Difference between revisions of "OS/8"

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(Interesting notes: Expanded by links to disk, and a game)
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{{Infobox OS
 
{{Infobox OS
 
| name = OS/8
 
| name = OS/8
| creator = DEC
+
| creator = [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]
 
| year introduced = 1970?
 
| year introduced = 1970?
| architecture = PDP-8
+
| architecture = [[PDP-8 architecture|PDP-8]]
| type = Time-sharing
+
| type = [[Time-sharing]]
 
| multitasking = limited with multiuser
 
| multitasking = limited with multiuser
 
}}
 
}}
  
OS/8 was the primary OS for the [[PDP-8]]. OS/8 is different from modern OS's as you don't change paths/drives you assign the DSK: volume to whatever disk it is you want to work from.  Also running exe's have to be on the SYS: volume.
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OS/8 was the primary [[operating system]] for the [[PDP-8 family|PDP-8]]. OS/8 is a [[single-user]] OS, used for support of [[application]] [[software]].
 +
 
 +
All [[peripheral]] operations are handled without using [[interrupt]]s. The [[file system]] uses contiguous [[file]]s. [[Batch]] operation was supported by an extension.
 +
 
 +
It is different from modern OS's as you don't change paths/drives you assign the DSK: volume to whatever disk it is you want to work from.  Also running exe's have to be on the SYS: volume.
  
 
== Example of usage ==
 
== Example of usage ==
Line 27: Line 31:
 
== Some commands ==
 
== Some commands ==
  
=== HELP ===
 
 
=== BASIC ===
 
=== BASIC ===
=== DELETE ===
+
 
deletes a file.  You can use wildcards.
 
=== SQUISH ===
 
Squish is like defrag, in that it'll actually delete files, and move stuff around so you can get the maximum free space..
 
 
=== COPY ===
 
=== COPY ===
 
copy copys a file, but the syntax is different from most OS's...
 
copy copys a file, but the syntax is different from most OS's...
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<pre>copy rxa0:<rxa1:*.sv</pre>
 
<pre>copy rxa0:<rxa1:*.sv</pre>
 
copys all the .sv files from rxa1 to rxa0
 
copys all the .sv files from rxa1 to rxa0
 +
 +
=== DELETE ===
 +
deletes a file.  You can use wildcards.
 +
 +
=== HELP ===
 +
 +
=== ODT ===
 +
ODT is the Octal Debugging Technique: Or the debugger.
 +
 
=== RUN ===
 
=== RUN ===
 +
 +
=== SQUISH ===
 +
Squish is like defrag, in that it'll actually delete files, and move stuff around so you can get the maximum free space..
 +
 +
[OS/8 handbook https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_decpdp8os8_39414792/page/n149/mode/2up ]
  
 
== Interesting notes ==
 
== Interesting notes ==
  
OS/8 could run under another OS [[RTS8]] as a virtualized guest, allowing each user to have their own virtual PDP-8.
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OS/8 could run under another OS [[RTS/8]] as a virtualized guest, allowing each user to have their own virtual PDP-8.
 +
 
 +
== Running OS/8 ==
 +
[https://raymii.org/s/articles/Running_ADVENT-on-the-PDP-8-with-SIMH.html Adventure running on OS/8]
 +
 
 +
[http://simh.trailing-edge.com/software.html OS/8 Software Kit om DSK format]
  
{{stub}}
+
{{semi-stub}}
  
[[Category:PDP-8 Operating Systems]]
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[[Category: PDP-8 Operating Systems]]
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[[Category: DEC Operating Systems]]

Revision as of 11:20, 24 June 2020


OS/8
Type: Time-sharing
Creator: DEC
Multitasking: limited with multiuser
Architecture: PDP-8
Date Released: 1970?


OS/8 was the primary operating system for the PDP-8. OS/8 is a single-user OS, used for support of application software.

All peripheral operations are handled without using interrupts. The file system uses contiguous files. Batch operation was supported by an extension.

It is different from modern OS's as you don't change paths/drives you assign the DSK: volume to whatever disk it is you want to work from. Also running exe's have to be on the SYS: volume.

Example of usage

delete basic.*
deassign dsk:
assign rxa1: dsk:
squish sys:

copy rxa0:<rxa1:*.sv

R FRTS
ADVENT
(ESCAPE)

Some commands

BASIC

COPY

copy copys a file, but the syntax is different from most OS's...

copy Destination:<source:FILES

So that the follwing:

copy rxa0:<rxa1:*.sv

copys all the .sv files from rxa1 to rxa0

DELETE

deletes a file. You can use wildcards.

HELP

ODT

ODT is the Octal Debugging Technique: Or the debugger.

RUN

SQUISH

Squish is like defrag, in that it'll actually delete files, and move stuff around so you can get the maximum free space..

[OS/8 handbook https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_decpdp8os8_39414792/page/n149/mode/2up ]

Interesting notes

OS/8 could run under another OS RTS/8 as a virtualized guest, allowing each user to have their own virtual PDP-8.

Running OS/8

Adventure running on OS/8

OS/8 Software Kit om DSK format