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ICL's PERQ Leaflets 1985
The following is a set of brochures that ICL used for customer handouts. Not all were used on all occasions. All were produced in 1985.
Brochure: PERQ 2 Equipment Specification
PERQ 2
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Standard Configuration
- Base unit containing:
- Processor board
- Memory board
- Input/Output board
- Fixed disc unit
- Floppy disc unit
- Display
- Keyboard
- Graphics Tablet with pointing device
Processor
General features
- Microprogrammed bit-sliced 16-bit CPU with 48-bit wide microword
- Microcycle time. 170ns
- Hardware-Implemented RasterOp, bit-map manipulation enabling bit-addressed raster-data to be moved at up to 31 Mbits/sec
Microprogramming features
- AMD 2911 microprogram sequencer
- Hardware assisted interpretation of byte coded instruction sets
- 256-word, dual ported, general purpose register block; 20-bit real address registers
- 16-level hardware-implemented expression evaluation stack
- Barrel shifter and mask logic
- 16K × 48-bit Writable Control Store
Memory
- MOS semiconductor RAM with parity checking
- 64-bit wide memory access via two 16-bit memory data buses; memory cycles up to 64 bits every 680ns
- Integrated memory / display controller
- One to one screen bit-map onto memory; bit-map can be realigned within store
Options
- 1 Mbyte or 2 Mbytes of RAM
Input/Output
- I/O controller (for high speed devices) multiplexes up to five simultaneous DMA channels at up to 10 Mbits/sec each
- 16 bit I/O bus to processor
- 8-bit microprocessor for low speed device control
- 2 × RS23c-C interface, IEEE-488 1978 implementation of the General Purpose Instrumentation Bus; speeds up to 140 kbytes/sec
- Hardware support for speech output
Additional I/O Option
- Open Systems Local Area Network interface: ECMA-72 standard for physical and data link layers; 500 metres (max) between active nodes; data rate of 10 Mbits/sec (max)
- LBP-10 Laser Printer interface
Physical Dimensions
| Width (mm) | Depth (mm) | Height (mm) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base unit | 395 | 740 | 650-675 (adjustable) |
| Display (horiz tilt) - Portrait | 330 | 380 | 430 |
| Display - Landscape | 495 | 450 | 450 |
| Keyboard | 490 | 220 | 42-55 (adjustable) |
| Graphics tablet - Bitpad | 395 | 395 | 45 |
| Graphics tablet - Small tablet | 210 | 270 | 12 |
| Graphics tablet - Large tablet | 310 | 270 | 12 |
Fixed disc unit
- 5¼ inch Winchester-technology rigid disc
- Up to 34 Mbytes formatted capacity
- 3 platters; 5 surfaces: 5 heads
- 5 tracks/ cylinder: 830 tracks/ surface; 10,417 bytes/track (unformatted)
- Average seek time (including head settling time) 35ms
- Average latency 8.33ms
- Instantaneous data rate 625 Kbytes/ sec
- Rotational speed 3600rpm ± 0.5%
Floppy disc drive
- 8 inch double-sided. single-density. soft-sectored
- 77 tracks/side: 26 sectors/track
- ½Mybte formatted capacity
- Supports hardware interleaving
- Rotational speed: 360rpm (nominal) ±3.5%
- Instantaneous data rate: 31.2 Kbytes/ sec
- Track to Track seek time 3ms
- Average latency: 83.3ms
- Head load time 60ms (max)
- Settling time 20ms (max)
Display
- Free-standing, raster -scanned, bit-mapped CRT
- 60Hz non-interfaced refresh rate
- P4 white tube phosphor
- 0.27mm dot spacing
- Hardware cursor user-definable up to 56 × 64 pixels
- Direct bit-mapping onto main memory
- Adjustable tilt Options
- Portrait orientation 768 × 1024 pixels; screen diagonal 380mm; picture dimensions 210mm × 275mm (nominal)
- Landscape orientation 1280 × 1024 pixels: screen diagonal 480mm; picture dimensions 345mm × 280mm (nominal)
Keyboard
- Free-Standing, lightweight, solid state, low profile with adjustable tilt
- 84-key with numeric keypad and four function keys
- ASC11 character set
- Serial Interface
Graphics tablet with pointing devices
Option 1
- Free standing bit pad with IEEE-488 Interface
- Active area 195mm × 260mm
- 0.1 mm resolution
- Magnetostrictive operation
- Four button puck
Option 2 (with portrait display only)
- Free standing tablet with serial interface
- Active area: 145mm × 190mm
- Resolution to one pixel
- Electromagnetic operation
- Three button puck
Option 3
- Free standing tablet with serial Interface
- Active area 252mm × 190mm
- Resolution to one pixel
- Electromagnetic operation
- Three button puck
General Information
Power requirements
- Source 220-240V AC + 7%, - 10%
- Frequency 50Hz + 1%, - 2%
- Power consumption approx 760 watts - standard configuration
Environment
- Operating temperature: 10 to 40°C
- Relative humidity 20% to 80%
- Noise rating 41-45 dBA
Cabling
All necessary cables for standard configuration are supplied.
