[vcf-midatlantic] Using simH to make a real bootable RSX11/M 3.2 RL02 disk

[william degnan]

>   Very cool.  But, crap, I wish I'd known you were noodling so hard to
figure that out.

That's OK good learning experience.

> I've had that workflow set up for years; I could have saved you a lot of
research time and effort.  I generate bootable images under simh, then FTP
them over to a MicroVAX-II running VMS set up as a media transfer station
for RL packs.
>
<snip>

That's a good thought, to use a VAX as a tweener  system bridge given there
are rl controllers available for them, a lot faster than bot banging
through PDPGUI via serial port, a full rl02 takes three hours almost.

>
>   As for RSX11 vs. RT11...that depends on who you ask, and, of course,
what your application is.  RT11 is fairly boring; it doesn't really do
much.  RSX11 is very much a "kitchen sink" OS, extremely powerful.  But
that power doesn't come for free; there's some overhead, while RT11 is very
slim.
>

I have many paper docs for RSX11/M and its programming languages that I can
use.  For RT11 I have only the pocket guide. So for me the advantage of one
over the other is easier access to documentation.  I like the physical
manuals over PDFs.

Another consideration is... what OS would have been in use originally on an
Industrial/11 from 74-76 period with a lot of MASBUS controllers?  I'd like
to explore what would have been done with this machine, maybe start a paper
mill or something.

B