Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers From: jasnider@iglou1.iglou.com (Pat Larkin) Subject: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? X-Nntp-Posting-Host: iglou1 X-Nntp-Posting-User: jasnider Message-ID: Summary: Is CIS getting ready to trash a bunch of PDP-10s? Keywords: CompuServe PDP-10 TOPS-20 Old Computers Sender: news@iglou.com (News) Organization: IgLou Internet Services (1-800-436-4456) X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.1 (NOV) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1998 15:39:08 GMT Lines: 14 Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.bbnplanet.com!newsfeed.internetmci.com!192.107.41.5!iglou!iglou1!jasnider According to a recent post from Steve Ahlstrom (76703.2006@compuserve.com), CompuServe's old (referred to as 36-bit) forum software is not Y2K compliant and all the so-called ASCII forums will go away by the end of November this year, and the computers themselves will be trashed. A later post mentioned that the software was written in BLISS and ran on TOPS-20. Doesn't this mean PDP-10s? I imagine quite a few folks here might be willing to save CompuServe the cost of having trash haulers pick at least some of these up to cart away. I wonder if they would.... -- Pat Larkin Amiga Society of Kentuckiana Louisville Kentucky USA 74246 [period] 1077 [shift-2] compuserve [period] com -- ###### Message-ID: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> Date: Thu, 03 Sep 1998 13:34:49 -0400 From: "Foobar T. Clown" Reply-To: foobar@gazonk.del Organization: Blurp X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01 (WinNT; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? References: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit NNTP-Posting-Host: 198.133.110.49 X-Trace: 3 Sep 1998 13:36:56 -0500, 198.133.110.49 Lines: 10 Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!ix.netcom.com!zeus.nomos.com!198.133.110.49 Pat Larkin wrote: > > [...36 bit...] the software was written in BLISS and ran on TOPS-20. Bill's Language for the Implementation of Slick Software. I haven't heard that name in quite a while. > Doesn't this mean PDP-10s? You betcha. ###### From: Charles Richmond Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? Date: Thu, 03 Sep 1998 22:37:09 +0000 Organization: Cannine Computer Center Lines: 26 Message-ID: <35EF1A14.D4C1E30@plano.net> References: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> <6snh70$hgv@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> Reply-To: richmond@plano.net NNTP-Posting-Host: 204.215.63.151 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: 904879760 R67V8VHUD3F97CCD7C usenet78.supernews.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@supernews.com X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.04 (Macintosh; I; 68K) To: Max Froedge Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newscore.univie.ac.at!news-raspail.gip.net!news-peer.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!howland.erols.net!netnews.com!newspeer.monmouth.com!Supernews60!supernews.com!Supernews69!not-for-mail Max Froedge wrote: > > In article <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del>, foobar@gazonk.del says... > > > >Pat Larkin wrote: > >> > >> [...36 bit...] the software was written in BLISS and ran on TOPS-20. > > > >Bill's Language for the Implementation of Slick Software. > >I haven't heard that name in quite a while. > > > >> Doesn't this mean PDP-10s? > > > >You betcha. > > Close. I think they migrated over to PDP-10 clones called K10 and > K20. I can't remember the name of the manufacturer. > Does the name "Foonly Computers" ring a bell? I believe they were a California company that built PDP-10 clones. If I recall correctly, there was an MIT connection for the founders of Foonly. -- +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | Charles and Francis Richmond | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ ###### From: l.lopez@worldnet.att.net (Max Froedge) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? Date: 4 Sep 1998 01:53:36 GMT Organization: AT&T WorldNet Services Lines: 18 Message-ID: <6snh70$hgv@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> References: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> NNTP-Posting-Host: 12.66.70.89 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.99.8 (16bit) Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!wn4feed!worldnet.att.net!135.173.83.225!attworldnet!newsadm In article <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del>, foobar@gazonk.del says... > >Pat Larkin wrote: >> >> [...36 bit...] the software was written in BLISS and ran on TOPS-20. > >Bill's Language for the Implementation of Slick Software. >I haven't heard that name in quite a while. > >> Doesn't this mean PDP-10s? > >You betcha. Close. I think they migrated over to PDP-10 clones called K10 and K20. I can't remember the name of the manufacturer. Max ###### From: jsavard@tenMAPSONeerf.edmonton.ab.ca (John Savard) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? Date: Fri, 04 Sep 1998 18:29:00 GMT Organization: Videotron Communications Ltd. Lines: 9 Message-ID: <35f03148.6364421@news.prosurfr.