23 Mar
2004
23 Mar
'04
10:19 a.m.
ben franchuk <bfranchuk(a)jetnet.ab.ca> wrote:
Umm stupid question. Can you run the development and
bootstrap software
on a vax?
By development software I assume you mean the tools for working with Verilog
(simulation and synthesis), right? I'm using the open source Icarus Verilog and
it can run on anything, though since it's written in Anshit C I'm forced to use
gcc rather than native cc. I guess if necessary it can be run through
unprotoize and thus made truly portable.
Not sure what you mean by bootstrap software, if you mean things like VMB,
that's written in VAX macrocode and runs on the VAX, so I don't see where the
problem is.
I'll also have a real console FEP to implement the functions of Chapter 10 of
the VAX spec (lacking the real STD 032 I use the chapter and section numbering
from VARM 2nd ed.), for which I will use some 8 or
16-bit microprocessor of the
appropriate time period. Fortunately there are
8/16-bit microprocessors that
existed at the time of VAX-11/7xx and are still made (Z80 and 8086 come to
mind).
MS
23 Mar
23 Mar
11:46 a.m.
On Tue, Mar 23, 2004 at 04:19:26PM -0800, Michael Sokolov wrote:
I'll also have a real console FEP to implement the
functions of Chapter 10 of
the VAX spec... for which I will use some 8 or 16-bit microprocessor of the
appropriate time period. Fortunately there are 8/16-bit microprocessors that
existed at the time of VAX-11/7xx and are still made (Z80 and 8086 come to
mind).
The console FEP in a KA730 is an 8085.
-ethan
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Ethan.Dicks(a)amanda.spole.gov http://penguincentral.com/penguincentral.html
11:59 a.m.
Michael Sokolov wrote:
By development software I assume you mean the tools
for working with Verilog
(simulation and synthesis), right? I'm using the open source Icarus Verilog and
it can run on anything, though since it's written in Anshit C I'm forced to use
gcc rather than native cc. I guess if necessary it can be run through
unprotoize and thus made truly portable.
Not sure what you mean by bootstrap software, if you mean things like VMB,
that's written in VAX macrocode and runs on the VAX, so I don't see where the
problem is.
No I mean a total bootstrap of the system. Can you rebuild the software
from source paper tape on small system? Can you rebuld the hardware with
chips and a soldering iron? The hard drive in a machine shop?
I can't help it, running FOCAL on a PDP-8 from the TTY left me with the
idea that the user can use or program or fix the computer they have.
Trying to build my own CPU from scratch has left me thinking why is
software so hard to bootstrap? After reading on the net how little
software source is left for CP/M or software for the lesser made PDP's
what would happen the future?
I'll also have a real console FEP to implement the
functions of Chapter 10 of
the VAX spec (lacking the real STD 032 I use the chapter and section numbering
from VARM 2nd ed.), for which I will use some 8 or 16-bit microprocessor of the
appropriate time period. Fortunately there are 8/16-bit microprocessors that
existed at the time of VAX-11/7xx and are still made (Z80 and 8086 come to
mind).
Too bad you can't use a PDP-11.
MS
Ben.
7580
days inactive
7580
days old
2 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
-
bfranchuk＠jetnet.ab.ca -
dickset＠amanda.spole.gov -
msokolov＠ivan.Harhan.ORG