[TUHS] Re: 5ESS UNIX RTR Reference Manual - Issue 10 (2001)

[Kevin Bowling <kevin.bowling@kev009.com>]

On Mon, Jun 10, 2024 at 11:06 PM segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:
>
> Good evening, while I'm still waiting on the full uploads to progress (it's like there's a rule any >100MB upload to archive.org for me has to fail like 5 times before it'll finally go...) I decided to scrape out the UNIX RTR manual from a recent trove of 5ESS materials I received and tossed it up in a separate upload:
>
> https://archive.org/details/5ess-switch-unix-rtr-operating-system-reference-manual-issue-10
>
> This time around I've got Issue 10 from December 2001.  The last issue of this particular manual I found on another 5ESS disc is Issue 7 from 1998 which I shared previously (https://ia601200.us.archive.org/view_archive.php?archive=%2F12%2Fitems%2F5ess-switch-dk5e-cd-1999-05%2F5ESS-DK5E.zip&file=5EDOCS%2F93447.PDF)
>
> The manual is in "DynaText" format on the CD in question, unlike Issue 7 which was already a PDF on its respective CD.  I used print-to-PDF to generate the above linked copy.  Given that the CD itself is from 2007, this may point to UNIX RTR having no significant user-visible changes from 2001 to 2007 that would've necessitated manual revisions.
>
> In any case, I intend to upload bin/cue images of all 7 of the CDs I've received which span from 1999 to 2007, and mostly concern the 5ESS-2000 switch from the administrative and maintenance points of view.  Once I get archive.org to choke these files down I also intend to go back around to the discs I've already archived and reupload them as proper bin/cue rips.  I was in a hurry the last time around and simply zipped the contents from the discs, but aside from just being good archive practice, I think bin/cue is necessary for the other discs as they seem to have control information in the disc header that is required by the interactive documentation viewers therein.
>

I have some of these CDs already and can compare notes with you:
DK5E-CD from 2004, OA&M from 2008.

I think you can just copy the SGML files to a HDD once you have
DynaText installed, so whatever is funky about the CDs is not terribly
important for use aside from the fidelity of your archival.  Some of
my CDs also use something called Eloquent Presenter which seems like a
HyperCard style program.  All the docs that aren't SGML are PDF,
including most of the schematics, plenty which look like scans of
originals.

> All that to say, the first pass will result in bin/cues which aren't easily readable through archive.org's interface, but I intend to also swing back around on these new discs and provide zips of the contents as well to ensure the archives are both correct (bin/cue) and easily navigable (zip).
>
> As always, if you have any such documentation or leads on where any may be awaiting archival, I'm happy to take on the work!

FWIW I have a fully working 5ESS that I turned off last week (actually
a 7 R/E - 3B21D, CM3 (Global Message Server), 20k lines a mix of POTS,
ISDN, PRI trunks) and it is coming home with me at the end of the
month.  Small matters of loading, unloading, AC PDU and getting a
sizable DC power plant and unbounded wiring are in my future.  Why? I
dunno but full send.  I need to have a think on how to be public with
all this going forward, I do want to share the system and the goal is
historical preservation and learning with interested parties.

> - Matt G.