PAGESWAPPER CONTENTS VAX-11 RSX Performance Problems . . . . . . . . . . 3 Repeating - A Newsletter Distribution Change . . . . 4 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions . . . . 5 Proposed Policy for Future VMS Upgrades . . . . . 11 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility . . . . . . . . . . 14 VAXintosh Futures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot . . . . 35 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results . . . . . . . . . . 42 VAX System SIG Committee List . . . . . . . . . . 78 INPUT/OUTPUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form . . . . . . . . . . . 87 System Improvement Request Submission Form . . . . 89 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 General material for publication in the Pageswapper should be sent (US mail only -- no "express" services please) to: Larry Kilgallen, PAGESWAPPER Editor Box 81, MIT Station Cambridge, MA 02139-0901 USA Preference is given to material submitted as machine-readable text (best is Runoff source). Line length should not exceed 64 characters. Please do not submit program source, as that is better distributed on the VAX SIG tape. Material for "(THE (LINKED LIST))" section of the Pageswapper (pertaining to Artificial Intelligence) should be sent to: Terry C. Shannon Technical Editor THE DEC* PROFESSIONAL Magazine 921 Bethlehem Pike Springhouse, PA 19477 USA (215)-542-7008 Material for "The DBMS Monitor" section of the Pageswapper (pertaining to VAX-11 DBMS) should be sent to: Julie Llewellyn United Technologies Microelectronics Center 1365 Garden of the Gods Road Colorado Springs, CO 80907 USA Change of address, reports of non-receipt, and other circulation correspondence should be sent to: DECUS U.S. Chapter Attention: Publications Department 249 Northboro Road (BPO2) Marlborough, MA 01752 USA Only if discrepancies of the mailing system are reported can they be analyzed and corrected. 2 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAX-11 RSX Performance Problems VAX-11 RSX Performance Problems James G. Downward VMS Migration and Host Development Working Group KMS Fusion, Inc P.O. Box 1567 Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106 (313)-769-8500 By now most sites intending to use the VMS V4.0 AME (VAX-11 RSX V1.0) have it installed. Undoubtedly, they have noticed two things; a) the AME functionality has been substantially increased and b) the AME performance is far slower than before. For example, if one uses the VAX-11 RSX V1.0 IVP as a benchmark one would observe; 11/730(V3.5) 11/750(V3.7) 11/750(V4.0) Time(sec) 180-200 103 280 VAX-11 RSX development is aware of the cause and the seriousness of this problem and has taken steps to solve it as soon as is practicable. If one SPRs the problem, one would obtain an answer similar to the following "We are aware of the degraded performance of the VAX-11 RSX Version 1.0 AME, and hope to improve it in future versions. The development of VAX-11 RSX Version 1.0 was highly dependent on the VAX/VMS Version 4.0 schedule, and we did not have sufficient time to fully address this issue while retaining the required product quality. Due to the radical changes in VAX/VMS device naming conventions for VAX/VMS Version 4.0, the VAX-11 RSX AME underwent radical modifications in order to allow RSX-11 tasks to function in the new environment. This involved presenting logical names to RSX-11 tasks as physical device names. In order to do this, while retaining the ability for RSX-11 tasks to access files via arbitrary VAX/VMS logical names (such as FOO: or SYS$SYSTEM:), the AME must translate each of a series of logical names which are in RSX-11 style (LB, SY, $$n, and so forth), and determine which, if any, will serve to represent the logical name which was actually used in the task command line. This process requires a large number of logical name translations, as well as additional native mode computations on the part of the AME, each time a device is referenced (either through an ALUN$ directive or through the ELP4 parse interface)." 3 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAX-11 RSX Performance Problems At the spring DECUS symposia, the VAX-11 RSX development informally discussed VAX-11 RSX V2.0 which is now in field test. The release addresses the severe performance problems caused by the V1.0 product and adds significant functionality. Early performance figures indicate that the V2.0 AME recovers most or all of the performance lost by the V1.0 AME. Since the release of the AME is no longer coupled to the major releases of VMS, it is planned that as soon as the V2.0 AME has completed Field Testing and has been sent to the SDC, it will be available for distribution to customers on maintenance contracts. Repeating - A Newsletter Distribution Change Effective with the issue which is mailed in August, the Pageswapper will be fastened together with all other US DECUS SIG newsletters and mailed to all those who subscribe to any newsletters. For renewals and future subscribers there will be a single price for all SIG newsletters, but that price will be quite close to the previous price for the Pageswapper alone, so for Pageswapper readers it should be no problem. The one trick is that the issue mailed in August will be labeled as the September issue. Thus there will be no Pageswapper labeled August, but you will get one each month. 