Prime emulator address changing to: telnet em.prirun.com 8001

[Jim Wilcoxson]

This year Dyndns.com raised their dynamic DNS service fee from $25 to $40, which, combined with crazy emails that said "your service is autorenewing in 7 days" and then "your service expires in less than 7 days", was enough to make me switch.

The new emulator address will be em.prirun.com, and since I own that domain name, it won't be changing again. Still have to add the port number to get the specific version of Primos you want (8001 and up).

Today and tomorrow, access to the emulator will be difficult. It's hosted on a Mac Mini and the hard drives are failing, so tomorrow I'm swapping them out. Today it's having a lot of trouble with disk access and is either very slow or hanging.

It's kinda funny that the drives in the Mini are only about 6 years old and are failing, yet we were able to image Prime drives that were decades old.

Jim

[Greg Field]

T'was a sad loss to the tinker'ers of the IT world, when DynDNS stopped their free service many years ago.

I've often wondered why not sell off or donate the rights to the free service. It must be worth something
as every home router on the planet has a built in DynDNS client.

I will try one of the free compiled services as I have also moved to a Mac Mini as a server. So quiet.
You're not the first person to mention failing drives in a Mac Mini. I will have to keep an eye on that.

Teaching myself OS X Server. it all works pretty well but auto mount home folders is a train wreck.
Apple really should have adopted NFS.

[marlow...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, 28 January 2016 17:22:59 UTC, Jim Wilcoxson wrote:
> The new emulator address will be em.prirun.com, and since I own that domain name, it won't be changing again. Still have to add the port number to get the specific version of Primos you want (8001 and up).

> Jim
Thank you Jim for making these time travel journeys possible. I just tried port 8005 and was pleased to see Rev 23.4.Y2K.R1 where DSM is running. This is great. However, by default it looks like DSM doesn't let ordinary users do anything. I can't even run innocuous commands like list_process, list_cvs etc. Can the permissions be slightly loosened please? I expected that ordinary users could use the SIM (System Information and Metering) commands.

[Jim Wilcoxson]

Hi Andrew! I don't know anything about DSM, but poked around a little bit in config_dsm and ran across the user access section. No idea how this stuff works, but the current config looks like this:

Do you want to list all the user access definitions ? yes
User access definition ALIEN$ is:
User/ACL group .ANY_USER$ from location(s):
.ALIEN_NODES$
Function/function group: STATUS_DSM is allowed on node/node groups:
.GROUP$
User access definition DSM_ADMINISTRATOR$ is:
User/ACL group SYSTEM from location(s):
.GROUP$
Function/function group: .ANY_FUNCTION$ is allowed on node/node groups:
.ANY_NODE$
User access definition DSM_OPERATOR$ is:
User/ACL group SYSTEM from location(s):
LOCAL$
Function/function group: .RESUS$ is allowed on node/node groups:
.ANY_NODE$
Function/function group: .SIM$ is allowed on node/node groups:
.ANY_NODE$
User access definition DTB_USER$ is:
User/ACL group .DTB$ from location(s):
.ANY_NODE$
Function/function group: .DTB$ is allowed on node/node groups:
.ANY_NODE$

I have one user, GUEST, setup on this emulator. Do I just add group .DTB$ to that user? Does that let it do crazy things, or just "read only" commands?

[Andrew Marlow]

The DSM_OPERATORS group is close to what is wanted but it has access to the RESUS command, which is normally denied to ordinary users. So you will need to create a new user access definition, say DSM_USER, which is like DSM_OPERATOR but does not include access to RESUS. the RESUS command lets you become the system console!

[Jim Wilcoxson]

So I want to create user access DSM_USER, add function group .SIM$ to it, and then say User/ACL group GUEST from location LOCAL$. .SIM$ includes these functions:

Function group .SIM$ contains:
LIST_ASSIGNED_DEVICES, LIST_ASYNC, LIST_COMM_CONTROLLERS, LIST_CONFIG,
LIST_DISKS, LIST_LAN_NODES, LIST_MEMORY, LIST_PRIMENET_LINKS,
LIST_PRIMENET_NODES, LIST_PRIMENET_PORTS, LIST_PROCESS, LIST_SEMAPHORES,
LIST_SYNC, LIST_UNITS, LIST_VCS, PRIVATE_LOGGER

What is PRIVATE_LOGGER? Is it okay, or do I need to create a new function group without that?

