Interdata 8/32

The Interdata 8/32 was a 32-bit supermini whose ISA was roughly modelled on that of the IBM System/360 mainframe. It had higher performance than its very similar 'little sister', the Interdata 7/32; the 8/32 was microcoded, and optionally allowed the users to write their own additional microcode.

Simulators

The SIMH simulator supports the 8/32.

UNIX

The 8/32 and the 7/32 were the one of the first non-DEC machines to run UNIX. Amazingly, the ports to the 7/32 and 8/32 were done roughly simultaneously, by two separate organizations; the 8/32 port was done by the Research group at Bell Laboratories.

Work on the 8/32 port began in early 1977 (on the C compiler, etc); the machine itself was delivered at the end of April 1977. By June, the system was working reasonably well.

The Interdata 7/32 and 8/32 were the first 32-bit machines to run Unix Version 6; the Interdata 8/32 port became the basis for Unix Seventh Edition.

External links

• 8-32 - documentation at Bitsavers
  • 32 Bit Series Reference Manual
  • Model 8/32 Processor
  • M83-Series Models 8/32, 8/32C, and 8/32D Processors User Manual

Unix port

• Portability of C Programs and the UNIX System; Johnson, S.C. Ritchie, D. M.
  • Odd Comments and Strange Doings in Unix - at "You are not expected to understand this" is a description of the problem found in the 8/32 port