4 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions John Heffernan DEC/ Networks and Communications TWO/F18 1925 Andover Street Tewksbury, MA 01876-1297 ABSTRACT: The VAX/VMS DEUNA driver is a complex driver with many capabilities. This paper answers some of the questions asked when starting to use the driver for advanced applications. The author would like to thank Rod Gamache for his generous technical help utilized in preparing this document. Also, thanks to Gary McCoy for getting this paper out the door. 1. How does a read work? More specifically, must you have a read QIO posted all the time? My interpretation of the documentation is that up to NMA$C_PCLI_BFN packets will be buffered in system memory. In other words, no read QIOs are needed ahead of time. If this is true, when is the driver able to accept packets? At set mode QIO time? Are NMA$C_PCLI_BFN IRPs queued to the UCB's IRP queue at this time? It is not necessary to have a read posted all the time. The driver will queue up to NMA$C_PCLI_BFN buffers to a receive queue of the UCB (Unit Control Block). When you issue a read, the first packet will be "moved" from the receive queue of the UCB to the IRP queue. Therefore, no read QIOs are needed ahead of time. The driver is able to accept packets from the wire after set mode QIO time. The IRPs are not queued to the UCB's IRP queue until a read QIO is issued. There many ways to handle the read operation. One way is to use the AST mechanism. After you issue the set mode QIO, issue a read with AST. When a packet arrives, the system will deliver the AST to the process. This removes the overhead of moving the packet from the receive queue to the IRP queue. In the AST service routine, issue another read QIO with AST. Note that the process can hibernate waiting for the AST to be delivered. In the AST service routine, issue a wakeup request. In this way, the process can resume execution when the AST has been serviced. You can also have two read QIOs with AST posted to close the window in the AST process from the time the AST service routine gains control and the time the next read with 5 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions QIO is issued. This would probably only be needed if you expect a lot of packets coming in off the wire. Note that this approach is more efficient than keeping a long queue of packets in the UCB's receive queue and processing them at your leisure since NMA$C_PCLI_BFN times NMA$C_PCLI_BSZ bytes of nonpaged pool must be allocated. In the multiple AST approach, watch out for using the same IOSB and user receive buffer. A common error is to reuse the same IOSB or receive buffer for multiple reads. The recommended value of NMA$C_PCLI_BFN is 3 or 4. Too many buffers result in heavy usage of system resources while too few might result in dropped packets. Also, note that the AST approach is better in an event driven type of application. Another way to handle the read operation is to issue the read and wait for the specified event flag to be set. Finally, the IOSB can be polled for completion (however, this wastes CPU resources). 2. Since NMA$C_PCLI_BFN is specified on a per protocol type basis, is there buffer space for each individual protocol type? My assumption is that there is a static set of buffers in system dynamic memory that the driver and DEUNA share as their transmit/receive rings. In addition to this there are buffers allocated for each protocol type opened (number specified by NMA$C_PCLI_BFN) that are filled as the driver filters received packets by protocol type. Is this assumption correct? There are buffers for the per protocol NMA$C_PCLI_BFN packets and 9 static buffers for receive data buffers. The 9 hardware buffers are queued off the CDB. These so called hardware buffers are in host memory and are the place where the packets first arrive (they sent via DMA from the DEUNA). There is also a pending receive queue off the CDB. The ring descriptor's data field points to a hardware buffers. On a read , after the own bit is toggled, the driver will be activated and "move" the buffer from the hardware buffer queue to the pending receive queue. Since the receive ring has 8 entries and the hardware buffer has nine, we see that the driver always tries to keep one spare buffer. Later, the packet is moved from the pending receive queue to the UCB. In this step, the driver figures out to which UCB or UCBs to deliver the packet. The driver does buffer shuffling, trying to stay ahead of incoming packets. 