather, the software writer had to organize a program into two .psects - a "pure" instruction segment and an "impure" data segment. The stack was always impure; the 11/20 didn't have the MARK instruction to screw that up.<br />
<br />
So still some important open questions, but this adds a bit more. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 04:41, 17 May 2023 (CEST)<br />
<br />
: Maybe we should talk to Supnik again. I believe this is part of his MIMIC simulator. https://github.com/TYMCOM-X/169283.tape/blob/f58dedd26328b5c0ba3fd2a76f722194df41d933/oper/ks11s#L67-L85 [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 08:58, 29 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
== And my axe ==<br />
<br />
Clem Cole wrote me:<br />
: One of my old friends from DEC that worked in CSS, validated our belief that KS11 is supposed to have been modeled after the KA10 MMU.<br />
and<br />
: we only have some information from UNIX2 and 3 when run on an 11/20 with a KS11 - what we don't know is how much physical memory was installed. We know it worked as a bus repeater, so it's possible it could have supported 18 bits of Unibus.</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Stevens_tubes&diff=33738Stevens tubes2024-02-28T15:25:16Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: A series of tubes.</p>
<hr />
<div>#Redirect [[Internet]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Braun_tube&diff=33737Braun tube2024-02-28T15:23:07Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Another name associated with tubes.</p>
<hr />
<div>#Redirect [[Cathode ray tube]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33735List of Computers2024-02-28T08:02:01Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1960s */ Some SDS machines.</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1952 - [[LEO]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
* 1956 - [[TX-0]]<br />
* 1958 - [[TX-2]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]], [[Scientific Data Systems|SDS]] 910 and 920<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]], [[SDS 930]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]], [[SDS 940]]<br />
* 1967 - [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1968 - [[PDP-10]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]], [[Macintosh]]<br />
* 1985 - [[Atari 520ST]], [[Amiga]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Bolt,_Beranek,_and_Newman&diff=33734Bolt, Beranek, and Newman2024-02-28T06:33:54Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Computers */ Add BitGraph, although perhaps not quite a real computer.</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Bolt, Beranek, and Newman''' (usually referred to as '''BBN''') is a research organization, primarily operating out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. (It was purchased by Raytheon in 2009.)<br />
<br />
Started in 1948 to do consulting in acoustics, it broadened its focus to include computers after [[J. C. R. Licklider]] joined BBN in the Spring of 1957. A [[Royal McBee LGP-30]] computer, originally ordered by [[Ed Fredkin]] personally, before BBN hired him, was purchased in 1958. It was followed by the first [[PDP-1]] produced by [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] in 1960; its acquisition allowed BBN to hire [[John McCarthy]] and [[Marvin Minsky]].<br />
<br />
BBN eventually built the [[BBN Pager]] for the [[KA10]], and produced the [[TENEX]] [[operating system]] for the PDP-10, to support its other computer research.<br />
<br />
BBN got into [[data network]]ing after it won the contract to build the [[Interface Message Processor|IMP]] for [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration|ARPA]]'s [[ARPANET]], in 1968. When DARPA (as it had become) then tuned its attention to interconnecting heterogeneous networks, BBN was tasked with producing the first [[internetwork]] [[router]] (although that term did not then exist); BBN's routers formed the backbone of the [[Internet]] for many years.<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
==Computers==<br />
<br />
BBN designed several computers in-house:<br />
<br />
* Pluribus - multiprocessor packet switch<br />
* MBB - microprogrammable building block<br />
* C/30 - IMP built on the MBB<br />
* C/70 - Unix minicomputer built on the MBB<br />
* [[BBN Jericho workstation|Jericho]] - [[LISP|Lisp]] and [[Pascal]] workstation<br />
* Butterfly - multiprocessor<br />
* BitGraph - [[Motorola MC68000|68000]] based graphics terminal<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[BBN LISP]]<br />
* [[Telenet]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/bbn/ BBN] - BBN material at [[Bitsavers]]<br />
* [https://www.walden-family.com/bbn/ Website for the book A Culture of Innovation] - contains ''many'' links to interesting material<br />
** [http://walden-family.com/bbn/bbn-print2.pdf A Culture of Innovation: Insider Accounts of Computing and Life at BBN]<br />
* [https://www.freaktakes.com/p/the-third-university-of-cambridge “The Third University of Cambridge”: BBN and the Development of the ARPAnet]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Research Organizations]]<br />
[[Category: PDP-10 Users]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=BBN_Jericho_workstation&diff=33733BBN Jericho workstation2024-02-28T06:32:08Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Stub to resolve two dangling links.</p>
<hr />
<div>The '''BBN Jericho''' was a 32-bit workstation designed in-house at [[Bolt, Beranek, and Newman|BBN]]. Supported programming languages were mainly [[INTERLISP|Interlisp]] and [[Pascal]].<br />
<br />
{{stub}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA203845.pdf Research in Distributed Personal Computer-Based Information Systems]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Bolt,_Beranek,_and_Newman&diff=33732Bolt, Beranek, and Newman2024-02-28T06:23:17Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: List some computers made at BBN.</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Bolt, Beranek, and Newman''' (usually referred to as '''BBN''') is a research organization, primarily operating out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. (It was purchased by Raytheon in 2009.)<br />
<br />
Started in 1948 to do consulting in acoustics, it broadened its focus to include computers after [[J. C. R. Licklider]] joined BBN in the Spring of 1957. A [[Royal McBee LGP-30]] computer, originally ordered by [[Ed Fredkin]] personally, before BBN hired him, was purchased in 1958. It was followed by the first [[PDP-1]] produced by [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] in 1960; its acquisition allowed BBN to hire [[John McCarthy]] and [[Marvin Minsky]].<br />
<br />
BBN eventually built the [[BBN Pager]] for the [[KA10]], and produced the [[TENEX]] [[operating system]] for the PDP-10, to support its other computer research.<br />
<br />
BBN got into [[data network]]ing after it won the contract to build the [[Interface Message Processor|IMP]] for [[Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration|ARPA]]'s [[ARPANET]], in 1968. When DARPA (as it had become) then tuned its attention to interconnecting heterogeneous networks, BBN was tasked with producing the first [[internetwork]] [[router]] (although that term did not then exist); BBN's routers formed the backbone of the [[Internet]] for many years.<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
==Computers==<br />
<br />
BBN designed several computers in-house:<br />
<br />
* Pluribus - multiprocessor packet switch<br />
* MBB - microprogrammable building block<br />
* C/30 - IMP built on the MBB<br />
* C/70 - Unix minicomputer built on the MBB<br />
* [[BBN Jericho workstation|Jericho]] - [[LISP|Lisp]] and [[Pascal]] workstation<br />
* Butterfly - multiprocessor<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[BBN LISP]]<br />
* [[Telenet]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/bbn/ BBN] - BBN material at [[Bitsavers]]<br />
* [https://www.walden-family.com/bbn/ Website for the book A Culture of Innovation] - contains ''many'' links to interesting material<br />
** [http://walden-family.com/bbn/bbn-print2.pdf A Culture of Innovation: Insider Accounts of Computing and Life at BBN]<br />
* [https://www.freaktakes.com/p/the-third-university-of-cambridge “The Third University of Cambridge”: BBN and the Development of the ARPAnet]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Research Organizations]]<br />
[[Category: PDP-10 Users]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=TX-2&diff=33731TX-22024-02-28T05:54:52Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* External links */ Simulation project.</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:TX-2 module top.jpg|250px|thumb|right|TX-2 plug-in module]]<br />
<br />
The '''TX-2''' was an early [[transistor]] computer; it was a follow-on to the ground-breaking [[TX-0]] at the [[MIT]] [[Lincoln Laboratory]].<br />
<br />
The TX-2's [[magnetic tape]] [[mass storage]] system, created by Tom Stockebrand, used 1/2" tape, but was block addressable, unlike most magnetic tape systems, which could only write sequentially. He later moved to the [[LINC]] project, along with several other TX-2 alumni, where he helped create the descendant [[LINC tape]] system; he then moved to [[DEC]], where he helped create [[DECtape]], very similar to LINCtape.<br />
<br />
Beginning in 1964 a [[timesharing]] system called [[APEX]] was put together on the TX-2 computer at Lincoln Lab under the guidance of Larry Roberts using a small number of consoles with graphics capability.<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
<br />
* Severo M. Ornstein, [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2019/03/102785079-05-01-acc.pdf ''Computing in the Middle Ages: A View From the Trenches 1955-1983''] (AuthorHouse, 2002) - Some background about the end of the construction of the TX-2<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [http://bitsavers.org/pdf/mit/tx-2/ Bitsavers TX-2 documents]<br />
* C. Gordon Bell, Gerald Butler, Robert Gray, John E. Mcnamara, Donald Vonada, and Ronald Wilson, [http://gordonbell.azurewebsites.net/Computer_Engineering/00000149.htm The PDP-1 and Other 18-Bit Computers], in C. Gordon Bell, J. Craig Mudge, John. E. McNamara, ''Computer Engineering: A DEC View of Hardware Systems Design'', Digital Press, Bedford, 1978<br />
* [https://www.digibarn.com/stories/linc/documents/LINC-Personal-Workstation/LINC-Personal-Workstation.pdf The LINC Was Early and Small] - lengthy personal memoir by Wesley Clark; it also mentions the TX-2<br />
* [https://web.stanford.edu/~learnest/nets/timesharing.htm Who invented Timesharing]<br />
* [https://tx-2.github.io/ TX-2 simulation project]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Mainframes]]<br />
[[Category: 36-bit Computers]]<br />
[[Category: Unique Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33710List of Computers2024-02-27T14:11:57Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1960s */</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1952 - [[LEO]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
* 1956 - [[TX-0]]<br />
* 1958 - [[TX-2]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1968 - [[PDP-10]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]], [[Macintosh]]<br />
* 1985 - [[Atari 520ST]], [[Amiga]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33709List of Computers2024-02-27T14:11:37Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1960s */ 1968 seems more honest for the PDP-10.</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1952 - [[LEO]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
* 1956 - [[TX-0]]<br />
* 1958 - [[TX-2]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1968 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]], [[Macintosh]]<br />
* 1985 - [[Atari 520ST]], [[Amiga]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33708List of Computers2024-02-27T13:06:23Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1950s */ The dynamic TX duo.</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1952 - [[LEO]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
* 1956 - [[TX-0]]<br />
* 1958 - [[TX-2]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]], [[Macintosh]]<br />
* 1985 - [[Atari 520ST]], [[Amiga]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Frame_buffer&diff=33702Frame buffer2024-02-27T11:48:42Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Tweaks.</p>
<hr />
<div>A '''frame buffer''' is a [[digital]] [[hardware]] device which implements a [[memory]]&mdash;separate from the main memory&mdash;dedicated to a [[raster]] [[graphics]] [[display]], and possibly some off-screen graphics. A few [[Bit-mapped display|very early experiments]] used [[core memory]] or [[Disk|magnetic disk]] storage, but decent [[resolution]] graphics only became practial with semiconductor [[RAM]].<br />
<br />
{{stub}}<br />
<br />
[[Category: Device Basics]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Frame_buffer&diff=33701Frame buffer2024-02-27T11:47:32Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Better cat.</p>
<hr />
<div>A '''frame buffer''' is a [[digital]] hardware device which implements a [[memory]] &mdash; separate from the main memory &mdash; dedicated to a [[raster]] [[graphics]] [[display]], and possibly some off-screen graphics. A few [[Bit-mapped display|very early experiments]] used [[core memory]] or [[Disk|magnetic disk]] storage, but decent [[resolution]] graphics only became feasible with semiconductor [[RAM]].<br />
<br />
{{stub}}<br />
<br />