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.108.21.106 X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.11/32.235 Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.direct.ca!news.insinc.net!stimpy.cal.sfl.net!news.videotron.ab.ca!not-for-mail jasnider@iglou1.iglou.com (Pat Larkin) wrote, in part: > Doesn't this mean PDP-10s? It might also mean the later Decsystem-20, which is compatible, and also made by DEC. John Savard http://members.xoom.com/quadibloc/index.html ###### From: l.lopez@worldnet.att.net (Max Froedge) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? Date: 4 Sep 1998 22:32:01 GMT Organization: AT&T WorldNet Services Lines: 23 Message-ID: <6sppp1$aro@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net> References: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> <6snh70$hgv@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> <35EF1A14.D4C1E30@plano.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: 12.66.2.215 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Newsreader: WinVN 0.99.8 (16bit) Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!wn4feed!worldnet.att.net!135.173.83.225!attworldnet!newsadm In article <35EF1A14.D4C1E30@plano.net>, richmond@plano.net says... > >Max Froedge wrote: >> >>> >> Close. I think they migrated over to PDP-10 clones called K10 and >> K20. I can't remember the name of the manufacturer. >> >Does the name "Foonly Computers" ring a bell? I believe they were a >California company that built PDP-10 clones. If I recall correctly, there was >an MIT connection for the founders of Foonly. Might be. I know it was indeed a California company. How many PDP-10 California clone manufacturer were there? :) Max > >-- >+-------------------------------------------------------------+ >| Charles and Francis Richmond | >+-------------------------------------------------------------+ ###### From: Frank McConnell Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.sys.pdp10 Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? Date: 6 Sep 1998 16:20:59 -0700 Organization: Reanimators Lines: 21 Message-ID: <6sv5cr$98s$1@daemonweed.reanimators.org> References: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> <6snh70$hgv@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> <35EF1A14.D4C1E30@plano.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: daemonweed.reanimators.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.stanford.edu!news.kjsl.com!news.reanimators.org!not-for-mail Charles Richmond wrote (in a.f.c): > Max Froedge wrote: > > Close. I think they migrated over to PDP-10 clones called K10 and > > K20. I can't remember the name of the manufacturer. > Does the name "Foonly Computers" ring a bell? I believe they were a > California company that built PDP-10 clones. If I recall correctly, > there was an MIT connection for the founders of Foonly. Not MIT, Stanford. And I don't think the CompuServe -10 clones were Foonly machines. My vague recollection (probably something I read on the net somewhere) is that CompuServe bought a license to manufacture Systems Concepts -10 clones and made their own. (x-posted to alt.sys.pdp10, where I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong) -Frank McConnell ###### From: Frank McConnell Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.sys.pdp10 Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? Date: 6 Sep 1998 20:43:11 -0700 Organization: Reanimators Lines: 15 Message-ID: <6svkof$h36$1@daemonweed.reanimators.org> References: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> <6snh70$hgv@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> <35EF1A14.D4C1E30@plano.net> <6sv5cr$98s$1@daemonweed.reanimators.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: daemonweed.reanimators.