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Developing a multi‐access system online
Author(s) -
Poole P. C.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
software: practice and experience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1097-024X
pISSN - 0038-0644
DOI - 10.1002/spe.4380010104
Subject(s) - computer science , reliability (semiconductor) , service (business) , software , test (biology) , operating system , paleontology , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , economy , economics , biology
Abstract COTAN is a multi‐acess system designed to operate on linked KDF9–PDP8 computers. It supports 20 remote teletypes and provides the online user with both remote job entry and interactive capabilities The development of COTAN relied heavily on the continuing availability of online access from an early stage in the project. Access was first obtained through the monitor console on the KDF9 and this was then used to ‘bootstrap’ the implementation of the multi‐access facilities. The new software was checked out in a real time, online test bed called an ‘environmental simulator’. This provided a close approximation to the ultimate operating conditions and enabled the system to be brought to a high degree of reliability before being placed in service.