[[Category: Device Basics]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Bit-mapped_display&diff=33687Bit-mapped display2024-02-27T07:10:59Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* External links */ Noll article.</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Bit-mapped displays''' are the current standard for output in [[user interface]]s to computers, particularly when using a [[graphical user interface]]. They provide a screen which can display images or text, and is the main output to the [[user]].<br />
<br />
The [[video display]] has an [[array]] of [[pixel]]s, each one of which can be independently set - in most contemporary units, to a color value defined by three 8-[[bit]] intensity values, one for each primary colour (red, green and blue).<br />
<br />
Originally, before [[semiconductor]] [[Random Access Memory|RAM]] prices fell, bit-mapped dislays provided fewer bits per pixel; originally only one bit per pixel. (Some low-end or low-power displays still provide only this.) At an intermediate stage, an 8-bit value for each pixel was used: either for a grey-scale; or for a limited number of colours. (I.e. only 256 distinct colours could be in use at any time, although each colour could be selected arbitrarily, and mapped into three 8-bit values, as above.)<br />
<br />
The resolution depends in part on the physical size of the screen; and in the early stages, also on RAM cost. Some early displays were as little as 320×200; later on, 1024x768 pixels was widespread, and then 1280x1024. As the screen [[aspect ratio]] of [[high-definition television]] has become common, resolutions such as 1280×720 and 1920×1080 have become more common.<br />
<br />
To provide the ability to draw things at high speed, thereby fully utilizing the capabilities of the display, they are usually directly connected to the computer's main [[bus]], with the display memory directly visible to the [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]] as [[main memory]]. Due to the intimate relationship with the rest of the system, they are usually found on [[personal computer]]s.<br />
<br />
The original bit-mapped displays were an evolution of [[video terminal]]s; once RAM prices fell low enough, the ability to display graphics, etc, instead of just characters, made the step forward inevitable.<br />
<br />
===Early Examples===<br />
<br />
{|<br />
| '''Date''' || '''Name''' || '''Location''' || '''Principal Designer''' || '''Resolution'''<br />
|-<br />
| 1967 (prototype) || [[PLATO]] IV plasma display || University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign || Bitzer, Slottow, et al || 512x512<br />
|-<br />
| Late 1960s || || [[Bell Laboratories]] || A. Michael Noll || 240x255<br />
|-<br />
| 1971 || [[Data Disc]] || [[Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|Stanford AI Lab]] || || 512x480<br />
|-<br />
| 1972 || GEM || Yale University || Peter Weiner et al || 576x454<br />
|-<br />
| 1973 || [[Xerox Alto]] || [[Xerox PARC]] || Chuck Thacker || 606x808<br />
|-<br />
| 1973 || [[Knight TV system|Knight TV]] || [[MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|MIT AI Lab]] || Tom Knight || 576x454<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/362566.362567 "Scanned-Display Computer Graphics"], by A. Michael Noll<br />
* [[MIT]] Knight TV videos:<br />
** [http://projects.csail.mit.edu/video/history/aifilms/x05-graphics.mp4 GRAPHICS bkph]<br />
** [https://www.media.mit.edu/videos/144-lisp-logo-demonstration-henry-liberman/ LISP LOGO Demonstration]<br />
* [[Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|SAIL]] Data Disc video:<br />
** https://archive.org/details/cst_000027 <br />
<br />
[[Category: Device Basics]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Frame_buffer&diff=33686Frame buffer2024-02-27T06:57:03Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: More text.</p>
<hr />
<div>A '''frame buffer''' is a [[digital]] hardware device which implements a [[memory]] &mdash; separate from the main memory &mdash; dedicated to a [[raster]] [[graphics]] [[display]], and possibly some off-screen graphics. A few [[Bit-mapped display|very early experiments]] used [[core memory]] or [[Disk|magnetic disk]] storage, but decent [[resolution]] graphics only became feasible with semiconductor [[RAM]].<br />
<br />
{{stub}}<br />
<br />
[[Category: Basics]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Olivetti_M700-10&diff=33685Olivetti M700-102024-02-27T06:51:40Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Video */ Link to frame buffer.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Machine<br />
| name = Olivetti M700-10<br />
| manufacturer = [[Olivetti]]<br />
| image = Olivetti-m700-10.jpg<br />
| caption = Olivetti M700-10<br />
| year introduced = 1992<br />
| cpu = [[MIPS R4000]]<br />
| clock speed = 50 MHz (100MHz internally)<br />
| form factor = Desktop PC<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The '''Olivetti M700-10''' is another [[MIPS R4000]]-based board based on the Microsoft in-house [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_(computer) JAZZ] board.<br />
It is very similar to the [[MIPS Magnum]] with only minor differences, possibly only the sound controller. <br />
It's also possible that only the Magnum has the option to run in big endian as well as little endian mode. The M700-10 definitely supports little endian mode but big endian mode is TBC. Big endian mode is necessary for running [[RiscOS]] and the necessary firmware may have been MIPS proprietary and unavailable for the 700-10.<br />
<br />
== Hardware ==<br />
<br />
=== Processor ===<br />
* [[MIPS R4000]] CPU, 16KB of primary cache, and a clock speed of 50MHz, internally doubled to 100MHz.<br />
* EISA bus<br />
<br />
=== SCSI ===<br />
* NCR 53C90-based chipset for SCSI (the Magnum is supposed to have the same chipset)<br />
<br />
=== Ethernet ===<br />
* SONIC chipset, AUI connector<br />
<br />
=== Video ===<br />
* Inmos [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G364_framebuffer G364] [[frame buffer]]<br />
<br />
=== Other interfaces ===<br />
* RS-232 serial port (9-pin), IBM-compatible parallel port.<br />
* Audio<br />
* PS/2 keyboard<br />
* PS/2 mouse<br />
<br />
== Operating systems ==<br />
* [[Windows NT]]<br />
<br />
Could also run Linux/MIPS, and probably NetBSD at least.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Workstations]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=VT36_Color_Graphics_Display_Control_System&diff=33684VT36 Color Graphics Display Control System2024-02-27T06:51:10Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Organization */ Link to frame buffer.</p>
<hr />
<div>The '''VT36 Color Graphics Display Control System''' is based on the [[VSV11 Graphic System]] enhanced by a dedicated [[PDP-11]] processor and a special high level Picture Definition Language. The full featured variant of the VT36 incorporates the [[VRV02 19" RGB Color Monitor]] and the [[H3060 Joystick]].<br />
<br />
== VT36 Info Brochure == <br />
<br />
An intelligent, multiple display control system for PDP-11 and [[VAX]] computers.<br />
<br />
The VT36 from Digital Equipment is a new approach to color display systems. Developed as a complete hardware and software package, the VT36 supersedes conventional display systems by performing all picture display tasks internally, leaving the user free to concentrate on the application. The powerful software of the VT36 also performs dynamic picture update - displaying changes in the process the user is monitoring as they occur. Being microprocessor-based, the VT36 minimises the processing load on the host computer. Up to four VT36s can, therefore, be configured on one host PDP-11 or VAX, and one VT36 can itself support up to four independent display stations (video controller and display monitor)."<br />
<br />
=== Intelligent, stand-alone subsystem ===<br />
<br />
The VT36 is a microprocessor-controlled sub-system which performs the display functions many color display systems leave to the host computer. Only high level communications are needed from the host, so the VT36 significantly reduces the load on the host CPU, freeing it for other processing.<br />
<br />
A VT36 has memory space for up to eight different pictures. A picture can be built up, edited and stored on the VT36’s mass storage device (available as an option) without involving the host processor. Pictures can also be stored on host mass storage for subsequent retrieval.<br />
<br />
=== Full color ===<br />
<br />
Displaying data in color makes it easier for operators to absorb facts, recognize their significance and, hence, react quickly. The VT36 implements these benefits by displaying data in up to 16 discrete colors. A color monitor is available from Digital, for use with the VT36.<br />
<br />
=== Mimics and graphics ===<br />
<br />
The VT36 enables the user to represent data in pictorial forms, such as mimic displays and graphics. This maximizes the amount of data which can be communicated without the risks of ambiguity and misinterpretation.<br />
<br />
The VT36 can provide vector graphics facilities, enabling the user to create highly complex pictures. 512X256 point resolution is standard; 512X512 resolution can be provided as an option. For mimics and semi-graphics, standard ASCII characters (upper/lower case alphabet, numerics, etc) and graphics symbols (triangles, squares, etc) are provided. These can be displayed on a 6X6, 8X6, 8X8 or 6X8 dot matrix. Alternatively, users can define their own characters and display them on a matrix of any size.<br />
<br />
=== Easy picture construction ===<br />
<br />
The VT36 software package is designed to enable the user to build up and edit pictures quickly and easily - both on-line and off-line. Typically, a user will draw, on squared paper, the picture to be created. The coordinates are then keyed in from the drawing, with simple commands from the VT36<br />
high level '''Picture Definition Language'''; for example:<br />
<br />
<code>LINE 30, 10, BLUE</code><br />
<br />
causes a blue line to be drawn from the current coordinate position to coordinates 30 and 10 on the X and Y axes.<br />
<br />
A library of symbols and characters can be built up, and then incorporated into pictures at any position simply by inputting the symbol number and the starting coordinates.<br />
<br />
On-line picture creation and modifications to existing pictures can be performed, through use of the VT36 keyboard, which has special keys for performing graphics functions, and the VT36 rate-type joystick.<br />
<br />
=== Dynamic picture update ===<br />
<br />
With the VT36, changes in the user’s data base can be communicated to the appropriate display screens as they occur. This is achieved with a very simple software interface between the user’s system and the component of the VT36 system software which resides in the host computer.<br />
<br />
The user’s applications software simply sends a message to the host component of the VT36 system software which down-line loads it to<br />
any remote VT36 system displaying that variable. The message is then decoded and the appropriate changes made immediately, at the display stations showing the picture. As the VT36is an intelligent device, this process is performed automatically, without the intervention of the user.<br />
<br />
=== Field-proven technology ===<br />
<br />
The VT36 architecture is based on proven technology in the color graphics market. The system is fully supported and maintained by Digital on a world-wide basis.<br />
<br />
=== Applications ===<br />
<br />
By combining a powerful 16-bit microprocessor, dedicated to the control of the display, with sophisticated graphics software, the VT36 maximizes the speed and accuracy with which data can be communicated. The following examples are just a few of the many applications where the VT36 can optimize man-machine communication:<br />
* Industrial process monitoring and control<br />
* Traffic control<br />
* Simulator systems<br />
* Power and public utility network control.<br />
The VT36 comprises a complete hardware and software package to create pictures and link them dynamically to areal time process.<br />
<br />
=== Organization ===<br />
For all the advantages of an intelligent display system, with minimal CPU load, the VT36 is configured as a microprocessor based remote system, connected to the host via a serial line. Up to four VT36 systems, with a total maximum of 10 display stations on one host PDP-11 or VAX, can be configured in this way.<br />
<br />
For applications where high system throughput is not required, up to four VT36 controllers can be configured within a host PDP-11.<br />
<br />
The video controller comprises three printed circuit boards - the Image Processor, Image Memory and Sync. Generator - which function in the following way:<br />
<br />
* The '''Image Processor''' fetches graphics instructions from the VT36 microprocessor (remote system only) using DMA transfers from the computer memory. It interprets these instructions and fills the Image Memory with the appropriate display data.<br />
* The '''Image Memory''' is a complete video [[frame buffer]] with 512X256 standard resolution. As an option, the addition of a second Image Memory board can give 512X512 resolution. The Image Memory stores an image, in digital form, of the picture being displayed on the monitor.<br />
* The '''Sync. Generator''' module scans the Image Memory and provides the digital-to-analog conversion for displaying the data on a monitor.<br />
<br />
The VT36 is supplied with a joystick, making it easy for the user to reposition the cursor. To complete the system, Digital offers models with a nineteen inch color monitor (grey-scale options are also available).<br />
<br />
VT36 models with a monitor also include a [[VT100]]-type keyboard, enabling the user to build up and edit pictures on-line. It contains keys which initiate graphics functions such as:<br />