Did they offer brain surgeon classes in DSM? The tag line could have been:

"DSM: Power beyond comprehension"

[Andrew Marlow]

It's a really bad name. The idea was that public logs are system logs and logs created for the users own use are private logs. Better names might have been system logs and user logs. So its ok for ordinary users to have access to PRIVATE_LOGGER.

>
> Did they offer brain surgeon classes in DSM? The tag line could have been:
>
> "DSM: Power beyond comprehension"

Well, some people did say that DSM stood for Dirty Stinking Mess. I actually liked it but that's because I was working on it. I worked on the logger, UMs and the SIM commands. But there was one bit of it that I hated and that was CONFIG_DSM. What a config nightmare. The code was terrible also.

In my copious spare time I actually came up with a replacement for DSM when I was at Prime. It extended the command line processing to make any command support -on <nodename>. I called it DCE which stood for Distributed Command Environment. You could turn on the command line extension using the command START_DCE (there was also a STOP_DCE). It's access model was much simpler and didn't need a complex config command line DSM. If I recall it was based on the kind of file access you get to remote nodes via NPX slaves.

[Andrew Marlow]

On Tuesday, 13 September 2016 08:48:38 UTC+1, Andrew Marlow wrote:
[snip]

> > > > > Thank you Jim for making these time travel journeys possible. I just tried port 8005 and was pleased to see Rev 23.4.Y2K.R1 where DSM is running. This is great. However, by default it looks like DSM doesn't let ordinary users do anything.

[snip]

> > Did they offer brain surgeon classes in DSM? The tag line could have been:
> >
> > "DSM: Power beyond comprehension"

I would still like to use it and I bet several of my former colleagues at Willen Lake (UK) would like to as well. Please let us know when you have managed to make the changes using that infamous CONFIG_DSM comand, thanks.

[Jim Wilcoxson]

Well, I tried. I created "user access definition" DSM_USER$, with "function group" .SIM$, and added user GUEST to it. Then went to save it:

SAVE the configuration.

How do you wish to save the configuration?

(1) WRITE to temporary configuration.
(2) CREATE new configuration.
(3) UPDATE existing configuration.
(4) LIST the configuration.
(5) HELP.

Enter option number, or press RETURN to leave this menu: 3

Enter pathname for configuration: DSM*>CONFIG_FILES>DSM_DEFAULT.CONFIG
Error from DSM_ADMIN (DSM_admin-420):
DSM_DEFAULT.CONFIG is a reserved DSM configuration.
Enter pathname for configuration: DSM*>CONFIG_FILES>DSM_JIM.CONFIG
Enter comment or Quit (default is "DEFAULT CONFIG FILE"): This is for Andrew
Configuration <SYS23K>DSM*>CONFIG_FILES>DSM_JIM.CONFIG, revision 2 written.
--Press < RETURN > to continue:





SAVE the configuration.

How do you wish to save the configuration?

(1) WRITE to temporary configuration.
(2) CREATE new configuration.
(3) UPDATE existing configuration.
(4) LIST the configuration.
(5) HELP.

Enter option number, or press RETURN to leave this menu:

Geez, this thing is really terrible. Sorry Andrew!

So after being forced to create a new DSM file, I'm assuming I have to activate it somehow. But START_DSM doesn't take a pathname, so I have no idea how to do that. I guess I could just blow away the default DSM file and rename this one, but I'm sure there has to be a better way to do it with just a menu selection or 10... hahahah!

[Andrew Marlow]

On Wednesday, 21 September 2016 15:15:37 UTC+1, Jim Wilcoxson wrote:
> > I would still like to use it and I bet several of my former colleagues at Willen Lake (UK) would like to as well. Please let us know when you have managed to make the changes using that infamous CONFIG_DSM comand, thanks.
>
> Well, I tried. I created "user access definition" DSM_USER$, with "function group" .SIM$, and added user GUEST to it. Then went to save it:

[snip]

Looks to me like you have saved it correctly.

