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D E C U S -I N T E R O F F I C E   M E M O R A N D U M

Date:      4-Mar-1991 03:02pm EST
From:      Robert Hassinger 
           HASSINGER 
Dept:      LIBRARY
Tel No:    508-435-9061

TO: See Below

Subject: RE: NEED ASSISTANCE

Glenn and all,

Yes, OS/278 does run on the DECmate II and DECmate III and it is based on 
OS/8.  Between differences in hardware, "slushware" (sort of like 
firmware/microcode) and the OS, there are enough incompatibilities so you have 
to be careful about what you say WRT transportability of OS/8 family programs.  
In "general" they should work.  However, you may recall I tried to do 
conversions of library items back when this was an active subject and I ran 

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into a number of problems.  I did convert and submit some of the more 
interesting programs but some could not be converted without serious rework.  
The biggest problem I had though was that you had to get from the available 
formats like DECtape and RX01/02 into the 5 1/4" floppy format.  The only 
viable way at the time was by using an obscure option that let you plug an 
RX01 (or 02?) into the DECmate II.  The only place that configuration was 
available for me was in the DECUS office.  At the time access to that 
capability proved very difficult and I finally gave up fighting city hall. As 
far as I know that capability no longer exists so I don't know how people will 
get PDP-8 material into a format that can be accessed on the DECmates.

The pointer to Mark Hyde is a good one.  I have given him my collection of 
about 500 OS/8 DECtapes and a LOT of other PDP-8 related material and hardware 
in the last year or so.

Bob



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