----- Original Message -----
From: "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh_at_aracnet.com>
To: <cctalk_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 4:36 PM
Subject: Re: decserver 550 in Kansas City
<SNIP>
> No, I simply find it a little odd that the main OS to be used on systems
> built from DECserver 550 boards is 2.11BSD. In fact I'm not sure I've
> heard of anyone running anything else on one.
>
> Zane
> --
> | Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Administrator |
> | healyzh_at_aracnet.com (primary) | OpenVMS Enthusiast |
> | | Classic Computer Collector |
> +----------------------------------+----------------------------+
> | Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
> | PDP-10 Emulation and Zane's Computer Museum. |
> | http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
>
Zane, I would suspect that BSD is because it is FREE, multi-user, and
multi-tasking. RT-11, RSX, etc. aren't free. I managed to purchase a RT-11
license back when I worked for a DEC OEM. We made MIL-STD 1553 data bus
controllers and sold a complete testing station built around both QBUS and
UNIBUS machines. In fact, I wrote the drivers for both RT-11 and VMS that
were provided with the systems.
As best as I recall, I paid $800+ for the full RT-11, which was, as I
remember, about my company's cost. I think retail was and sill is about
$1500. I didn't get any manuals, but didn't need them as I had access at
work.
As for myself, my first choice for running on an 11/53 built out of a
DECserver 550, which I am currently doing, would be TSX Plus over RT-11. Too
bad about that, huh - I'm not paying for TSX Plus for use in a hobby. RT-11
I have. I MAY try the BSD, as I never played with it in its day. It could
even be educational!
I'm still kicking myself over the $3,500 I spent on SCO Open Desktop
Developers kit, PLUS $500 to join their developers program so that I could
get the OS and tools AT THAT PRICE!!! Linux is MUCH more stable and is
downloadable for zilch. The (GCC) compiler doesn't dump core if you try to
get a listing either, unlike the SCO (Microsoft) compiler.
Regards,
Stuart Johnson
Received on Thu Feb 27 2003 - 18:12:12 GMT