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Aucbvax.2445 fa.works utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!works Sun Jul 26 10:41:17 1981 INFORMATION RE INTERLISP DOLPHINS >From GEOFF@SRI-CSL Sun Jul 26 08:08:44 1981 Ed Feigenbaum received the following message from Mr. R.E. Bomeisler, Marketing Manager for Xerox EOS, in response to repeated requests for more information about Dolphins necessary for planning acquisitions. Since others may be in the same situation, Ed wants to pass the information along to other computer scientists. You may forward it if you wish.

Tom R.

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7/16/81

"In our telephone discussion, Ed, you indicated that Xerox was not providing you and potential users with enough information to assist you in designing your networks and planning for future growth. I would like to apprise you of the steps we have taken at XEOS to fill the information gap.

Marcel Pahlavan is the program manager and is the focal point for responding to customer inquiries on interface and other technical matters. On August 1, Terry Haney will join the staff to provide hardware expertise. An Interlisp software expert is being actively recruited. In addition, Pahlavan can call on other system experts within XEOS to solve specific customer problems.

With regard to 3M bps Ethernet networks, the 1100 system includes the hardware necessary for connection. In addition, XEOS will make available the hardware necessary to connect the DEC Unibus. This includes the DEC Unibus Ethernet Interface Board, Transceiver, Terminator and Connector. This hardware enables connection to 3M bps Ethernet on the DEC PDP-11 family aswell as the DEC 2020 and the VAX family. To connect the DEC 2040, 2050, and 2060 to 3M bps Ethernet will require either development of a Massbus Ethernet Interface Board or a PDP-11 front end interface. When either of these is developed within the ARPA-sponsored research community, XEOS will facilitate distribution.

XEOS is a systems organization with the skills to develop special hardware or software. It is expected that we will be called upon to modify the 1100 hardware or software to meet special customer requirements.

With regard to DEC hardware/software, there exists within the ARPA research community a number of special systems. Many of these exist on your own campus. As we become familiar with thesesystems, XEOS will serve as a facilitator and will make certain that potential 1100 users are familiar with interface software that exists or is under development. To the best of our knowledge, the following systems have been or are being connected to the 3M bps Ethernet: KI-10/TENEX, KL-10/TENEX, 2020/TOPS-20, 2050/2060/TOPS-20, and VAX/UNIX. XEOS will facilitate distribution of the Stanford-modified PUP software. As you know, this software runs under TENEX and TOPS-20 and enables DEC KA-10, KI-10, KL-10, and DEC 2020 to act as file server to the 1100.

The dissemination and distribution of information would be greatly enhanced by formation of an 1100 users group. XEOS is prepared to assist in the organization of such a group.

XEOS plans to make available the necessary hardware and software to connect the 1100 system to the 10 M bps Ethernet, thus providing access to the Xerox 8000 Network System. We are also investigating the feasibility of an internet gateway.

With regard to 1100/Interlisp performance, continual improvements are being made in the code. The system is five times faster than it was a year ago and significant further improvement is expected.

Since the 1100 is a powerful, flexible machine, it can be expanded in a number of ways: physical memory from 576K words (1.15 M Bytes) to 768K words (1.54 M Bytes), virtual address space from 4M to 16M words, and increased local disk storage capacity. Furthermore, there is sufficient cabinet space to add special functions that might be needed by certain customers: floating point arithmetic, color display interface, image processing, and other special logic, etc. XEOS is inves- tigating the feasibility of adding to the 1100 system: color display, low cost bit map display, large capacity file server, and 5700 electronic printing system. The architecture, I/O structure, and bandwidth of the 1100 make it the ideal machine for dedicated applications in the research and scientific environment.

In addition to Interlisp, XEOS is planning to implement Smalltalk on the 1100. The schedule is yet to be determined.

As a key ingredient of the overall 1100 program, it is planned to release a version of Interlisp on the Star processor after January 1, 1983. This will provide Interlisp to future users on a very cost-effective basis.

I trust, Ed, that this information will enable you and others to plan system expansion."

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