Computer history: Background on the NOS/BE installation process
The NOS/BE installation process
The NOS/BE system and all Control Data application software were delivered on an almost impossible-to-lift set of boxes with 9-track magnetic tapes and the accompanying (modified) documentation. These had to be compiled in a specific order, e.g. Compass, Update, PL1A configuration parameters, Loader and Fortran. The 1.5-centimetre-thick installation manual contained a tree-like dependency structure. The trick was to go deep as quickly as possible while applying local modifications and installation parameters. The jobs for compiling the compilers and applications in the side branches of the tree were processed during the normal day shift.
We always aimed to be the first NOS/BE installation in the world operationally running the new operating system ‘level’ plus the large set of local modifications, e.g. for security.
| PL1A | NOS/BE operating system: de PPs |
| PL1B | NOS/BE operating system commands |
| PL1C | UPDATE |
| PL1E | LOADER |
| PL1F | FORMAT |
| PL1K | BINEDIT (binary editor) |
| PL2 | COMPASS (CDC’s assembler) |
| PL3A | Cyber Record Manager |
| PL3B | Cyber Record Manager |
| PL3C | Cyber Record Manager |
| PL4 | BIT8 en FORM |
| PL5A | Maintenance tools: Diagnostics / Norms / CYBRLOG |
| PL5B | Common Test Interface (CTI) |
| PL6 | SYMPL |
| PL7 | FORTRAN 4 compiler |
| PL8 | FORTRAN 4 library routines |
| PL9 | COBOL |
| PL10 | SORT/MERGE |
| PL12 | INTERCOM 4 |
| PL45 | APEX |
| PL50 | CYBER CROSS SYSTEM (INTERNET) |
| PL57 | BASIC 3 compiler and library |
| PL58 | DBU |
| PL60 | COBOL 5 |
| PL61 | CCP 1.0 (2551 code for Intercom 4) |
| PL63 | FORTRAN 5 (Fortran 77) compiler |
| PL64 | FORTRAN 5 (Fortran 77) library routines |
| PL65 | FORTRAN 4 TO 5 (F45) |
| PL69 | COBOL 4 TO 5 |
| PL70 | CYBER COMMAND LANGUAGE (CCL) |
| PL72 | ALGOL5 |
| PL77 | DDL 3 |
| PL78 | SORT/MERGE 5 |
| PL82 | CYBER INTERACTIVE DEBUG |
| PL83 | COMMON CODE GENERATOR (CCG) |
| PL99A | CCI 3.0 Basis code (2551 code for Intercom 5) |
| PL99B | CCI 3.0 output after compilation (Mode 4, TTU, HASP) |
After one or two weeks of hard labour, the base operating system was ready. In parallel, we worked on deconflicting our local system modifications and security-related code with the new code and code changes made by Control Data. Sometimes, we had to be very inventive as PP memory and thus PP programs were limited in size.
After completion of all compilations, we generated a so-called ‘deadstart tape’. On a set of disks with a test environment, we bootstrapped the new operating system and application components. Time for running a set of test jobs and a script to test the interactive environment. Only after all detected bugs were removed, we made the step to go live. Of course, some new bugs appeared. It only happened twice that we had to roll back the new operating system: the time limit bug and the Internet 5 trial.