7 Aug
2023
7 Aug
'23
12:53 p.m.
On Aug 5, 2023, at 2:25 AM, Nigel Williams via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
On Sat, Aug 5, 2023 at 10:16 AM Bill Gunshannon via cctalk <
cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
I wonder who came up with that story about Micro-RSTS, because it is in no way correct.
RSTS never was sold on a license-only basis that I know of, it always came as a binary
kit, with several choices for media. What those choices were shifted over time, but
generally they were whatever would allow the number of media to be just a handful. For
example, the usual RSTS-11 V4A kit was three DECtapes. (There was also an RK05 plus a
large stack of paper tapes kit, what a pain). Later there were RL02 or RK06 kits, and of
course mag tape (800 or 1600 BPI).
When the MicroPDP-11 appeared with its RX50 drives that was problematic because those
devices are so tiny that normal RSTS kit procedures of the time would not work. So
Micro-RSTS was a packaging (kitting) exercise, with some small bits of new machinery added
to the installation process to make it possible to split a RSTS kit into 400 kB pieces.
One example is the INIT "COPY" operation which transfers the initial RSTS bits
from the kit to the output device. In Micro-RSTS those don't all fit on one disk.
So, if the copy operation encounters a xyz.EOV file, it prints the contents of that file
and waits for another disk, with label xyz, to be mounted, then continues. A disk with no
EOV file on it is the last disk for the COPY operation (which means that, after it's
copied, the output disk is booted).
Micro-RSTS was a DEC supplied kit. I have never heard of OEM-supplied kits; RSTS
wasn't really an OEM product. And the kitting procedures were DEC internal tools,
hard to use and not at all documented. The notion that OEMs would be expected to make
their own kits makes no sense at all.
I've spent some time with the RSTS build scripts trying to run an actual standard
kit-building procedure (for V10.1). I haven't succeeded yet; it is a very unfriendly
process that depends on a whole lot of magic. And unfortunately my wife, who actually did
some of that stuff in the 1980s, doesn't remember any of it.
I'm pretty sure there were several Micro-RSTS releases, the version number 2.1 that
was quoted suggests as much. I once took a later one (9.3 or 9.6 based, I don't
remember) and constructed three replacement disks for it to allow it to be installed on a
Pro. That was just an experiment for my early Pro work. Actually, part of my reason for
tinkering with the kit procedures is that I want to create a 10.1 based Micro-RSTS so I
can do a Pro version for that one, but even getting the basics is very hard.
paul
Which version of RSTS is MicroRSTS V2.1
equivalent to?
From here:
https://groups.google.com/g/net.micro/c/_HXPyIyrSwo/m/MuWDLNE8P48J
"Micro-RSTS comes with RSTS/E V8.0". This means that while buying a
Micro/PDP-11 will get you a general OS license, you are expected to
get the actual media through other means, like having a bigger RSTS
system. The idea here is to allow OEM's to market the Micro/PDP-11 -
and give them REAL control. The end user can't buy Micro-RSTS on RX50's.
(Although one can take his RSTS/E tapes to a Dec office and change
media for a slight fee.)
Previously I was told Micro-RSTS comes pre-genned. I am now told that
the OEM has to make a sil on HIS machine and transfer it to the
Micro-PDP/11.
At present the only compatible media is RL02, with RC25's coming soon.
(RX02's are available too, but make life difficult as they're NFS.)
Micro-RSTS is a genuine RSTS V8.0, minus a few cusps Dec decided
weren't so common. There is a execute-only version of Basic+, and
yyy]}2o}ur swapfiles are most likely very small compared to those on a
full 63 job system. There is nothing stopping you from implementing
full RSTS with Basic+, BP2, etc. I am told the spooling package
IS now only one job... I'll wait to see that.