Questions for HP1000 collectors & emulation users...(long)

From: Bob Shannon <bshannon_at_tiac.net>
Date: Thu Mar 28 18:28:03 2002

I have a few questions, a sort of informal survey for people with running HP 1000
hardware in their collections, or people playing with the SIMH (or other) emulation
of these machines.

If you have these machines, please send me a reply off-list. Please tag the subject
line so (any) replys can be found in my inbox.

Why the questionns?

As many HP collection know, HP1000 machines don't have the huge base of software
thats enjoyed by PDP-8 or PDP-11 machines. For people with a working CPU, their
options are limited to stand-alone software (HP BASIC) or getting working HP drives
and running some flavor of RTE.

As many HP collectors know, the HP 1000 machines do not enjoy the range of software
that is available for other machines like the PDP-8 or PDP-11. Today the HP 1000
collector is left with little choice other than stand-alone HP BASIC or attempting
to install and run some flavor of RTE on HP or aftermarket drives.

Another option will soon be available.

I'm currently working with a small group of people to develop a small, highly
portable, modular software package for HP1000 machines from the 2114/5/6 up through
the 21MX E and F series machines. This package will allow people to bootstrap their
HP processors with a minimum of peripherals. A PC-link and upload/download
application will also be provided as freeware.

(host interface is only for actual HP hardware, not emulation)

In order to support the range hardware collectors actually have, I'd like anyone
with a HP 1000 to drop me an off-list email with the following info:

1. What HP 1000 Processors or emulation system do you have running?

2. What method do you currently use to load programs into your processor, if any?

3. What software are you running?

4. What interface boards do you have installed?

5. What periperhals devices do you have, and do you have any documentation on their
hardware interface and programming?

6. Are you familiar with HP 1000 assembler?

7. Are you up for any (light) hardware work, or would you prefer a turn-key
approach?

8. Would you be interested in installing and using a small, extensible programming
environment and operating system on your HP hardware?
Received on Thu Mar 28 2002 - 18:28:03 GMT