information about the PDP-11/68 (also for PDP-11 FAQ: The Never 11's)

Hi all, last week I had 2 visitors from HP Storage Systems in my museum. They both started with DIGITAL back in 1981, and love the old systems. They have visited me before :-) While in my little museum they saw the H960 rack with the console of the PDP-11/60 on a 10.5" filler panel, and said something about a 'nice mock-up'. Ahh, I said, that is *not* a mock-up, but a real operational 11/60, but I did not have the space for the low-boy corporate cabinet, so I built the complete 11/60 in this H960 rack. To prove it, I switched on the system :-) You can read the story of the 11/60 on my website (PDP-11/60 folder, "11/60 in H960 rack"). Anyway, one tech told me that there was also a PDP-11/68 (no typo)! The 11/68 was just like the famous 11/74, he told. DIGITAL delivered four 11/74 to customers, but called those machines back. 3 Customers obeyed, but one (AT&T) said "forget it", and never returned the 11/74 to DIGITAL. The tech also told that the 11/68 was cancelled because it would out-perform the other new introduced machine (VAX-11/780, et al). I found a very small bit of information in the PDP-11 FAQ, in the section "The Never 11's" ... Don North added the following *first hand* information: <quote> My recollection of the 11/68 was that it was a follow on to the 11/60, intended to remedy the shortcomings (18b vs 22b mode) and increase performance to beyond 11/70 level (ie, be an 11/70 replacement). It was staffed by mostly the key designers from the 11/60 project. IIRC technology was to be the same gatearrays (400 cell TI ISTL?) that were ultimately used in the VAX Comet aka 11/750. At this time I had moved from 11/60 diagnostics to 11/74 CISP microcode. Most of the 11/68 (then known as 11/6X) development was in the next aisle over in the facility in Tewksbury MA. Anyway, I don't think the 11/68 project was all the widely known. It never got past the paper design stage before it was canceled. Most of the design team ended up leaving DEC shortly after to join Three Rivers (aka PERQ) in establishing a design center in Massachusetts (Three Rivers was located in Pittsburgh near CMU and they had trouble attracting people to come there). I even went there for an interview but declined the job offer. Good thing; the Mass design center lasted about 9mos or so before folding. Seems the CTO/Founder of Three Rivers just could not 'let go' of the desire/need to make EVERY technical decision for the company. Having a remote design center of course was then impossible. All the ex-DEC/PERQ guys then went on to form a startup (Mosaic Technologies) which built a graphical workstation using the newly announced National NS32032 VAX-like CPU. They had a booth at SIGGRAPH 80 or 81 IIRC but then shortly ran out of money, and later folded. </quote> Perhaps, this is info to be added to "The Never 11's" section ? - Henk, PA8PDP. This message and attachment(s) are intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient or agent thereof responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone and with a "reply" message. Thank you for your cooperation.