Hi, [big cut] I always learnt \a as "Audiable Bell" - I guess it depends on where you look tho :&) -- Matt --- Web Page: http://knm.yi.org/ http://pkl.net/~matt/ PGP Key fingerprint = 00BF 19FE D5F5 8EAD 2FD5 D102 260E 8BA7 EEE4 8D7F PGP Key http://knm.yi.org/matt-pgp.html

The question at hand: At 06:34 PM 8/16/01 -0500, Lawrence LeMay wrote: This used to differentiate between "dumb" terminals and "smart" terminals. However, many systems (even the PDP-1) often had a CRT of some sort attached to the main system that was eventually used to display some messages. Further, there was the plethora of "glass TTYs" that came out in the late 60's with the advent of TTL logic. So here are some specific questions that might be interesting to answer: Lets define a TERMINAL to be a cathode ray tube that displays characters and a keyboard input unit that communicates through a serial channel (can be coax, RS-232, current loop, etc.) 1) What was the first example of a TERMINAL (See above)? 2) When was a processor (micro, bit-slice, whatever) first DEDICATED to operating a terminal? 3) What is the first terminal that could manipulate its own buffer memory in response to a "control" code? 4) What is the first terminal that could display graphics and text? (either alternately or simultaneously) I'm guessing that the Lear-Seigler machines were near the front... --Chuck

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I'll bet on the Imlac PDS-1. Chuck McManis wrote:

Paul Williams wrote: All of them to some degree! Imlac PDS-1's were the first-ever 'smart terminal', and the first networkable graphics terminals, developed during the mid-1960's, and first introduced circa 1968. So the PDS-1 was commercially available around the same time as the first glass teletypes (question #1). For question #2 through #4... The PDS-1 is a dual processor 16 bit minicomputers implemented with core memory that was shared with a display processor. The display processor updated a CRT display using vector (stroke generated) characters. The characters themselves were totally defined by software so even the 'font' was programmable. In Imlac documentation, the minicomputer is sometimes refered to as the display list processor. This 'main' CPU also took care communication with a host system. This processor did not (normally) have general purpose I/O capability, and was 'computationally challanged' as compared to say a Nova or a HP 21xx of that same era so this is clearly a dedicated 'terminal control' processor, although it can run modest application programs as well. Some application programs were written that emulated other types of displays from simple glass TTY's to other graphical displays. This is a clear example of the functionality of question #3. Lastly, the PDS-1 generated all its text characters by short vectors, so mixed graphics and text was what the Imlac design was all about. In fact some of the first (the first) networked graphics protocalls were developed for the PDS-1. Imlacs are very interesting and historically signifigant machines, I'd expect them to be better known and more widely collected than they seem to be. I can only assume that this is due to their being somewhat rare. While I don't have any information on the numbers produced, its clear from looking at the hardware that the PDS-1's were essentially hand-made machines, targeted to a niche application in their day. Also, the PDS-1 is probably THE ONLY 'terminal' that came with an optional switches and lights programmers console. Early short-vector Imlac consoles look very much like a prop from the original Star Trek TV show, with a hint of the Cyber 205 console added for good measure. I have an early model Imlac PDS-1. The minicomputer section is up and running, and I'm working on the display and display processor section. I'm sure it will be fully operational soon. I first saw an Imlac at VCF East, and was impressed enough to 'have to have one'! Now that I'm becomming more familiar with their design and role in shaping what we know as the 'intellegent terminal' today, I've decided that these rare and special machines deserve preservation beyond what little original Imlac hardware exists. I am aware of an Imlac emulator program under development, but no emulation on a modern raster-based display will quite match the beauty of a true vector based stroke-generated display. To address this, I've been discussing a re-implementation of the PDS-1 with an ASIC chip designer where I work. He's convinced me that we can reduce the PDS-1 to a small handfull of Xilinx chips at a very affordable cost. My plan would be to build a replica of the early model PDS-1 programmers front panel that contained all the processors and memory (the original Imlac was a peice of furniture with the electronics hidden in the back under a small desk). This Re-Imlac would use a real X/Y vector based display, just like the original.

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Tom displayed a later-model PDS-1, a long vector machine. I was able to persuade Tom to part with his older short-vector machine. The original documentation for the short-vector machine describes the PDS-1 as shipping in 1968. The PDS-1 uses conventional RS-232 communications. John Allain wrote:

RS232 or Current loop comm. John A.

Fred said: I believe for the Selectric, being IBM, they would be blue. John A.

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