Xref: utzoo alt.folklore.computers:12506 comp.arch:23103
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!male!central!digi!crichmon
From: crichmon@digi.lonestar.org (Charles Richmond)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers,comp.arch
Subject: XDS940 computer (or Xerox Sigma 9)
Keywords: Xerox,defunct,history
Message-ID: <1991Jun5.231450.25856@digi.lonestar.org>
Date: 5 Jun 91 23:14:50 GMT
Followup-To: net
Organization: none
Lines: 36

A friend of mine in college told me about the Sigma 9 computer
that he used at his previous university.  He said it was great
for interactive use.  I believe that the computer was designed
by Scientific Data Systems (SDS).  Later this company sold
out to Xerox and became Xerox Data Systems (XDS).  I would
like to know more about the hardware and software of the Sigma 9
and perhaps its sibling, the Sigma 7.  Particularly:

  1) How many registers did the machines have, and did any
     have special uses?
  2) What was the instruction set like?  (Maybe someone has
     a reference card or such and can provide a complete
     list of the numeric opcodes)
  3) Was this a 32-bit machine?
  4) What high level languages were available for these machines?
  5) What operating system was used and how does it compare to
     current systems such as Unix?
  6) What technology was used in the hardware?  (IC's, transistors,
     tubes, TTL, RTL, etc.)
  7) Any interesting stories related to these machines?
  8) Does anyone still use these machines, or clones of them?
  9) Where would one go to find hardware manuals or even junked
     machines of this family?

According to Steven Levy in the book _Hackers_, Peter Deutsch
did an operating system for the XDS940 that Community Memory used
in San Francisco in the 70's.  This machine was used as a means
of communication, for people with like ideas or things to sell.
Are you still out there, Mr. Deutsch?  I remember seeing some
postings on the net from you.  Maybe you can take time to fill
in the details of the XDS940.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

      Charles Richmond           crichmon@digi.lonestar.org