Semi Sorted E-Mail

>> 
>> On 2/5/2009 8:15 PM, Van Snyder wrote: 
>> > On Thu, 2009-02-05 at 20:05 -0800, Bob Feretich wrote:
>> >   
>> > > Where could we find "Autocoder on tape"?  Ideally, we would like to
>> > > get access to a copy for next Thursday.
>> > >     
>> > 
>> > Here are two of them, in SimH format.
>> > 
>> > autocoder.weaver.mt1 was on a tape that Dick Weaver lent me.  It doesn't
>> > have IOCS.  In includes eleven update letters, plus a custom
>> > modification by A. B. Platt from Endicott that prints the A- and B-
>> > address fields of instructions (and maybe address constants, too) in
>> > decimal.
>> > 
>> > autocoder.IOCS.mt1 was on a "tape" I found at Paul Pierce's web site.
>> > It has IOCS, but wants to print a message on the 1407 at the end, urging
>> > the operator to change the 1410 compatibility switch to 1410 mode and
>> > push start; then it returns to the 1410 operating system.  What would
>> > the DE (or CT) system do with a write on %T0?  I don't know which or how
>> > many update letters have been applied.

> On Sat, 2009-02-07 at 23:57 -0800, Bob Feretich wrote:
>> I have examined both Autocoder Simh files that I received from Van. 
>> 
>> The Weaver file contains 11 records that are longer than 2000 bytes.
>> One of those records is longer than 3000 bytes (length=4221, the 2nd
>> longest is 2956 characters).
>> 
>> The IOCS file contains 32 records that are longer than 2000 bytes.
>> None of those records is longer than 3000 bytes (longest=2956).
>> 
>> Currently the PIC microcontroller in the 729 Emulator has a 2K tape
>> data buffer. Records from either tape will overflow the buffer. The
>> PIC only has a total 4096 bytes of RAM. Even if space for program
>> variables and the stack was reduced to zero,  the Emulator could not
>> handle a record bigger than 4K. 
>> 
>> If I reorganize the data layout in PIC RAM, I think I could increase
>> the tape buffer size to 3000 characters (not 3K).
>> 
>> So... Assuming I can successfully reorganize RAM contents to make a
>> 3000 character tape buffer....
>>       * I still couldn't use the Weaver tape, because of its >3000
>>         byte record.
>>         What needs to be done to cut that record in two? I think it is
>>         record 193 on the tape. (Counting end-of-file marks as
>>         records.)
>>       * I could try to execute the IOCS tape, but since we don't have
>>         a 1407 Console, I expect that it would hang.
>> Does anyone have recommendations on how to proceed?
>> 
>> Regards,
>> Bob Feretich

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Van Snyder" 
To: "Bob Feretich" 
Cc: ; "Allen Palmer" ; "Jeff Stutzman" ; <1401_software@computerhistory.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 12:07 PM
Subject: Re: [1401_software] Re: [1401_team] Re: Fwd: Museum classes on the1401
      (and your 729 Emulator platform)


>I just today noticed that I have more Autocoder "tapes," all from Paul
> Pierce's web site.  None of them have IOCS.  They're attached, in SimH
> format, with Paul's base file names.  I also have Cobol and Fortran IV,
> when you're ready.  I don't know which IBM update letters, if any, have
> been applied, or what custom modifications have been made.  I also found
> an IOCS tape (trailer label says "1401 IO-065).  I found these tapes at
> one of the following places:
> 
> http://www.piercefuller.com/oldibm-shadow/1401.html
> http://www.piercefuller.com/library/ibm1401.html
> 
> Van
> 

p.s.  I've also located and spoken with Ralph Mork, 90!  He's living  
in Wilmington, NC and is cc'd on this email (via Gary Paige).  He was  
just delighted that we're interested in his early history/stories.   
Ralph worked with the WWAM team and pulled together the 3-person  
design group in Endicott to explore using core memory for program  
store (instead of the WWAM's plugboard).

I've also located and spoken with Chuck Branscomb, 80!  He's living in  
Carey, NC and is cc'd on this email.   He was the overall 1401 program  
manager, responsible for  the overall program of getting the 1401  
designed and transferred to test & manufacturing, documentation, etc  
(all in record time).  Jim reported to Chuck.

