Comments on: HOWTO learn to program PDP-11 assembler with a modern PC and SIMH http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 26 May 2013 03:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403228 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403228 I envy people who have time for this retro stuff--maybe someone needs my Kaypro 2 or Commodore 64. SUBHAN-Were you at UCSD by any chance? The PDP-11 assy. language class was equally hideous & in 1980 we did PASCAL on networked Apple IIs! I envy people who have time for this retro stuff–maybe someone needs my Kaypro 2 or Commodore 64.
SUBHAN-Were you at UCSD by any chance? The PDP-11 assy. language class was equally hideous & in 1980 we did PASCAL on networked Apple IIs!

]]> By: marcuscole http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403232 marcuscole Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403232 Not sure why I kept this all these years, but when I saw this post I had to scan this and post it to flickr. It's a programming card from the PDP-11. Got it in my first computer programming class back in 1979. http://www.flickr.com/photos/24989276@N00/sets/72157613479397758/ Not sure why I kept this all these years, but when I saw this post I had to scan this and post it to flickr. It’s a programming card from the PDP-11. Got it in my first computer programming class back in 1979.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24989276@N00/sets/72157613479397758/

]]> By: Gunn http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-404256 Gunn Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-404256 Nostalgia City. I wrote advertising for the PDP-11, and even the PDP-8/e. The mid-range 11's were the size of small refrigerators, or of a bank of small refrigerators. I wonder how many of the older SF writers cut their technological teeth on these guys. Nostalgia City. I wrote advertising for the PDP-11, and even the PDP-8/e. The mid-range 11′s were the size of small refrigerators, or of a bank of small refrigerators.

I wonder how many of the older SF writers cut their technological teeth on these guys.

]]> By: schr0559 http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403254 schr0559 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403254 ~5 years ago I took a digital systems course where we programmed PDP-ish assembly in a PC emulation app. I'm not sure if it was a VM or just interpreted the assembly language programs. The language almost made a perverse kind of sense after a while. Then they made us do quicksort, and ever since, I've been allergic to burning days reinventing the wheel... ~5 years ago I took a digital systems course where we programmed PDP-ish assembly in a PC emulation app. I’m not sure if it was a VM or just interpreted the assembly language programs. The language almost made a perverse kind of sense after a while. Then they made us do quicksort, and ever since, I’ve been allergic to burning days reinventing the wheel…

]]> By: Axx http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403001 Axx Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403001 All these PDP-11 posts just might come in handy for me...we actually have one sitting in the back of our lab. <br /> Since I've been good, though they let me use the Windows 3.11 box. All these PDP-11 posts just might come in handy for me…we actually have one sitting in the back of our lab.

Since I’ve been good, though they let me use the Windows 3.11 box.

]]> By: rock that uke http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-405329 rock that uke Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-405329 New Rule: Every PDP-11 post must reference the 1971 Doonesbury storyline where Mark Slackmeyer gets a summer job as PDP-11 programmer. All kinds of awesome. A small sample at http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/gbell/digital/timeline/quiz10r.htm New Rule: Every PDP-11 post must reference the 1971 Doonesbury storyline where Mark Slackmeyer gets a summer job as PDP-11 programmer. All kinds of awesome. A small sample at

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/gbell/digital/timeline/quiz10r.htm

]]> By: wgmleslie http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403029 wgmleslie Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403029 Simulating the PDP-11 is wonderful, but the real deal would be simulating the KSR-33 terminals complete with papertape read/write, the mechanical bell (ctrl-G) and the banging shaking rumbling chugging quaking that it makes at full tilt. Simulating the PDP-11 is wonderful, but the real deal would be simulating the KSR-33 terminals complete with papertape read/write, the mechanical bell (ctrl-G) and the banging shaking rumbling chugging quaking that it makes at full tilt.

]]> By: jawells http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403036 jawells Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403036 I don't have access to a KSR-33 anywhere to do this with, but it's possible to do. SIMH will handle serial IO easily. There are a few sites that accept telnet connections to SIMH emulation sessions. Spare Time Gizmos sells a replica PDP-11 front panel interface. The <a href="http://www.sparetimegizmos.com/Hardware/KY11_Interface.htm">KY11 Interface</a> connects a spare front panel to a PC with an emulator using RS-232. Just because I <em>know</em> you're dying to toggle all those switches yourself! I don’t have access to a KSR-33 anywhere to do this with, but it’s possible to do. SIMH will handle serial IO easily. There are a few sites that accept telnet connections to SIMH emulation sessions.

Spare Time Gizmos sells a replica PDP-11 front panel interface. The KY11 Interface connects a spare front panel to a PC with an emulator using RS-232. Just because I know you’re dying to toggle all those switches yourself!

