RSX-11

[Jerome H. Fine]

 >Zane H. Healy wrote:

> At 4:55 PM -0700 4/30/07, Scott Quinn wrote:
>
>> but somewhat cryptically also
>>
>> "EMULATOR shall mean software owned by Digital Equipment Corporation 
>> that emulates the operation of a PDP-11 processor and allows PDP-11 
>> programs and operating systems to run on non-PDP-11 systems.
>>
>> 2  LICENSE GRANT
>>
>> MENTEC grants to CUSTOMER a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free 
>> license under MENTEC's INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS to use and copy 
>> the SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY solely for personal, non-commercial uses in 
>> conjunction with the EMULATOR."
>>
>> So, in short, is this only valid for emulators in which DEC or it's 
>> successors in interest (HP?) own the copyright, or is it only valid 
>> for systems where DEC or (...) hold RTU licenses for a PDP-11 
>> emulator on? If the prior, what is the connection to SIMH? If it is 
>> valid for currently obtainable emulators and (as it seems to at face 
>> value) include RSX-11, why no RSX-11 images? I suppose RSTS/E is the 
>> easy way out, (provided licensing is good), but RSX-11 has the 
>> advantages of some commonality with VMS (DCL).
>
>
> Bob Supnik has stated that SIMH is still covered by this license, he 
> was a VP with DEC at the time he arranged for it.  Furthermore all 
> indications from Mentec in the past have been that this is true. Based 
> on the inquiries I made about a month ago nothing has changed from the 
> Hobbyist point of view.
>
> At least one version of RSX-11M has been available for use under SIMH 
> in the past.

Jerome Fine replies:

Since my information is ONLY in respect of RT-11, how
it applies to RSX-11 is not known.  However, whenever the
license for PDP-11 operating systems mentions RSX-11
(and a specific version at that, including all prior
versions), V05.03 of RT-11 and all prior versions of
RT-11 are also mentioned.  Thus by inference, what applies
to RT-11 may also apply to RSX-11 as well.

What is VERY different about RSX-11 and RT-11 is that
V05.03 of RT-11 (specifically the binary distribution)
has been available via download from a number of sites
for many years along with at least one site which also
includes all prior versions (or at least as many different
versions as could reasonably be found and verified to
likely be as close as possible to the actual DEC release)
of RT-11.  I can't remember exactly any more, but at least
10 prior versions of RT-11 (prior to V05.03 from 1985)
are available.  There were also 11 later versions of RT-11
includIng:

V05.04
V05.04A
V05.04B
v05.04C
V05.04D
V05.04E
V05.04F
V05.04G
V05.05
V05.06
V05.07

On the other hand, it was initially VERY difficult, almost
impossible, to obtain a copy of the allowed RSX-11 distribution
and even at present this situation continues.

Since there has, to my knowledge, been continuous access
to V05.03 of RT-11 and the prior versions for over 5 years
ever since Megan Gentry specifically made V05.03 available
as a single downloadable image file, it seems extremely
likely that Mentec has accepted that SIMH is totally
acceptable as the DEC owned emulator even if there has been
no official written confirmation of that status by Mentec.

At least one acceptable version of RSTS/E also seems to
be available, but I have no details.

If you wish to know the details of the link for the file
to be downloaded for the RT-11 versions:
http://www.classiccmp.org/PDP-11/RT-11/dists/RT11DV10.ISO.zip

Sincerely yours,

Jerome Fine
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