36bit still in use ?

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2014-11-29 00:15, Sean Caron wrote:
> Not disputing seeing the evidence of a 36-bit machine behind the curtain in
> the XKL Darkstar firmware updates but I wasn't clear on whether or not the
> TOAD-2 board just had some PDP-10 provenance in it, or whether or not it
> was a full-on clone that could run the historic operating systems.

Ah. Well, I've heard claims going both ways. But it apparently atleast 
runs parts of TOPS-20. If runs the full monty, or just an XKL stripped 
version I don't know.

> I don't see the TOAD-2 listed a a product on XKL's site anywhere, though.
> As far as I can tell there's no Darkstar product listed on their site with
> exactly the same port punch-outs as the TOAD-2. Maybe it's a special order
> item? Unfortunately it's not in my price range any way you cut it ;)

I wonder if that specific model shown at LCM is obsolete?
I tried finding any good information on XKLs website, but mostly failed.

Looking at their technical specifications, it only says:
"Architecture
Integrated Systems Architecture"

Reading the "DarkStar User Guide" don't help much either. Best hint in 
on page 60, where you see:

"
Boot> boot file /dxmos/dxmos.exe /recovery
[Loading ..............................................................] 
[File entry-vector is at 7700,,1000, length is 4]
[PDVA at 7706,,0]
[Free pages from 32170 through 1777777]
[Disabling the watchdog timer for this program.]
[Setting "Recovery" flag.]
[Clearing flags and context]
[Starting at 7700,,1000]
Starting DXM Operating System (DXMOS), XKL LLC
V3.0.0 Mar 6 2013 14:08:57
Copyright (c) 2004-2013 XKL LLC
All Rights Reserved
This product is protected by copyright and distributed under
licenses restricting copying, distribution and decompilation. 
Initializing hardware...
Detecting hardware with Switch board 00085-01
Initializing DarkStar DSM10-5R...
Initializing environmental loader:
     Running startup-gateware
    Done
.
.
.
"

File paths looks very unix:y, but the address specifications are so much 
PDP-10 that I can't help but wonder... (And they taste *so* octal...)

Been reading through the Command Reference manual as well, and it 
definitely smells a lot like EXEC, but once more, file paths looks very 
unix:y.

Anyway, yes, I doubt I would buy one either. I don't have a need, and 
I'm sure they are not free...

	Johnny


>
> Best,
>
> Sean
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 28, 2014 at 5:56 PM, Johnny Billquist <bqt at update.uu.se> wrote:
>
>> On 2014-11-28 23:49, Sean Caron wrote:
>>
>>> Sorry, I was just alluding to the "board" inside the ~1U device labeled as
>>> "XKL TOAD-2" in the video at around 0:30 in.
>>>
>>> Watching it a second time through, however, it appears that the TOAD-2 box
>>> shown in the video actually contains two discrete boards!
>>>
>>> I don't think that's an off-the-shelf product, LOL. I assume the board is
>>> a
>>> common system controller used in their network equipment product line and
>>> the TOAD-2 is a one-off; a few system controllers from stock, a chassis
>>> with plexiglas lid swapped in and a few extra holes drilled... produced
>>> per
>>> request of a good customer ;)
>>>
>>> I'm wondering now, do you think the TOAD-2 actually does anything? Or is
>>> it
>>> just a static display to demonstrate minimization of the PDP-10 over time?
>>> Can it run TOPS? Or is it just a router lacking any network interfaces?
>>>
>>
>> It runs TOPS-20. I've seen and played at the EXEC prompt of the TOAD-2.
>> And XKL are not making these as one-offs.
>> Yes, the one at LCM has been modified for display purposes, with such as
>> the plexiglass top.
>>
>> But if you read the thread, someone actually went to XKL and fetched the
>> firmware upgrade image they provide, and it's clearly for a 36-bit machine.
>> This is the firmware they provide as a general download to customers.
>>
>> This would not make sense if it were, as you suggest, a one-off product.
>>
>>          Johnny
>>
>>
>>
>>> Best,
>>>
>>> Sean
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Nov 28, 2014 at 5:28 PM, Johnny Billquist <bqt at update.uu.se>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>   On 2014-11-28 23:19, David Griffith wrote:
>>>>
>>>>   On Fri, 28 Nov 2014, Johnny Billquist wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>    On 2014-11-28 17:13, Sean Caron wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>   Whaaa? That's actually something a little bit different; I didn't
>>>>>>> even know
>>>>>>> there was such a thing as a TOAD-2.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Does anyone here know how many units of the TOAD-2 were ever sold? Who
>>>>>>> bought them?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That board looks so close to mini-ITX form factor... they should start
>>>>>>> selling them bare... it would look great next to my Atom boxes!!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> As far as I understood it, they are still selling them.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> How does one obtain one of these boards?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Boards? It's a group of products for networks...
>>>> If you deduct the name of the product from the name of the firmware
>>>> (Darkstar), you can see a whole bunch of products at www.xkl.com that
>>>> are
>>>> "Darkstar". I don't know if all of them use the TOAD-2, but it is
>>>> possible...
>>>>
>>>>           Johnny
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
>>>>                                     ||  on a psychedelic trip
>>>> email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
>>>> pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>> --
>> Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
>>                                    ||  on a psychedelic trip
>> email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
>> pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol
>>


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