Early Microprocessors in Industrial Microcomputers

[Paul Berger]

On 2016-03-09 8:36 PM, Jerome H. Fine wrote:
> >Paul Koning wrote:
>
>>> On Mar 9, 2016, at 1:54 PM, Chuck Guzis <cclist at sydex.com> wrote:
>>> ...
>>> I suspect that the nuclear power industry is one place that you'll 
>>> find the oldest stuff, however, given the long regulatory approval 
>>> process for change.
>>>
>>
>> I remember a nuclear reactor (research, not power generation) 
>> controlled by a PDP-9.
>>
> For Ontario Power Generation (formerly Ontario Hydro), the Nuclear 
> Power Generation
> station at Darlington (just East of Toronto) still uses the PDP-11 
> running RSX-11.  A
> refurbishment is either in progress of will commence soon and that 
> might change, but
> it is unlikely.  It is easier to continue to use the original hardware 
> and software than
> to completely revamp the system.  In the past, only the servicing 
> hardware tends to
> change.
>
> Jerome Fine
The Pickering Nuclear station ran on IBM 1800s and Bruce ran on PDP-8s. 
The Nanticoke Coal fired thermal plant also used 1800s.  I recall in my 
early days at IBM they reconned a 1800 on our education center lab floor 
for Ontario Hydro.  They self serviced all their systems and a friend 
who did a work term at Bruce was telling me they had a room full of 
PDP-8s for spare parts.

Paul.