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Overview site - PDP-1/8/10/11 replicas

O

Oscar

Experienced Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2003
Messages
206
Location
Switzerland
Hi,

I just wanted to announce the birth of our PiDP-10 replica kit, and with that, a new overview site.
Because a PiDP-1 replica is coming up later this year, and so we will have a reasonably complete range of DEC's main models. It deserved a website to integrate them all into a single story:

Screenshot from 2024-03-01 19-45-20.png


The PiDP-10 took many years to complete, but it is also the most ambitious of the range. It 'captures in hardware' the ITS Reconstruction Project of Lars Brinkhoff et al. So it not only boots up TOPS-10 and ITS, but the hard disk images contain more than 400 programs; PDP-11 and PDP-6 simulators are part of the simulation package. The PDP-10 was the only mainframe ever that became a playground for hackers. So the hardware mix is delicious (the PDP-6 and a PDP-11 share the Ten's memory!); and there are lots of video games (spacewar, Maze War) to provide entertainment between bouts of PDP-10 assembly, Lisp. This was a networked machine, and thanks to an emulated IMP it's possible to recreate the ARPANET if the modern internet is too boring :)

Here is the new website: www.obsolescence.dev.

I can't resist two glamour shots of the Ten, now it is finally, finally done:
PDP-10.png

We're working on a PiDP-1 next, and a Whirlwind will complete the range after that. The PiDPs have become a real team effort, with Lars Brinkhoff and Richard Cornwell to thank for ITS and the PDP-10/KA10 simulator, Angelo Papenhoff for the PDP-1 simulation, and Guy Fedorkowski for the ongoing Whirlwind recovery project. We're having fun!

Kind regards,

Oscar.
 
The PDP-10 kit looks gorgeous! I have a RaspberryPi 4 set aside for it already 😁

And it is the first one that I am willing to pony up some cash to buy... I emailed you and will be waiting to hear once the kits are ready to buy!
 
Oscar,

Kudos on the fantastic work. Once again I would like to throw the PDP-12 as one of your projects.

Keep up the good work,

Mike
 
These look to be fantastic projects! The Whirlwind sounds pretty interesting (the carousel pictures on the new site don't seem to be scrolling for me though.....?). A while ago I made some replica Whirlwind paper tape from some sample programs Mr Fedorkow sent me, you can see the punched labelling character headers: Whirlwind paper tape programs test cut
 
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I think we should also mention it runs WAITS, the Stanford AI lab system. And TOPS-20, although it’s anachronistic to run it with a KA10 console. There has also been some work on bringing up TENEX.
 
larsbrinkhoff said:
I think we should also mention it runs WAITS, the Stanford AI lab system. And TOPS-20, although it’s anachronistic to run it with a KA10 console. There has also been some work on bringing up TENEX.
Click to expand...
Is this still valid? I did email oscar@ceds.dev already :)

"Apologies! The order button is still disabled right now.
We are actually preparing the first batch of PiDP-10 kits, and it will be a few weeks before we have new kits ready.
If you want to pre-order, please email oscar@ceds.dev. We will email you when we have new kits to send out!"
 
MrImprovement said:
Is this still valid? I did email oscar@ceds.dev already :)

"Apologies! The order button is still disabled right now.
We are actually preparing the first batch of PiDP-10 kits, and it will be a few weeks before we have new kits ready.
If you want to pre-order, please email oscar@ceds.dev. We will email you when we have new kits to send out!"
Click to expand...
It is. If interested you should subscribe to the PiDP-10 (and 11 and 8) Google Group at https://groups.google.com/g/pidp-10

Oscar updates there as appropriate and many discussions are ongoing.
 
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