PDP software archives was: Re: Has anyone found the best way to preserve paper tape software? - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

30 Dec 1999

<snip>
...
 Since I work hard to let people know about the archives
of PDP-11 software
already out there on the net and on CD-ROM, I'd be interested in knowing
where (exactly!) you looked and how you came to the conclusion that there
was a vacuum.

I'll post a message about that whole topic tomorrow. Quite a few people I
know working with this equipment have never heard of this message list nor
found the OS images on the internet. To go one step further, old DEC (now
compaq) told me outright "We thought you were a hoax. Who in the world would
want this old junk" - they were talking about PDP1,PDP-8,and PDP-11 hardware
and software.. talking about the left hand not knowing what the right hand
is doing.... :-)

...
  >years, Bob
Supnik's emulators have come with Unix V5 through V7
>binary distributions (see ftp://ftp.digital.com/pub/DEC/sim/ ), 
 I have been told that the software there *only*
runs on the simulator. 
Nope, it'll run on the real deal too.  You have to be a bit careful: 
Again, I take it these images are not "distribution sets". I a hoping to
post all the distribution sets of the various PDP-8/11 OS soon (sysgen
stuff). Really need that for old hardware. For years I needed drivers or
pieces of RT11 only to find numerous sites with "RT11 programs, DECUS ,
etc.." but not the real install media. I only ever got all this stuff from
purchasing large systems from factories.. Now it's easier.. I am getting it
all from the source.

...
 most of the old Unices there think they're running
on a Unibus
machine, so if you run them on a Q-bus machine some funny things
will happen if you go above 256K due to the lack of a Unibus map.
(This applies to the simulator, too, since it emulates a 11/53!)

> Will
>the software on the site listed above run on real hardware or was it
>modified to only run on the simulators? I was told by a list member that the
...
  RT11 there will
not run on real hardware. 
I think you're confusing "it can't" with "you aren't supposed
to". 
I was actually told "can't". It would not run on QBUS stuff. Probably an
error, no idea.

...
 The hobbyist license that Supnik worked out only allows
you to run the
software under his (or another DEC) emulator.  There's talk about a
very much more permissive license deal coming up, but the talk is -
so far - just talk, and it could get nixed by the lawyers simply taking
inaction on it.  If and when it does turn solid, you can bet that this
mailing list will be one of the first places you hear about it.

One would hope....

john

http://www.pdp8.com/