* controlling the cursor position<br />
* setting colors<br />
* filling a rectangle or triangle with color<br />
* placing a character on the display<br />
* performing a line-drawing sequence<br />
* enabling joystick operation<br />
<br />
Up to four keyboards and/or joysticks can be used with the VT36. One keyboard and joystick can control any display in the cluster.<br />
<br />
The VT36 software comprises components resident on both the slave and the host processors (if the system is configured local to the<br />
host then all the software resides on the host).<br />
<br />
The host software performs the functions of: disk storage of all picture information, such as complete pictures, characters, symbols and sub-pictures; and distribution of that information to each intelligent VT36.<br />
<br />
Two versions of the host software are available for operation under the [[VMS|VAX/VMS]] or [[RSX-11|RSX-11M/M-PLUS]] operating systems. In addition, the host software contains all the information to interface to and control the dynamic picture update function described later.<br />
<br />
Communications between tasks resident in the host computer and the VT36 processors in the system are handled by a communications component in the VT36 software, using a simple, half-duplex protocol along serial communications lines.<br />
<br />
The slave software contains modules which perform picture display and editing, and enable dynamic picture update using information supplied by the host.<br />
<br />
=== Dynamic Picture Update ===<br />
<br />
A picture built up on the VT36 comprises background and foreground information. The background information is information which never changes, such as the positioning of pipe-lines and roads. Foreground information consists of areas which can be linked to a variable in the user’s data base; for example, the temperature of a liquid, or pressure in a pipe-line. These areas can be defined in a variety of ways: as numbers, text, graphs, histograms, ‘states’ (i.e. colors, blink, special symbols), etc. When the user wishes to load a new picture, the following sequence is performed:<br />
* The user inputs a request to view a picture, via the VT36 keyboard.<br />
* The picture is loaded from the host disk storage by means of the <code>LOAD</code> function in the host software (all communications between the host and slave processors are handled by the VT36 communications software).<br />
* Keeping a record of this picture information, the VT36 microprocessor uses the DISPATCH function in its software to load the information to the appropriate video controller in the VT36 system.<br />
* Simultaneously, a <code>REFRESH</code> file is dispatched from the host <code>REFRESH</code> library, to the VT36. This contains current information from the user’s data base on the state of the variables which form the foreground picture.<br />
* The <code>DISPLAY INTERPRETER</code> function in the VT36 software processes this foreground information and loads it to the appropriate display station.<br />
Once the picture has been loaded to a display station, information on the variables being displayed is stored by the <code>REFRESH</code> function in the host. As these variables change in the user’s data base (in line with changes in the process, network, etc), the user software sends a message to the <code>REFRESH</code> function, containing new information pertaining to that variable.<br />
<br />
The <code>REFRESH</code> function then handles distribution of the new information to all the VT36 video controllers displaying pictures containing that variable. In the VT36, the data is converted to a form suitable for display on the appropriate screen(s).<br />
<br />
In summary, once foreground and background picture information has been loaded to the VT36, the host processor is no longer involved in the display process, leaving it free for other processing. The VT36 performs all storage of pictures being displayed; conversion of digital data into a form suitable for output on a display; loading of background and foreground picture information to the displays.<br />
<br />
The operator can respond to the situation on the screen and interact with the system by inputting commands via the VT100-type keyboard and joystick. These commands are then fed back to the host computer software.<br />
<br />
=== Picture Creation ===<br />
<br />
The VT36 Picture Creation Software makes it easy to build up pictures, sub-pictures, characters, symbols, etc, both off-line and on-line.<br />
<br />
==== Off-line Picture Creation ====<br />
This process involves outlining a picture on squared paper, dividing it up into logical sections (e.g. areas of a plant, or stages of a process), and defining the X-Y coordinates of each picture element (a character or symbol, for instance). These coordinates are then input to the VT36, from any standard terminal, along with the simple, but powerful, commands from the VT36 high level Picture Definition Language, such as:<br />
<br />
* <code>INIT</code> = Initializes screen to a specified color.<br />
* <code>MARK</code> = Outputs a special character.<br />
* <code>POLY</code> = Pre-sets the colour of a specified rectangle or triangle on the picture.<br />
* <code>LINE</code> = Draws a line from one coordinate to another.<br />
* <code>TEXT</code> = Inserts text on the screen.<br />
<br />
These instructions are compiled by the VT36 Picture Assembler Process for subsequent use. Sub-pictures and characters can be built and then incorporated into pictures, at any position, simply by using the <code>MARK</code> command, with coordinates and the library numbers of the characters. This significantly reduces the complexity of building up pictures containing large numbers of identical picture elements.<br />
<br />
In addition, a '''Character Definition Language''' is available, allowing the user to define characters, and a '''Field Definition Language''' is available for definition of the foreground picture information necessary in the dynamic update process.<br />
<br />
==== On-line Picture Creation ====<br />
<br />
A picture can be interactively built up by means of the joystick and special function keyboard and the Picture Creation Program. This method is normally used for forming and modifying picture elements, such as characters and foreground picture information, i.e. for constructing relatively small picture elements and for defining foreground picture information.<br />
<br />
The following sample program with screen output shows how simple commands from the VT36 Picture Definition Language are used to create<br />
pictures:<br />
<br />
Comment<br />
BEGIN PICT,GO ;SETS UP PICTURE FILE START LABEL<br />
STARTSUB CROSS ;THIS IS ASUBROUTINE TO WRITE A CROSS<br />
MOVE -10,-10<br />
LINE 10,10,,M ;DRAWS MEDIUM THICKNESS LINE<br />
MOVE -10,10 ;GOTO START OF NEXT LINE<br />
LINE 10,-10,,M ;DRAW OTHER LINE<br />
MOVE 0,0 ;GO BACK TO ENTRY POINT<br />
ENDSUB ;END OF SUBROUTINE<br />
GO: INIT BLACK ;PICTURE FILE START<br />
CSET 1,CHRJIM,,6,14 ;ASSOCIATE A 6X14 CHARACTER SET FOR TEXT<br />
CSET 2,SPECIAL,,16,16 ;ASSOCIATE SET OF SPECIAL MARKS<br />
;CLEAR SCREEN TO BLACK<br />
MOVE 60,460 ;GO TO START OF A LINE<br />
LINE 180,460,RED ;DRAW A NORMAL THICKNESS LINE<br />
TEXT 200,460,<THIS IS A RED NORMAL THICKNESS LINE><br />
;PUTS RED TEXT ON SCREEN<br />
MOVE 60,400 ;SET FOR NEXT LINE<br />
LINE 180,400,BLUE,M ;DRAW BLUE MEDIUM THICKNESS LINE<br />
TEXT 200,400,<THIS IS BLUE MEDIUM THICKNESS LINE><br />
;ANNOTATE IT ON SCREEN IN BLUE<br />
MOVE 60,340<br />
LINE 180,340,GREEN,T ;DRAW GREEN THICK LINE<br />
TEXT 200,340,<THIS IS A GREEN THICK LINE><br />
;ANNOTATE THE LINE<br />
TEXT 200,294,<WRITE YELLOW TEXT ON A RED BLOCKED BACKGROUND>,,YELLOW,RED<br />
POLY 180,264,60,244,ORANGE ;THIS IS RECTANGLE FILLING<br />
TEXT 200,244,<THIS SHOWS FILLING OF A RECTANGLE><br />
POLY 60,200,180,180,CYAN,U ;THIS IS TRIANGLE FILLING<br />
TEXT 200,180,<THIS SHOWS FILLING OF A TRIANGLE><br />
MOVE 60,120<br />
LINE 180,120, PURPLE ;DRAW LINE AND PUT IN 2 CROSSES<br />
SUB 90,120,CROSS,LGREEN ;ONE LIGHT GREEN<br />
SUB 150,120,CROSS,LBLUE ;THE OTHER LIGHT BLUE<br />
TEXT 200,120,<THIS SHOWS THE USE OF SUBROUTINES>,,RED<br />
MOVE 60,80 ;NOW PUT IN LINE WITH MARKS ON IT<br />
LINE 180,80,OCHRE<br />
MARK 100,80,2,18,LGREEN<br />
MARK 120,80<br />
MARK 140,80<br />
;3 LIGHT GREEN MARKS FROM<br />
;THE SPECIAL SET (NO. 2)<br />
;CHARACTER 18 IN THAT SET<br />
TEXT 200,80<THIS SHOWS THE USE OF MARKS (SPECIAL SYMBOLS)><br />
STOP<br />
END<br />
<br />
== Hardware Components ==<br />
<br />
* [[BA11-N mounting box|BA11-N Mounting Box]]<br />
* [[KDF11-A CPU]]<br />
* [[MSV11-D/E MOS memory|MSV11-D memory]]<br />
* [[MXV11-A Multifunction Option Module]]<br />
* VT36 Boot [[PROM|PROMS]]:<br />
** 23-131F3<br />
** 23-132F3<br />
* [[H3060 Joystick]]<br />
* [[TU58 DECtape II|TU58-DA Dual DECtape Drive]] (optional)<br />
* [[VSV11 Graphic System]]<br />
* [[VRV02 19" RGB Color Monitor]]<br />
<br />
== Software ==<br />
<br />
* VAX-11/PROVUE [[SPD]] 25.84 [[Unique Product Identifier|UPI]] S83<br />
* RSX-11/PROVUE [[SPD]] 14.33 <br />
<br />
== External Links ==<br />
<br />
* [https://classic.technology/vt36-color-graphics-display-control-system VT36 Brochure]<br />
* [https://ia800902.us.archive.org/5/items/digital_edited_option_module_list/digital_edited_option_module_list.pdf DEC EDITED OPTION/MODULE LIST FEB-82] (The VT36 variants are listed on pdf-pages 556 & 572)<br />
<br />
[[Category: DEC Graphics Terminals]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=VAXstation_100_firmware_notes&diff=33683VAXstation 100 firmware notes2024-02-27T06:50:49Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* BitBlit Accelerator */ Link to frame buffer.</p>
<hr />
<div>Some random notes from running the [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]-supplied standard [[firmware]] for the [[VAXstation 100]] in an emulator.<br />
<br />
The firmware analyzed announces itself as version 05.00. It deviates in minor details from the information in the [[VAXstation 100#External links|1983 "VS100 Engineering Specification"]].<br />
<br />
==Memory map==<br />
<br />
Firmware 5.00 extends the LOOPBACK region to one more word at 4A0004. Apparently this loops back the value written to 480004.<br />
<br />
The BBA scratchpad has been moved to 30000. An accesses to a byte at 280000 seems to clear a BBA interrupt.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Vs100-memory-map.png]]<br />
<br />
==RAM memory map==<br />
<br />
Most of the RAM is available for uploaded software. However, regions at the ends are used by the ROM for fixed purposes:<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
|-<br />
| 000000<br />
| 32 longwords<br />
| Exception vectors<br />
|-<br />
| 000080<br />
| 15 longwords<br />
| Saved screen contents under mouse pointer<br />
|-<br />
| 0000C0<br />
| two words<br />
| Mouse x,y copied from hardware register<br />
|-<br />
| 0000C4<br />
| two words<br />
| Old mouse x,y screen coordinates<br />
|-<br />
| 0000C8<br />
| two words<br />
| New mouse x,y screen coordinates<br />
|-<br />
| <01FFC0<br />
| extends towards lower addresses<br />
| Stack<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFC0<br />
| one longword<br />
| Keyboard fifo read pointer<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFC4<br />
| one longword<br />
| Keyboard fifo write pointer<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFC8<br />
| one longword<br />
| Tablet fifo read pointer<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFCC<br />
| one longword<br />
| Tablet fifo write pointer<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFD0<br />
| one word<br />
| Cursor column<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFD2<br />
| one word<br />
| Cursor line<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFD4<br />
| Connection timeout counter<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFD6<br />
| 16 bytes<br />
| Keyboard output fifo<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFE6<br />
| 16 bytes<br />
| Tablet output fifo<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFF6<br />
| one byte<br />
| Size data in keyboard fifo<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFF7<br />
| one byte<br />
| Size data in tablet fifo<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFF8<br />
| one byte<br />
| Mouse buttons<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFF9<br />
| one byte<br />
| Keyboard input (LK201 code)<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFFA<br />
| one byte<br />
| Tablet input<br />
|-<br />
| 01FFFB<br />
| one byte<br />
| State of CTRL and SHIFT, for entering maintenance menu<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Error LEDs==<br />
<br />
Indicates which test failed. During power-up, green light turned off. During idle loop, green light remains on.<br />
<br />
[[Image:Vs100-diagnostic-led-errors.png]]<br />
<br />
Apparently there's a bug.<br />
<br />
[[Image:VS100-TT-7.png]]<br />
<br />
==Interrupts==<br />
<br />
All VS100 interrupts use the autovector feature.<br />
<br />
Firmware 5.00 doesn't use the level 1 interrupt. The firmware only reads the mouse position during maintenance test.<br />
<br />
[[Image:VS100-interrupts.png]]<br />
<br />
==Keyboard test==<br />
<br />
The firmware transmits code FD (hex) to the LK201 keyboard, which commands it to jump to the power-up sequence and self-test. The keyboard transmits a four-byte message back. The VS100 ignores the keyboard ID, and checks that the third is not 3D.<br />
<br />
This information is from the VT220 Technical Manual.<br><br />
