Unix Nerds - Celebrate today's date 1234567890

I didn't realize the UNIX clock started in 1970. The folks who developed UNIX weren't very far-sighted, though. The date and time calls in UNIX only cover from 1970-01-01 to 2038-01-19 with 1 second resolution.

VMS (now OpenVMS) covers 1858-11-17 to AD 31,086 with 100 ns resolution. That's a real man's OS. :p
 
That's when Unix computer clocks will reach the time of 1234567890--1.2 billion seconds elapsed from January 1, 1970, the official beginning of the Unix epoch.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-10163129-235.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0

I am wearing a Linux t-shirt today. But I moved out of my parents basement long ago.

It's great to be a nerd.

VMS .... That's a real man's OS. :p

Friends don't let friends use VMS...

...art
 
...

Friends don't let friends use VMS...

...art
OK, Art just made my list.
lol_sign_bang.gif
 
Is that a newer version of VAX? My Grandma used to work for Digital. When I was growning up, she used to take us for tours off the factory in Phoenix where they built their systems.

[propeller beanie mode]

VAX (Virtual Address eXtension) is the computer that the VMS (Virtual Memory System) operating system runs on. In the early 90's Digital Equipment Corporation developed the Alpha processor. It was a Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) chip as opposed to the Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) chip used in the VAX platform, so it required a different OS architecture to go with it. VMS was ported for the Alpha chip, and renamed OpenVMS on both platforms.

You'll also see old references to "VAX/VMS", which was pertaining to the platform when using that hardware and OS combination.

[/propeller beanie mode]


the_more_you_know.jpg


:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
 
But I just upgraded my PDP11!

I dont believe it. There are still people out there who remember the good old PDP 11. Now I feel young again.

It reminds me of the first time I came to the USA from South Africa. Flew to JFK then on to Boston. Who remembers the saying route 128 Americas High Technology Highway. I think DEC was located there correct?

I attended a 6 week training course at a company that now ceases to exist but made fantastic equipment and their training was so good I can still remember it all these years later. General Radio or Genrad as I knew it then. The year was 1983 and Billy Joel had just released Innocent Man.

Genrad used the PDP 11 in their Automatic Test Equipment. We used it back in SA to do Telecontrol Systems.

Wow Glenn this is a call back the past event.
 
Ok Darren and Vaughn how far back do you go. Did either of you work on Data General Equipment with magnetic core memory boards and programmed in octal using flip keys on the front panel? Loaded a program with ticker tape.
 
Well, I hate to admit it, but I programed for a short while on a PDP-8 (a long time ago). You had to set the switches on the front in a certain way in order to boot it.

Really sloooooow machine.

I also programmed on pre-IBM-360 machines (1401 and 7090, if I remember right). Early 1960's.

Mike
 
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VMS (now OpenVMS) covers 1858-11-17 to AD 31,086 with 100 ns resolution. That's a real man's OS. :p

I actually have a funny story about that. When I first got here, they were running OPENVMS, and they saw me as more a UNIX/LINUX/BSD guy, so I was having trouble getting acceptance in the trenches. I called up an old vaxherd friend and asked him what to do.

He said "Do you know how to set a dollar prompt message?"

I said "Of course!"

He said "set it to 11-17-1858$"

Of course, the guys were always looking over my shoulder. They all saw it within a few days. After that, they decided I couldn't be *all* bad... ;)

It took me two years to get them off that darned system! Because I don't want to break the CofC, I'd like to call your attention to the advertizing slogan in point number 2 in the following URL: http://catb.org/~esr/jargon/html/V/VAX.html

;)

Thanks,

Bill
 
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Ok Darren and Vaughn how far back do you go. Did either of you work on Data General Equipment with magnetic core memory boards and programmed in octal using flip keys on the front panel? Loaded a program with ticker tape.

Are you kidding? ;) We've got a guy on staff here who can still sight-read punch cards! ;)

I'm serious. I brought him here, all the way from Tennessee! ;)

and as long as we're in this realm, here's my favorite from those days:



ACHTUNG - ALLES LOOKENPEEPERS!!!

Das Machine is nicht fur gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fur gewerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren musten keepen das cotten-pickenen hands in das pockets - relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.


:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Thanks,

Bill
 
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Ok Darren and Vaughn how far back do you go. Did either of you work on Data General Equipment with magnetic core memory boards and programmed in octal using flip keys on the front panel? Loaded a program with ticker tape.
I didn't get on a VMS machine until 1991, so I got on board kind of late in the game. I've worked with a number of old-timers, though, so I heard a lot of the history and lore behind the system.
 
Phew.

I'm glad this all predates me. My first computer was an Atari 400. Complete with peanut butter keyboard and all. Felt like typing on a microwave.

Any of you guys been to the DigiBarn?
 
My first was NT 3.0 (excuse me...Windows Advanced Server) and IBM System 38. Still working on iSeries stuff part of the time when our admins need help, but have moved off to mostly programming now.
 
This guy in this part of cali converted his barn into a computer museum.

http://www.digibarn.com/

I went to the grand opening some ... wow ... 8 or 9 years ago i guess. Crazy.

They had an old Cray super computer there and I stood inside that ... I think Woz was there, too.

It's pretty nifty. I got to see the old Atari 400 again for the first time in like 20 years, too. That was neat. :D
 
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