FBOS : a foreground/background operating system, 1972

Item — Multiple Containers

Identifier: b2088486

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection consists of theses written by students enrolled in the Monmouth College and Monmouth University graduate Electronic Engineering programs. The holdings are bound print documents that were submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Science degree.

Dates

Creation: 1972

Creator

Turner, Dennis J. (Author, Person)
Hohmann, Jere W. (Thesis advisor, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

All analog collection holdings are limited to library use only.

Researchers seeking to photocopy collection materials must complete an Application to Photocopy Form.

In some cases, photocopying of collection materials may be performed by the Monmouth University Library staff.

The Monmouth University Library reserves the right to limit or refuse duplication requests subject to the condition of collection materials and/or restrictions imposed by the collection creators or by the United States Copyright Act.

Permission to examine, or copy, collection materials does not imply permission to publish or quote. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain such permissions from both the copyright holder and Monmouth University.

Extent

2 Items (print book) : 70 pages ; 8.5 x 11.0 inches (28 cm).

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

A batch operating system is converted to a Foreground/Background Operating System (FBOS) for use on a Varian 620/f Minicomputer system. Entry to port #1 (the foreground) is via an interrupt generating graphics console facilitating user interaction with computer applications software packages. Port #2 (the background) is the entry to the batch operating system.

Although the system which is developed supports a specific graphics console (Information Displays Inc. - Idiom 1.2) and a specific batch operating system [Master Operating System (MOS) designed by Varian Data Machines Inc.], the techniques used were sufficiently general that they may be applied to any similar minicomputer batch operation system and graphics console.

Included in the paper are discussions of the MOS batch operating system and the major considerations underlying the design of the Foreground/Background Operating System. Particular attention is given to the problems associated with background interruptability and foreground program loading.

The system can be implemented with two source code changes to MOS, one in each of the Assembler and Fortran language processors.

Partial Contents

1. Introduction -- 2. MOS operating system -- 3. FBOS: Foreground Background Operating System -- [4.] Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Appendix 1. Disc pack organization -- Appendix 2. IDI: IDIOM 1.2 graphics console -- Appendix 3. Relocatable and absolute format -- Appendix 4. Re-entrant progams -- Appendix 5. DMA cycle stealing -- Appendix 6. Real Time Clock (RTC) -- Appendix 7. Equipment to be used under FBOS control -- Appendix 8. 620/f computer programs.