[[Image:LK201-powerup.png]]<br />
<br />
==D0 flags==<br />
<br />
The firmware maintains a set of flags in register D0.<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
|-<br />
| Bit (decimal)<br />
| Meaning<br />
|-<br />
| 16<br />
| Manufacturing mode.<br />
|-<br />
| 17<br />
| BBA present.<br />
|-<br />
| 18<br />
| Link down.<br />
|-<br />
| 19<br />
| Power-up error.<br />
|-<br />
| 20<br />
| LEDs locked.<br />
|-<br />
| 21<br />
| Suppress printing test result.<br />
|-<br />
| 22<br />
| In maintenance menu.<br />
|-<br />
| 23<br />
| Keyboard ok.<br />
|-<br />
| 24<br />
| BBA done.<br />
|-<br />
| 25<br />
| Vertical retrace interrupt.<br />
|-<br />
| 26<br />
| Test not executed. (E.g. hardware not present.)<br />
|-<br />
| 27<br />
| Test timed out.<br />
|-<br />
| 28<br />
| Host wants attention. (Same vector as TRAP #1?!?)<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Built-in graphics==<br />
<br />
The firmware has a mouse pointer, a text font, and three icons. The first two are straight bitmaps, whereas the icons are run length encoded.<br />
<br />
This is the font.<br><br />
[[Image:VS100-Font.png]]<br />
<br />
This icon is displayed when a user can be logged into the system.<br><br />
[[Image:VS100-Login.png]]<br />
<br />
This icon is displayed when there's an internal error.<br><br />
[[Image:VS100-Trouble.png]]<br />
<br />
This icon is displayed when there's a communication problem.<br><br />
[[Image:VS100-Unable.png]]<br />
<br />
==Communication==<br />
<br />
The firmware communicates with the host through a set of eight 16-bit registers. (There is also a 256K window into the host Unibus address space.)<br />
<br />
These registers are written.<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
| CSR0<br />
| Bit 0 - clear "go" bit.<br />
|-<br />
| CSR1<br />
| Interrupt reason.<br />
|-<br />
| CSR2<br />
| Peripheral event.<br />
|-<br />
| CSR3+CSR4<br />
| Unibus window address.<br />
|-<br />
| CSR5<br />
| Firmware version.<br />
|-<br />
| CSR6<br />
| BBA info.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
These events are sent. Numbers are hexadecimal bit masks.<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
| 0000<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| 0001<br />
| Init done.<br />
|-<br />
| 0002<br />
| Function performed ok.<br />
|-<br />
| 0008<br />
| Mouse buttons.<br />
|-<br />
| 0080<br />
| Powerup done.<br />
|-<br />
| 8000<br />
| Function error.<br />
|-<br />
| 8001<br />
| Bad function number.<br />
|-<br />
| 8002<br />
| Bad command number.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
These registers are read.<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
| CSR0<br />
| Bit 0 - check "go" bit. Bits 1-5: function code.<br />
|-<br />
| CSR3+CSR4<br />
| Parameter.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
These functions are implemented in ROM. Numbers are decimal.<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
| 1<br />
| Init - setup hardware.<br />
|-<br />
| 2<br />
| Command - further decoded. Parameter is an address in Unibus memory.<br />
|-<br />
| 3<br />
| Start firmware. Parameter is address.<br />
|-<br />
| 5<br />
| Reset.<br />
|-<br />
| 18<br />
| Clear infinite retry counter.<br />
|-<br />
| 19<br />
| Clear finite retry counter.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==BitBlit Accelerator==<br />
<br />
The BBA is a custom [[microcode]]d processor based on the [[Am2901]] family. It was initially to be an optional add on, but later it was required. The BBA can access the [[frame buffer]] and has its own 256 by 16 bit scratchpad RAM.<br />
<br />
The 68000 CPU communicates with the BBA through the scratchpad. When a command has been written, the CPU pokes a hardware register to signal the BBA to start. The BBA interrupts the CPU when done.<br />
<br />
The contents and structure of the commands are being reverse engineered. The first word in the scratchpad is a bit mask indicating various functions to be done.<br />
<br />
Scratchpad locations.<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
| Address<br />
| Size<br />
| Firmware<br />
| Function<br />
|-<br />
| 000<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| 5F96, 60AC<br />
| Command bitmask; see below<br />
|-<br />
| 002<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| 5F9C, 3B2A<br />
| Source bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 006<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| 5FA6<br />
| Source x offset<br />
|-<br />
| 008<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| 5FAA<br />
| Source bitmap width in bytes<br />
|-<br />
| 00A<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| 3B2E, 6014<br />
| Mask bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 00E<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Mask x offset<br />
|-<br />
| 010<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| 6022<br />
| Mask bitmap width in bytes<br />
|-<br />
| 012<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| 3B32<br />
| Destination bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 016<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Destination x offset<br />
|-<br />
| 018<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| 3036<br />
| Destination bitmap width in bytes<br />
|-<br />
| 01A<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Mask width<br />
|-<br />
| 01C<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| 6026<br />
| Mask height<br />
|-<br />
| 01E<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| 5F98<br />
| ALU function<br />
|-<br />
| 020<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| 5FB0<br />
| Tile address<br />
|-<br />
| 024<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Destination y offset<br />
|-<br />
| 026<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line destination bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 02A<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line steps (optionally including last point)<br />
|-<br />
| 02C<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line major axis<br />
|-<br />
| 02E<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line minor axis<br />
|-<br />
| 030<br />
| 16 bits<br />
|<br />
| Line x delta, when accumulator overflows (see below)<br />
|-<br />
| 032<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line address, delta when accumulator overflows<br />
|-<br />
| 034<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line x delta, when accumulator doesn't overflow<br />
|-<br />
| 036<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line address delta, when accumulator doesn't overflow<br />
|-<br />
| 038<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line mask x offset<br />
|-<br />
| 03A<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line mask bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 03E<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Line mask bitmap width in bytes<br />
|-<br />
| 040<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| <br />
| <br />
|-<br />
| 044<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| <br />
|-<br />
| 046<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| <br />
|-<br />
| 048<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| <br />
|-<br />
| 04A<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| <br />
|-<br />
| 04C<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| <br />
|-<br />
| 04E<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor source bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 052<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor source x offset<br />
|-<br />
| 054<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor source width in bytes<br />
|-<br />
| 056<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor mask bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 05A<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor mask x offset<br />
|-<br />
| 05C<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor mask width in bytes<br />
|-<br />
| 05E<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor destination bitmap address<br />
|-<br />
| 062<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor destination x offset<br />
|-<br />
| 064<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor destination width in bytes<br />
|-<br />
| 066<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor mask width<br />
|-<br />
| 068<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor mask height<br />
|-<br />
| 06A<br />
| 16 bits<br />
| <br />
| Cursor ALU function<br />
|-<br />
| 06C<br />
| 32 bits<br />
| <br />
| (Cursor)<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Command bits.<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
| Bit<br />
| Function<br />
|-<br />
| 0<br />
| Use source bitmap<br />
|-<br />
| 1<br />
| Use mask bitmap<br />
|-<br />
| 2<br />
| Horizontal direction: 0 - right, 1 - left<br />
|-<br />
| 3<br />
| Vertical direction: 0 - downwards, 1 - upwards<br />
|-<br />
| 4<br />
| Use source tile<br />
|-<br />
| 5<br />
| Draw cursor<br />
|-<br />
| 6<br />
| Draw line<br />
|-<br />
| 7<br />
| <br />
|}<br />
<br />
Scratchpad location 01E specifies a four-bit code for the ALU function. It's an enumeration of all possible logical functions between two binary inputs, where the code specifies the result.<br />
{| class="wikitable<br />
| Bits<br />
| Function<br />
|-<br />
| 0000<br />
| 0<br />
|-<br />
| 0001<br />
| src ∧ dst<br />
|-<br />
| 0010<br />
| src ∧ ¬dst<br />
|-<br />
| 0011<br />
| src<br />
|-<br />
| 0100<br />
| ¬src ∧ dst<br />
|-<br />
| 0101<br />
| dst<br />
|-<br />
| 0110<br />
| src ⊻ dst<br />
|-<br />
| 0111<br />
| src ∨ dst<br />
|-<br />
| 1000<br />
| ¬(src ∨ dst)<br />
|-<br />
| 1001<br />
| ¬(src ⊻ dst)<br />
|-<br />
| 1010<br />
| ¬dst<br />
|-<br />
| 1011<br />
| src ∨ ¬dst<br />
|-<br />
| 1100<br />
| ¬src<br />
|-<br />
| 1101<br />
| ¬src ∨ dst<br />
|-<br />
| 1110<br />
| ¬(src ∧ dst)<br />
|-<br />
| 1111<br />
| 1<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Line drawing is done with a classic Bresenham algorithm. For each step along the major axis, scratchpad location 02E is added to an accumulator. If the accumulator overflows, the location pair 030,032 is used to update the point on the line, and location 02C is subtracted from the accumulator. Otherwise, 034,036 is used.<br />
<br />
[[Category: VAX Software]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=SITS&diff=33682SITS2024-02-27T06:50:31Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Hardware support */ Link to frame buffer.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox OS<br />
| name = SITS<br />
| creator = [[MIT AI Lab]], Logo group<br />
| current version = 136<br />
| year introduced = 1974<br />
| type = Multi-tasking, multi-user, virtual memory<br />
| architecture = [[PDP-11]]<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''SITS''' means "Small Incompatible Timesharing System". It was a [[time-sharing]] [[operating system]] for a [[PDP-11/45]], created in the mid-1970s at [[MIT]] for running [[Logo]].<br />
<br />
[[Image:SITS_and_logo.png|thumb|right|SITS and Logo]]<br />
<br />
=== Overview ===<br />
<br />
SITS' design is vaguely reminiscent of [[Incompatible Timesharing System|ITS]], with large influences from MIT's [[PDP-1-X Time Sharing System]]. Like ITS, there is a [[main memory]]-resident [[kernel]] [[debug]]ger; SALV for managing [[disk]]s; a [[TECO]]-like editor called TINTE for text editing, and [[DDT]] for debugging and running user programs. [[Process]]es can be [[PCLSRing|PCLSR]]'ed just like in ITS. From the PDP-1-X it inherited capability-based security and the concept of spheres. It has a hierarchical tree-structured file system inspired by [[Multics]]. SITS supported [[raster]] [[display]]s similar to those used with the MIT-AI Knight TV, a few [[vector graphics|vector]] displays, and [[General Turtle]] [[Turtle Terminal 2500|2500 terminals]]. Programs can be stored in either [[PDP-11 Absolute Loader|absolute loader]] format, or [[SITS PDUMP format|pure dump]] format.<br />
<br />
The kernel debugger was written by Radia Perlman and was called RUG from the phrase "snug as a bug in a rug". In addition to debugging, it can also read and write [[file]]s in the SITS [[file system]] which is how SITS is booted. It can also read files from paper tapes, or from ITS through the Rubin 10-11 shared memory interface. The default file name is DAZZEL, perhaps a nod to the [[Dazzle Dart]] game that was hosted on the same machine.<br />
<br />
AI memo 356 "Logo Progress Report 1973-1975" has this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
Originally Logo was implemented in [[assembly language]] on the PDP-10. In order to provide a computer system dedicated to educational use, it was adapted for the PDP-11. The first milestone in this direction was the completion in 1973-1974 of a dedicated timesharing system running 11LOGO.<br />
<br />
The was not an entirely satisfactory solution because of the inability of the system to be self-maintaining or to run other languages or special purpose jobs (like a [[simulation]] environment or an educational real-time game). During 1974-1975, our programming staff, under the direction or R. Lebel, completed the design and implementation of a general purpose multi-language timesharing system for the PDP-11/45. The SITS timesharing system was developed to provide an environment suitable for running Logo and other PDP-11/45 programs. It incorporates a [[Multics]]-like tree structured file system including (potentially) full access control. It also provides unique capabilities for running programs as multiple process systems, rather than the more common single process approach, and the ability for each user to run many [[job]]s simultaneously. The system include provisions for using both the older refreshed [[display]]s and our new [[raster]] displays.<br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
