DL10 documentation

[Rich Alderson]

From: Noel Chiappa
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 5:07 AM

> From: Phil Budne

>> I remember finding documentation on MC for "KLDCP" the original DEC
>> front-end software (suitably defaced) which DEC later replaced with a
>> modified version of RSX-11

> MC, on the other hand, ran KLDCP ('KL Diagnostic Console Program') until the
> end. (The sources of DEC KLDCP version 7 are still available from the MC
> dumps, if anyone wants them, along with the MIT-modified version.) The
> console -11 on MC ran a 'combination' of IOELEV and KLDCP - the two remained
> pretty much separate, just cooperated to share the machine:

>   KLDCP does JSR PC, [to 03000] when it has nothing to do and 10 is
>   running. IOELEV should INIT if it hasn't already, then go into its main
>   loop. It should CLC, RTS PC if the 10 goes down; KLDCP will print
>   appropriate message. To go into temporary KLDCP command mode, SEC, RTS PC.

> I get the impression from the IOELEV source that it ran on the -11 connected
> to the DL10 first (stand-alone, by itself), and was later adapted to share the
> console -11 with KLDCP.

> Amusing comment in the KLDCP source:

>   WE HAVE GONE TO CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY AND EXPENSE TO ASSEMBLE A STAFF OF
>   SORCERERS, SHAMANS, CONJURERS AND LAWYERS TO VISIT NETTLESOME AND MYSTIFING
>   DISCOMFORTS ON ANY NINNY WHO ENDEAVORS TO REPRODUCE OR USE THIS PROGRAM IN
>   ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING COMPUTERS AND
>   INFORMATION SYSTEMS, WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE DEVELOPER. WATCH YOURSELF!

The original KL-10 running WAITS in the SAIL tri-processor system was a 1080 as
well, and used a locally extended version of KLDCP for the front end rather
than a second program such as IOELEV.  This version of KLDCP includes Ethernet
support for the 3Mbit Xerox board, which provides PUP networking to WAITS.

We are looking at adding code to this version of KLDCP to allow setting the TOY
clock, a TCU-150.  (SAIL used a TCU-100 and a hack to get years from 1976-1991;
the TCU-150 provides a YEAR field in the date register.)  I find it interesting
that the SAIL folks never saw the need to do that. :-)

Sources for both the original and the WAITS variant are available for perusal
at SAILDART.org (Bruce Baumgart's site), and will be visible on our WAITS
system once we have IP networking going.

                                                                Rich

Rich Alderson
Vintage Computing Sr. Systems Engineer
Living Computers: Museum + Labs
2245 1st Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98134

mailto:RichA at LivingComputers.org

http://www.LivingComputers.org/