More Alto remarks

[Mark Kahrs]

I had forgotten about OrBit.  According to this very nice document:

http://xeroxalto.computerhistory.org/Indigo/Spruce/documents/.orbitguide.press!1.pdf

... the Orbit hardware was 4 cards in the Alto II backplane.  As I recall,
the SLOT interface was only 1 card; it was connected to a slower speed
printer.  The only modification to the Alto: wire wrapping the task signals
(don't ask me how I know...)

And yes, I agree, only the high bandwidth I/O used tasks.  The use of tasks
and "time sharing" the Alto processor innards is one of the Alto's real
treats.