When the SITS PDP-11/45 was decommissioned from the Logo group, it was donated to what became the Concourse Computer Center. It did not continue running SITS due to instability problems. Instead the computer ran [[Unix Seventh Edition|UNIX V7]], later 2[[BSD]], and was placed on the [[Chaosnet]].<br />
<br />
=== Little SITS ===<br />
<br />
To provide the educational market with an inexpensive computer capable of running Logo, it was ported to an [[LSI-11]] based computer called the [[General Turtle|3500]]. It was done using a system abstraction layer called the '''Little SITS''' emulator.<br />
<br />
=== Preservation status ===<br />
<br />
Several snapshots of SITS exist on ITS backup tapes from the [[MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|AI Lab]] [[PDP-10]].<br />
<br />
* SITS 68 from 1973.<br />
* SITS 455 and 456 from 1974.<br />
* SITS version 1146 from 1975.<br />
* NSITS 111 and 112 from 1975. Version number reset?<br />
* SITS 103 from 1976.<br />
* SITS 117, 118, and 119 from 1977.<br />
* SITS 134 from 1978.<br />
* SITS 136 from 1979.<br />
* A set of disk images from May 1978 with SITS 122.<br />
<br />
Unsorted files from SITS, PDP-10 Logo, and PDP-11 Logo can be found here, courtesy of Ron Lebel: https://github.com/larsbrinkhoff/mit-logo-and-sits-raw-files<br />
<br />
=== Hardware support ===<br />
<br />
This is the list of required hardware for SITS version 119:<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Device<br />
! Description<br />
! Address<br />
! Vector<br />
|-<br />
| [[KB11-A CPU]]<br />
| [[Central Processing Unit|CPU]]<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[KT11-C Memory Management Unit|KT11-C]]<br />
| [[PDP-11 Memory Management|Full MMU]]<br />
| <br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[Core memory]]<br />
| 108Kword<br />
| 000000-657777<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[FP11-B Floating-Point Processor|FP11-B]]<br />
| Floating-Point Processor<br />
| <br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| [[KW11-P Programmable Real-Time Clock|KW11-P]]<br />
| Programmable clock<br />
| 772540-772545<br />
| 104<br />
|-<br />
| [[PC11 High-Speed Paper-Tape Reader/Punch Control|PC11]]<br />
| [[Paper tape]] reader/punch <br />
| 777550-777557<br />
| 70-74<br />
|-<br />
| [[DC11 asynchronous serial line interface|DC11]]<br />
| Asynchronous serial line interface<br />
| 774000-774007<br />
| 300-304<br />
|-<br />
| [[DH11 asynchronous serial line interface|DH11]]<br />
| Asynchronous serial line interface<br />
| 760020-760037<br />
| 340-344<br />
|-<br />
| [[RK11 disk controller|RK11]]<br />
| Moving head disk<br />
| 777400-777417<br />
| 220<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Optional hardware:<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Device<br />
! Description<br />
! Address<br />
! Vector<br />
|-<br />
| [[RF11 disk controller|RF11]]<br />
| [[Fixed-head disk]]<br />
| 777460-777471<br />
| 204<br />
|-<br />
| NG<br />
| Tom Knight's vector display controller<br />
| 764040-764043<br />
| 270<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
| Lebel keyboards<br />
| 764100-764107<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| TV<br />
| Ron Lebel's raster display controller<br />
| 764140-764163<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|<br />
| [[Frame buffer]]<br />
| 660000-757777<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
| MB11<br />
| MAR and history<br />
| 770000-770017<br />
| 364<br />
|}<br />
<br />
List of attached terminals:<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! Number<br />
! Type<br />
! Terminal<br />
|-<br />
| 0 || System console || Teletype<br />
|-<br />
| 1 || DH11, port 0 || Teletype, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 2-5 || DH11, port 1-4 || Teletype, 300 baud, and TK display<br />
|-<br />
| 6-7 || DH11, port 5-6 || Modem, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 10 || DH11, port 7 || [[Turtle Terminal 2500|2500]], 2400 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 11-16 || DH11, port 8-13 || Teletype, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 17 || DH11, port 14 || [[Turtle Terminal 2500|2500]], 2400 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 20 || DH11, port 15 || Teletype, 300 baud<br />
|-<br />
| 21 || DC11 || Multiplexor<br />
|-<br />
| 22-61 || TVs 0-31 || TV and Lebel keyboard<br />
|-<br />
| 62-65 || Software || Multiplexee<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[SITS tutorial]]<br />
* [[Installing SITS on SIMH]]<br />
* [[List of SITS system calls]]<br />
* [[SITS PDUMP format]]<br />
* [[SITS file system]]<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-11 Operating Systems]]<br />
[[Category: Non-DEC Operating Systems]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=MINITS&diff=33681MINITS2024-02-27T06:50:08Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Hardware */ Link to frame buffer.</p>
<hr />
<div>'''MINITS''' was a [[PDP-11]] [[multi-tasking]] [[operating system]] created at [[MIT]], primarily for use in [[data network]] [[host]]s. It was mostly used in the MIT network for 'bridges' ([[router]]s, to use the contemporary nomenclature) and [[terminal]] [[terminal concentrator|concentrators]]. It was also used to drive [[graphics terminal]]s, and provide [[Chaosnet]] [[front end]]s to [[KL10]] processors.<br />
<br />
Its design is vaguely reminiscent of [[Incompatible Timesharing System|ITS]]. It provided:<br />
<br />
* creation and termination of [[process]]es<br />
* a fairly sophisticated [[main memory]] allocation system (freed adjoining blocks were automatically combined)<br />
<br />
==Networking==<br />
<br />
The MINITS [[source]] calls lots of things 'NCPs', but these have nothing to do with the 'real' [[Network Control Program (ARPANET)|NCP]]. In fact, MINITS doesn't support any [[IMP interface]]s. The use of 'NCP' was just a terminological affliction among the CHAOS people, to whom 'NCP' apparently meant 'protocol implementation' or 'network code'.<br />
<br />
[[Data network|Networking]] [[protocol]]s supported:<br />
<br />
* [[Address Resolution Protocol]]<br />
* [[Chaosnet|Chaos]] - the only full [[protocol suite|protocol family]] supported; the rest are all just partial scraps<br />
** [[SUPDUP]]<br />
** [[TELNET]]<br />
** [[Finger]]<br />
* [[Internet Protocol|IP]]<br />
* [[PARC Universal Packet|PUP]]<br />
<br />
==Hardware==<br />
<br />
[[Peripheral|Devices]] supported:<br />
<br />
* [[DH11 asynchronous serial line interface|DH11]]<br />
* [[DL11 asynchronous serial line interface|DL11]]<br />
* [[DZ11 asynchronous serial line interface|DZ11]]<br />
* DMC11<br />
* [[DR11 parallel interface|DR11]]<br />
* [[DUP11 synchronous serial line interface|DUP11]]<br />
* [[DTE20 Ten-Eleven Interface|DTE20]], [[KL10]] front end interface<br />
* [[CH11]], Chaosnet interface<br />
* 3com [[Ethernet]] interface<br />
* [[Interlan NI1010A/NI2010A Ethernet Communications Controller|Interlan NI1010A]] Ethernet interface<br />
* [[UNIBUS Experimental Ethernet interface|3 Mbit Ethernet]] interface<br />
* Pertek [[frame buffer]]<br />
* [[CAMAC]] interface<br />
<br />
{{semi-stub}}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Fuzzball]]<br />
* [[ELF operating system]]<br />
* [[MOS operating system]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [http://github.com/Chaosnet/minits MINITS source code]<br />
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/tree/master/src/mits_s Alternative repository]<br />
** [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/src/mits_s/user.7 Process management]<br />
** [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/src/mits_s/fsm.3 Free Storage Manager]<br />
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/doc/minits/-how-t.21 How to Build a Terminal Concentrator] - combination of ware, software and boot PROMs<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-11 Operating Systems]]<br />
[[Category: Non-DEC Operating Systems]]<br />
[[Category: Networking Software]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=MIPS_Magnum&diff=33680MIPS Magnum2024-02-27T06:49:49Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Video */ Link to frame buffer.</p>
<hr />
<div>The '''MIPS magnum''' is largely based on the inhouse Microsoft JAZZ boards that [[Microsoft]] used to develop [[Windows NT]].<br />
<br />
== Hardware ==<br />
This is a quick rundown of what I've been able to pull together of what went into a Jazz/Magnum.<br />
<br />
=== Processor ===<br />
<br />
The Magnum used a [[MIPS R4000]] CPU, with 16KB of primary cache, and a clock speed of 50MHz, which the CPU internally doubled to 100MHz.<br />
The Maximum amount of memory was 256MB.<br />
The Magnum also had an EISA bus for expansion.<br />
<br />
=== SCSI ===<br />
<br />
They were equipped with a NCR 53C94 fast/narrow scsi chipset.<br />
<br />
=== Ethernet ===<br />
<br />
A SONIC chipset was used, along with an AUI connector on the back of the chassis.<br />
<br />
=== Video ===<br />
<br />
The Magnum had a simple [[frame buffer]] called the G364. It was a fixed resolution display that was configured thru the ARC. All bitdepths were 256 colours, in the following resolutions.<br />
*640x480<br />
*800x600<br />
*1024x768<br />
*1280x1024<br />
<br />
=== Serial / Parallel ===<br />
<br />
The Magnum had 2 RS-232 serial ports, along with an IBM compatible parallel port.<br />
<br />
=== ARC ===<br />
<br />
The MIPS CPU boots up in little endian mode, and then depending on the firmware will either continue booting (ARC), or would reset into big endian mode. Most of the UNIX ports used the big endian mode. The Magnum, and all RISC workstations that were supported by Windows NT all needed a FAT system partition, in which the boot loader was stored.<br />
<br />
== Operating Systems ==<br />
<br />
The Magnum could run these operating systems out of the factory:<br />
*[[Windows NT]]<br />
*[[RiscOS]]<br />
<br />
Additionally there have been ports of NetBSD, OpenBSD & Linux to the Magnum.<br />
<br />
== Emulation ==<br />
<br />
[[Qemu]] can emulate a Magnum, it can even run the ARC firmware. There is a custom build out there that can even run Windows NT. See [[Installing Windows NT 4.0 on Qemu(MIPS)]] for more details.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Workstations]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Sun-2&diff=33679Sun-22024-02-27T06:49:35Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* Sun-2 Hardware */ Link to frame buffer.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{wp-orig}}<br />
<br />
'''Sun-2''' was the name given to a series of [[UNIX]] computer workstations and servers produced by [[Sun Microsystems]], launched in [[1983]]. As the name suggests, the Sun-2 represented the second generation of Sun systems, superseding the original [[Sun-1]] series. The Sun-2 series used a 10 MHz [[Motorola 68010]] microprocessor, which enabled it to be the first Sun architecture to run a full [[virtual memory]] UNIX implementation, [[SunOS]] 1.0, based on [[Berkeley Software Distribution|4.1BSD]]. Early Sun-2 models were based on the [[Intel]] [[Multibus]] architecture, later ones using [[VMEbus]] instead, which was also used in the later [[Sun-3]] and [[Sun-4]] families.<br />
<br />
Sun-2 systems were supported in SunOS until version 4.0.3. Remarkably, support for Multibus Sun-2 systems was added to [[NetBSD]] in 2002, with the release of NetBSD 1.6.<br />
<br />
== Sun-2 models ==<br />
Models are listed in approximately chronological order.<br />
<br />
{|class="wikitable"<br />
!Model<br />
!CPU board<br />
!Max. RAM<br />
!Chassis<br />
|- <br />
| '''2/120'''<br />
| Sun-2 Multibus or Sun-2 Multibus Prime<br />
| 7 or 8 MB<br />
|9-slot Multibus (deskside)<br />
|-<br />
| '''2/170'''<br />
| Sun-2 Multibus or Sun-2 Multibus Prime<br />
| 7 or 8 MB<br />
| 15-slot Multibus (rackmount)<br />
|-<br />
| '''2/50'''<br />
| Sun 2050<br />
| 7 MB<br />
| 2-slot VME (desktop)<br />
|-<br />
| '''2/130'''<br />
| Sun 2050<br />
| 7 MB<br />
| 12-slot VME (deskside)<br />
|-<br />
| '''2/160'''<br />
| Sun 2050<br />
| 7 MB<br />
| 12-slot VME (deskside)<br />
|}<br />
<br />
Sun-1 systems upgraded with Sun-2 Multibus CPU boards were sometimes referred to as the '''2/100U''' (upgraded Sun-100) or '''2/150U''' (upgraded Sun-150).<br />
<br />
A typical configuration of a 2/120 cost more than $50,000.<br />
<br />
==Sun-2 Hardware==<br />
<br />
Sun 2/120 (9 slot deskside) and 2/170 (15 slot rackmount) systems were based on the [[Multibus]] architecture. The CPU board was based on a 10MHz 68010 processor and could address 8MB of physical and 16MB of virtual memory. The top 1MB of physical memory address space was reserved for the monochrome [[frame buffer]]. The CPU supported the Sun-1 parallel keyboard and mouse as well as two serial ports.<br />
<br />
Sun provided 1MB and 4MB memory boards but only supported configurations with a maximum of 4MB RAM. Companies like Helios Systems also made 4MB memory boards that would work in the Sun systems.<br />
<br />
A common frame buffer was the Sun-2 Prime Monochrome Video. This board provided an 1152x900 monochrome display with TTL or ECL video signals, and keyboard and mouse ports. It normally occupied the top 1MB of physical memory address space. There was also a Sun-2 Color Video board available that provided an 1152x900 8-bit color display. This board occupied the top 4MB of address space.<br />