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!news.stanford.edu!news.kjsl.com!news.reanimators.org!not-for-mail alderson@netcom11.netcom.com (Richard M. Alderson III) wrote: > However, CIS stopped using any PDP-10 architecture in December 1996, > laying off all but one of their PDP-10 systems personnel to force a > move to NT that had been "lagging" (from a management perspective) > for a long time. Then I have a question. If I log into CompuServe it puts me in their ASCII menu system. I type "exit", press return, and it says "OK". What am I typing to at this point? It understands "r advent" quite well. Or at least it did on Friday. -Frank McConnell ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,alt.sys.pdp10 From: alderson@netcom11.netcom.com (Richard M. Alderson III) Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? In-Reply-To: Frank McConnell's message of 6 Sep 1998 16:20:59 -0700 Message-ID: Sender: alderson@netcom11.netcom.com Reply-To: alderson@netcom.com Organization: NETCOM On-line services References: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> <6snh70$hgv@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> <35EF1A14.D4C1E30@plano.net> <6sv5cr$98s$1@daemonweed.reanimators.org> Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 01:20:41 GMT Lines: 19 Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!ix.netcom.com!netcom11!alderson In article <6sv5cr$98s$1@daemonweed.reanimators.org> Frank McConnell writes: >And I don't think the CompuServe -10 clones were Foonly machines. My vague >recollection (probably something I read on the net somewhere) is that >CompuServe bought a license to manufacture Systems Concepts -10 clones and >made their own. This is correct: Mike Leavitt and Stewart Nelson of SC could not manufacturer their boxes fast enough to satisfy the demand from CIS, so they licensed the design for a hefty (40% of purchase price) fee for each one CIS built. However, CIS stopped using any PDP-10 architecture in December 1996, laying off all but one of their PDP-10 systems personnel to force a move to NT that had been "lagging" (from a management perspective) for a long time. -- Rich Alderson Last LOTS Tops-20 Systems Programmer, 1984-1991 Current maintainer, MIT TECO EMACS (v. 170) last name @ XKL dot COM Chief systems administrator, XKL LLC, 1998-now ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers From: alderson@netcom11.netcom.com (Richard M. Alderson III) Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? In-Reply-To: l.lopez@worldnet.att.net's message of 4 Sep 1998 22:32:01 GMT Message-ID: Sender: alderson@netcom11.netcom.com Reply-To: alderson@netcom.com Organization: NETCOM On-line services References: <35EED339.10E6@gazonk.del> <6snh70$hgv@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net> <35EF1A14.D4C1E30@plano.net> <6sppp1$aro@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net> Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 02:06:51 GMT Lines: 17 Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!ix.netcom.com!netcom11!alderson In article <6sppp1$aro@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net> l.lopez@worldnet.att.net (Max Froedge) writes: >Might be. I know it was indeed a California company. How many PDP-10 >California clone manufacturer were there? :) Three: Foonly, Systems Concepts, and cisco Systems. Yes, the networking company. The original business plan was to build a desktop PDP-10; the routers were a cash-cow sideline that took over, so nothing came of it *at cisco*. (See the XKL web page for a hint as to how I might know this...) -- Rich Alderson Last LOTS Tops-20 Systems Programmer, 1984-1991 Current maintainer, MIT TECO EMACS (v. 170) last name @ XKL dot COM Chief systems administrator, XKL LLC, 1998-now ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers From: alderson@netcom11.netcom.com (Richard M. Alderson III) Subject: Re: CompuServe ditching PDP-10s? In-Reply-To: jsavard@tenMAPSONeerf.edmonton.ab.ca's message of Fri, 04 Sep 1998 18:29:00 GMT Message-ID: Sender: alderson@netcom11.netcom.com Reply-To: alderson@netcom.com Organization: NETCOM On-line services References: <35f03148.6364421@news.prosurfr.com> Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 02:11:28 GMT Lines: 21 Path: ccw.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news.belnet.be!newsgate.cistron.nl!het.net!newsfeed.uk.ibm.net!ibm.net!europa.clark.net!207.172.3.37!feed1.news.rcn.net!rcn!netnews.com!ix.netcom.com!netcom11!alderson In article <35f03148.6364421@news.prosurfr.com> jsavard@tenMAPSONeerf.edmonton.ab.ca (John Savard) writes: >jasnider@iglou1.iglou.com (Pat Larkin) wrote, in part: >> Doesn't this mean PDP-10s? >It might also mean the later Decsystem-20, which is compatible, and >also made by DEC. Leaving aside the proper capitalization, this is only half right anyway: The PDP-10 is a hardware architecture, utilized in several processors from DEC: The KA-10, the KI-10, the KL-10, and the KS-10 (as well as the aborted KC-10). The DECSYSTEM-20 was originally based on the KL-10, but KL-10 DECsystem-10's were also sold in large numbers. The major difference between the two was the operating system, not hardware. -- Rich Alderson Last LOTS Tops-20 Systems Programmer, 1984-1991 Current maintainer, MIT TECO EMACS (v. 170) last name @ XKL dot COM Chief systems administrator, XKL LLC, 1998-now