From: dwd@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (David W. Dykstra)
Newsgroups: comp.terminals.tty5620
Subject: Some 5620 answers
Date: 24 Jul 92 15:25:16 GMT
Organization: AT&T

It looks like I'm the only one around here who reads this news group who
cares and has the contacts to do anything about this stuff so I'm elected.  
I wasn't involved in the development of the 5620 or 630 but I know
the people who were.

> >Anybody got schematics?

I asked around and we're getting schematics sent from the factory.  I don't
really want to have to distribute them to everyone, though.  Is someone
interested in volunteering to distribute the schematics to anyone who
wants them?  If so, I'll send a copy to you when I get them.

> I have recently had the Muller version of dmdlayers compiled on the
> Sun here and it seems not to work with my terminal (DMD 5620).
> 
> The problem is that layers reports "Loader not found" and barfs.
> (not without reason I daresay)
> 
> Does this mean I need 32ld? Where can I get it?
> 
> My ROM version is 8;7;3, looking at the conditionals in the source
> it would seem this is the only version not mentioned, is this my problem?

I am in the process of updating the "630_pkg" in the toolchest.  I 
found out that I can update this package in the toolchest without 
requiring any official written approvals so I'm going to add the 32ld 
downloader and the lsys.8;7;3 (DMD 1.1) download.  While I'm at it I'm 
updating the other tools in the package to the latest versions and 
trying to make the tools all compile with both the System V layers and 
Keith Muller's dmdlayers on Suns.  That's why it's taking me a while.

The toolchest can be reached by modem at 908-522-6900.  After you register
you can order the 630_pkg for $100 and can transfer the package by uucp,
you make the phone call.

> What is the AT&T policy on ROM upgarades?

The ROM upgrades are no longer sold.  If you have access to an EPROM burner,
make your own copies from an already upgraded terminal.  Otherwise, using
the 32ld and lsys.8;7;3 that will be on the toolchest will at least allow
you to use layers.

> In fact I'm puzzled than Dan Wolski or someone else from AT&T hasn't
> chipped into this conversation yet..

Dan Wolski's office is a couple doors down from mine, but he is getting
transferred to Washington D.C.  The new product manager for the 730 is
an NCR person down in Orlando, but I talked to him and he doesn't want
to have anything to do with 5620.  He doesn't care if we give away all the
source as long as nobody makes a profit on it.

The trouble is that there's no decent way to distribute some of this stuff.
It's hard to get official channels to take stuff so old.

I'm seriously considering putting the whole 5620 software generation package
for Suns on an anonymous ftp site somewhere.  Maybe uunet, or maybe one of you
out there would like to volunteer a place.  The 5620 package I have for Suns
includes the sun layers along with some enhancements that I made late last
year which Keith Muller hasn't picked up.  I've sent mail to him about it
but he didn't respond.

> If your group "owns" the source and the 5620 is now an "unsupported"
> item, why not put everything into the tool chest, including source
> for the ROMS.

I'm asking around about getting the source from old backup tapes and seeing
if I can get the source released one way or another.

> AT&T should have done this 10 years ago.
> If they had, I'm sure windowing history would be different.

> I have been thinking that X may not have looked quite the beast it does today,
> who would have bothered!? 

I agree that it would have made some difference but I don't think that
windowing history would have changed drastically.  Layers is too 
limiting.  It may have had some influence on X but I think X still 
would have happened.

- Dave Dykstra
  dwd@graceland.ih.att.com