OZDEV - FILE protocol OZ device for ITS

[larsbrinkhoff]

"OZ" device for ITS by @cstacy, for accessing files on OZ through the FILE protocol. Presumably there's a Twenex server somewhere.

[larsbrinkhoff]

Looks like it's using the LMFILE contact name though.

[ams]

There are two remote protocols for the Lisp Machine, LMFILE and REMOTE-FILE. I don't know what MIT-OZ used.

[larsbrinkhoff]

This is between ITS and Twenex, so no Lispm involved. ITS source says /LMFILE/. Looking for Twenex code but slim pickings so far.

[ams]

LMFILE was also implemented on the Lisp Machine though, and was also hosted by FC (FS used Local-FILE).

[larsbrinkhoff]

There is FCDEV for ITS to get files from the FileComputer: #321.

[cstacy]

I do not remember this at all! (Beyond a vague recollection that maybe there was an OZ: device.)

[larsbrinkhoff]

That's ok, we can remember OZDEV for you wholesale.

[larsbrinkhoff]

There's a second independent OZDEV by @bawden: title OZDEV -- foreign filesystem device. Earlier versions mentioned MIT-OZ, but the latest looks up the Chaosnet address for MIT-PREP.

[cstacy]

On 12/3/24 1:51 AM, Lars Brinkhoff wrote: That's ok, we can remember OZDEV for you wholesale.

I hope you can get my ass to OZ;  I may be overdrawn at the memory bank. Now if you will excuse me, I need a Mokie-Cokey to calm down...

[larsbrinkhoff]

I tried to assemble the 1983 vintage OZDEV 19 from CSTACY;AR2 SRC2. It didn't go well; there are many undefined symbols. They seem to be defined in OZDEV PIECES, but I don't know how to combine the two. It's doesn't seem to be any of the usual ITS arrangements with one file .INSRTing another, or two REL files to be linked. MACRO and FAIL can assemble several input files together, but MIDAS can't.

[cstacy]

It sounds like an experiment or WIP that was never completed, or something, which might be why I don't remember it. Did you find this thing from an installed binary? Or just happen across these source files while browsing?

[larsbrinkhoff]

I found it when searching for any kind of Twenex Chaosnet file server. I don't see any binary, which is interesting. If OZDEV were in use there ought to be a DEVICE;JOBDEV OZ, but there isn't.

I found this note:

Date: 02/09/83 11:49:46
From: CSTACY

Note: VAX device will be available same day as OZdevice.

ATSIGN JOBDEV does know about the OZ device. The @dev source has OZ being an MLDEV in versions 46 and 47. 52 and 53 make it an RMTDEV. It's a Chaosnet protocol but it's own thing, not FILE/NFILE/LMFILE.

[bawden]

I seem to recall that the original OZ: device was written by Gail Zacharias (@gzacharias, GZ on ITS). That inspired a bunch of activity both to improve her code and to work on other remote filesystem devices. You'll probably find a bunch of other detritus from that era if you look around...

[larsbrinkhoff]

Yes, RMTDEV was written by GZ. The TITLE calls it "MLDEV for non-ITS hosts". It has special cased code to handle devices KANSAS/OZKS and SP/SPEECH. The contact name is RMTDEV.

Minor survey of other file servers, clients, and protocols follows.

The FILE server has conditionals to run on all of ITS, TOPS-20, and TENEX (maybe due to Symbolics' Foonly?). The contact name is FILE.

@cstacy's OZDEV uses the contact name LMFILE, but I haven't found any such server for TOPS-20.

@bawden's OZDEV ... can't find a contact name, so looks like unfinished code.

The FCDEV client uses the contact name LMFILE, which makes sense for talking to the FC Lispm.

CFTP uses the contact name FILE. Help text and comments mention OZ and Twenex, not so much Lispms.

@bawden's NFILE server for ITS was a latecomer in 1988.

I started making some notes about the timeline of file servers and protocols: #2346