25 Aug
2010
25 Aug
'10
3:01 a.m.
Jerome H. Fine wrote:
Is anyone interested in having a PDP-11 Qbus system? It will likely
take a year or even two before they could be put together and tested.
But if a few of you put in your interest, then I will keep you in mind.
Trust that there will be interest in a real LSI-11 system. Distance may
be a factor, but time usually fixes that as somebody arranges for a
swing to pick up gear. For example I'll be interested, but
shipping-challenged out in California. But Qbus systems generally
speaking aren't really all that bad to ship, especially in BA23s.
For myself, I still run RT-11, but I an a software
addict. [...]
Also, I
am still working on fixing bugs and coding enhancements for RT-11,
but it is less of a goal when no one else seems to be interested.
I found working with RT-11 on a lowly PDT-11/150 to be a hoot, even if I
had to pound on the keyboard of a VT52 to do it. This was how I passed a
summer during college, in sticky August New England heat.
It's fun to play with these systems whether it's virtual or physical.
The bigger challenge in keeping the ecology alive is making software
available. The base OS is, I think, but if compilers and tools aren't
then people stop looking after the sources to things as fun but not as
well known as ADVENT or what have you. The more that can be easily
retrieved and played with, the more longevity the hardware/software
ecosystem will have.
So hang in there Jerome, there's interest - you're not alone. Including
the list for reasons of searchability and registration of interest.
/--/Steve.