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From: Paul Winalski <paul.winalski@gmail.com>
To: Computer Old Farts Followers <coff@tuhs.org>
Subject: [COFF] DEC computer Christmas carols
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:32:07 -0500	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <CABH=_VQLaDG2kpjDOarjjP3h198M-2yMjdvx=USefVD_OzN7xA@mail.gmail.com> (raw)

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The PDP-10 had an alarm bell that could be rung under program control.
When the TOPS-10 operating system crashed, it displayed a numeric code on
the console indicating the reason for the crash.  This was called a
"stopcode" and is the equivalent of a Unix panic.  It also rang the alarm
bell.

DDT (Dynamic Debugging Tool) was the primary debugger for TOPS-10.  PPN
(Project-Programmer Number) was used for system security.  Each user
account was assigned by number to a Project, and within that Project a
unique Programmer Number.  The low numbers (such as [7,3]) were usually
privileged accounts.

So here we have the Christmas carol Stopcode Bells, to the tune of Jingle
Bells:

==========
Stopcode bells, stopcode bells, stopcode all the way.
Oh what fun it is to crash the system night and day.
Stopcode bells, stopcode bells, stopcode all the way.
Oh what fun it is to crash the system night and day.

Poking through the core
With a bug in DDT
Change your PPN
To [7,3].
Halt somebody's job.
Make them scream and shout.
Oh what fun it is to log
The operator out.
==========

This is one that I wrote while I worked in DEC's software development tools
department.  Around Christmas time the first baselevels of VAX/VMS Version
3.0 were being sent to alpha test.  The engineering departments got first
crack at the new system and so were the first to encounter bugs and design
problems.  VMS Version 3 had been a very ambitious project and was
eventually split up into Version 3A (released as Version 3.0) and Version
3B (released as Version 4.0).  There was a lot of grumbling by groups whose
new features got put into 3B and thus delayed.  The early baselevels of 3A
broke the VAX C runtime library.

So here we have Version 3 is Coming to Town:

==========
You'd better work hard
You'd better code fast.
The system you use
Just ain't gonna last.
Version 3 is coming to town.

They fixed some old bugs
And put new ones in,
Added some features
They think will win.
Version 3 is coming to town.

There's so many new features.
Too bad we can't use C.
And the things that we most wanted
Were deferred until 3B.

You'd better work hard
You'd better code fast.
The system you use
Just ain't gonna last.
Version 3 is coming to town.
=========

-Paul W.

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                 reply	other threads:[~2024-12-16 17:32 UTC|newest]

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