At 05:50 PM 3/5/02 +0000, Chris Wareham wrote:
My employers have got a PDP lying unused in the store room. I don't know
>if it's a 10 or 11 ... in fact it could be a very early Vax for all I
>know. It's encased in bubble wrap, and if the uVax I rescued from the
>same store room is anything to go by it should be in mint condition. The
>only thing stopping me from trying to acquire it right now is:

If its a -10 you will know because it will have several 5.5' high cabinets, 
and probably a couple of RP03 drives (look like a washing machine). 
Depending on the model it may have a PDP-11/40 ensconced in the cabinet to 
boot it.

If its a PDP-11 it can be one of a number of machines. It sounds like 
you're talking about a single cabinet, if so that rules out a VAX 11/7xx 
series. Does it have a front panel with blinkenlights? If so the model will 
be written across the front.

>1) Everyones disbelief that I really want it.

Generally suspicion about motives. If you point out you've already got a 
couple of old machines up and running it helps.

>2) A lack of space in my spare room (shortly to be rectified).

He he. Anyone who has done this that still things a "lack of space" can be 
rectified (ie made into more space some how) is seriously out of touch with 
reality :-) Any true collector can tell you that old computers are like 
mushrooms, if you leave a gap in your closet another one sprouts there 
overnight!

>3) The sentimental attachment the boss has to the beast (it
>    was the first company computer).

If that's the case then you let him know you want to give it a good home.


>But if I do rehome it, what are my options with regard to running Unix
>on it? It's most probably a PDP 11, so I assume that Calderas "ancient
>Unix" is my only option ... or is anyone working on NetBSD/pdp11?


BSD 2.9 on the PDP-11