Unless specified otherwise, all dimensions and transfer rates are nominal values and are subject to manufacturing and timing tolerances
Brochure: PNX4 PERQ 3000
The PERQ 3000 Experience
The conception and development of PERQ 3000 has brought a new dimension to the presentation of visual information.
PERQ 3000 is the first in a new family of definitive, advanced graphics workstations developed to combine all the advantages of real computing performance with high resolution graphics technology.
PERQ 3000 is a user friendly, simple to operate workstation that sets the standards and brings complete solutions to the Design Office, providing today's Designer with tomorrow's productivity.
The Visual Link
People think and communicate visually - that is why we depend in so many circumstances on graphs, maps, drawings, models and plans to represent, display and communicate information.
In the past, the problem associated with the conversion of information into a visual form was that of the physical drawing time and effort involved - not only in the preparation of original material but also in the implementation of amendments.
PERQ300 - The Complete Solution
PERQ 300 will extend the horizons of design capability and productivity in all sectors of manufacturing engineering, building and construction, education R & D, electronic design, cartography and land usage.
As a self-sufficient workstation, PERQ 3000 brings total flexibility and versatility to the Design Office allowing the Designer to input and manipulate the most complex information with the minimum of effort whilst still working to the highest standard of tolerance and accuracy.
The Right Connection
As well as functioning as a stand-alone, single user system, PERQ 3000 can be utilised within an existing computer network. It can form part of a departmental network of workstations to ensure the exploitation of all your scarce resources. Most importantly, PERQ 3000's PNX operating system unites all elements of your network enabling the user to:
- Communicate with other PERQ users.
- Transmit data between PERQs at speeds comparable to disc transfer rates.
- Share data bases and programs with other PERQs and ICL Mainframes.
- Connect with other computer systems and devices that support the ICL C03, 2780/3780 communications.
- Share processing power and specialised computer peripherals such as laser printers and mass storage devices.
- Provide a more resilient approach to computing since the distributed network is capable of functioning even in the unlikely event of one element failing.
The PNX Operating System
The PNX Operating System is an implementation of UNIX, combining the strength of the UNIX Operating System with the power, superb graphics and natural user interface of the PERQ 3000 professional workstation. PERQ 3000 has been specially microcoded to support PNX and to provide powerful handling of the C language, in which the UNIX kernel and most of the UNIX utilities are written. The result is an operating system that gives a single user an exceptional software development environment on a dedicated high-performance machine with the ability to run and control many processes concurrently.
The Newcastle Connection
The Newcastle Connection is a transparent layer of software which unites computers running under the UNIX operating system to create a distributed system.
It allows scarce resources to be shared by the whole system enabling PERQ 3000 users to share data and programs with other PERQs. It also provides resilience within the network.
