HP3000 Evolution
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HP3000 Evolution -Homestead -Tune Up -Migrate Edited by Bob Green. From articles written by Robelle, by The 3000 Newswire, and by experts in the HP 3000 field: Chris Edler, Paul Edwards, Marius Schild, Neil Armstrong, John Burke, Alan Wyman and Alan Heter, Stan Sieler and Gavin Scott, Ken Robertson, Eugene Volokh (VESoft), Alfredo Rego, Fred White, Steve Hammond, Wayne Boyer, Alan Yeo, Gunnar Fredlund, Terry O'Brien, Michael Marxmeier, Aaron Holmes, Dave Lo, and Glenn Cole. Copyright © 2003-2004 Robelle Solutions Technology Inc. Articles included in this book are courtesy of individual authors and respective copyright owners. Original copyrights are applicable to each article. Updated Friday, May 07, 2004 Qedit and Suprtool are trademarks of Robelle Solutions Technology Inc. HP is a trademark of the Hewlett-Packard Company. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. PRINTED IN CANADA Robelle Solutions Technology Inc. 7360 137 Street, Suite 372 Surrey, B.C. Canada V3W 1A3 Phone: 604.501.2001 Fax: 604.501.2003 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.robelle.com Contents Introduction 1 Migrate, Homestead, or Evolve?................................................................................................1 The Future....................................................................................................................2 Updates to HP 3000 Evolution ....................................................................................3 The Title “HP 3000 Evolution” ?.................................................................................3 Homestead and Migrate...............................................................................................3 Thanks and Acknowledgments....................................................................................4 A Special Thanks.........................................................................................................5 Now a Word From Our Sponsors ................................................................................6 The Past .......................................................................................................................7 Early History of the HP 3000: The Rise, Fall and Rise of the HP 3000 ...................................8 The Alpha Project........................................................................................................8 Alpha is Born.............................................................................................................10 The Operating System ...............................................................................................13 Language ...................................................................................................................14 Filesystem and I/O.....................................................................................................14 The System is Announced .........................................................................................16 A Cloud on the Horizon.............................................................................................17 Meanwhile, in a Corner of the Lab ............................................................................17 Databases and DBMS's in the 60's and Early 70's .....................................................18 IMAGE ......................................................................................................................18 Sudden Infant Death of a Computer ..........................................................................19 Background – The HP 3000 Lab Environment..........................................................19 Spring 1972: Systems Management Group Formed ..................................................22 September-November 1972: Delays..........................................................................22 November 1972: "November is a Happening"...........................................................24 December 1972 – February 1973: Further Delays.....................................................25 Spring 1973: There is a Problem . .........................................................................27 Summer 1973: "Wow Ouch" .....................................................................................28 The (New, Improved) HP 3000, Part II .....................................................................29 MPE-B.......................................................................................................................29 October 1973: Re-Release .........................................................................................29 November 1973: Exit to Tandem...............................................................................30 December 1974: Advent of the CX ...........................................................................31 NOTES ......................................................................................................................32 Deja Vue: The Spectrum Project..............................................................................................35 Alternative Resources for Homesteading 45 HP 3000 Evolution Contents • i Why Homestead?.......................................................................................................45 What if I need MPE help after HP is gone? ...............................................................45 What about hardware support, spare parts, upgrades? ...............................................45 What about change and growth in my applications?..................................................46 What do I do now to get ready? .................................................................................46 What about faster hardware in the future? .................................................................46 What about training and information for my staff?....................................................46 For Example...............................................................................................................46 Less Risky to Stay Than to Go...................................................................................47 Software Support: Gilles Schipper...........................................................................................48 Gilles Schipper...........................................................................................................48 Software Support: Allegro Consultants...................................................................................51 Software Support: Beechglen..................................................................................................53 Hardware Suppport, Upgrades and Spare Parts .......................................................................58 Need Another 3000? ..................................................................................................58 More Memory? ..........................................................................................................59 Do It Yourself ............................................................................................................61 Hardware Support......................................................................................................63 Connecting Modern SCSI Devices to the 3000........................................................................64 There is Nothing Magical about HP-Branded Peripherals.........................................64 SCSI is SCSI and You Can Connect Just About Anything to Anything....................65 Summary....................................................................................................................67 Disagreement From Hewlett-Packard........................................................................68 Homesteading By Tax Regulation ...........................................................................................69 Homesteading Checklist...........................................................................................................72 Prime Resources an HP 3000 Site..............................................................................73 Software Support .......................................................................................................73 Hardware Support......................................................................................................74 Backup Strategy.........................................................................................................74 Training......................................................................................................................74 MPE/iX Version Considerations................................................................................74 Making a Business Case ............................................................................................75 Summary....................................................................................................................75 A 3000 Emulator: Interview with Mark Klein .........................................................................76 HP 3000 Tune Up 82 HP 3000 Reference Information ..............................................................................................83 OpenMPE ..................................................................................................................83