6 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions Note that the CDB is really an extension of the CRB. It is a structure defined by the XEDRIVER that describes the DEUNA controller. This is needed because there are many UCB's per controller but only 1 CRB (and therefore CRB extension - called a CDB). There are many UCB's per controller because there is 1 UCB per protocol type, and there are many protocol types. 3. What happens to packets that cannot find a home? These include packets that were received with a protocol type that was not active and packets that could not be buffered due to lack of buffer space for the protocol type of the received packet. Packets without a protocol type are dropped on the floor (assuming no promiscuous mode user). The same goes when there are not enough UCB receive buffers. The receive buffer unavailable condition refers to the CDB hardware buffers and could be noted by enabling the attention AST. Note that the driver does drop packets - but it always increments a counter. So if a packet is dropped because of no protocol type, then the Unrecognized Frame Destination (UFD) counter is incremented. If the buffer is dropped because the user didn't specify a large enough BFN value, the User Buffer Unavailable (UBU) counter is incremented. 4. Is there any problem with having multiple protocol types within one image? No, the driver had no problem handling this. 5. What is the meaning of the NMA$C_PCLI_MLT set mode parameter? Is this a match all multicast parameter only or do you need to assert this parameter if you want the whole multicast system turned on? Is ten the limit for the number of multicast addresses that can be specified or does the driver handle the case of exceeding the hardware limit? What is the interaction between the NMA$C_PCLI_MLT and NMA$C_PCLI_MCA parameters, if any? These are separate parameters. The NMA$C_PCLI_MLT parameter is a match all multicast function. In this release, the driver can handle only up to ten multicast addresses altogether (among all users of the device). This is because the DEUNA can only filter ten addresses. If you want more, set NMA$C_PCLI_MLT. This enables recognition of all multicast addresses without regard to the multicast list for this UCB. Likewise, NMA$C_PCLI_MLT does not have to be set for recognition 7 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions of those multicast addresses specified via the NMA$C_PCLI_MCA parameter. 6. Is there any difference between an IO$_SETMODE and IO$_SETCHAR other than the fact that you need physical I/O privileges for IO$_SETCHAR and only logical I/O privilege for IO$_SETMODE? The only thing the driver does is make the privilege check. However, the I/O subsystem allows different characteristics to be set depending on the privilege. Usually, you need no privilege to set those parameters that affect only you (for example, terminal parameters) but do need privileges for those affecting the whole controller and hence other users. 7. Who can issue an IO$_STARTUP to modify the device specific parameters? Does this have any relationship to the answer to the last question? You need at least logical I/O privilege to do issue a startup. 8. How are protocol type and addresses passed to the driver. The picture on page 6-4 of the I/O User's Guide appears to me to be incorrect. True? I think that the high byte of the Ethernet address goes at the low byte of the VAX buffer. The picture shows the opposite view point. What is the best way to specify the these addresses in MACRO, in BLISS? Is the physical/multicast bit the zero bit on the VAX? The picture is incorrect. See the programming example for specifying a Ethernet address in macro. Bit zero is the physical/multicast bit on the VAX. In MACRO the address AA-00-03-00-FC-01 is defined as shown below. address: .BYTE ^XAA .BYTE ^X00 .BYTE ^X03 .BYTE ^X00 .BYTE ^XFC .BYTE ^X01 In Bliss, the address AA-00-03-00-FC-01 can be defined as shown below (either way). BIND address = UPLIT WORD (%X'00AA', %X'0003', %X'01FC') , same = UPLIT BYTE (%X'AA', X%'00',%X'03',%X00',%X'FC',%X'01' ) ; 8 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions Note that an Ethernet address parameter is specified by giving the parameter constant word (for example, NMA$C_PCLI_PHA), then the counted string (which includes the modifier word). That is, the modifier word is part of the counted string. 9. What happens if the NMA$C_PCLI_BFN parameters is omitted? Why does the driver default to 1 if the parameter is required? What is the meaning of called a parameter required if it defaults with no error? The parameter is not really required (no error will be returned) and will default to 1 in the version 4 driver. 