The PERQ 3000 Series
- 3263/36 PERQ 3000 Series Colour Subsystem. Consisting of a 2 Mbyte PERQ workstation with an attached 19in colour monitor driven by a 68000 based graphics processor and frame store, this package offers high speed graphics functions in 256 colours (chosen from over 16 million) with a resolution of 1280 × 1024 pixels.
- 3243/36 PERQ 3000 Series Tape Server. This configuration consists of a 2 Mbyte PERQ workstation with an industry standard ½in 9 Track 1600 bpi PE magnetic tape deck connected. A second deck may be added.
- 3253/36 PERQ 3000 Series Disc Server. Comprising a 2 Mbyte PERQ workstation with a 474 Mbyte (387 Mbyte formatted) capacity fixed Disc connected. Up to 3 further drives may be added.
- 3233/36 PERQ 3000 Series Print Server. This package consists of a 2 Mbyte PERQ workstation with a Canon LBP CX Laser Printer attached by a high speed interface providing graphics printing at 300 dots per inch at a rate of 5 A4 sheets per minute.
- F2362/20 PERQ 3000 Series OSLAN Streamer Tape. This product is a compact (26cm × 30cm V 15cm) 45 Mbyte capacity ¼in streaming cartridge tape that can be accessed by any PERQ on an OSLAN network.
PERQ 3000 Series
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Brochure: PNX4 PNX Operating System
The Unix Operating System
Today, the Unix system provides one of the world's most powerful and widely used operating environments, available on mainframes, mini-computers and microprocessor systems alike. The interactive, multi-tasking nature of the system when combined with its numerous software tools and utilities, have enabled the Unix Operating System to set standards of flexibility and usability that are hard to match. During the past decade, a wealth of highly portable software has been developed for a number of different machines, and the Unix Operating System is now used extensively in educational, scientific, industrial and commercial environments.
The PNX Operating System
The PNX Operating System is an implementation of Unix System III, combining the strengths of the Unix Operating System with the power, superb graphics and natural user interface of the PERQ professional workstation. PERQ has been specially microcoded to support PNX and to provide powerful handling of the C language, in which the Unix kernel and most of the Unix utilities are written. The result is an operating system that gives a single user an exceptional software development environment on a dedicated high-performance machine, with the ability to run and control several processes concurrently.
- Newcastle Connection The Newcastle Connection is a transparent layer of software which unites computers running under the UNIX operating system. It allows scarce resources to be shared by the whole system. It means users can continue to work in the unlikely event of one element of the system failing. It means PERQ can share data and programs with other PERQs and mainframes.
- Product Set Environment The product runs on either a portrait or landscape display with 1 MB of main store and 16K of writable control store.
Outline Definition
Microcode implementation
- 32 bit addressing with paged virtual store.
- Single (32 bit) and double (64 bit) precision reals.
- RasterOp manipulation of area of main store.
Standard Unix facilities supported
- FORTRAN 77 and C Compilers. The standard C compiler is provided as part of the program product set.
- Hierarchical, multi-directory file system, supporting search lists and non-contiguous files. The PNX file system is a PERQ implementation of the standard Unix file system.
- The majority of the standard Unix V7 utilities.
PERQ-orientated facilities supported:
- Window manager enabling creation and of multiple windows on the PERQ screen. These windows can be used either independently or simultaneously under user or program control.
- RasterOp graphics facility providing direct user program control of the PERQ screen and rapid manipulation of areas of main store.
- Screen editor. An interactive text editor with a graphical interface.
- Cursor Editor
- Font Editor
- Realtime Clock
- Dual disks Support for 2nd Hard Disk
- Graphics Systems Calls. Enable programs to exploit graphics capability
- RS232 C (Serial) and GPIB IEEE-488 (Parallel) peripheral interface support
- OSLAN Open Systems Local Area Network using international standard ECMA-72 Class 4. This provides a file transfer capability, a UNIX to UNIX communications capability and Chatter - a teletype emulation capability.
