DEC-10-MTE0-D Time-Sharing Monitors Pgmr Ref Man Nov68

This is a Programmer's Reference Manual (DEC-10-MTE0-D, November 1968) for the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) PDP-10 Time-Sharing Monitors.

The document describes two key time-sharing systems: the Multiprogramming Monitor (10/40) and the Swapping Monitor (10/50). These monitors are designed to allow multiple independent users to concurrently share the PDP-10 computing system's resources, including I/O devices and system software. The 10/50 Monitor enhances the 10/40's multiprogramming capabilities by adding program swapping between high-speed disk and core memory for improved efficiency.

The manual provides comprehensive guidance for programmers on interacting with and programming for these time-sharing environments, covering:

1. Monitor Functions and User Facilities: An introduction to the monitors' role in scheduling, resource allocation, I/O management, and memory protection/relocation using PDP-10 hardware features.
2. Monitor Commands: Detailed explanations of commands for console control (e.g., LOGIN, ASSIGN, RUN, SAVE, KJOB), system access, facility allocation, run control, background job management, and system timing.
3. Loading User Programs: Information on memory protection, user's core storage structure (including the Job Data Area), and methods for loading relocatable binary files.
4. User Programming: How to write programs that interact with the Monitor, including programmed operators (UUO's) for device-independent input/output, program control (starting, stopping, trapping, timing, identification), and core memory management.
5. Device Dependent Functions: Extensive sections detailing the specific characteristics, data modes, file structures, and programmed operator services for a wide range of peripheral devices, such as Teletypes, paper tape readers/punches, line printers, card readers, DECtapes, magnetic tapes, disks, incremental plotters, and displays.

The manual serves as a critical reference for understanding the PDP-10's advanced multiprogramming features, I/O handling, and memory management capabilities in a time-sharing context.