The May 2026 Obsolescence Guaranteed newsletter highlights significant progress in recreating historical computing environments, most notably through the Arpanet Reconstruction project which now features a functional 35-node simulated network. Major software and hardware updates have arrived for the PiDP series, including new operating systems like Stanford's WAITS for the PiDP-10 and Unix v4 for the PiDP-11. The community continues to expand with enhanced peripheral support for the PiDP-1, new interactive museum concepts, and a growing library of "paleogaming" classics.
* Arpanet Reconstruction: A simulated 35-node network is now online, allowing users to experience the original topology via MIT and Stanford systems.
* PiDP-10 Update: The addition of Stanford's WAITS operating system brings 600MB of historical data and software for exploration.
* PiDP-1 Advancements: New community mods have introduced magnetic drum storage, light pen support, and a wide array of peripheral options.
* PiDP-11 Milestones: Unix v4 has been successfully recovered and is now bootable on the PiDP-11 platform.
* Enigma Touch: A new cased version featuring high-quality woodworking and historically accurate leather straps and metal clips is available.
* Arpanet Reconstruction: A simulated 35-node network is now online, allowing users to experience the original topology via MIT and Stanford systems.
* PiDP-10 Update: The addition of Stanford's WAITS operating system brings 600MB of historical data and software for exploration.
* PiDP-1 Advancements: New community mods have introduced magnetic drum storage, light pen support, and a wide array of peripheral options.
* PiDP-11 Milestones: Unix v4 has been successfully recovered and is now bootable on the PiDP-11 platform.
* Enigma Touch: A new cased version featuring high-quality woodworking and historically accurate leather straps and metal clips is available.
Fernando J. Corbató was a Professor Emeritus at MIT, renowned for his pioneering work in the development of time-sharing and resource-sharing computer systems. He was instrumental in creating the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) and Multics, both influential systems that laid the groundwork for modern operating systems. Corbató's contributions have been widely recognized through numerous awards and fellowships, including the Turing Award (1990) and the Computer Pioneer Award (1982). He was a long-time member of the MIT Computation Center and the Laboratory for Computer Science, and held leadership positions within the department. His work significantly impacted the field of computer science and the evolution of computing technology.
ITS (Incompatible Timesharing System) was a timesharing system developed at MIT in 1967, initially for the PDP-6 and later primarily on PDP-10 computers, notable for its lack of security features like passwords. The SDF ITS is currently accessible at https://hactrn.org/ via a KA10 emulator and offers tutorials for basic use and exploration of classic programs. Users are encouraged to log in, create a directory, and explore programs like Zork, Emacs, Maclisp, and C through provided hints and documentation.
SDF User Contributed Tutorials - A collection of tutorials for existing and potential SDF users interested in the INTERNET, the UNIX operating system, and programming languages.
A reference manual for the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor. This manual corresponds to EMACS version 162.
The December 2024 newsletter from Obsolescence Guaranteed covers updates on new projects such as PiDP-10 and PiDP-1, news about existing projects like PiDP-8 and PiDP-11, and upcoming plans for 2025 including a PiDP-1 replica and an annual programming competition.
A look at the social aspects of the Incompatible Timesharing (ITS) operating system, focusing on its lack of security and how that facilitated collaboration and a sense of community among users. The author argues that ITS was a forerunner to modern social media.
The PiDP-10 is a modern reproduction of the PDP-10, powered by a Raspberry Pi and featuring a front panel with tons of LEDs and switches. It's designed for those who want to experience the computing power of the 1960s, but with a modern twist.
CEDS is a retrocomputing micro-factory, producing and shipping PiDP-10 replica kits. They also offer assembled PiDP-11 units, with the option of selecting assembled or unassembled kits in the order form. For placing an order, fill in the required information and submit the order form.
A large team of tech nostalgia enthusiasts have made a PiDP-10, a replica of the PDP-10 mainframe computer first launched by the Digital Equipment Corporation in 1966.
