Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!amdcad!ames!elroy!gryphon!cadovax!trwrb!trwspf!dragon From: dragon@trwspf.TRW.COM (Roger Vossler) Newsgroups: comp.lang.modula2 Subject: Re: Modula2 Machine Message-ID: <818@trwspf.TRW.COM> Date: 28 Sep 88 01:25:28 GMT References:<749@proxftl.UUCP> <568@etn-rad.UUCP> Reply-To: dragon@trwspf.UUCP (Roger Vossler) Organization: TRW - Data Systems Lab., Redondo Beach, CA Lines: 50 In article <568@etn-rad.UUCP> markus@etn-rad.UUCP (Markus N. Richardson) writes: *In article <749@proxftl.UUCP> markd@proxftl.UUCP (Mark Davidson) writes: *> *> What's a DISER machine? * *Simply put: *The DISER machine was the first (and only?) attempt of commercializing the *LILITH Modula machine. To continue the story: After the demise of Diser Corporation, Richard Ohran (the guy that built the original Lilith at ETHZ) formed Modula Corporation which proceeded to build and market the Lilith. A number of machines were sold in wood cabinets (the Lilith woodie), but soon a metal cabinet version was released. This was followed by the Lilith PC (aka LiPC) which was a Lilith box w/o the I/O. I/O was handled via an ordinary PC or Clone. After repeated attempts to obtain further financing, Modula Corporation is currently on hold (i.e. it's a shell corporation with assets/liabilities, but no employees). Richard has built a version of the four-pass Modula-2 compiler (C-21) which generates T-codes for the Transputer. He has also written a version of MEDOS-2 (V5.2 or so) that runs on a PC or Clone and supports a Viking I monitor (Moniterm). The Transputer runs about five times faster (T-414) than the Lilith. Now, it is possible to have a Lilith inside of a PC or Clone on two AT-style boards (one for the Transputer and one for the Monitern interface). I don't know if either the Modula-2 compiler for the Transputer or the packaged setup will ever be products, but if people are interested, they can contact Ohran in Provo, UT at 801.226.0395. At TRW we purchased approximately 23 Liliths of which most are still in operation (10 woodies, 1 commercial, and 11 LiPCs) supporting sensor data processing. I agree that the Lilith has seen better days, but we still find Modula-2 very useful and continue to do so. I've been a Lilith fan for about six years. I still have hopes of putting together an Amiga 2000 with the Moniterm setup in the Amiga side and a Transputer running all of that lovely Lilith code in the PC side along with all of the Amiga goodies. In fact, I would argue that in a number of ways, the Amiga is a cheap color Lilith. See you on the BitStream. -- -- Roger Vossler TRW, Bldg O2-1395, One Space Park, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 BIX: rvossler UseNet: dragon@trwspf.trw.com ATT: 213.535.2804 ....!trwrb!trwspf!dragon