Retro1.org codex

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|          Welcome to VM/370 and VM/380 "SixPack" version 1.3!                |
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For a list of CMS commands, type HELP CMSCMDS.  For a list of CP commands, type
HELP CPCMDS.

Other useful documentation and sample programs can be found on MAINT 19D,
accessed as your U disk.


This version of VM/370 rolls up all of the modifications posted on the H390-VM
and Hercules-os380 Yahoo groups since the "5-pack" system was released in 2006.

The base operating system is IBM's VM/370 Release 6 operating system, the last
unlicensed version of VM/370.  It is designed to run on the Hercules Emulator.

We recommend you login as CMSUSER (password of CMSUSER) for most general work.
This user's minidisks reside on their own volume (the 6th pack), making backup
of your own work much easier.

Features of the "SixPack" include:
   o   Support for the S/380 architecture, which allows you to run programs
       that access memory greater than 16 megabytes.  For example, to compile
       the Gnu C compiler, you need more that 16 megabytes of memory for the
       compiler.  S/380 allows you to compile it on CMS.  Speaking of which...
   o   The Gnu C Compiler, with both a "traditional" runtime library (PDPCLIB)
       and a "native CMS" runtime library (GCCLIB).  GCC specifically supports
       access to memory above 16MB.  The source code for the GCC compiler and
       both runtimes is on the GCCCMS userid's disks.  Type HELP GCC for more
       information.
   o   An up-to-date, accurate, and fairly complete help system.
   o   Extended parameter list support, meaning it is possible to pass mixed-
       case parameters to EXECs and C programs.
   o   Current line highlighting and multifile editing in EDIT.
   o   Other programs such as COMPARE, DIFF, FLIST, RESLIB, SCAN, VMARC are all
       available on the CMS Y disk.  Type HELP CMSCMDS to list all available
       CMS commands.

Version 1.2 of the "SixPack" includes:
   o   The BREXX interpreter is integrated into CMS and runs from resident
       memory.  This means you can now write EXECs in the REXX language, and
       they will automatically be executed by the resident REXX interpreter.
       Also, these EXECs can invoke any CMS program, including the language
       processors such as ASSEMBLE, FORTRAN, PLI, etc.  The source code for
       BREXX is on the BREXX 191 disk.  Type HELP REXX for more information.
   o   The native CMS version of the GCC runtime library is now resident in
       memory.  Thus it is possible to write very small programs in C.  Type
       HELP GCCLIB for more information.
   o   The CP command now allows you to stack or discard the messages it would
       otherwise display at the terminal.  Very useful when writing EXECs.
   o   During initialization, CMS executes "SYSPROF EXEC" before executing
       "PROFILE EXEC".  This allows you to ensure certain commands are always
       executed for users.
   o   If the virtual machine size is 4MB or larger, LDRTBLS are set to 64
       pages instead of 3 pages.
   o   The fix to the CP TRANSFER command developed by Martin Taylor has been
       installed.  You can now transfer spool files to other users.  The bug in
       CP Q DASD has been fixed, thanks to Mike Stramba.
   o   The PL/360 language is now correctly installed on the 19E disk.
   o   I have cleaned up the 19E (Y) disk.  Source code for the various
       programs that were there has been removed and put on MAINT's 093 disk.
       Documentation for those programs has been moved to MAINT 19D.

The BREXX interpretr is somewhat flakey.  Please report any problems you
encounter to the H390-VM group on Yahoo.  Try out REXXTRY EXEC!

Note that loading REXX and the GCCLIB runtime (required for REXX) into memory
consumes 250K of memory.  Thus you may want to run in a larger virtual machine
than you previously used.  You can remove these programs from memory by using
the RESLIB commands:
   RESLIB DELETE DMSREX
   RESLIB DELETE GCCLIB
Doing this of course means that you cannot run REXX EXECs.


This version of VM/370 is brought to you by Robert O'Hara, Paul Edwards, and
Dave Wade.  It is based on earlier versions of VM/370 for Hercules developed by
Andy Norrie and Paul Gorlinsky.

Robert O'Hara, Redmond Washington, August 2010.