Susie (Single User Interactive Executive) is a simple operating system developed for my final year project at City University in 1979.
The project was "An Operating System for a Minicomputer", where the mini-computer was a PDP-11/34.
I purchased and built a PiDP-11, which is a 2/3 scale replica of a PDP-11/70 emulated with SIMH on a Raspberry Pi.
For no other reason, other than nostalgia, I decided to reincarnate Susie on the PiDP-11.
This project was complete two years before MS-DOS although CP/M had been developed four years prior.
This project is very likely absolutely no use to anyone at all in any way shape or form.
| Core Programs | |
|---|---|
susie |
The main operating system. |
dkinit |
Disk initialisation program. |
boot |
Disk bootstrap program. |
| Susie Programs | |
|---|---|
sysmac |
System macros used by programs developed for Susie. |
load |
Enables programs to be loaded on to Susie. |
fido |
File utility package. |
kt |
Keyboard test program. |
ft |
File test program. |
gbig |
Large file test. |
The easiest way to set up the development environment is with nix. This would then require local nix install of github:nigeleke/macro11.
Start the development environment (the --impure setting is used for Visual Code):
> nix develop --impure
Edit:
> code .
Assemble everything:
> ./build.sh
Follow the PiDP-11 instructions here.
It is not necessary to perform the systems installations as these options get overwritten with the simh/selections file during the build process.
> ./build.sh
PiDP-11 switch settings
| Switches | Program | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0000 | idled |
Runs Idled program and shows these options |
| 0001 | susie |
Runs raw copy of Susie, loaded from paper-tape |
| 0002 | dkinit |
Runs disk initialisation (loaded from paper-tape). This will immediately halt. This was to allow the development operating system disk RT-11 to be removed, and replaced with the disk where Susie is to be written. Press cont and the disk is updated with a copy of Susie, and dkinit halts again. |
| 0003 | boot |
Runs the bootstrap program (loaded from paper-tape), which then loads and runs the copy of Susie currently on the disk. To load paper-tapes into the reader, stop the simulation (CTRL-E), then att ptr <file.bin> followed by cont. |
| 0004 | load |
Allows files to be loaded from paper-tape onto the Susie disk. This is set up for a self load, so at the [LOAD] prompt enter LOAD. From that point on you can then start with the boot sequence. |