User talk:Larsbrinkhoff

Talk: page entries

Please remember to sign them! :-) Thanks! Jnc (talk) 13:56, 9 July 2019 (CEST)

MC configuration

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:

• 8 MF10's
• (later) An Ampex? 'external' memory box was added
• 3 RP04's
• So, therefore, some sort of MASSBUS controller, but since it was a KL10 Model A, not an RH20; probably an RH10
• That would have needed a DF10
• A TM10 of some sort; dunno if that had a separate DF10, or shared the one the RH10 used
• Some sort of high-end DEC magtape drive
• A DL10
• Later, first one, and then a second Trident drive, attached to the DL10 PDP-11
• The front-end -11 had a bunch of serial lines, probably a DH11
• CHAOSNET eventually on the DL10 PDP-11
• I'm not sure why they initially acquired the DL10+PDP-11 (i.e. what it did to begin with); probably more serial lines

Well, that's a start. Jnc (talk) 17:09, 12 April 2021 (CEST)

I have tried to summarize changes to CONFIG > for all machines over the years: https://github.com/PDP-10/its/issues/1168

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. Larsbrinkhoff (talk) 17:29, 12 April 2021 (CEST)

Where is CONFIG > now? I looked here but it doesn't seem to be there. Jnc (talk) 17:47, 12 April 2021 (CEST)

Many (all maybe?) versions are here: https://github.com/PDP-10/its-vault/tree/master/files/system/ Larsbrinkhoff (talk) 17:51, 12 April 2021 (CEST)

Ah, thanks.

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).

I wonder why they did the whole DL10 thing just to get a few more serial lines. Maybe the DTE20 one was maxed out?

I see from the IOELEV/KLDCP source that the DTE20 -11 had a TU56; I vaguely remember that. Jnc (talk) 18:53, 12 April 2021 (CEST)

I only know of one photo of MC when at MIT, the one on the ITS page, but there's no tape drive. I saw MC in LCM storage, but I don't remember any peripherals. Larsbrinkhoff (talk) 18:59, 12 April 2021 (CEST)

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.

A couple of notes. I'm sure of the CPU, MF10's, Fabridrek, 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. Jnc (talk) 20:34, 12 April 2021 (CEST)

Very interesting, thanks! I suggest copying your comment to https://gunkies.org/w/index.php?title=File_talk:Mit-mc.jpg