]]> By: screw32 http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403552 screw32 Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403552 we use a version of this computer to run the the system that inspects the reactor integrity in CANDU nuclear reactors. Its not as bulky as the one pictured and it has a 5 1/2 inch floppy drive. we use a version of this computer to run the the system that inspects the reactor integrity in CANDU nuclear reactors. Its not as bulky as the one pictured and it has a 5 1/2 inch floppy drive.

]]> By: ROSSINDETROIT http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403047 ROSSINDETROIT Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403047 I learned to program (COBOL at first) on a VMS11/780 starting in 1980. I missed the PDP-11 and its punch cards by a single term. I never learned DEC Assembler but I did learn IBM Assembler that first year, a fact I've been at pains to conceal for fear that someone will insist that I do it for a living. I learned to program (COBOL at first) on a VMS11/780 starting in 1980. I missed the PDP-11 and its punch cards by a single term. I never learned DEC Assembler but I did learn IBM Assembler that first year, a fact I’ve been at pains to conceal for fear that someone will insist that I do it for a living.

]]> By: technogeek http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403070 technogeek Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403070 Actually, this is not a bad idea. If you're interested in learning assembler programming, the 11's architecture is a nice straightforward one to wrap your head around... almost RISC in its simplicity. (I did a fair amount of '11 hacking when I was a student, including some device driver debugging that did require working through the front panel.) Actually, this is not a bad idea. If you’re interested in learning assembler programming, the 11′s architecture is a nice straightforward one to wrap your head around… almost RISC in its simplicity.

(I did a fair amount of ’11 hacking when I was a student, including some device driver debugging that did require working through the front panel.)

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-404097 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-404097 I have been an electronic technician at the US Postal service since 1980. Many of our sorting machines were controlled by the PDP 11 until 1999. I have been an electronic technician at the US Postal service since 1980. Many of our sorting machines were controlled by the PDP 11 until 1999.

]]> By: subhan http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403101 subhan Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403101 I switched majors from Computer Science to Psychology back in the early 80s after being forced to program a PDP-11 assembly simulator in Pascal for a required class for my major. The instructor was pathetically horrible, and unfortunately taught several of the 'gatekeeper' classes in the department that were required passes to graduate. I switched majors from Computer Science to Psychology back in the early 80s after being forced to program a PDP-11 assembly simulator in Pascal for a required class for my major. The instructor was pathetically horrible, and unfortunately taught several of the ‘gatekeeper’ classes in the department that were required passes to graduate.

]]> By: Stefan Jones http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-402873 Stefan Jones Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-402873 A college friend's high school had a DEC PDP-8. The kids got excited about programming the thing, and wanted to diddle around with the interpreter for the language they were using. (FORTRAN? BASIC? I forget the details.) At great difficulty they obtained the source. The comments were in Portuguese . . . A college friend’s high school had a DEC PDP-8. The kids got excited about programming the thing, and wanted to diddle around with the interpreter for the language they were using. (FORTRAN? BASIC? I forget the details.)

At great difficulty they obtained the source.

The comments were in Portuguese . . .

]]> By: eustace http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-402897 eustace Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-402897 My friend Steve's dad ran an insurance office with one of these back in the day - Steve and I were both initiated into the world of computer games by playing Trek on those terminals. I wonder if there is a PDP-11 port of Doom (with ascii graphics of course - but that's already been done with Doom). My friend Steve’s dad ran an insurance office with one of these back in the day – Steve and I were both initiated into the world of computer games by playing Trek on those terminals. I wonder if there is a PDP-11 port of Doom (with ascii graphics of course – but that’s already been done with Doom).

]]> By: dimmer http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-402898 dimmer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-402898 Programming a PDP-11 using flip switches almost turned me off computers forever. Evil, evil thing. Programming a PDP-11 using flip switches almost turned me off computers forever. Evil, evil thing.

]]> By: Joe http://boingboing.net/2009/02/06/howto-learn-to-progr.html#comment-403179 Joe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-403179 My first job out of a college I got because I'd learned and used PDP-11 assembly language. But no, the PDP-11 instruction set is in no way RISC, with its large set of addressing modes. Everything is very regular and orthogonal, which makes it easy, but the 32-bit version of the PDP-11, which carried its design principles further, was the VAX, and RISC was born as a rebellion against the VAX. My first job out of a college I got because I’d learned and used PDP-11 assembly language.

But no, the PDP-11 instruction set is in no way RISC, with its large set of addressing modes. Everything is very regular and orthogonal, which makes it easy, but the 32-bit version of the PDP-11, which carried its design principles further, was the VAX, and RISC was born as a rebellion against the VAX.

]]>