Right but the original post was about the PC-MAC network and not the DEC OS
thus the path the thread is taking.
There was also a TOPS for UNIX (Sun 386). Also TOPS could work through
Ethernet (used mostly when UNIX was involved) wich would allow for more that
just PC-MAC networks.
According to the Book "Networking with TOPS" the original version was made
by SUN.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Peacock <peacock_at_simconv.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Monday, August 24, 1998 12:18 PM
Subject: RE: TOPS for PC, from sun
>
>>Well, it says that it is a full networking OS that allows mac's and
>PC's
>to communicate, etc. seems somewhat along the lines of what francois
>has. also has a "secret proprietary etc etc" program disk called
>"RTERM", circa 1985.
>
>Daniel A. Seagraves wrote:
>>
>> If it is what I immediately thought it was, (Which it can't be,
>> DEC owned TOPS, not Sun...) *I WANT A COPY!*
>>
>> (TOPS-20 on a PC! The horror!)
>> -------
>
>Seems there is some confusion here. TOPS-10 and TOPS-20 were DEC
>operating systems for the 36-bit DEC-10 and DEC-20 mainframes, circa
>late 60's (DEC-10) thru late 70's (DEC-20). TOPS dies when the VAX came
>out, thought there are vestiges left in VMS.
>
>The TOPS networking cards were essentially Appletalk cards for PCs. It
>was a low speed network using a Z80 SIO (or SCC?) serial USART and
>RS-422 drivers instead of RS-232. IIRC the speed was around
>230Kbits/second (I have one in the back of a closet, haven't looked at
>it for a while). No relation to the TOPS operating system at all.
> Jack Peacock
>
Received on Mon Aug 24 1998 - 13:10:51 BST