PDP-8 4K Disk Monitor System explained

8K DMS
Developer:Digital Equipment Corporation
Source Model:Closed source
Supported Platforms:PDP-8
Ui:Command-line interface
Prog Language:PAL-D, FORTRAN-D, FOCAL
Working State:Discontinued
License:Proprietary

The PDP-8 Disk Monitor is a discontinued operating system released by Digital Equipment Corporation for their PDP-8 line of mini-computers. The minimum hardware requirements consisted of a ASR 33 teletype,[1] 3 cycle data break (an option on the PDP-8/S model), and a mass storage option of a DF32 disk sub-system or a TC01 DECtape unit, with later releases the additional option of using a RF08 disk drive. The distribution media was on paper tape, a common means of data storage for computers of that era. The included user programs consisted mainly of modified versions of the paper tape software library distributed by DEC for their PDP-8 family of small computers, much of this was exported to the TSS-8 and MS/8 operating systems.

A modified version of this monitor was used on "8K or larger PDP 8/E" systems, with one of its claimed benefits being that it made better use of additional DECtape drives than OS/8.[2]

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: PDP-8 spare parts.
  2. Web site: OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY . Disk/Dectape Monitor for the TD8E . P. R.Bell . R. S. Dillon . B. E. Beasley . October 1975.