Digression - Ah Yes!! The PDP-10

[allison]

On 10/25/17 5:18 PM, Rob Jarratt via cctech wrote:
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: cctalk [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Robert
>> Adamson via cctalk
>> Sent: 25 October 2017 20:56
>> To: cctech at classiccmp.org
>> Subject: Digression - Ah Yes!! The PDP-10
>>
>> Beginning of the 70's I was using a pdp-10 at TSL (Time Sharing Limited,
> UK)
>> over a phone line writing logic simulation software in Fortran. Remember
> it
>> fondly, especially the number of times I needed to redial in and try to
>> reconnect to my session. Still smell the teletype. Cost about £10 for the
> 20
>> seconds cpu-time or so just to compile the program!!!
>>
> I used to use the DECSYSTEM-20 from a Teletype (until they got replaced by
> VDUs). That is why I really wanted a nice Model 33 ASR, which I now have. I
> sometimes connect it up to SIMH running TOPS-20 to relive the happiest part
> of my school days.
>
>
>> Roll on a few years and I was actually at the console of a 10 at Smiths
> doing IC
>> layout graphics interactively on their Lady Jane suite. What a great
> single-user
>> machine!
>>
>> (and I still remember my username and password from TSL, typed it so often
> it
>> burned in).
>>
My experience with DEC PDP-10 is 1970-71, the BOCES LIRCs system.
A PDP01 and PDP-8I (the timeshare system from the year before).
It was a timeshare system spanning two counties with over 300
highschool users.  Actual loads ran from about 150 to as high as
300 where all the terminal lines and concentrater lines were in use.
Most were 100baud though at the site there were 8 lines at as high
as 4800.  Spent my time as user and part time system monitor at
the site.   My favorite terminal then was a Hazeltine H1000 class TTY.

The processor was the first version a KA10 with 64kwords of core initially
and later 128K with an added 128K swapping drum.  OS was TOPS 10.

Really liked the machine and it was pretty to look at with the programmers
console.  Favorite core location to watch was 150Q.

Allison