Nord-10
Developer | Norsk Data |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Norsk Data |
Product family | Nord |
Type | Minicomputer |
Generation | 3 |
Release date | 1973 |
Lifespan | 1973–1979 |
Discontinued | 1979 |
Operating system | Sintran III |
CPU | 16-bit |
Camera | none |
Touchpad | none |
Predecessor | Nord-1 |
Successor | Nord-100 |
Website | example |
Nord-10 was a medium-sized general-purpose
The CPU had a microprocessor, which was defined in the manual as a portmanteau of microcode processor, not to be confused with the then nascent microprocessor. The CPU additionally contained instructions, operator communication, bootstrap loaders, and hardware test programs, that were implemented in a 1K read-only memory.
The microprocessor also allowed for customer specified instructions to be built in. Nord-10 had a memory management system with hardware paging extending the memory size from 64 to 256K 16-bit words and two independent protecting systems, one acting on each page and one on the mode of instructions. The interrupt system had 16 program levels in hardware, each with its own set of general-purpose registers.
Note: Much of the following information is taken from a document written by Norsk Data introducing the Nord-10. Some information, particularly about the memory system, may be inaccurate for the later Nord-10/S.[1]
Central processor
The central processing unit (CPU) consisted of a total 24 printed circuit boards. The last eight positions in the rack were used for input/output (I/O) devices operated by program control, such as the console teleprinter (teletype), paper punched tape and punched card reader and punch, line printer, display, operator's panel, and a real-time clock.
The Nord-10 had 160
Memory
The
The hardware paging system made it possible for one user to write programs up to 64K (virtual memory), and only parts of the program to be present in
The Nord-10 had two independent protection systems. Each individual page could be protected against being read from, written into (type data or type instructions), or against reading of instructions. In addition, there was a system which divided the pages into four different categories, called rings. The
I/O system and bus architecture
The NORD-10 was equipped with a common
The printed backplane of the I/O bus was modular in groups of 8 interface slots. Interfaces for
Interrupt system
The Nord-10 had a multi-program system with 16 priority program levels. Each program level had its own set of registers, including a program counter and a status word. The levels running could be shown on the front panel by pressing the button "active levels". Levels 0 through 9 were used for programs. Internal hardware status interrupts were assigned to level 14, whilst level 15 was reserved for extremely fast user interrupts (this was colloquially called the "synchrotron level", since the only program ever to have used it was the program controlling the synchrotron at CERN)
Levels 10, 11, 12, and 13 were reserved for external devices. Each device had its own unique identification vector. In all 2048 such vectors were available. The "ident" instruction determined which device was giving an interrupt. The identification of an interrupt took 1.7 microseconds, including the time taken to enable and disable the registers.
System software
The Nord-10 was delivered with a time-shared system, Nord-TSS, and a real-time multitasking operating system, Sintran III. The minimum configuration for Sintran III included a standard Nord-10 with 8K of magnetic-core memory.
With NORD-TSS all users could simultaneously run any of the systems
Known remaining systems
There are several Nord-10 and Nord-10/S systems known to remain, many of which are in near-operational condition, and several are in the care of NODAF. Restorations of systems are planned in both Oslo by NODAF [1] and Trondheim by Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Its predecessor was the Nord-1 and its successor the Nord-100.
References
- ^ Børresen, Jan Aske. Inside NORD-10 (Report). A/S Norsk Data-Elektronikk, ND-nytt.