<br />
42MB MFM disks were commonly used for storage. Two disks could be connected to an Adaptec MFM/SCSI and then to a Sun-2 Multibus Serial/SCSI Host Adapter. The SCSI board provided two additional serial ports. For larger storage requirements 65, 130, and 380 MB SMD disks were connected to a Xylogics 450 SMD Controller. The SMD controller could support four disks even though Sun only supported two. A 20 MB QIC tape drive could be connected through an Archive QIC/SCSI converter. The system also supported 1/2" tape drives connected to a Computer Products Corporation TAPEMASTER or a Xylogics 472 board.<br />
<br />
An Ethernet connection was provided by a Sun board based on the Intel 82586 chip, or a 3Com 3c400 board. The server could support diskless 2/50 clients through the Ethernet board.<br />
<br />
Other supported Multibus boards included the Sky Computer floating Point Processor, Sun ALM with 8x serial ports, Sun Sunlink Communications Processor,<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Sun-3]]<br />
*[[Sun386i]]<br />
*[[Sun-4]]<br />
*[[SPARCstation]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
*[http://www.sun.com/ Sun Microsystems]<br />
*[http://www.sunhelp.org/faq/sunref1.html The Sun Hardware Reference, Part 1]<br />
*The Sun-2 Hardware Reference: [http://sunstuff.org/Sun-Hardware-Ref/s2hr/part1 Part 1] and [http://sunstuff.org/Sun-Hardware-Ref/s2hr/part2 Part 2]<br />
*[http://www.sunshack.org/data/feh/1.5/wcd00094/wcd09466.htm Sun Field Engineer Handbook, 20th edition]<br />
*[http://www.soupwizard.com/sun2/index.htm soupwizard.com Sun-2 Archive]<br />
<br />
[[Category: Workstations]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Frame_buffer&diff=33678Frame buffer2024-02-27T06:47:50Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Stub to fix a dangling link.</p>
<hr />
<div>A '''frame buffer''' is a digital hardware which implements a memory dedicated to a graphics display, and possibly some off-screen graphics.<br />
<br />
{{stub}}<br />
<br />
[[Category: Basics]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33677List of Computers2024-02-27T06:45:22Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1950s */ Oops, wrong order.</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1952 - [[LEO]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]], [[Macintosh]]<br />
* 1985 - [[Atari 520ST]], [[Amiga]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33676List of Computers2024-02-27T06:45:04Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1950s */ April 1954 minus 18 months.</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1952 - [[LEO]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]], [[Macintosh]]<br />
* 1985 - [[Atari 520ST]], [[Amiga]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33674List of Computers2024-02-26T12:44:34Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1980s */ Macintosh, Atari ST, Amiga.</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]], [[Macintosh]]<br />
* 1985 - [[Atari 520ST]], [[Amiga]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33673List of Computers2024-02-26T12:38:42Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1950s */ Go Team Sweden, wohoo!</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1950 - [[BARK]]<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
* 1953 - [[BESK]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33672List of Computers2024-02-26T12:37:24Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1940s */ EDSAC.</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[EDSAC]], [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33671List of Computers2024-02-26T12:36:39Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1950s */ EDVAC</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1951 - [[UNIVAC I]], [[EDVAC]]<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Computers&diff=33670List of Computers2024-02-26T12:33:36Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* 1940s */ Whirlwind,</p>
<hr />
<div>This is a list of all important historical systems sorted by their year of introduction:<br />
<br />
== 1940s == <br />
<br />
* 1941 - Z3<br />
* 1946 - [[ENIAC]]<br />
* 1949 - [[Whirlwind]]<br />
<br />
== 1950s ==<br />
<br />
* 1951 - UNIVAC I<br />
<br />
== 1960s == <br />
<br />
* 1960 - [[PDP-1]], [[PDP-3]]<br />
* 1962 - [[PDP-4]]<br />
* 1963 - [[PDP-5]]<br />
* 1964 - [[PDP-6]], [[PDP-7]]<br />
* 1965 - [[PDP-8]]<br />
* 1966 - [[LINC-8]], [[PDP-9]]<br />
* 1967 - [[PDP-10]], [[NORD-1]]<br />
* 1969 - [[PDP-12]], [[PDP-14]], [[PDP-15]]<br />
== 1970s ==<br />
<br />
* 1970 - [[PDP-11]]<br />
* 1971 - [[NORD-5]]<br />
* 1972 - [[PDP-16]]<br />
* 1973 - [[NORD-10]]<br />
* 1974 - [[NORD-50]]<br />
* 1975 - [[LSI-11]]<br />
* 1977 - [[VAX-11/780]]<br />
* 1979 - [[ND-100]]<br />
<br />
== 1980s ==<br />
<br />
* 1981 - [[IBM 5150]], [[ND-500]]<br />
* 1983 - [[IBM 5160]]<br />
* 1984 - [[IBM 5170]]<br />
* 1987 - [[ND-5000]]<br />
<br />
== 1990s ==<br />
<br />
[[Category: Computers]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:ITS_machine_configurations&diff=33530Talk:ITS machine configurations2024-02-17T13:33:45Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Plasma confusion.</p>
<hr />
<div>==AI PDP-6==<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure that by the time I got to Tech Sq (in 1977), the PDP-6 was no longer in use. It wasn't physically removed until some years later, though. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 15:43, 14 December 2017 (CET)<br />
<br />
: Right. I have collected all information I have found on each of the classical ITS machines here: [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/issues/181], but I figured it was too much for this page. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff]] 18:14, 14 December 2017 (CET)<br />
<br />
:: Should we have an [[ITS machines configurations]] page? (The name is just a quick first hack; suggestions for something better sincerely requested!) Looking at the recent 9th floor pictures from the CHM, we now have even better data (especially on MC)! It's too bad that collection doesn't include any of AI, though. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 18:45, 4 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
::: Yes, that could be good to have. The CONFIG file is a good source too. I'm particular to the AI KA10 myself, which has lots of interesting hardware.<br />
::: AI is so photo shy! I have found photos and video from various places, but barely anything capturing AI. Just the odd corner here and there. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 19:27, 4 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
==MC configuration==<br />
<br />
So I'm trying to work out MC's configuration. (I know, I know, I could look in CONFIG >, but I'm lazy.) Here's what I remember/can work out:<br />
<br />
* 8 [[MF10]]'s (originally); later upgraded to [[MH10]]'s.<br />
* (later) An Ampex [[ARM-10L]] 'external' memory box was added<br />
* 3 [[RP04]]'s<br />
* So, therefore, some sort of MASSBUS controller, but since it was a KL10 Model A, not an [[RH20]]; probably an [[RH10]]<br />
* That would have needed a [[DF10]]<br />
* A [[TM10]] of some sort; dunno if that had a separate DF10, or shared the one the RH10 used<br />
* Some sort of high-end DEC magtape drive<br />
* A [[DL10]] with a [[PDP-11/40]]<br />
* Later, first one, and then a second Trident drive, attached to the DL10 PDP-11<br />
* The front-end -11 had a bunch of serial lines, probably a [[DH11]]<br />
* CHAOSNET eventually on the DL10 PDP-11<br />
* I'm not sure why they initially acquired the DL10+PDP-11 (i.e. what it did to begin with); probably more serial lines<br />
<br />
Well, that's a start. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 17:09, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: According to [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/sysdoc/poor.mc SYSDOC;POOR MC], the tape drive was a TU40 or TU41 (probably TU40). Also, it seems from things said there that it did have its own DF10. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 17:20, 13 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
::: According to [http://junk.nocrew.org/pipermail/its/1984-July/001206.html this], the TM10 had a DF10 (a TM10 by itself did not connect to a [[PDP-10 Memory Bus]]. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 01:23, 26 October 2022 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:::: That is consistent with CONFIG >. MC and DM had TM10B with DF10. AI and ML had TM10A using IO bus only. (ML had a DF10 apparently only for the RP10.) [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 06:57, 26 October 2022 (CEST)<br />
<br />
::: POOR MC might be confused. According to [https://books.google.com/books?id=XxveYHLCcKoC&pg=PA396&lpg=PA396&dq=tu41+magtape&source=bl&ots=IFJAXN9-8C&sig=ACfU3U1b83km-pas4e4OoxmG_vXKpsqx2Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHxrv80peEAxVZEFkFHf2NAR04ChDoAXoECAQQAw#v=onepage&q=tu41%20magtape&f=false this] it was a TU41. Which makes sense, because according to the [http://wwcm.synology.me/pdf/PDP-10%20Promotional%20Folder%203%20-%206301X%2000972%202445-L%2006%2005%20DECsystem-10%20Configurator.pdf decsystem10 Configurator], the TU40 was the 9-track version, and the TU41 was the 7-track, and I'm pretty sure it was a 7-track drive. Maybe it had a TU40 label on it, because DEC was too confused? [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 22:40, 6 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
: I have tried to summarize changes to CONFIG > for all machines over the years: https://github.com/PDP-10/its/issues/1168<br />
: Most of what you wrote seems spot on. I can see there was a third T-300. Yes, initially the DL10 front end was just a normal DC76 handling terminals. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 17:29, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
: Where is CONFIG > now? I looked here: https://github.com/PDP-10/its/tree/master/src/system here but it doesn't seem to be there. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 17:47, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: Many (all maybe?) versions are here: https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/tree/master/files/system/ [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 17:51, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: Ah, thanks.<br />
:: It looks like it doesn't say what kind of tape drive it was; it was a TU77, or something. If we ever get good photos of the machine, we should be able to tell (also, if there was a second DF10).<br />
:: I wonder why they did the whole DL10 thing just to get a few more serial lines. Maybe the DTE20 one was maxed out?<br />
:: I see from the IOELEV/KLDCP source that the DTE20 -11 had a TU56; I vaguely remember that. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 18:53, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
::: I only know of one photo of MC when at MIT, the one on the [[Incompatible Timesharing System|ITS]] page, but there's no tape drive. I saw MC in LCM storage, but I don't remember any peripherals. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 18:59, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: [[:File:MC-KL Layout.jpg|Here]] is the layout of the machine, as best as I can remember it. The tape drive would not have been in the field of that image.<br />
:: A couple of notes. I'm sure of the CPU, MF10's, <s>Fabridrek</s> Ampex, RP04's, Tape, Trident and DL10 locations. The RH10/DF10 were ''I think'' in that corner, but I'm not positive, and I don't remember which order. Ditto for the order of the DL10 and its PDP-11 (which I think was an 11/40). I ''think'' the TM10 was there somewhere, but I'm kind of guessing; I don't think it was next to the drive, but it might have been. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 20:34, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: Ah, looking at that image, it's taken from just in front of the Ampex; you can see a corner of it. The RH10/DF10 are indeed in that corner; you can also see a bit of the RP04's behind them. The tape drive would be behind the camera; too bad we don't have a shot in that direction. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 21:51, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
Very interesting, thanks! I suggest copying your comment to [[File_talk:Mit-mc.jpg]]. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 20:58, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
: Probably [[Talk:Incompatible Timesharing System]] would be better. I'll move the whole thread there. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 21:51, 12 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: Done. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 14:05, 13 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
I wish we could confirm what the new memory was; it was ''probably'' an Ampex ARM10, since other KL10's are reported to have had those (e.g. [http://www.shiresoft.com/pdp-11/kl-10/ Guy S's machine]); maybe some mail log file, or Moon's ITS changes log file, will mention it. Ah, there's an image of one the CHM has/had [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/physical-object/ampex/102691296.lg.jpg here] (inside [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/physical-object/ampex/102691296.1.lg.jpg here]), and that is indeed what was added to MC. (Well, I don't remember the inside well, but the outside matches.)<br />
<br />