Jonie Dayger managed the 1403, but is deceased.  Russ Rowley is also  
deceased.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Robert B Garner 
To: Van Snyder 
Cc: Ronald L Mak ; Ed Thelen ; rweaver@ix.netcom.com ; Robert Garner ; 
Robert B Garner ; BillWorthington@comcast.net 
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:20 PM
Subject: Re: Autocoders on Paul's site (was Re: [1401_software] Re: 
[1401_team] Re: Fwd: Museum classes on the 1401 (and your 729 Emulator platform)

Van, 
> I extracted the Cobol listing from adc00223 and converted it to PostScript. 
> Do you want that? 

Sure! 
Would it be OK if we posted it on our web site? 

Can you do same for the others (Fortran, Sort7, Autocoder, IOCS, etc)? 

If you're looking for IOCS, what is:  
     1401 IOCS 

- Robert


IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA
Office:  408-927-1739
Mobile: 408-679-0976
robgarn@us.ibm.com

Van Snyder  
02/19/2009 02:51 PM 
 To Robert B Garner/Almaden/IBM@IBMUS  
cc  
Subject Re: Autocoders on Paul's site (was Re: [1401_software] Re:       
 [1401_team] Re: Fwd: Museum classes on the 1401 (and your 729 Emulator platform) 


On Thu, 2009-02-19 at 13:45 -0800, Robert B Garner wrote:
> 
> Van, 
> 
> The Autocoder (and other) files on Paul's site:
>  http://www.piercefuller.com/library/ibm1401.html 
> are the ones that we had retrieved (and then mailed to Paul) from the
> 1401 recovery from Buzz's home in Darien, CT last May. 
> (per his July/08 email below.) 
> 
> I assume you converted them into simH format?  (Thanks!) 

Robert:

Probably was me.  Do you want the rest in SimH format?

I extracted the Cobol listing from adc00223 and converted it to
PostScript.  Do you want that?

Van

> - Robert
> 
> 
> IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA
> Office:  408-927-1739
> Mobile: 408-679-0976
> robgarn@us.ibm.com 
> 
> "Paul Pierce"  
> 
> 07/08/2008 06:29 PM 
> 
> 
>                To
> Robert B
> Garner/Almaden/IBM@IBMUS 
>                cc
> "Al Kossow"
> ,
> "Allen J Palmer"
> , akbay@computerhistory.org, 
"Bob Feretich" , 
bochannek@computerhistory.org, "Ed Thelen" ,
 grants2@pacbell.net, "Robert Garner" 
, "Stan Paddock" , 
sbelle4612@aol.com, "David Macklin"  
>           Subject
> "Re: reading 1401
> tapes"
> 
 
> 
> All,
> 
> Heres an update on the progress of reading Connecticut tapes.
> 
> I've spun all the red tapes and several other small tapes that look
> like system tapes. Most of the results are up on my web site, see the
> Whats New page in the Library or check out the 1401 page for
> everything there is:
> http://www.piercefuller.com/library/ibm1401.html
> 
> There were more Sort 7 tapes. One of them has a huge dropout, probably
> a wrinkle, on the track 0 side in the first record, which is most of
> the program. But its almost the same as the other one so I'm not
> inclined to fuss with it more unless there is some good reason.
> 
> One of the red tapes (E) labelled 1401CR02X which is a second copy of
> KWIC has a lot of little read errors. The parity track is weak most of
> the way through the good data. I'm still working on it. If it turns
> out to be identical to (I) I'll abandon it.
> 
> The tape "AUTOCODER Modified by OK DATA" has a bad stretched spot,
> fortunately long after the last written data. It made a noise on the
> tape cleaning machine, which stopped, and there was a stretched
> section there and a few turns later a 6-inch section where the oxide
> and binder came right off the tape (and slipped into a crack in my
> tape cleaner.) I don't know if the tape cleaner caused the stretch or
> if the stretch caused the tape cleaner to go wacko, but either way I
> think its a good argument for having a drive with a good tape cleaner
> itself instead of using a separate machine like I do.
> 
> Two tapes labelled "Autocoder 1/2" and "Autocoder 2/2" seem to be
> 9-track. I can try to fire up my 9-track setup if you want them read.
> 
> I'm thinking of photographing the remaining tapes, so you can make
> requests if you want any of them read.
> 
> Paul Pierce