Brochure: PNX5 PNX Operating System
The UNIX Operating System
Today, the UNIX system provides one of the world's most powerful and widely used operating environments, available on mainframes, mini-computers and microprocessor systems alike. The Interactive, multi-tasking nature of the system when combined with its numerous software tools and utilities, have enabled the UNIX Operating System to set standards of flexibility and usability that are hard to match. During the past decade, a wealth of highly portable software has been developed for a number of different manufacturers' and the UNIX Operating system is now used extensively in educational, scientific, industrial and commercial environments.
The PNX Operating System
The PNX Operating System is an implementation of UNIX System III, combining the strengths of the UNIX Operating System with the power, superb graphics and natural user interface of the PERQ professional workstation. PERQ has been specially microcoded to support PNX and to provide powerful handling of the C language, in which the UNIX kernel and most of the UNIX utilities are written. The result is an operating system that gives a single user an exceptional software development environment on a dedicated high-performance machine, with the ability to run and control several processes concurrently.
Product Set Environment
The product runs on either a portrait or landscape display with 1 MB of store and 16K of writable control store.
Outline Definition
- Microcode implementation.
- 32 bit addressing with demand paged virtual store.
- Single (32 bit) and double (64 bit) precision reals.
- RasterOp manipulation of area of main store.
Standard UNIX facilities supported:
- The standard C compiler is provided as part of the program product set.
- Hierarchical, multi-directory file system, supporting search lists and non-contiguous files. The PNX file system is a PERO implementation of the standard UNIX file system.
- The majority of the standard UNIX V7 utilities.
PERQ-orientated facilities supported:
- Window manager enabling creation and manipulation of multiple windows on the PERQ screen. These windows can be used either independently or simultaneously under user or program control
- RasterOp graphics facility providing direct user program control of the PERQ screen and rapid manipulation of areas of main store.
- Screen Editor An interactive text editor with a graphical interface.
- High Level Debugger An interactive debugger with a graphical interface for use with Fortran 77 and C
- Cursor Editor
- Font Editor
- Real-time Clock
- Dual disks Support for 2nd Hard Disk
- 8in Floppy Disk
- Graphics System Calls Enable programs to exploit graphics capability
- RS232 (serial) synchronous and asynchronous interface with XON/XOFF. This provides communication facilities: eg UNIX to UNIX copy, CHATTER (a teletype emulation capability) C03, 2780/3780, and support for local printers.
- GPIB IEEE - 488 (Parallel) peripheral interface support.
- OSLAN Open Systems Local Area Network to international standards with either:
- ECMA-72 Class 4 transport with a file transfer capability or
- ISO 8802.3, Class 4 transport and Blue Book file transfer facility (FTF) allowing connection to other Processors including ICL VME Systems.
- Variable swap size.
Newcastle Connection
The Newcastle Connection is a transparent layer of software which unites computers running under the UNIX operating system to create a distributed system.
It allows scarce resources to be shared by the whole system. It means users can continue to work in the unlikely event of one element of the system failing. It means PERQ can share data and programs with other PERQs and mainframes.
Optional product sets supported by PNX5
- C03 secondary to full XBM protocol
- 2780/3780 primary and secondary emulation
- VT100 emulation and file transfer.
- User microcode utilities for support of attached colour.
- Streamer tape archive and restore over OSLAN.
- Optimising Fortran compiler.
- Multibus 1 supported large discs and magnetic tapes.
- PASCAL compiler.
- UNIX FORTRAN 77 compiler.
Brochure: NEWCASTLE CONNECTION Distributed Operating System
PERQ Newcastle Connection is a distributed operating system. It is provided as an integral part of version 4 of the PNX operating system, and allows any system on the network to access the resources in any other system on the network.
PERQ systems using PERQ Newcastle Connection are attached to a 10 Mbit/ sec standard Local Area Network (LAN) over which they communicate. PNC can be used in addition to existing PERQ network facilities and requires no additional hardware features in the PERQ.
Up to 256 PERQs can communicate over a single LAN.
