PS/8 OS/8- OS/12 NEWSLETTER

This April-May 1973 Newsletter, Number 7, provides updates for PS/8, OS/8, and OS/12 users.

The Spring '73 DECUS Symposium is scheduled for May 2-5 in Philadelphia, focusing on significant OS/8 developments. Key topics include "DEC SYSTEM-8" (DS/8, an extended PS/8) with discussions on its continued user support, multi-user and virtual OS/8 systems, and a presentation on OMSI BASIC. The symposium also aims to formalize program trading by tape copying and plans to have supplies available for purchase.

DEC announced OS/8 FORTRAN IV, an improved version of RTPS FORTRAN IV. This new release supports FPP12 or PDP-8e EAE options and real-time interrupt structures, running on any OS/8 configuration. While not yet available for delivery, its initial price was set at $700 plus $300 for OS/8.

The newsletter lists numerous new programs available through DECUS. These include utilities like XDIREC (selected directory lister), DIBILD (directory rebuild), FUTIL and OCOMP (mass storage device tools), EXPIP (file transfer by extension), and the NIH OS/8 Package (a suite of 17 utilities). Also listed are hardware handlers (CRT for Tektronix 611, VR12 Scope Handler), text processing tools (MEMO III), and patches for FOCAL (FX for random access data, FSPEED for performance, and access to LINC mode functions for PDP-12 users). FORTRAN-specific tools for PDP-11 DECtapes (PIP11) and unformatted I/O (IDXRDD, IDXWT) are also highlighted.

Work is underway to update PS/8X - DS/8 with new functions, including MAKE and TECO commands for file editing, direct execution of TECO macros and FOCAL programs from the Keyboard Monitor, and integration with the HASP batch control program. Additionally, a program is being developed to transfer files between OS/8 DECtapes and OS/12 LINCtapes.

Finally, the newsletter provides bug fixes and patches, including an 8BAL macro PS8I0 fix for file I/O routines and a detailed patch for OMSI PS/8 FOCAL to resolve an input buffer overflow issue on PDP-8e machines.