10. A brief overview of driver operation would be useful. What does the driver do? What does the DEUNA do? What happens on a read operation? What happens on a write operation? See the answer to 1 and 2 for a discussion of the read operation. A write is more straight forward. The packet is sent to the DEUNA via the transmit ring descriptor. The own bit is flipped and the driver requests that the DEUNA poll its transmit ring for messages to be transmitted. If DEUNA is busy, the packet is given to a transmit wait queue until another request completes. 11. A brief overview of the type sharing capability of the driver would be useful. How does it work? What are its limitations? What does the sentence "The shared default mode is the default user of a shared protocol type" mean? This capability was originally provided for starting up DECNet MOM processes by the NETACP. Generally, a shared default user is started first. When a request from a node comes in, the shared default user sets up a process with the limited mode (shared with destination) channel. Note that one UCB is used for each protocol type. The driver filters on destination address. The shared default user is a catch all receiver. The limited mode users receive packets first if they are enabled for that address. 12. Is there any way to change the physical address of the DEUNA without shutting down? Must you always shut down to change parameters? Is this parameter specific? The physical address can only be changed by shutting down. Some parameters may be changed without shutting down. They are promiscuous mode, multicast address and 9 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions multicast state parameters. 13. What is the algorithm for assigning new unit numbers in the $ASSIGN system service? Are they predicable? Generally, the number is incremented. However, a scan operation is done since the counter could wrap around. 14. Any problems having multiple DEUNAs in a system serviced by the same driver? This is no problem due to the I/O database being "separate" from the driver code. That is, there is a separate database for each module. 15. Under what conditions does the driver run self test? How long does it take? What happens if it fails? The first user to startup the DEUNA will cause self test to run. This takes 8 seconds (6 for self test and 2 seconds in the driver to eliminate a race condition). If it fails, controller error or medium off line errors are returned in the IOSB. 16. The protocol type is a required parameter. What meaning, if any, does this have in promiscuous mode? This has no meaning in promiscuous mode. 17. If we want to communicate with other devices, which have a different padding mechanism, do we turn the DEUNA padding off and pad the data ourselves? Is length part of the data field computed and added by the driver? Padding must have to be turned off in the case of communicating directly other with devices that pad differently. Also, it must be turned off in promiscuous mode. Also note that promiscuous mode packets are delivers on a best try basis. When padding is enabled, the driver looks in the first two bytes of the data field for the packet length in received packets. For transmitted packets, the driver fills in the first two bytes with the data field length. If padding is disabled, the user is responsible for not sending runt packets (packets less the 64 bytes total). SUMMARY: In this paper, the questions that typically come up when starting to code advanced applications of XEDRIVER are answered. XEDRIVER is complex piece of software and the driver has many capabilities. This paper should help those using those advanced capabilities by expanding on the documentation, and 10 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Commonly Asked XEDRIVER Technical Questions also by providing some insight into the internals of the driver. Proposed Policy for Future VMS Upgrades James G. Downward VAX Migration and Host Development Working Group KMS Fusion, Inc P.O. Box 1567 Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106 (313)-769-8500 The recent upgrade from VMS V3.x to V4.0 caused problems for numerous sites. Without warning, numerous applications ceased working and the performance of other applications was drastically affected. For example, applications which wrote to SYS$INPUT ceased working, applications which utilized calls from more than one language RTL start up significantly slower, tasks using the arrow keys must be rewritten, and smaller systems now find they lack either adequate memory or disk space to run VMS V4.0. To its credit, DEC sponsored V4.0 seminars across the country, but these did not occur until V4.0 was actually coming out. While users who had the opportunity to attend a DECUS symposium had advance notice of