Semi-Irregular PDP-10 archives plea for contributions

[The article below is a reply I wrote to a post in the Usenet group alt.sys.pdp10. I do feel that it may reach some additional audience here.] sjm wrote: A good number of the emulator (simulator?) authors are a bit afraid that releasing their current source code would require that they support it. I'm of the other opinion - if they release their current source code (I don't care if it's GPL or not GPL, I do *not* want to get into that religious war!) then others will support it. What's really encouraging is that several of the authors of the DECUS freeware in the archives have wandered across the collection and told me that they appreciate seeing software that they used or wrote themselves, sometimes 30 or more years ago. You're welcome :-). It's nice to see that at least I - and both the anonymous and not-so-anonymous donors mentioned at the archive home page, http://pdp-10.trailing-edge.com/ - come off as the good guys. We're really trying. I've seen some emulator progress mentioned here as a result of the sources being available and browsable, and that's a Good Thing. So far several hundred people have visited the archive site and downloaded or browsed through the software available, and that's a Good Thing too. It really breaks my heart and pains me that so much software is out there just rotting away. Some of the current holders of the tapes don't understand that the tapes *are* still readable (sure, not everyone has 9-track and 7-track drives anymore, and not everyone has the ability to read and decode TOPS-10 BACKUP or TOPS-20 DUMPER tapes, but I do!), others don't understand that there is a wide interest in the software. There are some other organizations - such as computer museums - that probably don't understand the value of the tapes or disks they currently have in their collection. Many of these museums have members/volunteers that read this newsgroup, and I hope that those readers pay attemtion to my plea below. Thus I'll repeat my plea: If anyone has any PDP-10 software covered by the DEC 36-bit hobbyist license, please get it to me. I'll pay shipping both ways, and I'm an expert at archiving old data. Your tapes will be properly cared for, carefully read, and returned. If you want, you'll be thanked on the archive page for the stuff you provide, or if you prefer you can remain anonymous. Just don't let the software rot away! The best reference I can give is what I've done so far. Just look at http://pdp-10.trailing-edge.com/ and you'll find hundreds of megabytes of PDP-10 software, preserved in both *exact* tape or disk image form and as browsable, human-readable files. Both commercial software covered by the DEC 36-bit hobbyist license and the DECUS 10- and 20- freeware collections are available there. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927