Gordon Bell
Abstract
Over the PDP-11'S six year life about 20,000 specimens have been built based on 10 species (models). Although range was a design goal, it was unquantified; the actual range has exceeded expectations (500:1 in memory size and system price). The range has stressed the basic mini(mal) computer architecture along all dimensions. The main PMS structure, i.e. the UNIBUS, has been adopted as a de facto standard of interconnection for many micro and minicomputer systems. The architectural experience gained in the design and use of the PDP-11 will be described in terms of its environment (initial goals and constraints, technology, and the organization that designs, builds and distributes the machine).
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Index Terms
- Computer structures: What have we learned from the PDP-11?
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