> Geez, this thing is really terrible. Sorry Andrew!

Don't apologise. I agree it's terrible. I said so at the time but was not listened to.

>
> So after being forced to create a new DSM file, I'm assuming I have to activate it somehow. But START_DSM doesn't take a pathname, so I have no idea how to do that.

I can't remember but it might via the DISTRIBUTE_DSM command.
There should be help on it via the help command. This is the only thing I can think of, it was all so long ago....

[Jim Wilcoxson]

If you research this and figure out what needs to be done, let me know and I'll try it.

[Dennis Boone]

> Enter pathname for configuration: DSM*>CONFIG_FILES>DSM_DEFAULT.CONFIG
> Error from DSM_ADMIN (DSM_admin-420):
> DSM_DEFAULT.CONFIG is a reserved DSM configuration.

The manual says that DSM_DEFAULT.CONFIG should never be changed, and
that it may be necessary to use COPY to manage config files. (That's
largely aimed at multi-system networks, but the point of including it
here is that it's legit to do that.)

The default config allegedly allows just SYSTEM on the local system to
do any task.

It looks like the intended workflow is to write to DSM_RESTART.CONFIG.

De

[Jim Wilcoxson]

Hey Dennis, thanks for checking this out. Here's what I did:

a dsm*
OK, a config_files 1 2
OK, ld

<SYS23K>DSM*>CONFIG_FILES (ALL access)
56 records in this directory, 56 total records out of quota of 1234567.

8 Files.

DSM_DEFAULT.CONFIG DSM_EMPTY.CONFIG DSM_JIM.CONFIG
DSM_LOADED.CONFIG DSM_RESTART.CONFIG
DSM_UMH.CONFIG DSM_UMH_DEFAULT.CONFIG PRIME_REGISTER.CONFIG

OK, ld -srtd

<SYS23K>DSM*>CONFIG_FILES (ALL access)
56 records in this directory, 56 total records out of quota of 1234567.

8 Files.
name date/time modified type rbf
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DSM_JIM.CONFIG 21 Sep 16 10:09:24 dam
DSM_LOADED.CONFIG
18 Sep 16 11:41:52 dam
DSM_UMH.CONFIG 17 Nov 11 16:40:36 dam
DSM_RESTART.CONFIG
20 Sep 07 16:01:36 dam
DSM_DEFAULT.CONFIG
06 Jul 94 15:09:32 dam
DSM_EMPTY.CONFIG 06 Jul 94 15:09:32 dam
DSM_UMH_DEFAULT.CONFIG
06 Jul 94 15:09:32 dam
PRIME_REGISTER.CONFIG
06 Jul 94 15:09:32 dam

OK, cn DSM_RESTART.CONFIG DSM_RESTART_CONFIG.BAK
OK, cn DSM_JIM.CONFIG DSM_RESTART.CONFIG
OK, STOP_DSM
[STOP_DSM Rev. 23.4.0.R48 Copyright (c) 1993, Computervision Corporation]
[23 Sep 16 09:56:24 Friday]
DSM shutdown in progress.
OK, Warning: SYSTEM_MANAGER terminated. Event logging will not take place!

SYSTEM_MANAGER (user 41) logged out Friday, 23 Sep 16 09:56:24.
Time used: 118h 14m connect, 00m 00s CPU, 00m 00s I/O.

DSM_LOGGER (user 40) logged out Friday, 23 Sep 16 09:56:24.
Time used: 118h 14m connect, 00m 00s CPU, 00m 00s I/O.

Phantom 41: Normal logout at 09:56
Time used: 118h 14m connect, 00m 00s CPU, 00m 00s I/O.

Phantom 40: Normal logout at 09:56
Time used: 118h 14m connect, 00m 00s CPU, 00m 00s I/O.

DSMSR (user 39) logged out Friday, 23 Sep 16 09:56:24.
Time used: 118h 14m connect, 00m 01s CPU, 00m 00s I/O.

Phantom 39: Normal logout at 09:56
Time used: 118h 14m connect, 00m 01s CPU, 00m 00s I/O.
START_DSM
[START_DSM Rev. 23.4.0.R48 Copyright (c) 1993, Computervision Corporation]
23 Sep 16 09:56:36 Friday
DSM initialization started.