some V4.0 changes, the information about the V4.0 changes had not been conveyed to the VMS community at large. This situation represents a "migration" issue which needs to be addressed if future upgrades from one version of VMS to another are to be done with a minimum of trauma. The VAX SIG realizes that it is often necessary to make changes to improve an operating system which will affect previously developed applications. Even so, within such a context we realize the needs for the upgrade process to be more orderly and less likely to produce severe problems for VMS sites. The also SIG realizes that it must it must effectively represent to VMS development the needs of two distinct groups. Sites in the first group, have adequate resources to cope with major changes and the disruption that may ensue. Disruption during the course of an upgrade is tolerated and probably expected. Sites running VMS in a research or laboratory environment generally would belong in this group. The second group has fewer resources and in-house expertise to deal with changes or is running critical applications, so some modicum of stability is highly desirable. Commercial users of VMS probably belong in this group. Both groups may have equally 11 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Proposed Policy for Future VMS Upgrades valid needs to migrate to a new release of VMS. To address this issue the VAX SIG's Migration and Host Development Working group has developed a proposal for possible changes in the VMS upgrade/update process. The SIG leadership has discussed both the proposal and the reason for the proposal with DEC. While DEC has not made specific commitments to the items in this proposal, they have been noted, and DEC has made a solid commitment to make future upgrades and updates much less traumatic. Early reports from V4.2 Field Test sites indicate that this commitment is already evident in the V4.2 upgrade procedure. So that the VMS community can see what issues the proposal addressed, the text of the proposal follows. If reading the proposal suggests additional issues to raise with DEC or if you have comments on the proposal, please send them on to me. *Pre-Release Warnings* o When it is known that a planned feature will make existing code non-operational, the anticipated change and well as suggested program methodologies to minimize the problem should be documented in the VAX software dispatch. o As soon as possible, minimal system hardware configurations which are needed for the new release should be documented. It is realized that rigorous guidelines are hard to establish because user applications and VMS configurations vary widely, but general guidelines need to be given for sites to make adequate preparations and decisions prior to installing upgrades. *At-Release Documentation Issues* o The release notes should have an index so that problems can be looked up by topic. o Each 'point' release (ie 4.x) should have a cumulative index including information presented in all the release notes. o The final release of a version should have a final master index available including the original master index and the release notes for the base version and all the 'point' releases. 12 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Proposed Policy for Future VMS Upgrades o The release notes for a major release should have a section in which all changes which will result in existing code ceasing to work are mentioned. *At-Release Installation Issues* o A method needs to be developed so that DEC Layered products and non-DEC layered products using the VMS Help Library or CLI interface do not have to be re-installed after each release unless there are solid, technical reasons why the product should not run under the new release. o If it is known in advance that a change may disable a significant body of user-developed or vendor supplied software, a buffer period should be provided during which the new feature may be disabled or bypassed so that the previous code can continue to work. For example, the system could be supplied with the change implemented but with a temporary SYSGEN parameter to disable the change. This parameter would be recognized by the system for a predefined, known time. During this time, sites would have to change existing code and arrange for updated software products to be supplied. o VMS Development should attempt not to force a reinstallation of a product unless it is really necessary. For example, the VMS V4.0 upgrade forced CDD V3.0 to be reinstalled along with all the products using the CDD. 13 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility Guide To Writing a VMS Utility Tamar Krichevsky VMS Development, DEC 110 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, NH Before implementation of a utility has begun, as part of the design phase, some of the