Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!pyrnj!pyrite!bill From: bill@pyrite.nj.pyramid.com (Bill Pechter) Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec Subject: Re: Digital PDT-11 ... what is it? Message-ID: <574@pyrite.nj.pyramid.com> Date: 25 Jun 91 12:02:08 GMT References: <10923@plains.NoDak.edu> Reply-To: bill@pyrite.UUCP (Bill Pechter) Distribution: usa Lines: 42 In article <10923@plains.NoDak.edu> blee@plains.NoDak.edu (Blaine Lee) writes: > >I was hoping someone has heard of a little box digital made about eight >years ago, the PDT-11. I received one from a GM dealer that used it for >comunications with GM's main computers. It is 18 inches high, 30 inches >deep, and about 18 inches wide, it has two eight inch drives on front, and >I believe I found one or two 8085's in it. > >Is this a common machine, or a special item made for GM? Does anyone have >software for it? I do have the software that came with it, but all that is >just some very special stuff for GM. > >(yes GM means General Motors.) > The PDT11 was a series of machines, all based on the LSI 11 chipset (11/03). There was the PDT11/150 (that you have), the PDT11/130 with two DECtape TU58's, the PDT11/110 with no storage devices. The latter two were built into VT100 cases with the VT as the console device. The PDT was built for a number of uses, terminal concentrator, workstation... I heard the Post Office was looking for a machine like them to automate the Postal Service - but that they didn't go with the DEC box. The PDT was used by many car dealers. It does run DEC RT11 software (including the current V5...) DEC had a ton of them in a warehouse and sold them to employees (encluding me)for PC use. They're a lot of fun. RT11 is a great O/S and PDT's can do more in 64k of memory than MS-DOS can in 640. Hope this helps. Bill -- Bill Pechter | "The postmaster always pings twice." Pyramid Technology | bill@pyrite.nj.pyramid.com 10 Woodbridge Center Drive | rutgers!pyrnj!pyrite!bill Woodbridge, NJ 07095 (908)602-6308 | pyramid!pyrnj!pyrite!bill