Running PERQ Newcastle Connection does not in any way affect existing user applications; the networking it provides is transparent to both the user and the program that is being executed. if you are familiar with UNIX, and in particular PNX, you will find PNC fits in very naturally with the way they operate. PERQ Newcastle Connection offers full UNIX, and more particularly
- Remote file access.
- Program loading across the network.
- Remote program executions
The extensive security features of the UNIX are maintained and extended in PNC providing the user with a comprehensive set of facilities for protecting data and programs in the network.
PERQ Newcastle Connection provides a new level in a UNIX file Hierarchy above the normal root directory of each individual system. This super directory sits above the UNIX/ directory and is accessed by the simple device "/ .. / system name". Any file in a PNX network may be accessed therefore by "/ ../ system name/UNIX file name". Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically the file system for two PERQ systems.
There is an additional facility in PERQ Newcastle Connection which allows a file on PERQ to be an alias for a file on another PERQ in a network. An alias file is one which appears to be in the local PERQ, but in fact refers to a remote file in a second PERQ. This allows a user or program access to any file while being ignorant of the actual physical location of the file, which can exist anywhere in the network.
PERQ Newcastle Connection provides the facility to load a program from a remote machine and execute it on a local PERQ. Libraries of programs need only exist once in a network, and can be loaded on any PERQ which has the correct access permissions.
PERQ Newcastle Connection allows a program to be loaded and executed on a remote system from a local PERQ. It is simple therefore to provide a variety of servers in a network of PERQs, with remote machines driving specialist devices (such as plotters, or printing devices). These server tasks being initiated as trivial background jobs in an individual PERQ system in addition to its normal functioning.
It is possible, therefore, to envisage a complete job being distributed over several PERQs in a network. Using programs from one machine, data from another, with even the processing distributed over several machines (see figure 2).
Figure 1: Structure of PNC file system for two PERQs
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PERQ Newcastle Connection is fully integrated in PNX 4.0 and comes as a standard feature of the operating system. A comprehensive set of commands are included in the system for the creation, maintenance, and use of the networking system.
Figure 2: PNC Distributed Application
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Brochure: C03 COMMUNICATIONS
Application
The C03 product acts as a secondary terminal, and so will connect to any system which supports ICL C03 and which can act as a primary terminal eg:
- ICL 'P' and 'S' series Mainframe
- ICL ME29
- ICL DM1 etc
The communication line can be:
- a dialled telephone line (half duplex)
- a leased point to point private line (half duplex/duplex)
working synchronously at line speeds of 300-9600bps.
The protocol used by PERQ C03 is the full extended Basic Mode protocol (XBM) which supports the following applications:
- Interactive Video (two iterations)
- Operators Console
- Printer/Spooler
- File Transfer Facility
Interactive Video application emulates a Standard ICL 7561 video terminal.
Operator's console emulates the ICL 7500 operator's console.
Printer application enables the PERQ to receive print output where the printer is catalogued at the primary as either a remote line printer or a clean copy spooling device, and requires the attachment of a 3185 or 6203 printer device to complete the emulation.
File Transfer Facility enables the transfer of files between PERQ and Host using Device Independence Access Level, the file may be in any of the following formats: ICL cross range character set, ASCII, EBCDIC and binary. The File Transfer Facility supports a wide range of options operator selectable either by means of a menu-driven template request, store command files, or command lines.
Two instances of video, and one instance of each of the other applications may be run simultaneously, each application using its own window.
Brochure: TECDOC Technical Document Processor
Designed to allow the author to create scientific/technical documents incorporating word processed text, multi-font text/ diagrams and bit-mapped raster images. The documents can subsequently be output onto paper. TECDOC used with ICL's DIAD Drafting package allows a combining of engineering drawings and text These tools provide a very powerful document creation capability.
Application
TECDOC provides a word processing system with graphics/symbol and image processing capability for the PERQ Single User Advanced Graphics Workstation. Text, diagrams and images are displayed on the screen in the format in which they will be printed.
