Wondering which OS to use (PDP-8/A) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

24 Oct 2005

On Sun, 23 Oct 2005, "Martin Bishop" <mjd.NO.bishop.SPAM at iee.org>
wrote:

...
  QUOTE The 8/A cannot have an EAE UNQUOTE

 Don't think this is correct.  Because, such a machine would have no serious
 (integer) arithmetic capability.  Also, the PDP 8/A Minicomputer Handbook
 1976/77 has a lengthy section [pp9-56 .. 9-65] on the KE8-E (Extended
 Arithmetic Element : EAE).  However, the "PDP-8 Summary of Models and
 Options" (posted by Doug Jones) indicates that the EAE can be fitted iff the
 PDP-8/E CPU boardset is fitted.  That is PDP-8/A models 600/620 were fitted
 with the KK8E CPU and optionally the 8/E EAE.  And, I imagine "field
 specials" were doubtless built.

 Another wrinkle; correction invited. 
As I said, some 8/A systems were fitted with 8/E CPUs. It's actually
almost on the verge of terminology confusion. I should probably have
written explicitly that it's the KK8A that cannot have an EAE, while the
KK8E can.
However, there are no "field specials". The KK8A simply cannot have an
EAE.

	Johnny

Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                  ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at update.uu.se           ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol