🚀 go-pugleaf

Alex wrote:
>
> Hello!
> Does anybody see RTL language?  What is it like?
>
> Alex
---
Presumably you are talking about RTL II ... a real time pseudo FORTRAN
type language with the ability to drop into code segments for improved
real time performance.

It has been MANY years since I used RTL-II

Stuart

In article: <36015D7C.3455@concentric.net>  Stuart Brook <sbrook@concentric.net>
writes:
>
> Alex wrote:
> >
> > Hello!
> > Does anybody see RTL language?  What is it like?
>
> Presumably you are talking about RTL II ... a real time pseudo FORTRAN
> type language with the ability to drop into code segments for improved
> real time performance.
>
> It has been MANY years since I used RTL-II


Well he actually means RTL/2 rather than II, and I'll fight you over that
"psuedo Fortran" comment any time...    :)


RTL/2 was developed at ICI (the chemical company) in the 1970s as a simple
language for developing reliable control software for process control systems.
The team of designers included John Barnes who later moved on to Ada. For
those into computer history trivia, the original compiler was an IBM 360 to
PDP cross, and the first PDP-hosted version ran in 12KB on a 28KB machine.

The language was later sold & marketed (as only the Brits know how) through
a couple of UK software companies, and was first formally standardised via
the BSI in 1980. There are no subset or superset variants of the language.

I'm pleased to say that RTL/2 is still in active use (although apparently no
longer at Mentec, from Stuart's remark above) in areas such as air and sea
traffic control systems, telecommunications, military command systems,
industrial control, etc.

There are free "hobbyist" compilers available for PDP/RSX and VAX/VMS
[ see ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/digital ] as well as commercial versions for these
and other more recent platforms. There was also an RT-11 version (and possibly
a PDP/DOS variant ?), but I suspect the source for that now languishes at the
bottom of a long forgotten ICI archive.


Roger Barnett
Natron Software Maintenance Ltd, York, England

[ supplier of RTL/2 products - but you may have guessed that already ]

Roger Barnett wrote:
>
> In article: <36015D7C.3455@concentric.net>  Stuart Brook <sbrook@concentric.net>
> writes:
> >
> > Alex wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello!
> > > Does anybody see RTL language?  What is it like?
> >
> > Presumably you are talking about RTL II ... a real time pseudo FORTRAN
> > type language with the ability to drop into code segments for improved
> > real time performance.
> >
> > It has been MANY years since I used RTL-II
>
> Well he actually means RTL/2 rather than II, and I'll fight you over that
> "psuedo Fortran" comment any time...    :)
>
> RTL/2 was developed at ICI (the chemical company) in the 1970s as a simple
> language for developing reliable control software for process control systems.
> The team of designers included John Barnes who later moved on to Ada. For
> those into computer history trivia, the original compiler was an IBM 360 to
> PDP cross, and the first PDP-hosted version ran in 12KB on a 28KB machine.
>
> The language was later sold & marketed (as only the Brits know how) through
> a couple of UK software companies, and was first formally standardised via
> the BSI in 1980. There are no subset or superset variants of the language.
>
> I'm pleased to say that RTL/2 is still in active use (although apparently no
> longer at Mentec, from Stuart's remark above) in areas such as air and sea
> traffic control systems, telecommunications, military command systems,
> industrial control, etc.
>
> There are free "hobbyist" compilers available for PDP/RSX and VAX/VMS
> [ see ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/digital ] as well as commercial versions for these
> and other more recent platforms. There was also an RT-11 version (and possibly
> a PDP/DOS variant ?), but I suspect the source for that now languishes at the
> bottom of a long forgotten ICI archive.
>
> Roger Barnett
> Natron Software Maintenance Ltd, York, England
>
> [ supplier of RTL/2 products - but you may have guessed that already ]
-----
Hey Roger ...

Thanks for the more detailed info ... well appreciated ... Mentec US
don't deal with RTL/2 (Thanks for the correction ... it was 18 years ago
that I used it ... along with was it MTS ... the compact kernel O/S ?
... when I worked for WESDAC (Westinghouse in Chippenham!))

What do you charge for hobbyist licenses etc ?

Thanks for the mezmeries!

Stuart

In article: <3606F823.6C10@concentric.net>  Stuart Brook <sbrook@concentric.net>
writes:
>
> Roger Barnett wrote:
> >
> > I'm pleased to say that RTL/2 is still in active use (although apparently no
> > longer at Mentec, from Stuart's remark above) in areas such as air and sea
> > traffic control systems, telecommunications, military command systems,
> > industrial control, etc.
> >
> > There are free "hobbyist" compilers available for PDP/RSX and VAX/VMS
> > [ see ftp.demon.co.uk/pub/digital ] as well as commercial versions for these
> > and other more recent platforms. There was also an RT-11 version (and possibly
> > a PDP/DOS variant ?), but I suspect the source for that now languishes at the
> > bottom of a long forgotten ICI archive.
> >
>
> Thanks for the more detailed info ... well appreciated ... Mentec US
> don't deal with RTL/2

I seem to remember a Chris Fairclough (?) being our contact at Mentec Eire.


> (Thanks for the correction ... it was 18 years ago
> that I used it ... along with was it MTS ... the compact kernel O/S ?
> ... when I worked for WESDAC (Westinghouse in Chippenham!))

That sounds about right. MTS was another ICI development which came in
several variants with differing levels of functionality; or it could have been
SMT; or SMT+  (note the clever conservation of initials).

AFAIK there are still a few Westinghouse RTL/2 systems in use (e.g. on the
London Underground), although most of these are probably either being
replaced or due for replacement (hey, nobody makes a career out of not
changing things).


> What do you charge for hobbyist licenses etc ?

For hobbyist licences, nowt; the conditions of use are included as a text file with
the distributions on the ftp server named above.

--
Roger Barnett
Natron Software Maintenance Ltd, York, England