Convergent Technologies Operating System: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Operating system}}

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{{Infobox OS

| name = Convergent Technologies Operating System (CTOS)<!-- Name of program or distribution -->

| logo = <!-- filename only (no wikilink, no Image:/File:) -->

| logo caption =

| logo size =

| logo alt =

| screenshot = CTOS-B25.JPG<!-- filename only (no wikilink, no Image:/File:) -->

| caption = A Burroughs B25 computer running CTOS

| screenshot_size =

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| version of = <!-- For articles about releases of operating systems ONLY -->

| developer = [[Convergent Technologies]]<!-- Name of main developer or sponsor-->

| family = <!-- "Unix-like" or "Microsoft Windows" -->

| working state = Discontinued<!-- "Current", "Discontinued" (operating systems), or "No longer supported" (releases) -->

| source model = <!-- "Open source", "Closed source", or "Shared source" -->

| released = {{Start date and age|1980}}

| discontinued = <!-- DON'T use this for articles about releases of operating systems -->

| RTM date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} ONLY for articles about OS releases -->

| GA date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} ONLY for articles about OS releases -->

| latest release version =

| latest release date =

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} -->

| marketing target =

| programmed in = [[PL/M]]

| language = <!-- Supported human languages (English, French, Italian, Arabic, ...) -->

| update model = <!-- APT, Windows Update, etc. -->

| package manager = <!-- dpkg, rpm, Windows installer, etc. -->

| supported platforms = [[x86]]<!-- IA-32, x64, Itanium, ARM, etc. -->

| kernel type = [[Microkernel]]<!-- Hybrid, Monolithic, Microkernel, Exokernel, Nanokernel, etc. -->

| userland =

| ui =

| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]

| preceded by =

| succeeded by =

| website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.org}} -->

| support status = <!-- For articles about releases of operating systems ONLY -->

| other articles =

| prog_language =

}}

The '''Convergent Technologies Operating System''', also known variously as '''CTOS''', '''BTOS''' and '''STARSYS''', wasis a discontinued modular, [[message-passing]], multimultiprocess-process based [[operating system]].

==Overview==

CTOS had many innovative features for its time.

TheCTOS filehad systemmany wasinnovative hierarchicalfeatures andfor allowedits verytime. longSystem file names. Securityaccess was alsocontrolled hierarchical.with Ifa one knew theuser password, for example, for aand volume, one could access any file or directorydisk on that volume (hard diskpasswords.) Each volume and directory were referenced with delimiters to identify them, and could be followed with a file name, depending on the operation, i.e. {Network Node}[VolumeName]<DirectoryName>FileName.

It was possible to custom-link the operating system to add or delete features.

The file system was hierarchical and allowed very long file names. Security was also hierarchical. If one knew the password, for example, for a volume, one could access any file or directory on that volume (hard disk.) Each volume and directory were referenced with delimiters to identify them, and could be followed with a file name, depending on the operation, i.e. [VolumeName]<DirectoryName>FileName.

ThereCTOS wassupported a transparent [[peer-to-peer network]] runningcarried over serial [[EIA-422|RS-422]] cables, (daisy-chain topology) and in later versions carried over [[twisted pair]] ([[star topology]]) with [[RS-422]] adapters using CTOS Cluster Hub-R12 designed by Paul Jackson Ph.D. of SumNet Pty Limited in Australia. Each workgroup, (called a "cluster,") was connected via a daisy-chain topology to a server, (called a "master")." The workstations, normally [[diskless workstation|diskless]], were [[networkingNetwork booting|booted over the cluster network]] from the master, and could optionally be locally booted from attached hard drives.

The word processor was one of the first screen-oriented editors with many high-powered features, such as multiple views of the same file, cut/copy/paste, unlimited undo/redo, no typing lost after a crash, user-selectable fonts, and much more.

The [[Inter-process communication]] (IPC) is primarily based on the "request" and "respond" messaging foundation that enhanced the Enterprise Application Integration among services for both internal and external environments. Thus CTOS was well known for the message-based [[Microkernel]] Architecture. Applications are added as services to the main server. Each client consumes the services via its own mailbox called "exchange" and well-published message formats. The communication works on "request codes" that are owned by the service. The operating system maintains the exchanges, message queues, scheduling, control, message passing, etc., while the service manages the messages at its own exchange using "wait", "check", and "respond" macros.

Most of the system programs were written in [[PL/M]], an [[ALGOL]]-like language from [[Intel]] which compiled directly to object code without a [[runtime library]].

CTOS ran on [[Intel]] [[X86x86]] computers, and could run concurrently with [[Windows NT]] on [[Unisys]] PC.

The system API was presented to both high-level languages and assembly language. The assembler was very advanced, with a [[Lisp %28programming language%29]]-like pattern-matching macro facility unmatched by almost any other assembler before or since.

The system [[API]] was presented to both [[high-level language]]s and [[assembly language]].

There was an always-resident debugger.

==Programs==

The system shell was extensible — it was possible to define new commands. To get the parameters, the system would display the form which was to be filled by the user.

The system API was presented to both high-level languages and assembly language. The assembler was very advanced, with a [[Lisp %28programming(programming language%29)|Lisp]]-like pattern-matching macro facility unmatched by almost any other assembler before or since. There was an always-resident debugger.

Most of the system programs were written in [[PL/M]], an [[ALGOL]]-like language from [[Intel]] which compiled directly to [[object code]] without a [[runtime library]].

A game included with the OS proved to be very popular, programmed using the font generator to do simple graphics: "[[Rats Of The Maze]]".

