Category:Saturn Software - Revision history

Mark at 14:27, 15 June 2026

2026-06-15T14:27:44Z

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	The RSX version was distributed as RSX11M task images and it had a licensing system that unfortunately broke at some point so that it was no longer possible to activate the tasks. I used this software back in the day in a Research & Development Lab. As I've taken up vintage computing as a hobby, I've been trying to hack these RSX task images to run once again.		The RSX version was distributed as RSX11M task images and it had a licensing system that unfortunately broke at some point so that it was no longer possible to activate the tasks. I used this software back in the day in a Research & Development Lab. As I've taken up vintage computing as a hobby, I've been trying to hack these RSX task images to run once again.

	I just finished testing the recovered Saturn tasks on RSX11M (not M+) and it seems to work fine. This is great for the 18 bit non-I/D space, PDP-ns like the 11/40,11/34, u/23, or 11/60.		I just finished testing the recovered Saturn tasks on RSX11M (not M+) and it seems to work fine. This is great for the 18 bit non-I/D space, PDP-11s like the 11/40,11/34, 11/23, or 11/60.

	This Saturn software consists of three main components, Calc, Graph, and Word Processing.		This Saturn software consists of three main components, Calc, Graph, and Word Processing.

Mark at 15:57, 12 June 2026

2026-06-12T15:57:53Z

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	- First, the RSX Saturn software doesn't understand named directories so you should be in a UIC based directory when you use it.		- First, the RSX Saturn software doesn't understand named directories so you should be in a UIC based directory when you use it.
			[[File:Problem Tek.png\|thumb\|PROBLEM.GCL displayed on TEK 4010 emulator]]

	- Second, there is an obscure bug that I have not been able to solve and don’t know if it was always there or it was somehow introduced by our hacks and zaps. It involves SUM or AVG calculations across a range when the range of cells when the input values are calculated.		- Second, there is an obscure bug that I have not been able to solve and don’t know if it was always there or it was somehow introduced by our hacks and zaps. It involves SUM or AVG calculations across a range when the range of cells when the input values are calculated.

	Saturn Graph is working very well. I can create a line, bar or pie chart either in SIG (Saturn Interactive Graphics) or from a Calc spreadsheet. Then it		Saturn Graph is working very well. I can create a line, bar or pie chart either in SIG (Saturn Interactive Graphics) or from a Calc spreadsheet. Then it
	can be displayed on a VT125, VT240, VT330 or VT340 (Regis) terminal, then when I'm ready to make a hard copy, send it to a spooled HP7550 (HPGL) plotter or even a LA50 (sixel) printer. The VT340 mouse even works with the Saturn drawing program.		can be displayed on a VT125, VT240, VT330 or VT340 (Regis) terminal, then when I'm ready to make a hard copy, send it to a spooled HP7550 (HPGL) plotter or even a LA50 (sixel) printer. The VT340 mouse even works with the Saturn drawing program.

			Described in more detail in the Saturn Graph page on this site, Rene Richarz's TEK 4010 emulator for Windows, Linux and Mac works great as a plotting device to quickly see the example files. A screen shot is shown at the right.

	I also have a couple F77 programs in development that are allowing me to read the VECTOR.LST file produced by GRF when HPGL output is directed to disk and send that HPGL scaled by various amounts to a modern HP T520 plotter to make 8.5" x 11", 11" x 17", 13" x 19" or 24" x 36" plots. The T520 is sent the modified HPGL data via TCP/IP to its port 9100. Another F77 program does a similar thing for a Brother MFC-L8930CDW color laser printer for print-outs and HPGL plots.		I also have a couple F77 programs in development that are allowing me to read the VECTOR.LST file produced by GRF when HPGL output is directed to disk and send that HPGL scaled by various amounts to a modern HP T520 plotter to make 8.5" x 11", 11" x 17", 13" x 19" or 24" x 36" plots. The T520 is sent the modified HPGL data via TCP/IP to its port 9100. Another F77 program does a similar thing for a Brother MFC-L8930CDW color laser printer for print-outs and HPGL plots.

Mark at 15:19, 12 June 2026

2026-06-12T15:19:48Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:19, 12 June 2026
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	3. Saturn Word Processing for the office		3. Saturn Word Processing for the office

	The RSX version was distributed as RSX11M task images and it had a licensing system that unfortunately broke at some point so that it was no longer possible to activate the tasks.		The RSX version was distributed as RSX11M task images and it had a licensing system that unfortunately broke at some point so that it was no longer possible to activate the tasks. I used this software back in the day in a Research & Development Lab. As I've taken up vintage computing as a hobby, I've been trying to hack these RSX task images to run once again.

	I used this software back in the day in a Research & Development Lab. As I've taken up vintage computing as a hobby, I've been trying to hack these RSX task images to run once again.

	I just finished testing the recovered Saturn tasks on RSX11M (not M+) and it seems to work fine. This is great for the 18 bit non-I/D space, PDP-ns like the 11/40,11/34, u/23, or 11/60.		I just finished testing the recovered Saturn tasks on RSX11M (not M+) and it seems to work fine. This is great for the 18 bit non-I/D space, PDP-ns like the 11/40,11/34, u/23, or 11/60.

Mark at 15:19, 12 June 2026

2026-06-12T15:19:19Z

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:SATmenu.png.png|thumb|Saturn Main Menu]]
 <big>'''Saturn Software for RSX'''</big>
 This Saturn software consists of three main components, Calc, Graph, and Word Processing.

