20 Aug
2021
20 Aug
'21
12:41 p.m.
Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
There are indications in the KDJ11-B processor spec on
bitsavers that
the M8190 could be used in a multiprocessor configuration. For
example, bit 10 of the Maintenance Register (17 777 750) is labeled
"Multiprocessor Slave" and indicates that the bus arbitrator is
disabled. There is also section 6.6, "Cache Multi-Processor Hooks",
that describes cache features that allow multiprocessor operation.
Would it be as simple as connecting to 11/83 qbus together? And adding
the proper software.
Anybody ever heard of such a thing?
Such a system was put together and tested at DEC with the RSX group
(who did the PDP-11/74 multiprocessor work). I'm told that while it
worked, it wasn't terrible successful, and the project was abandoned.
I was given a gift of one of the CPU modules that was used in the test
and I might still have it around here. I can't recall for certain,
but I think the module required some ECOs to make it work in a
multi-processor configuration.
The person to ask about this, Brian McCarthy, is unfortunately no
longer with us. :-(
Alan Frisbie
20 Aug
20 Aug
1:07 p.m.
There were a couple of other PDP-11 multiprocessors that I know of (and
used):
* C.MMP (eventually 16 PDP-11/40e's in an SMP configuration with a
crosspoint switch accessing a large memory).? It ran a capability
based OS called Hydra.
* CM*? this was a cluster of LSI-11s (as I recall) that were
hierachially interconnected to allow for distributed operation (I
think it was potentially capable of running with 255 nodes). I don't
recall what OS CM* used.
Of course both of the above did not use off the shelf OS's or software.
TTFN - Guy
On 8/20/21 12:41 PM, Alan Frisbie via cctalk wrote:
Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
--
TTFN - Guy
There are indications in the KDJ11-B processor
spec on bitsavers that
the M8190 could be used in a multiprocessor configuration. For
example, bit 10 of the Maintenance Register (17 777 750) is labeled
"Multiprocessor Slave" and indicates that the bus arbitrator is
disabled. There is also section 6.6, "Cache Multi-Processor Hooks",
that describes cache features that allow multiprocessor operation.
Would it be as simple as connecting to 11/83 qbus together? And adding
the proper software.
Anybody ever heard of such a thing?
Such a system was put together and tested at DEC with the RSX group
(who did the PDP-11/74 multiprocessor work).? I'm told that while it
worked, it wasn't terrible successful, and the project was abandoned.
I was given a gift of one of the CPU modules that was used in the test
and I might still have it around here.? I can't recall for certain,
but I think the module required some ECOs to make it work in a
multi-processor configuration.
The person to ask about this, Brian McCarthy, is unfortunately no
longer with us.? :-(
Alan Frisbie 
1:14 p.m.
On Aug 20, 2021, at 4:07 PM, Guy Sotomayor via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
There were a couple of other PDP-11 multiprocessors that I know of (and used):
* C.MMP (eventually 16 PDP-11/40e's in an SMP configuration with a
crosspoint switch accessing a large memory). It ran a capability
based OS called Hydra.
* CM* this was a cluster of LSI-11s (as I recall) that were
hierachially interconnected to allow for distributed operation (I
think it was potentially capable of running with 255 nodes). I don't
recall what OS CM* used.
Of course both of the above did not use off the shelf OS's or software.
TTFN - Guy
Did you ever run across an ALGOL-68 compiler for either of these? At one time (while at
the U of Illinois I think, late 1970s, or perhaps a few years later at DEC) I had a set of
DECtapes that contained the run time libraries for that compiler. I think they were in
Bliss, and PDP-10 format DECtapes. I lost them at some point, unfortunately, and I never
had the compiler itself.
Some vague memory says it was an ALGOL-68 subset; most compilers were, ALGOL-68 is a
rather difficult language to compile if you want to support the whole thing.
paul
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