Machine Intelligence has been in the Digital Equipment software
business since 1980. We work with Digital Equipment Corporation
("DEC", then later part of Compaq, and now part of HP) computer systems and software.
Please click any of the links above to check qualifications and experience
in these fields. For rates, references, and cof bodyormation, use the links below:
The PDP-11 Family
The PDP-11 family of processors comprises at least 30 different models
from the lowly 11/02 to the 11/94, and the multiprocessor 11/74.
At one time any DEC Field Service office could support any PDP-11
hardware with complete competence. Unfortunately, that is not the
situation today. Since 1985, finding a competent PDP-11 support
engineer -- one who truly understands the hardware -- still able and
willing to work on an 11-series product has become
"somewhat difficult", i.e., nearly impossible.
Machine Intelligence does PDP-11 hardware support and upgrades on all
LSI-11 and PDP-11 systems.
PDP-11 Services
Whether Unibus or Q-bus, we can support or upgrade your system. In
many cases we can provide spares for hard to find Unibus modules or
system options, particularly for the 11/35 and 11/40 processors.
Conversion from DEC Massbus or DEC proprietary disk drives to
"more modern" SMD or modern SCSI drives is a specialty,
as is adding tape and network controllers.
The RSX-11 Operating System Family
The RSX family of operating systems comprises RSX-11S, RSX-11M,
RSX-11M-Plus, Micro/RSX, VAX/CPR RSX, and P/OS.
The RSX consulting field was once dynamic, but since 1986 almost everyone
has dropped out of the field. There are no longer consultants anywhere
in the world who depend on RSX for their bread and butter, and few who
do RSX at all -- three worldwide, at last count (including us).
Machine Intelligence still does RSX consulting as a primary business,
even though it no longer brings in much money. We have access to the
ears of the wizards from the onetime U.S. DECUS RSX SIG, so there are
very few RSX problems that can withstand our attention.
RSX-11 Services
We consult on all types of RSX-related work. Executive internals,
system level troubleshooting, custom device drivers, DECnet applications,
and real-time application troubleshooting and upgrades are specialties.
If we can't handle the problem, the chances of finding someone who can
are scant indeed.
VAXes and VAX/VMS
VMS is alive and well, and pushing the quarter century mark.
Despite competition from Windows and Unix, VMS will
be around for a long time. It is stable, and has the
world's finest set of development tools and off-the-shelf
applications.
Services
We consult on VMS application systems. FORTRAN IV, FORTRAN 77 and
FORTRAN 90 form the bulk of the work. DECnet networking, either
intra-VMS or to external PDP-11 or VAX systems is also integral.
If we can't handle the problem, we will do our best to find and
put you in touch with someone who can.
Alphas and Alpha OpenVMS
While VAXes are certainly not going away in the foreseeable future,
the platform of choice for many is no longer a VAX. Alphas have
widely replaced VAXes. Their higher speed and better power
efficiency offsets their, hmmm ... peculiarities.
We consult primarily with RSX or VAX to Alpha upgrades. FORTRAN IV,
FORTRAN 77 and FORTRAN 90 form the bulk of the work.
While VMS was derived from RSX, and despite OpenVMS running on
both VAX and Alpha platforms, there are still
numerous special cases in RSX to Alpha OpenVMS migration.
A few of the problems are word size, variable page size, speculative
execution, and FORTRAN compiler differences. There are
numerous other differences from the VAX platform that also
affect migration. And (sigh!) we've run into most of them.
As always, if we can't handle the problem, we will do our best
to find and put you in touch with someone who can.
Consulting Rates
For work performed at a customer's site, the rates are as follows.
These rates do not include travel or per diem expenses,
which are charged back at cost.
- $125/hour for the first 80 hours
- $110/hour for all succeeding time
For work performed at our facilities, the charge is a flat $90 per hour,
excluding special hardware or software expenses, which are charged
back at cost.
These rates are current as of February 15, 2005. Rates posted here
are those in effect, so be sure that you are not viewing a previously
cached version of this page.
References
Our principal software engineer is Bruce Mitchell. He is well known
in the DECUS community as an ex-editor of the
RSX Multi-Tasker
and member of the Steering Committee of the U.S. DECUS RSX SIG.
Bruce has taught programming seminars for DECUS, systems analysis
courses for Digital Educational Services, written numerous
monographs
on RSX topics, and is the author of the
Big Book of RSX Applications,
a 600-page text on RSX programming.
His qualifications include degrees in Electrical Engineering,
Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, and over 25 years
experience with PDP-11s, RSX and VMS.
For the very toughest and unusual problems, we can bring in the
finest lights in the RSX world from the onetime U.S. DECUS RSX
SIG, and make referrals to the top VMS specialists.
To avoid spambots and industrial snooping, our client list is kept
private. We will gladly furnish references on request. Send e-mail to
the contact address below with any questions you may have.