The product is controlled by a set of commands which are either selected from a menu, using the mouse or puck, or keyed using mnemonics. There are three modes of operation of the system; Text, Graphics and Image. Text mode enables word processing operations with the addition of superscript, subscript, maths and Greek characters; Graphics mode enables the creation and editing of diagrams and formulae; Image mode enables the importation of bit-mapped images into a document. Within Graphics and Images modes, symbols or images are enclosed in (logical) rectangular boxes, which are manipulated by the word processor as complete entities.
Files (documents) may be recalled, edited and printed, under a user given name.
Printing of documents containing both text, with both superscript and subscript and graphics may be initiated from within the product Truly, what you see on the screen is what you get; with the option of letter quality character fonts.
Printer Options
Software to control the following printers is provided as part of the product:
Letter quality
Sanders S-700 Vario (Matrix) Printer (could also be used to achieve draft quality by outputting at higher speed).
Draft quality
- ICL 3185 Electrostatic Printer/plotter
- ICL 6203 Matrix Printer
Text only
- CL 6202 Daisywheel Printer
- ICL 6203 Matrix Printer
- ICL 3185 Electrostatic Printer / plotter
TECDOC requires Portrait or Landscape PERQ with 1mb of Memory and PNX Operating System. The TECDOC product is available now.
This is just an example of what can be undertaken using TECDOC
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This is just an example of what can be undertaken using TECDOC
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This is just an example of what can be undertaken using TECDOC
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Brochure: CUSTOMER SERVICE
ICL is a quality supplier of total systems support and offers a comprehensive range of services specifically tailored to maximise End User productivity.
The full range of service needs is satisfied by:
- Services to commission a system, ensuring that the primary benefits of a new system are quickly and professionally released.
- General maintenance services to protect the investment, guarantee smooth operation and ensure forward compatibility.
- Technical and consultancy services to exploit the full potential of the system by releasing secondary and tertiary benefits at only incremental costs.
Standard PERQ Software Support Service
The service comprises:
- The issue on appropriate media of any error correction release made generally available by ICL during the period of validity of the Agreement.
- The issue of occasional information concerning the product such as commonly encountered faults.
- The right to submit error reports to the ICL software error service. These reports will be investigated by ICL and an appropriate response will be provided as soon as is reasonably practical.
- The right to use an ICL Customer Service Desk to be designated by ICL for the resolution of telephone queries. This right is limited to the extent that the scope of the query must be such that it can be reasonably dealt with over the telephone. This service permits the use of the Desk for up to 25 queries in any period of 12 months. The service may be extended to allow additional queries according to ICL's standard terms and charges in force at the time.
- The right to be licensed to use at preferential terms any new versions of the programs which are made available by ICL during the period of validity of the agreement.
PERQ Standard Application Support Service
The service will comprise up to three working days and will be carried out in two stages
Stage 1
Unpack and install the system which is the subject of this service.
Install and test the PERQ Operating System (PQOS or PNX), basic system utilities and compiler(s) which the customer is licenced to use.
Set up a simple directory structure appropriate to the application software which is to be installed as part of this service.
Install and test the GRAFIKS library (if appropriate ).
Install and test up to three ICL PERQ applications which the Customer is licensed to use.
Stage 2
Demonstrate the basic concepts and facilities of the PERQ hardware, operating system, utilities and compiler(s) (as appropriate).
Demonstrate the use of the applications previously installed, on the PERQ system in ICL premises.
Provide training for up to six Customer staff in the use of these applications.
Provide advice and guidance in the exploitation of these applications.
telephone advice and guidance on the use of the PERQ system and the application(s) for up to 28 days following completion of the provisions of advice and guidance in the exploitation of these applications. This right is limited to the extent that the scope of the telephone query must be such that it can be reasonably dealt with over the telephone.
PERQ Hardware Support Service
ICL provides Customer Service in more than 80 countries and a wide range of hardware support services is available on PERQ products to suit your particular needs.
For details of all services contact the ICL Sales office.