[HECnet] RSX or RSTS

[Johnny Billquist]

On 2020-03-21 04:20, Robert Armstrong wrote:
>> Well, actually, have you used either OS before?
> 
>    I've used RSX professionally some, and it's basically like VMS anyway :)
> (Note the smiley, Johnny!)  It's not too hard to adjust, especially if you
> set your CLI to DCL (although I'd consider that cheating).

RSX is indeed a lot like VMS. And especially if you look under the hood.

But, from a user experience point of view, if you go with the latest 
version of RSTS/E, it feels even more like VMS than RSX does. (You'll be 
surprised...)

>    Never got paid to use RSTS for anything, and I have very little experience
> with it.  But that just means it's an opportunity to learn...

Indeed. RSTS/E is more proper timesharing, while RSX is kindof a hybrid 
between timesharing and realtime... RSTS/E is sometimes a bit nicer in 
its behavior. RSX can have some rough edges, even when talking 11M-PLUS.

>    Actually I don't know how well either OS will do at supporting
> "non-standard" devices on the SQ739, like CDROMs or Exabytes.  In theory
> MSCP is MSCP, but in practice it's often not that simple.

Been running CDROMs and Exabytes on my RSX systems for years without 
problems. RSTS/E can sometimes be a bit more picky, I've heard.

>    Also I don't know how fast (or how slow) either OS would be on an 11/53.
> It's not a slow CPU (it's basically the same as a 11/73) but it's not the
> fastest either.

I think the 11/53 commonly ran at 15 MHz, while the 11/73 could be found 
with 18 MHz. But otherwise yes, same basic system, really.
Not a speed demon. Upgrading to an 11/83 does make a noticeable difference.

But you should be pretty ok running either OS.

   Johnny

-- 
Johnny Billquist                  || "I'm on a bus
                                   ||  on a psychedelic trip
email: bqt at softjar.se             ||  Reading murder books
pdp is alive!                     ||  tryin' to stay hip" - B. Idol