DECUS 12 BIT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWSLETTER Number 38 January 1980

This DECUS Newsletter for January 1980 covers a wide range of topics relevant to 12-Bit system users.

Key announcements include the formation of a WPS-8 Working Group to support both technical and non-technical users, driven by significant interest in WPS-8 Word Processing products. Reports from the German 12-Bit-SIG meeting highlighted the ongoing vitality of PDP8 systems, with discussions on the "EURO-12" system, DIGITAL's PDP8 policy, and demonstrations of various PDP8 family computers. The Fall Symposium in San Diego was praised for its success, including a leadership training seminar and increased end-user participation, though some "gripes" about DEC's support were noted.

Software updates feature detailed pricing for the OS/8 V3D Combined Kit and RTS/8 V3.0 (which bundles MACREL/LINKER V2A). Extensive corrections and observations for the OS/78-V3 Manual are provided, along with patches for known issues in BASIC V5's BLOAD and BASIC.UF programs. Several new or improved device handlers are introduced, including LPTT (line-printer emulator), LPTX (paging terminal/printer), LABL (legible paper tape puncher), RX01NS (improved RX01 floppy handler), and RK8ESY (improved RK8E system handler). A significant note details the new 'SET HANDLER' command for OS/78-V3, which allows dynamic swapping of device handlers to overcome OS/8's limitations, complete with necessary patches for older systems.

New programs and utilities showcased include ADVENTURE, COS-compatible RX01 floppy handlers (RXBSY/RXBNS), WPFLOP for word processing file transfer, RTFLOP for RT-11 floppy interchange, and various enhanced OS/8 EDIT versions (EDITX/NUEDIT) with new features and bug fixes. Proprietary Fortran optimization routines (FORTZ), file comparison tools (COMPAF), and other utilities (DROP, RECOVR, COPCOM) are also mentioned.

Hardware and system discussions cover DEC's Traditional Products Refurbishing policy, which now directs users to Field Service rather than direct refurbishment. Information is provided on connecting DSD floppy systems to pre-OMNIBUS PDP-12s, memory expansion options like the AUX-16 for PDP-8/e/a/f/m, and microprocessor support software (cross assemblers and simulators) running under OS/8. A college in Belfast seeks COBOL/RPG compilers for their PDP-8 system.

Word Processing remains a major focus, with a controversial announcement about limited future support for WPS-8 on older systems, leading to user frustration. The newsletter includes a comprehensive "Hints and Kinks" section for WPS-8 and COS-310 users, offering practical advice on list processing (field identifiers, eliminating blank lines, creating indexes), line numbering, and effective use of abbreviation and boilerplate libraries.

Finally, the document touches on the DIBOL Standards Working Group's progress towards DIBOL-11 compatibility and details on COS-310 Version 8.02 and the anticipated Version 9 with its performance and feature enhancements. It concludes with a proposal for a structured membership fee system for DECUS and SIGs to fund activities and rationalize software exchange, suggesting a keyword-based listing of available software.