DSMSR (user 42) logged in Friday, 23 Sep 16 09:56:36.
OK,
SYSTEM_MANAGER (user 44) logged in Friday, 23 Sep 16 09:56:36.

DSM_LOGGER (user 43) logged in Friday, 23 Sep 16 09:56:36.

*** DSMSR (user 42 on EM23) at 09:56
DSM is now in a steady state.

Then I logged in as GUEST to see if it worked:

Welcome to the Prime Computer 50-series emulator, running Primos rev 23.4.Y2K.R1!

After logging in, use the Prime HELP command for assistance.
You are welcome to create a directory under GUEST for your files.
To report bugs or contact the author, send email to (Jim's email address)

Enjoy your time travels! -Jim Wilcoxson aka JIMMY

Login please.
login guest
Password:

GUEST (user 2) logged in Friday, 23 Sep 16 09:57:52.
Welcome to PRIMOS version 23.4.Y2K.R1
Copyright (c) Computervision, Corp. 1993.
Last login Thursday, 22 Sep 16 10:00:20.

OK, list_users

One user:

2 GUEST(me)

2 phantoms:

26 TALK_SERVER 27 BATCH_SERVICE

9 servers:

1 SYSTEM 25 NETMAN 33 TIMER_PROCESS
34 BUFFER_SERVER 35 LOGOUT_SERVER 36 LOGIN_SERVER
42 DSMSR 43 DSM_LOGGER 44 SYSTEM_MANAGER
OK, a cmdnc0
OK, ld LIST@@

<SYS23K>CMDNC0 (LUR access)
9113 records in this directory, 9113 total records out of quota of 0.

29 Files.

LIST.CPL LISTF.CPL LISTI.CPL LISTIN.CPL
LISTING.CPL LIST_ASSIGNED_DEVICES.RUN LIST_ASYNC.RUN
LIST_COMM_CONTROLLERS.RUN LIST_CONFIG.RUN LIST_CONTIGUOUS_BLOCKS.CPL
LIST_DISKS.RUN LIST_LAN_NODES.RUN LIST_LHC_STATUS.RUN
LIST_LTS_STATUS.RUN LIST_MEMORY.RUN LIST_MOUNTS.RUN
LIST_PRIMENET_LINKS.RUN LIST_PRIMENET_NODES.RUN
LIST_PRIMENET_PORTS.RUN LIST_PROCESS.RUN LIST_SCHEDULER_ATTRIBUTES.CPL
LIST_SEMAPHORES.RUN LIST_SERVER_NAMES.RUN
LIST_SESSIONS.RUN LIST_SSN.RUN LIST_SYNC.RUN
LIST_UNITS.RUN LIST_USERS.RUN LIST_VCS.RUN

OK, list_memory
[LIST_MEMORY Rev. 23.4.0.R48 Copyright (c) 1993, Computervision Corporation]

** EM23 **

Max. segments in system: 4351 Max. pages in system: 8192
Total segments in use: 397 Total pages in use: 7135

User User Resident Wired
No. type User name Segments pages pages
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1 | terminal | SYSTEM | 250 | 6072 | 381 |
| 2 | terminal | GUEST | 16 | 148 | 1 |
| 25 | server | NETMAN | 5 | 31 | 1 |
| 26 | phantom | TALK_SERVER | 19 | 86 | 1 |
| 27 | phantom | BATCH_SERVICE | 11 | 107 | 1 |
| 33 | server | TIMER_PROCESS | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 34 | server | BUFFER_SERVER | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 35 | server | LOGOUT_SERVER | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 36 | server | LOGIN_SERVER | 14 | 164 | 1 |
| 42 | server | DSMSR | 20 | 181 | 1 |
| 43 | server | DSM_LOGGER | 16 | 157 | 1 |
| 44 | server | SYSTEM_MANAGER | 13 | 140 | 1 |
--More--
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
OK,

Cool!

[Dennis Boone]

> Cool!

Nice!

De

[Greg Field]

Thank you. Helped me and Open/ed.

Checking what ED did during modify //xxx/ and modify /xxx/

Did anyone actually use Modify ?

-Greg.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/open-ed