Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site amdahl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!sun!amdahl!esf00
From: esf00@amdahl.UUCP (Elliott S. Frank)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Re: Computer Horror Stories
Message-ID: <2851@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Feb-86 19:39:10 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2851
Posted: Fri Feb 28 19:39:10 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Mar-86 23:36:53 EST
References: <14700001@hplabsb.UUCP> <476@mmm.UUCP> <9345@ritcv.UUCP> <1335@osu-eddie.UUCP> <1462@gitpyr.UUCP> <397@ur-tut.UUCP>
Reply-To: esf00@amdahl.UUCP (Elliott S. Frank)
Distribution: net
Organization: Society for Megalithic Iron
Lines: 15
Keywords: ibsys

[........................urp!]

As I remember, the index registers on the 7094 [optional feature!]
had a display box that sat on top of the console (a large panel of
flashing lights) and displayed the value of the index registers.  Since
the index registers were not required, you could load values into them
to display a message.  IBSYS (the "advanced" batch job operating system
for the 7094) did not use the index registers for any useful purpose
[it had to be downwards compatible with those machines that didn't have
index registers], so it loaded the proper bits to display "$IBSYS"
whenever the operating system functions had control of the cpu.

Elliott S Frank    ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,nsc}!amdahl!esf00     (408) 746-6384

[the above opinions are strictly mine, if anyone's]