18 Jan
1999
18 Jan
'99
1:26 a.m.
Doug wrote:
On 17 Jan 1999, Eric Smith wrote:
Jerome Fine replies:
I have a very serious question. I want to be able to run a PDP-11 Qbus system
until 2036. If you want to know the reason, it is because the DATE word
value turns "negative" (the high order bit is first used) on 01-Jan-2036.
While
I realize that this objective is probably ridiculous from most points of view and
it is possible that I will not be around when I am 97 to enjoy watching the
change over in real-time as it actually happens for real, nevertheless, it is
a present goal and plan of mine to take 1985 hardware and software and
have it running 36 additional years from NOW.
Can anyone suggest if my goal of having a BA23 with a PDP-11 inside
(MicroPDP-11) still running in 36 more years is reasonable. And what
might it take to accomplish the goal. In addition, I am more interested in
the software, namely RT-11 (which I intend to gradually convert for
hobby users for V5.3 by the end of the year for the utilities which are
most of interest - I have already done some of V5.4G, but it is not
available for hobby use). The question is which system is more likely
to be able to run in 36 years:
(a) A real MicroPDP-11
(b) Some sort of OS and hardware which can run W95 which is presently
able to run the E11 PDP-11 emulator by John Wilson?
Sincerely yours,
Jerome Fine
RT-11/TSX-PLUS User/Addict
I wouldn't expect a hard drive to be workable
after 100 years of storage,
even in an inert gas atmosphere.
Why not? Which parts would degrade? I think most modern systems have
flash EPROMS, including some disk drive firmware, and that's probably
going to have problems as you mentioned. Even normal ROMs have problems
with fusing gates, right? I would think a hard disk and heads should be
OK if left undisturbed with no oxidizing agents and no strong magentic
fields.
Put representative types of common media in the capsule, and let the
people from the year 2100 figure out which survive best. Now, which OS
should the machine run, Linux or Windows?