Mark: Added Screen Shots of Saturn Menus

2026-06-12T14:53:13Z

Added Screen Shots of Saturn Menus

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:53, 12 June 2026
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			[[File:SATmenu.png.png\|thumb\|Saturn Main Menu]]
	<big>'''Saturn Software for RSX'''</big>		<big>'''Saturn Software for RSX'''</big>

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	The documentation for Saturn has been partially recovered. Scanned .pdfs of the following manuals, and miscellaneous documents are available.		The documentation for Saturn has been partially recovered. Scanned .pdfs of the following manuals, and miscellaneous documents are available.

	*Saturn_Calc_Users_Manual_1984.pdf (129 pages)		*[[File:Directory Utilitiies.png.png\|thumb\|Directory Utilities Menu]]Saturn_Calc_Users_Manual_1984.pdf (129 pages)
	*Saturn_Calc_System_Summary_1985.pdf (17 pages)		*Saturn_Calc_System_Summary_1985.pdf (17 pages)
	*Saturn_Release_Notes_1991.pdf (6 pages)		*Saturn_Release_Notes_1991.pdf (6 pages)
	*Saturn_Install_RT-11_1984.pdf (63 pages)		*[[File:Directory Example.png.png\|thumb\|Directory Listing of Saturn Graph files and their description]]Saturn_Install_RT-11_1984.pdf (63 pages)
	*Saturn_Calc_Quick_Reference.pdf (quick reference card, duplex legal size)		*Saturn_Calc_Quick_Reference.pdf (quick reference card, duplex legal size)
	*Saturn_Graph_Quick_Reference.pdf (quick reference card, duplex legal size)		*Saturn_Graph_Quick_Reference.pdf (quick reference card, duplex legal size)

Mark at 03:14, 10 June 2026

2026-06-10T03:14:05Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:14, 10 June 2026
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	I have also been waiting a long time (started in 2013) to be able to use Saturn Calc and Graph. Over the years, I've collected various distributions but the licenses that I had for the RSX version no longer seemed to work. It was distributed as task images, instead of object libraries which would have been easier to hack. The Saturn Calc task would check for a couple files and then if it had not been modified by the license key program it just exited.		I have also been waiting a long time (started in 2013) to be able to use Saturn Calc and Graph. Over the years, I've collected various distributions but the licenses that I had for the RSX version no longer seemed to work. It was distributed as task images, instead of object libraries which would have been easier to hack. The Saturn Calc task would check for a couple files and then if it had not been modified by the license key program it just exited.

	I’d like to thank a number of people who had a hand in recovering this software. Norm Byers, the original author of Saturn Calc, who spent time on the phone with me explaining various things. Ken Kunstmann, the former President of Saturn Systems, who was supportive of this effort and connected me with Norm. Malcolm MacLeod, recovered a Saturn dealer’s distribution kit on RX50s in Australia. Most of all, I want to thank Lee Gleason, who developed some fantastic RSX tools that made it possible to disable the license checks.		I’d like to thank a number of people who had a hand in recovering this software. '''Norm Byers''', the original author of Saturn Calc, who spent time on the phone with me explaining various things. '''Ken Kunstmann''', the former President of Saturn Systems, who was supportive of this effort and connected me with Norm. '''Malcolm MacLeod''', recovered a Saturn dealer’s distribution kit on RX50s in Australia. Most of all, I want to thank '''Lee Gleason''', who developed some fantastic RSX tools that made it possible to disable the license checks.

	These task execution tracing tools are able to record a t-bit trace of the executing Saturn Calc task. This trace records the octal value of PC register and the first word of the instruction being executed.		These task execution tracing tools are able to record a t-bit trace of the executing Saturn Calc task. This trace records the octal value of PC register and the first word of the instruction being executed.

Mark at 23:08, 9 June 2026

2026-06-09T23:08:06Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:08, 9 June 2026
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	[[Category:Saturn Calc]]		[[Category:Saturn Calc]]
	[[Category:Saturn Graph]]		[[Category:Saturn Graph]]
			[[Category:Downloads]]
			[[Category:Documentation]]

Mark at 23:04, 9 June 2026

2026-06-09T23:04:27Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:04, 9 June 2026
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	Ultimately, Johnny Billquist said he might be interested in creating an RPM package.		Ultimately, Johnny Billquist said he might be interested in creating an RPM package.

	[[Category:Saturn ~~Software~~]]		[[Category:Saturn Calc]]
			[[Category:Saturn Graph]]

Mark at 23:02, 9 June 2026

2026-06-09T23:02:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:02, 9 June 2026
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	Ultimately, Johnny Billquist said he might be interested in creating an RPM package.		Ultimately, Johnny Billquist said he might be interested in creating an RPM package.

			[[Category:Saturn Software]]

Mark at 23:01, 9 June 2026

2026-06-09T23:01:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:01, 9 June 2026
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	>NFT =RDP1::\.\/LO		>NFT =RDP1::\.\/LO

	I’ve also packaged everything in a RL02 zipped disk image at ~~[http~~:~~//RSX11M.COM/Saturn.zip](http://RSX11M.COM/Saturn) that can be downloaded with wget to a PiDP-11/70 or QBone. Then just unzip and attach the RL02 disk image to a rl device in simh.~~		I’ve also packaged everything in a RL02 zipped disk image at:
			[[:Category:Downloads]]
			that can be downloaded with wget to a PiDP-11/70 or QBone. Then just unzip and attach the RL02 disk image to a rl device in simh.

	Ultimately, Johnny Billquist said he might be interested in creating an RPM package.		Ultimately, Johnny Billquist said he might be interested in creating an RPM package.