> -----Original Message-----
> [mailto:owner-classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of Brian Knittel
>
> Furthermore, I think simulators can play a big role in
> encouraging the long-term collection, retention and dissemination
> of legacy software to run on either real or emulated hardware.
> Norm Aleks and I just acquired an IBM 1130, and as far as I can
> see, there is NO software archived out there anywhere. It's very
> discouraging. You can bet that we're going to post whatever we can
> get our hands on, along with the simh-based simulator I'm 75% done
> with, to hopefully reawaken interest in the 1130.
>
Oh my, an 1130! I don't think we've ever encountered such a severe case of
the classic computers disease. Brian, you need help.
Do you want me to see if I have any 1130 listings in the attic? I
learned/played/worked with an 1130, and a General Automation 18/30, from
1972 to about 1975. It was the first computer I ever saw or had access to.
The college finally hired me, so they could better control what I did with
that poor machine. I might, just might, somewhere have a listing of the
in-core monitor. I implemented a hack, sort of a TSR, that took over the
monitor, and swapped multiple copies of it, plus the user program, to disk,
to make it into a multi-user system. My first computer job. I got to know
the monitor inside and out. I figured out and wrote drivers for the four (4)
Hazeltine 2000 terminals.
The OS worked similar to the way CPM worked. I can't remember the name of
it. CMS maybe? Everything revolved around the card reader.
Have you ever had your head next to a CDC disk drive when there was a power
glitch? They dump the bulk supply caps into the voice coil to retract the
heads like *NOW*. BANG! The whole things rings like a big bell. I must have
jumped two feet.
One day, when I was a student tutor, I was the last one out, and turned off
the machine. Next morning, when I came in (I always stopped by the computer
center before class) the place was ominously quiet, and was swarming with
IBM techs. I watched for a while, and then asked, "Is this switch supposed
to be on?". There was a very large blue box in the corner with all the
cables going into and out of it. We called it the "multiplexer". The only
external feature was a single switch. I had turned it off the evening before
along with everything else. The IBM guy turned it on, everything started
humming, and they left quickly, without saying much. I was in the dog house
for a couple days.
--
Jonathan Engdahl???????????????? Rockwell Automation
Principal Research Engineer????? 24800 Tungsten Road
Advanced Technology????????????? Euclid, OH 44117, USA
Euclid Labs????????????????????? engdahl_at_cle.ab.com 216-266-6409
Received on Fri Sep 14 2001 - 18:09:59 BST