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AN OVERVIEW OF UCSC p-SYSTEM

PDF icon 1984WinterCCCENLBR1.pdf
Author(s): 

Reviewed by Brian Pankuch

Note: This article was scanned using OCR from the 1984 Winter CCCE Newsletter. Please contact us if you identify any OCR errors.

The following two books cover the UCSD p-system. The p-system is a sophisticated but relatively easy to use operating system. It is the tool that enables you to use your computer in such areas as running application programs, writing your own programs, keeping track of your files, or using your computer as a word processor. You can use Pascal, FORTRAN, BASIC or assembly languages singly or in combination in a program under the p-system. I have only used Pascal and assembly languages together, but all other combinations are well documented. Independent studies of operating systems rank the p-system to be as good or better than competing operating systems. The p-system appears to be the best for transporting programs between different machines. My own experience has been transferring Pascal programs among Apples, Teraks, and Sages. Although I have not found it easy to electronically transfer programs due to the many ways in which the RS-232 port is used, once transferred, programs have worked. However, programs containing graphics can have problems.

 
The p-system is particularly well suited for transferring programs since it is available on virtually all micro and minicomputers. It is comforting to know that you can purchase a new computer and have your old programs work on the new system, and you can share programs with colleagues without major revision.
 
I've found the time invested in learning this operating system well spent. Many timesaving techniques are available; to that end,,you may find one or both of the following useful.
Date: 
12/01/84 to 12/15/84
1984 Winter Newsletter