The [[word processor]] was one of the first screen-oriented editors with many high-powered features, such as multiple views of the same file, cut/copy/paste, unlimited undo/redo, no typing lost after a crash or power failure, user-selectable fonts, and much more.

[[Progress Software Corporation]] made a commercial database application for CTOS that was in [[4GL]]. The US Coast Guard used these databases for logistics administration for their vessels.

The spreadsheet allowed blocks of cells to be protected from editing or other user input. The BTOS version allowed scripts to be written that included opening the spreadsheet for user input, then automatically printing graphs based on the input data.

There was a transparent peer-to-peer network running over serial [[EIA-422|RS-422]] cables, and later over twisted pair with RS-422 adapters. Each workgroup, called a "cluster," was connected via a daisy-chain topology to a server, called a "master." The workstations, normally [[diskless workstation|diskless]], were [[networking booting|booted over the cluster network]] from the master, and could optionally be locally booted from attached hard drives.

The system shell was extensible, —making it was possible to define new commands. To get the parameters, the system would display the form which was to be filled out by the user. The input form had conventions for mandatory and optional input fields, which made it very easy to train new users.

It was possible to custom-link the operating system to add or delete features.

==Usage==

[[Convergent Technologies (Unisys)|Convergent Technologies]]' first product was the IWS (Integrated Workstation) based on the [[Intel 8086]] processor, which had CTOS as its operating system. This was a modular operating system with built -in [[local area networking]]. CTOS supportssupported multiple processes or threads, and message-based inter-processinterprocess communication.<ref name="foldoc">{{foldoc|Convergent+Technologies+Operating+System}}</ref>

Companies whichthat licensed CTOS included [[BurroughsGroupe CorporationBull|BurroughsBull]] (BTOSSTARSYS), and [[GroupeBurroughs BullCorporation|BullBurroughs]] (STARSYSBTOS). Thewho singlelater largestmerged customerwith wasSperry to become [[Unisys]],. withUnisys whomwas Convergentthe Technologiessingle mergedlargest tocustomer becomeand oneacquired companyConvergent Technologies in 1988. At its peak, CTOS had over 800,000 users worldwide.

CTOS is no longer marketed to new customers. Former major customers included police forces, banks, airlines, [[Nationwide Insurance]],<ref>{{cite magazine |title=When the mission is critical, leaders plug into BTOS workstations |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qQUAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32 |magazine=CIO |date=November 1989}}</ref> [[U-Haul]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Burroughs contracts with U-Haul |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mop2UUCt4kIC&pg=PA15 |work=ComputerWorld |date=June 23, 1986 |page=15}}</ref> the [[U.S. Postal Service]], the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]], the [[U.S. Army]] and the [[United States Coast Guard]]. The Coast Guard used the operating system from approximately 1984 until 2000. In Australia, CTOS/BTOS was used by the [[Trade Practices Commission]], [[Auditor-General of New South Wales|NSW Auditor-General]]'s, CSIRO, Commonwealth Electoral Office, Western Australia Prisons Department and many commercial banks.

CTOS ran on [[Intel]] [[X86]] computers, and could run concurrently with [[Windows NT]].

<!-- A typical B25 system looks like the following: -->

Some Convergent systems used the [[Intel 80186]] processor, a processor seldom used by standard PCs.

CTOS is no longer marketed to new customers; former major customers included police forces, banks, airlines, the [[U.S. Postal Service]], the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]], the [[U.S. Army]] and the [[United States Coast Guard]]. The Coast Guard used the operating system from approximately 1986 until 2000.

[[Progress Software Corporation]] made a commercial database application for CTOS that was in [[4GL]]. The US[[United States Coast Guard]] used these databases for logistics administration for their vessels.

There was a port of [[CorelDRAW]] for CTOS running the [[Presentation Manager]].

==References==

{{Reflist}}

* {{cite book

| firstfirst1 = Edna Ilyin

| lastlast1 = Miller

| coauthorsfirst2 = Jim Crook, June Loy

| last2 = Crook

| first3 = June

| last3 = Loy

| title = Exploring CTOS

| publisher = [[Prentice Hall]]

| year = 1991

| isbn = 01329734210-13-297342-1 }}

| url = https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_convergentS1991_11080831 }}

==External links==

*[httphttps://wwwweb.geocitiesarchive.comorg/SiliconValleyweb/Pines20110708212436/4011http:/faq/www.ctosfaq.com/CtosFaqOct1999.htm The CTOS FAQ October 1999]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080828190425/http://www.byte.com/art/9412/sec13/art2.htm CTOS Revealed, Byte, December 1994]

*[httphttps://www.angelfire.com/ga/paulmooney/ctos.html Paul Mooney's CTOS Central]

*[httphttps://wwwweb.geocitiesarchive.comorg/SiliconValleyweb/Pines20111020190645/4011http://www.ctosfaq.com/CTOSPictures.htm The CTOS FAQ Picture Archive]

*[http://www.softwarepreservation.org/meetings/2006/2006-05-17/CTOS_Intro_2006_05_17.pdf Exhuming CTOS: The Convergent Technologies Project, Nadia Ilyin]

*[http://bitsavers.org/pdf/convergent Convergent archive] at bitsavers.org

{{Operating system}}

{{FOLDOC}}

[[Category:Operating systems]]

[[Category:UNIVAC software]]

[[Category:UNIVAC1980 software]]

[[de:CTOS]]

[[Category:Discontinued operating systems]]

[[fr:Convergent Technologies Operating System]]

[[Category:Proprietary operating systems]]

[[Category:Unisys operating systems]]

[[Category:OperatingX86 operating systems]]