Every so often a module (CHM image [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/physical-object/ampex/102618529.lg.jpg here]; they were huge, physically) would fail, and we'd have to take the machine out of 4-way interleave; same thing when an MF10 failed. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 14:05, 13 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: Also, in [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/sysdoc/poor.mc SYSDOC;POOR MC], MOON (who knew more about MC than any other human) refers to "MH10 C". So maybe my memory flaked (again, sigh) and they're actually MH10's, not MF10's. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 17:20, 13 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
:: But [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/sysdoc/kl10.flklor SYSDOC;KL10 FLKLOR] refers to MF10's. So maybe they were upgraded at some point? [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 17:32, 13 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: [http://junk.nocrew.org/pipermail/its/1984-July/001206.html This email] seems to indicate that something else (probably MF10's) were replaced by MH10's. Here's where it gets funny. That email is from ... {drum roll} ... '''''ME'''''!! I know I did a lot of drugs back then, but ... sheesh! [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 03:38, 4 June 2022 (CEST)<br />
<br />
::: The timestamp of the KL10 FLKLOR file is from February 1976, so it seems likely the MF10's were part of the original configuration. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 14:10, 4 June 2022 (CEST)<br />
<br />
::: Since I was obviously there at the time, one would think I'd remember if the MF10's were ''replaced'' by MH10's, or merely ''upgraded''. But I don't have the foggiest idea! I have no memory of this at all. (Which shows why, for historians, contemporary ''written'' evidence is the 'gold standard'!) I'd have to look at the [[MF10]] and [[MH10]] documentation, and see if such an upgrade was possible. I'd say that if so, there's a good chance that that is what happened, since moving 8 large, heavy MF10 cabinets out, and 8 more MH10's in, would have been a major upheaval that left an impression. But maybe not: [http://junk.nocrew.org/pipermail/its/1984-December/001091.html this], along with the previous message, shows that I apparently did a fair amount of hardware work on MC (OK, that latter one was on the front end -11, and I knew -11's - although in this case I'm surprised that I had a spare [[H754]] just lying around); in this latter case, I apparently decided on my own to attack the machine, and did the work by myself! But it was an -11 that was dead... [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 14:56, 5 June 2022 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:::: With the new images, I can confirm that the MF10 boxes were definitely replaced; the MF10's and MH10's had different [[DEC indicator panel]]s, and those images show MF10's. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 22:34, 4 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
: There is a lot about failing Ampex ARM10 modules in Moon's files, so I would assume that confirms your recollection. I don't have any good, clear information about which ITS machines had what kind of memory, but Ampex is generally mentioned a lot. Given a lot of time, one could probably dig out an uneven coverage of part numbers, serial numbers, prices, dates, etc. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 14:29, 13 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: Yes, definitely an [[Ampex ARM10|ARM-10L]]; having found an image of one, I recognize it. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 08:40, 11 April 2022 (CEST)<br />
<br />
Stephen Jones from the LCM called me last night; he's started exploring MC's remains (and the other stuff they got from Peter Löthberg - principally two CADR's), apparently with a view to getting it running, so in the near future we should have a confirmed list of everything on MC. It's still pretty complete, apparently (the CADR's are missing their keyboards). [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 13:24, 26 October 2022 (CEST)<br />
<br />
== DM/ML configuration ==<br />
<br />
It shouldn't be too hard to figure out DM and ML's configuration; between my (and if needed, other people's) memory, CONFIG >, and similar sources.<br />
<br />
Both had [[RP10]]'s with a [[DF10]]. ML had [[RP03]]'s (I think; definitely RP0x's), but I forget how many; DM I vaguely recall also had DEC disks. I recall that ML's had a slanted top front panel, which I think made them RP03's; those on DM had vertical panels, I think, which I think were [[RP02]]'s. Per [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/sysdoc/poor.mc SYSDOC; POOR MC], both DM and ML (and also AI) had TU20 tape drives; one had a [[TM10]]A (no DF10, just an I/O bus connection), and one a TM10B (with DF10, but I don't know if the DF10 was shared with the RP10, or a separate one - a DF10 could be shared between several controllers); CONFIG > reveals that it was DM that had the DMA one.<br />
<br />
For main memory, ML I ''think'' had 4 [[MD10]]s, @128KW each. DM I'm pretty sure had 2 MD10's, and a collection of other DEC early memory boxes ([[MA10]]'s and/or [[MB10]]'s) totalling 256KW. I can ask Jack Haverty (and old DM hacker) if he remembers the details. Tim Anderson might remember too. Both machines has [[Systems Concepts DM-10]] mapping boxes, of course.<br />
<br />
So that's a good start. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 02:32, 14 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
: CONFIG says RP02 for both DM and ML, but ITS, SALV, and DSKDMP checks the type at run time and supports both RP02 and RP03.<br />
: I think the DF10 was shared between the disk and tape. This configuration is used with the KA10 emulator running ITS.<br />
: The KA10 DF10s had a special hack to make them work with 20-bit physical addresses.<br />
: I have collected some notes about the evolving memory configurations: https://github.com/PDP-10/its/issues/1585<br />
: Two diagrams of DM. Neither has a tape drive.<br />
: https://github.com/PDP-10/its/issues/181#issuecomment-483222759<br />
: https://github.com/PDP-10/its/issues/181#issuecomment-489417548<br />
: [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 08:21, 14 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: [http://pdp-10.trailing-edge.com/mit_emacs_170_teco_1220/01/info/mit-dm.txt.html] says DM had 3x RP02's and 3x RP03's; that sounds about right. CONFIG says ML had 7 drives, which sounds a bit high, but I suppose could (must?) be right. Ah, [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/_info_/shut.down SHUT DOWN] says it has 4 DEC disks and 4 (2 bays, 2-high) CalChomps (just like the ones on AI); that rings a bell, I recall the CalChomps now. (That memo also confirms DM's disks.)<br />
:: DM definitely had a tape drive; CONFIG confirms that.<br />
:: I think we're mostly done with these two now (although I have ignored the serial line controller(s) for now). [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 15:36, 14 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
An archived email from GSB confirms that ML had at least one MD. Since I'm pretty sure it had 4 identical memory bays, that pretty much confirms it had 4xMD's. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 14:52, 19 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
[https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/sysdoc/poor.mc POOR MC] says that all the KA10 machines had TU20 magtape drives. There an image of one of them [http://groups.csail.mit.edu/medg/people/psz/LCS-75/computers.html here], and it's definitely a TU20, not a TU10 - it has the horizontal vacuum columns of the TU20 (I'll do a page for it soon; the manuals are in Bitsavers), not the vertical ones of the [[TU10]]. Finally, [http://pdp-10.trailing-edge.com/mit_emacs_170_teco_1220/01/info/mit-dm.txt.html this] confirms that it's a TU20. So I think that's pretty definite. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 23:16, 6 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
== AI configuration ==<br />
<br />
There was a long list of "fanciful hardware" (i.e. kludges) attached to the AI PDP-10.<br />
<br />
For now, I'll point to [https://github.com/larsbrinkhoff/its-archives/blob/master/ailab/ITS_Hardware_Memo_3.pdf Hardware memo 3] which says there was the 256K moby, plus a DEC 16K and an Ampex 16K. It seems one of those 16K memories would later go somewhere else.<br />
<br />
: When I was around, the smaller memories were powered off, and later flushed. The machine had 512KW: the 256KW Fabridrek moby, and another 256KW unit, about which I have been racking my brains all evening trying to remember, and can't quite. Later they both (I think) went away, and HIC added the memory box that used CADR memory boards.<br />
: One thing I'm curious about was how the memory bus worked, for more than 256KW (the vanilla KA memory bus only supported 256KW). I had assumed that the mapping box produced separate memory busses for each moby, so standard cables could be used, and the memories remain un-altered. The flaw in this theory is the DF10's; I suppose they ''could'' have been modified to use the same kludge, but...? Maybe ask RG? (He's know about the memory too.) [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 15:36, 14 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:: Note that AI didn't have a DF10; Systems Concepts' DC10 and DK10 had DMA access, and TM10A was IO bus only.<br />
:: The DF10s were indeed modified: "MIT-ML and MIT-DM (also KA's) had 18-bit DF10's with a special kludge modification (disabled with a toggle switch for running DEC diagnostics) to take extra address bits from the complement of some high-order bits of the count. The complementation is so that with a small count (which is negative) you address the low-order memory, for compatibility." (David Moon, 1985, KS-ITS mailing list)<br />
:: HW memo 2 documents the AI pager: https://github.com/larsbrinkhoff/its-archives/blob/master/ailab/ITS_Hardware_Memo_2.pdf<br />
:: [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 16:05, 14 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
: I know about the ''functionality'' of the MIT DF10, which is actually already [[DF10|described here]]. I'm trying to work out the ''low-level details'' of how the cabling, etc, actually worked. According to e.g. the [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp10/KA10/DEC-10-HIFB-D_InterfaceManual_May68.pdf PDP-10 Interface Manua] (DEC-10-HIFB-D), Chapter 7, the KA10 memory bus has only 18 bits of address. So if one has 512KW of memory ... how does one address it? I had a theory that maybe there was a separate 18-bit-address bus for each moby, but of course there are other possibilities. I'm not sure if the connector (pg. 124) has any spare pins; if so, they could be used - but would need an extra wire run from one end of the cable to the other. A better possibility is that a number of signals (A18-A22, A35) are present in positive and negative logic forms, and maybe one of the semi-duplicates could be disposed of, and the pin re-used for, say, A17.<br />
: I'm about to email Jack Haverty, to ask him about DM's memory configuration; I'll ask him, maybe he knows. If not, we can ask RG, he should know. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 20:41, 14 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
The same archived email from GSB (above) indicates that the second moby on AI was an ARM-10; all well and good but now we have to sort out all the ARM-10 variants (see [[Talk: Ampex ARM10]] for more); there are at least 3 (including this one). [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 14:52, 19 April 2021 (CEST)<br />
<br />
== Still to do ==<br />
<br />
I think we have most of this sorted out now. Left to do:<br />
<br />
* Confirm whether AI-KS had a [[TU45]] or [[TU78]]. [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/pdp10/KS10/EK-KS10-TM-PRE_tech_Feb78.pdf EK-KS10-TM-PRE] (and probably other places) say that 'DEC FS will not maintain systems that do not have a TU45', but . . . [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/src/system/tm78s.defs2 SYSTEM;TM78S DEFS2] exists. So maybe it had a TU78? On the gripping hand, [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/src/system/nmtape.30 NMTAPE 30] doesn't seem to use any symbols from there, it seems to only use things from [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/blob/master/src/system/tm03s.defs5 TM03S DEFS5] (which doesn't seem to have anything drive-specific in it), so maybe it was a TU45 after all? Did the [[TM03]] even support a TU78?<br />
** Now that I think about it, it was almost certainly a TU45. The TU78 uses a [[TM78 Magnetic Tape Formatter|TM78]] formatter, which plugs into the MASSBUS. But [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/system/config.186 CONFIG 186] says that AI-KS had a TM03 ("DEFOPT TM03S==1"); and the TM03 ''also'' connects to the MASSBUS - i.e. one wouldn't have both. So if it didn't have a TM78 it could't have had a TU78. Q.E.D. (Although I suppose it could have had a [[TU77]].) [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 17:25, 7 February 2024 (CET)<br />
** Maybe not a TU45: from [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/kshack/ks-its.mail1 KSHACK; KS-ITS MAIL1]: "Date: Fri, 24 Oct 86 07:01 EDT From: Alan Bawden The drive is a TU45, which we have never tried with the ITS magtape code". I give up! Ah: "Date: Sat, 10 May 86 05:37:09 EDT From: Pandora B. Berman AI has a tu77". So maybe we have the answer. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 05:05, 8 February 2024 (CET)<br />
* Apparently none of the other KS10's had a tape drive, even MC-KS. This is plausible; they could have been backed up over the Chaosnet. It would be good to confirm that, though.<br />
