Sze Introduction to DEC System-10 1974

This document is the "Introduction to DEC System-10: Time-Sharing and Batch," Third Edition, published in 1980 by T. W. Sze, a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.

Primarily intended for users who employ the computer as a tool rather than aspiring professional programmers, this textbook provides a comprehensive guide to utilizing the DEC System-10's capabilities. The third edition notably expands its scope beyond basic programming to focus on practical applications and crucial aspects of computer usage.

Key areas covered include:

• Fundamentals: An introduction to batch processing versus time-sharing, the DEC System-10 architecture, remote terminals, and basic file concepts.
• Core Utilities: Detailed instructions on using the UPDATE text editor for file modification, as well as file management (PIP), sorting (SORT), and word processing (RUNOFF) programs.
• Programming: A significant section on FORTRAN-10, emphasizing various debugging techniques—including pre-computer-run, off-line code inspection, and on-line diagnostics. A summary of the PIL language is also included.
• Advanced Applications: Chapters dedicated to modeling and simulation using CSMP (Continuous System Modeling Program), and computer graphics, covering devices, plotting, and interactive graphics.
• System Operations: Detailed explanations of operating system commands, multiprogram batch processing, and tape handling procedures.

The document is structured to serve both as an instructional text, with exercises to develop skills, and as a reference manual for practical computer system management and application development in an academic engineering environment of the early 1980s.