Which paper tape hole is bit 1?

Allison ajp166 at bellatlantic.net
Sat Nov 19 11:35:00 CST 2005


vrs wrote:
> From: "Allison":
> 
>>Nominal PDP-8 use was short BIN loader hand toggled in. Load bin 
>>tape that contains small BIN format program or loads the RIM
>>loader for more complex programs (basic, focal).  BASIC would
>>then read an ascii program tape.
> 
> 
> It's a nit, but you have the roles of BIN and RIM reversed in 
> this paragraph.  You also omitted a discussion of the checksum, 
> field setting, and comment features allowed in a BIN tape :-).
> 
> For those who care, BIN tapes have an extra 'data' pair at the 
> end which forms a checksum.  Bytes with both of the most significant 
> bits set use the next three bits to select which bank or 'field' 
> is loaded.  And arbitrary 'comments' may appear between rub-outs 
> (which have all bits set).  RIM tapes have none of these features.
> Both BIN and RIM tapes use leader-trailer with just the MSB set.
> 
> There are at least two versions of the BIN loader.  I don't know 
> offhand if the older BIN loader supported all the features or 
> not.
> 
>     Vince

I flubed the first one and 99% get it wrong when playing with the -8!

The other was one of those typing things where I decided it was enough 
and stopped rather than get even further off the topic.

Allison





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