* Did MD-KS really have an [[RM80 Disk Drive]], and nothing else? The thing is, that's a non-removable-media disk, so . . . how did the bits get into the machine, to start with? I guess it would have been feasible to cable that drive into another machine to load bits onto it, though. (MC-KS and ML-KS both had RP06's, so they could have used packs written on AI-KS.)<br />
* It would be nice to know what the other moby on DM (not the two MD10's was); I vaguely recollect it being a mashup of early DEC memory boxes (MA10's, MB10's). That will probably be hard to figure out.<br />
* Serial line interfaces on all the machines (other than MC).<br />
* Did the TM10B on DM have its own DF10, or did it share the RP10's?<br />
<br />
I guess that's all I have for the moment. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 03:31, 7 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
== A good source ==<br />
<br />
See the [https://books.google.com/books?id=XxveYHLCcKoC&pg=PA355&lpg=PA355&source=bl&ots=IFJA_P9-8E&sig=ACfU3U2Rl7wZaBjAtPnYoHWgTXMSbySsfw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwitxZ6J-6CEAxU-EVkFHWAxAHcQ6AF6BAgcEAM#v=onepage&f=false Arpanet Resources Handbook]:<br />
<br />
* AI: pg. 355-370<br />
* DM: pg. 373-389<br />
* MC: pg. 391-398<br />
* ML: pg. 399-404<br />
<br />
Look in the 'Hardware' section. (The other sections are interesting too.) Don't take that all too literally; e.g. the ML entry says it has "6 x RP02" disks, which was never correct while I was there; the [[RP02]] has a vertical front face, and the [[RP03]] a slanted one (see the images I am about to add), and I'm fairly sure ML had RP03's - and only 4 of them. (ISTR that the salvager or something will confirm the sizes, which will confirm.) [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/blob/master/files/_info_/shut.down SHUT DOWN] confirms my memory that AI had 8 [[Calcomp 215]]s (also coming soon), not 6. And DM never had an RK05. I'm not sure about AI having two TU20s; it's possible. But that list is generally correct. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 17:43, 10 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
== Fabridreck ==<br />
<br />
Old Tech Sq jargon! (I didn't create it; I just remember it being used.) I assume that was because, compared to later memories (it was ''really'' early, having been attached to the -6), it was temperamental, and more flaky. (Although obviously not so temperamental and flaky that it was unusable in a large time-sharing system.)<br />
<br />
I was wondering, when I first saw those speed numbers in the ARH, if, based on the speed difference between it and the Ampex, if the Ampex was assigned to a low absolute address, so the OS was housed in it, leaving the Fabritek to be used entirely for housing user code? 'Obviously', if one has two speeds of memory (and the speed difference was really large, which was why I thought it worth noting), it would ''generally'' (I am guessing) be better to have the OS running out of the faster memory. (On a general-purpose time-sharing system, with lots of simultaneous users; on a system primarily used for big number-crunching applications, not so much.)<br />
<br />
If so (on the location assignment guess), a side-benefit would be that the 'flakier' memory would hold user processes, and the system is more likely to be able to deal with memory errors in user processes than those in the OS. (I don't recall how ITS handled the two cases, but in UNIX if it was user memory that got the error it just kills the process:<br />
<br />
printf("mem error");<br />
if (cputype == 70)<br />
printf(": %o %o", MEMORY->r[1], MEMORY->r[0]);<br />
if (dev & USER) {<br />
i = SIGBUS;<br />
break;<br />
}<br />
panic("kernel mode mem fault");<br />
<br />
and continues on its merry way, while a memory error in the OS kills the system.)<br />
<br />
I don't know if the Fabritek really ''was'' more temperamental and flaky than the Ampex (i.e. there was ''data'' showing that it was), or if the hackers just ''assumed'' it was. [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 16:39, 11 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
: Huh, I have actually never seen "fabridreck" before. I understand it took a year or so from delivery for the full 256K to be working (somewhat?) reliably, so it certainly seen to have been flaky from the beginning. I don't know which memories went where in the address space.<br />
: I have seen plenty of other nicknames like memowreck, dissapoint, etc. So I can see it was a tradition. Maybe these should be collected in a separate article. [[User:Larsbrinkhoff|Larsbrinkhoff]] ([[User talk:Larsbrinkhoff|talk]]) 07:56, 12 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
:: Go for it! [[User:Jnc|Jnc]] ([[User talk:Jnc|talk]]) 13:18, 12 February 2024 (CET)<br />
<br />
==Plasma==<br />
<br />
I find it confusing, but I believe there were two "Plasma" groups/departments, correct? One in Building 38, sometimes referred to as the Plasma Group (and Plasma Physics?). Another in NW16, the Plasma Fusion Center. The one in Building 38 had the Gould printer and a TV system with Grinnell frame buffers; maybe it was called the R11/RTTY11/CHSGTV. The one in NW16 ''also'' had a TV system; maybe KTV.</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=ITS_machine_configurations&diff=33425ITS machine configurations2024-02-12T13:25:40Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: /* MC KL10 */ Nice photo of MC.</p>
<hr />
<div>The configuration of the various [[Incompatible Timesharing System]] [[time-sharing]] [[PDP-10]] [[mainframe]]s at [[MIT]] (in the [[MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory|AI Lab]], where it was born, and in [[MIT Laboratory for Computer Science|LCS]], only other organization to run it 'in production') are given here. They were all physically in [[Technology Square]].<br />
<br />
==AI PDP-6==<br />
<br />
* The first [[PDP-6]] at MIT. At first, in only had 16KW of [[core memory]]. A 256KW [[Fabritek Core Memory]] was delivered summer 1966, but not fully working until a year later. When [[time-sharing]] moved to the newer PDP-10, the PDP-6 was reduced to the 16KW memory again.<br />
* One console teletype.<br />
* In summer 1966, the teletype logic was modified by Tom Knight to support four more teletypes.<br />
* [[GE Datanet 760]] with four CRT consoles.<br />
* MAR and one-proceed to support debugging under time-sharing.<br />
* Briefly, Analex disk drive.<br />
* [[Data Disc]] M-6 disk drives.<br />
* IBM 2311 disk interface.<br />
<br />
==DM PDP-6==<br />
<br />
* 32K core memory.<br />
<br />
==AI KA10==<br />
<br />
The AI machine was the first [[KA10]] at MIT. It was initially installed as a 'slave' processor to the AI PDP-6 in a tightly-coupled [[multi-processor]]; later the two machines swapped roles. It was the first KA10 there to support [[virtual memory]] (an MIT custom modification).<br />
<br />
* Eventually, 512KW of core memory: the 256KW Fabritek Core Memory moby, and another 256KW [[Ampex ARM10]]. Later they both (I think) went away, and HIC added a memory box that used [[CADR]] memory boards.<br />
* [[Systems Concepts DC-10]] - disk controller<br />
** 8 x [[CalComp Model 215 Disk Drive|Calcomp 215]] drives<br />
* [[TM10 Magnetic Tape Control|TM10A]]<br />
** [[TU20 Tape Transport|TU20]]<br />
* [[Rubin 10-11 interface]]<br />
** TV-11 [[PDP-11/10]]<br />
*** [[Knight TV system]]<br />
** XGP-11 [[PDP-11/20]]<br />
*** [[MIT UNIBUS XGP interface|XGP interface]]<br />
**** [[Xerox Graphics Printer|XGP]]<br />
** CHAOS-11 PDP-11/10<br />
*** 2 x [[Chaosnet interface|CH11]]'s<br />
*** [[UNIBUS Experimental Ethernet interface]]<br />
* DH [[1822 interface]]<br />
* [[Systems Concepts DK-10]]<br />
* TK10 TTY scanner<br />
<br />
The 'Arpanet Resources Handbook' gives the speed of the two mobies as 2.8 μseconds and 1.1 μseconds; the former seems to be the Fabritek, so the other must be the Ampex.<br />
<br />
==DM KA10==<br />
<br />
Another KA10, with a [[Systems Concepts DM-10]] paging box, and also:<br />
<br />
* 2 x 128KW [[MD10 core memory|MD10]]'s<br />
* a collection of other DEC early memory boxes ([[MA10]]'s and/or [[MB10]]'s) totalling 256KW<br />
* [[RP10 disk controller|RP10]]<br />
** 3 x [[RP02 disk drive|RP02]]'s<br />
** 3 x [[RP03 disk drive|RP03]]'s<br />
* Its [[DF10 Data Channel|DF10]]<br />
* [[TM10 Magnetic Tape Control|TM10B]]<br />
** [[TU20 Tape Transport|TU20A]]<br />
* Its DF10 (or did it share the other one?)<br />
* Metcalfe DH 1822 interface<br />
* Morton serial line box<br />
<br />
==ML KA10==<br />
<br />
Another KA10 with a DM-10, and also:<br />
<br />
* 4 x 128KW MD10's<br />
* RP10<br />
** 4 x RP03's<br />
** 4 x Calcomp 215's<br />
* Its DF10<br />
* TM10A<br />
** TU20<br />
* DH 1822 interface<br />
* eventually, a [[CH10]]<br />
<br />
==MC KL10==<br />
<br />
[[Image:MIT-MC-kludge.jpg|thumb|right|300px|MC processor, with KL-UDGE to the left.]]<br />
The CPU was a stock Model A; it ran custom [[microcode]], though, to implement the 'MIT paging box'. The [[main memory]] and [[channel]]s were also 100% stock. Also:<br />
<br />
* 8 x [[MF10 core memory|MF10]]'s (originally); later upgraded to [[MH10]]'s.<br />
* (later) An [[Ampex ARM10]]L 'external' memory box<br />
* An [[RH10 MASSBUS controller|RH10]]<br />
** 3 [[RP04]]'s<br />
* Its DF10<br />
* TM10B<br />
** [[TU41]]<br />
* Its DF10<br />
* A [[DTE20 Ten-Eleven Interface|DTE20]]<br />
** A [[PDP-11/40]], the '[[front end]]' -11<br />
*** Two [[DH11 asynchronous serial line interface|DH11]]'s<br />
*** A [[TC11 DECtape controller|TC11]] - which I'm not sure ITS supported<br />
* A [[DL10 PDP-11 Data Link|DL10]]<br />
** Another PDP-11/40, the 'IO-11'<br />
*** DH11<br />
*** Later, a Trident controller<br />
**** Initially one, eventually three [[Trident disk drives|Trident T-300 drives]]<br />
*** Eventually two CH11's<br />
* 'KL-UDGE' LH 1822 interface (maybe a clock, too)<br />
<br />
==AI KS10==<br />
<br />
The [[KS10]]'s were all pretty stock, hardware-wise; like the KL10, they also ran custom microcode. Also:<br />
<br />
* Disk [[RH11 MASSBUS controller]]<br />
** 2 x [[RP06 disk drive|RP06]]<br />
* Tape RH11<br />
** [[TM03 magtape controller|TM03]]<br />
*** [[TU77 Magnetic Tape Transport|TU77]]<br />
* [[LH-DH/11 Local/Distant Host Controller]]<br />
* CH11<br />
* [[DZ11 asynchronous serial line interface|DZ11]]<br />
<br />
==MC KS10==<br />
<br />
No tape drive; [[backup]]s must have been done over the [[Chaosnet]].<br />
<br />
* Disk RH11<br />
** RP06<br />
* LH-DH/11<br />
* CH11<br />
* DZ11<br />
<br />
==ML KS10==<br />
<br />
* Disk RH11<br />
** RP06<br />
* CH11<br />
* 4 x DZ11<br />
<br />
==MD KS10==<br />
<br />
* Disk RH11<br />
** [[RM80 Disk Drive|RM80]]<br />
* CH11<br />
* 4 x DZ11<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
<br />
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/tree/master/files/system/ SYSTEM] - archive of CONFIG > files<br />
* [https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/search/?s=2022.0073 Philippe Brou's images]<br />
** [https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102803898 ML PDP-10] - back row, from the right: CPU, pager, 4xMD10 memories, RP10? and its DF10?<br />
** [https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102803892 Knight TV Controller] - at short wall end<br />
** [https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102803897 MC KL-10] - several images<br />
*** [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/still-image/2024/01/102803897-03-01-acc.jpg CPU]<br />
*** [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/still-image/2024/01/102803897-03-04-acc.jpg One wing] - MF10's; also RH10 and its DF10 at the far end<br />
*** [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/still-image/2024/01/102803897-03-03-acc.jpg Memories] - ARM10 on right, with MF10's behind<br />
*** [https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/still-image/2024/01/102803897-03-02-acc.jpg The other wing] - from right, the TM10, its DF10, the DL10, the 'I/O-11' (in blank cabinet), and the first Trident<br />
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/wiki/Hardware-info-from-David-Moon Hardware info from David Moon]<br />
* [https://github.com/PDP-10/its/issues/1232 The Magic Switch]<br />
<br />
[[Category: PDP-10 Users]]</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=File:MIT-MC-kludge.jpg&diff=33424File:MIT-MC-kludge.jpg2024-02-12T13:24:05Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: MIT-MC processor and the KL-UDGE. Photo by Philippe Brou. Source: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102803897</p>
<hr />
<div>MIT-MC processor and the KL-UDGE. Photo by Philippe Brou. Source: https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102803897</div>Larsbrinkhoffhttps://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=Gould_5200&diff=33420Gould 52002024-02-12T07:02:27Z<p>Larsbrinkhoff: Stub and info about the one at MIT.</p>
<hr />
<div>The '''Gould 5200''' was a printer introduced in 1975, succeeding the Gould 5100 plotter. The output was a 200 DPI raster, much like the [[XGP]].<br />
<br />
At [[MIT]], one such printer was associated with the MIT-MC [[KL10]]. The supporting software accepted all the XGP file formats. According to archived files, it seems to have been connected first to the IO-11 front end. Later it was moved to the Plasma Group in MIT Building 38 and connected to another PDP-11 with was also the hub for several terminals there. The connection back to MC was first a serial line, but later replaced with Chaosnet; the printer was available at the "GOULD" contact.<br />
<br />
{{stub}}</div>Larsbrinkhoff