[Simh] Proposed Nova subsystem update

[Bruce Ray]

G'day Bob -

Thanks for the good comments.

1) RDOS file names are different than the DG hardware device 
names/mnemonics.  Other Nova operating systems (DG original DOS, DG MP/OS, 
DG MP/AOS/AOS, DG ADES/DTOS/ADEX, Keronix KMOS, Wild Hare MTX, VMOS, DDOS, 
Point 4/EDS IRIS, BITS, MCS, CDOS, XDOS,...) used the same hardware device 
names/mnemonics that I proposed but could have totally different device 
names in the operating systems.  Since this is an Nova hardware emulator - 
versus an RDOS emulator - I proposed that the most universal name, the 
hardware name, be used for devices.  This would be increasingly appropriate 
if/when anticipated future successful OS acquisition and archiving efforts 
progress...

2)  Reverse comment by substituting "operating system-specific" for 
"hardware".  (Who do you preferr to please - hardware weenies or software 
weenies?)

3) I agree for praticality sake.  Sometimes aesthetics appeal better at 3 AM 
before implementation reality at 4 AM.  :-)

4)  Yes.  If we took the programs from actual DG PROMs this would be a a 
concern, but the program code and format is available from multiple sources, 
including from user group notes, DG's own programming notes,  independent 
vendors and "clean" reverse engineering.  If that is not enough:  we 
developed and burned our own boot code and PROMs in 1970 so could consider 
Wild Hare the source; or call it a Point 4 boot PROM for which we have 
official legal clearance (Wild Hare is the official Point 4/EDS archivist).


Bruce



----- Original Message ----- 
From: <bsupnik at comcast.net>
To: <simh at trailing-edge.com>
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 11:32 AM
Subject: Re: [Simh] Proposed Nova subsystem update


>A couple of thoughts.
>
> 1) The device names <are> DG devices names, not DEC device names - they 
> are precisely the RDOS device names: DK, DP, MT, LPT, PTR, PTP, TTI, TTO, 
> etc. (I would have used software names on the PDP-11 and VAX, but DEC's 
> mapping from hardware name to software name is illogical and hard to 
> remember.)
>
> 2) If a user prefers the hardware device names, the logical name facility 
> allows the default names to be overridden.  They can even be preassigned.
>
> 3) I don't see the point of changing the module names, and I certainly 
> wouldn't want to redo all the build files for merely aesthetic reasons.
>
> 4) Use of 'official' DG boot ROMs requires legal clearance, since all of 
> those ROMs are copyrighted.  This is why all the PDP-11 boot ROMs are 
> 'workalikes' rather than actual sources.  Is there any way to get 
> clearance on DG firmware these days?
>
> /Bob Supnik
>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 3
>> Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 13:13:19 -0600
>> From: "Bruce Ray" <bkr at WildHareComputers.com>
>> Subject: [Simh] proposed Nova subsystem update
>> To: <simh at trailing-edge.com>
>> Message-ID: <138e01c7a613$40197c70$f181b044 at netgear>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>> G'day SimH'ers -
>>
>> I have worked on an update to the SimH Nova system and would like to get
>> some feedback regarding the effort so far.  The 'update_2007-Jun-03.txt'
>> file contains a full summary of the fixes, enhancements, to-do's and
>> suggestions made to date.
>>
>> The 'nova.zip' file (~100 KB) contains the files modified so far, and can 
>> be
>> accessed from:
>>
>> http://www.wild-hare.com/tmp/nova.zip
>>
>>
>> To quote from the .txt file...
>>
>> "Proposed Nova system update to SimH 3.7
>>  ---------------------------------------
>>    2007-June-03 snapshot
>>      Bruce Ray (BKR)
>>
>>
>> The purpose of this update for the SimH Nova subsystem is to:
>>
>>  - fix errors with current Nova implementation
>>  - correct deficiencies and device inconsistencies
>>  - add enhancements
>>  - propose code/enhancements usable by all SimH CPUs
>>  - make the Nova environment more "DG-ified"
>>
>> This is a snapshot of 'work in progress' and is presented for
>> comments, ridicule and suggestions by the SimH community.  The
>> official update should be presented to SimH for consideration
>> within a week... depending upon community feedback."
>>
>> Bruce Ray
>>
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