Vintage Unix on NS32016 board homebrew projects

[Andrew Lynch]

Several years ago, I started a couple of NS32016 homebrew projects based on recreations of late 1980's amateur Unix computers.  However, I've run out of time and energy to complete them, and a practical retirement is years away.  I don't see any path to get to finish these projects myself barring some miracle, so I am offering them up in case someone wants to take them on.

The PCB designs are KiCAD recreations of the original projects.  No attempt at building and debugging them yet however since they were working for the original authors, I think it is feasible with some effort they will run.  I advise if you are considering taking on one or both of these projects to start gathering parts soonest since the NS32016 and associated support chips were never particularly common and supply is fading away with time.

Please note, I am not suggesting these would be easy projects or "turnkey" because a lot of effort would be required to build, test, debug, and ultimately get software running.  Definitely a hobby project for someone or someone(s) with plenty of time and skill to finish. 

PD32 (Micro Cornicopia article claims System V capable, but I am skeptical) 

https://hackaday.io/project/189965-isa-bus-slave-ns32016-processor-board

Bruce Culbertson (documentation claims there is a Minix or at least a start) 

GitHub - lynchaj/NS32016-BC: Bruce Culbertson NS32016 Single Board Computer

https://github.com/lynchaj/NS32016-BC

[Alan Cox]

PD32 (Micro Cornicopia article claims System V capable, but I am skeptical) 

https://hackaday.io/project/189965-isa-bus-slave-ns32016-processor-board

Commercial versions equivalent to that board ran SYSV Unix so that much is definitely possible with an MMU.

 

Bruce Culbertson (documentation claims there is a Minix or at least a start) 

GitHub - lynchaj/NS32016-BC: Bruce Culbertson NS32016 Single Board Computer

https://github.com/lynchaj/NS32016-BC

Not seen the Minix, but Fuzix does support NS32K so that ought to be possible. I also jokingly started on an NS-DOS for it which is used as a boot rom.

Alan

[Andrew Lynch]

Hi Alan,

Do you have access to a working NS32016-BC (the Bruce Culbertson board)?

I have not seen one in person which is why I started the recreation based on the netlist

Thanks, Andrew Lynch

Merovingian: Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without.

[Alan Cox]

I don't. And the work I have been involved in is using the later CPUs aimed at the embedded market and needing much less glue 

Alan

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[Andrew Lynch]

Hi Alan,

Now that I think about it some more, I haven't seen even an image of the Bruce Culbertson system.  

I am confident it existed.  At least for Bruce Culbertson.  Also, it seems to have some relationship to the PC532 project

Not sure if or how many others were made but all the information exists if any one wants to replicate it.

I think it is kind of a shame that the NS32K architecture just sort of faded away.  I don't think NS ever fully debugged the 32016

Thanks, Andrew Lynch

Merovingian: Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without.