R.I.P. Ken Olsen

[Jerry Feldman]

Burger King's original point of sale device featured a 4K DEC PDP8M with
no disk or tape input/output device. We did inventory, hourly sales,
cash reconciliation, sales tax, and data communications. We had enough
memory for a single day. Miami would call each system (about 1500) every
night to download the results through a home grown protocol. Data was
stored in binary in 12-bit words. There was no ASCII at all. The cash
register keyboard had to be read once for the row and another for the
column. we had to time and strike the hammers for the printer where
there was 10 characters (rows) + 1 empty row (spaces). we also had to
program the baudrate. All code was written in DEC PDP8 assembly
language. Virtually every word was used even subroutine return spaces.
We also had a powerfail card. Since this was true core memory, we had to
save all the registers (1 accumulator - 12 bits, 1 link - 1 bit, 1 PC -
12 bits). Since the system only had 1 memory bank we did not use the
3-bit bank registers except in Connecticut. To load the system, an AMF
serviceman had to visit the store with a portable paper tape device and
board, take off the front panel and load the program. Sales taxes were a
pain because originally there was no way to enter the sales tax except
from the PPT or when pushed up from Miami. We could upload an entire
system from Miami.

On 02/09/2011 09:00 AM, j.natowitz-KealBaEQdz4 at public.gmane.org wrote:
> I giggled a little about the terminals being "networked".  The usual se=
rial card, DL11-E IMMSMC, had a top speed of 9600 bps, or Baud as it was =
commonly called.  I think some of the later cards supported 38400 or even=
 115200!
>
> And those of us who were privileged to have one of them were the envy o=
f all those who had to use punch cards.
>
> Did you know that until the introduction of the PC, the PDP 8 was the l=
argest selling computer in the world?   Technically the PDP series were n=
ot computers, they were "Programmed Data Processors".  This was done to g=
et around GSA specifications that effectively shut out everyone but IBM f=
rom selling "Computers" to the Federal Government.
>
> ---- Original message ----
>> Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:40:17 -0500
>> From: discuss-bounces-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org (on behalf of Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org=
>)
>> Subject: Re: R.I.P. Ken Olsen =20
>> To: discuss-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org
>>
>> On 02/08/2011 08:27 PM, edwardp-jjFNsPSvq+iXDw4h08c5KA at public.gmane.org wrote:
>>> http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view.bg?artic=
leid=3D1315145
>>>
>>> Back in high school, the computer room had this big unit called a DEC=
 PDP 11/60 that was networked to VT-52 and VT-100 terminals in certain ro=
oms in the building. =20
>>>
>>> Was that FUN back then.  It was also my first ever exposure to comput=
ers.  :)
>> Quite a person. I had a chance to meet him once shortly before he left=

>> Digital.


--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846



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