[Simh] Announcing CDC 1700 series simulator

[John Forecast]

For the past couple of years or so, I have been working on a SIMH-based
simulator for the CDC1700 series, a 16-bit system from the mid-1960's, using
the documentation and software available at bitsavers. It has now sufficiently
stable to allow others to make use ot the software. The base system implements:

        - a 1714 CPU with:
                 - 1705 multi-level interrupts and direct storage access bus
                 - up to 32KW of memory
                 - memory protect system
                 - Optional 64KW support

        - 1711-A teletypewriter
        - 1721-A paper tape reader
        - 1723-A paper tape punch
        - 1740 or 1742-30 line printer
        - 1738-B disk pack controller with up to 2 disk packs:
                 (853 disk pack - 1.5MW)
                 (854 disk pack - 3.0MW)
        - 1733-2 cartridge disk controller with up to 4 drives:
                 Each drive has 1 fixed disk and 1 removeable disk:
                      (856-2 CDD - 1.13MW per disk)
                      (856-4 CDD - 2.25MW per disk)
        - 1732-A or 1732-3 magtape controller with 4 transports

The simulator is able to boot the diagnostic tape (SYSTEM17_SMM_DIAGS.TAP at
bitsavers.org) and successfully execute tests for each of the above
components. Some test sections fail due to various reasons; lack of
documentation, timing issues, feature not implemented etc.

The simulator is also able to boot and install MSOS 5 from an installation
tape (MSOS5_SL136.tap at bitsavers.org) onto a 1733-2 cartridge drive. This
is a copy of a distribution tape provided by CDC to run on a 64KW system at
Exxon.

I would like to thank Doug Gwyn for answering questions about the system
architecture and providing details about specific diagnostics tests and
Al Kossow for for peripheral documentation so that I could get MSOS 5
installed.

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