Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!aplcen!samsung!usc!ucsd!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!crash!edpmgt!gpitcher
From: gpitcher@edpmgt.UUCP (Glenn Pitcher)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: Sys Req - key.
Keywords: What is it for?
Message-ID: <216@edpmgt.UUCP>
Date: 12 Dec 89 01:04:55 GMT
References: <187@nmtvax.nmt.edu>
Organization: EDP Management, La Mesa, CA
Lines: 30

In article <187@nmtvax.nmt.edu>, jeff@nmtvax.nmt.edu (- Jeff -) writes:
> This is probably a useless question, but there is a mysterious key on my 
> XT-keyboard called the 'Sys Req' key. I've seen this key on many other 
> IBM and compatible keyboards and I am just curious if anyone knows what it 
> is for and how to access it? I can't seem to find anything in my DOS 3.3 
> manual about it. Anyone know what this key is for? Just curious...
> 

If I remember correctly, the sys-req is a key that is used on the big IBM's
(303x, 308x).  Now, you asking, "well, why then is this key on my PC 
keyboard?"  Well, glad you asked.  Very early on in the PC's life, there 
were a couple of specialized products that were produced.  These were called
the 3270 PC and PC/370(?). 
  The 3270 PC was intended to give people access to both their mainframe
and the PC.  I belive you could have up to four mainframe sessions, one PC
session and two "electronic notepads" for whatever you wanted.  Believe it
or not, this thing actually had windows!  That, if I remember correctly,
was pretty rare back in 83-84. 
   The PC/370 was a little more complex.  It was designed not only for
connecting up to the local monster (mainframe) but it could also execute 
ost commands locally via an extra processor.

Well, hope that answers your questions.  If I messed up, I'm quite sure I'll
be flamed! :-)
-- 
Glenn Pitcher                              UUCP: {crash,ucsd}!edpmgt!gpitcher
Programmer/Analyst &                       ARPA: Too many $$$
Unix Guru in training                    BITNET: A net for runaway programs
EDP Management, Inc.
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