following questions should be asked: - What functions will the utility perform? - Will the utility have a command line interface? Will it have a callable interface? For example, CDD, the Common Data Dictionary, is used almost exclusively through its callable interface, while CONVERT, which can be called, is invoke from DCL most of the time. - How much information is needed by the utility at image activation time versus how much will be gathered by the utility during processing. - Are the the capabilities that DCL can provide needed to invoke the new utility, or is a simple RUN command enough? - Will information be retrieved from the command line? If so, how? These, among other criteria, will help determine an implementation strategy for the application. INVOKING A UTILITY There are three different mechanisms for invoking a utility: - THE DCL COMMAND RUN - No installation; user must know name and location of the image. - No information can be passed to the image from the command line. 14 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Utility must do all of its own prompting and syntax checking. - VMS utilities: AUTHORIZE, INSTALL - THE FOREIGN COMMAND FACILITY - Simple installation; process or system LOGIN.COM needs modification to couple the image and the command. - DCL does not automatically prompt for missing parameters or check the syntax of the command line before activating the image. But it will perform symbol substitution, allowing symbols and lexical functions to be used on the command line. - Utility can retrieve the command line and use the callable DCL parser to parse the input. - VMS utility: DISKQUOTA - The Command Definition Utility - Prompts are automatically provided for missing parameters. - DCL will parse the command line for syntax errors, before activating the image. - An association is created between the command line syntax and the image. This coupling is maintaned in the DCL command tables. - Another benefit is that installation can be done with VMSINSTAL. - The vast majority of VMS utilities and commands are implemented using the Command Definition Utility. 15 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility DCL COMMAND LINE ELEMENTS Command line elements fall into two categories: 1. KEYWORD - a predefined string recognized by DCL as a distinct unit. (i.e. COPY, MATCH, BLOCK, SPAWN) 2. USER SUPPLIED - a sequence of arbitrary characters provided by the user, such as file or time specifications. - COMMANDS - Usually an imperative verb (instruction). - Specifies the command to be executed. - Always first element on the line. - Optionally followed by one or more keywords which further define the operation. - PARAMETERS - Specifies what the command acts upon; parameters are objects. - Preceeded by blanks or tabs. - May be required to perform operation or may be optional . - A parameter is either present or absent. In the DIRECTORY example, the parameter is present. - May consist of a single item or a list. Lists can be separated by commas or pluses. For most cases commas and plus signs are equivalent. Sometimes pluses act concatenation operators. - Parameters may take arguments . 16 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - QUALIFIERS - Qualifiers modify parameters or commands; they do NOT modify other qualifiers. - Preceeded by a slash. - May be optional or they may be present on the command line by default, in which case, the application behaves as if the qualifier appeared on the command line even if it is missing. . - Types of qualifiers: - COMMAND or GLOBAL QUALIFIERS - Modifies the entire command, no matter were the qualifier appears on the command line. - LOCAL QUALIFIERS - Can appear only after a parameter; effects only that parameter. - Can not be placed after the command. MACRO/LIBRARAY x,y will produce an error. - POSITIONAL QUALIFIERS - Semantics depend on the position of the qualifier. - ARGUMENTS - Act as modifiers or supply a value. - Preceeded by an equal sign (=) or a colon (:); the delimeters are equivalent. - Can effect parameters, qualifiers and other arguments. - Can consist of a list. Lists are enclosed in parentheses and separated by commas. 17 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Arguments can be nested. But it is not recommended, for clarity's sake. DESIGN SUGGESTIONS FOR DESIGNING A COMMAND LINE SYNTAX - Consider DCL syntax when designing the utility's semantics The functions which the new utility is to provide should be the primary basis for the command syntax. Even so, the benefits and limitations of DCL should be considered while designing and implementing those functions. A design which facilitates a straight-forward DCL interface will in turn facilitate user interaction. Capabilities should be designed so that they can be expressed in the clearest and most useful manner, given the language structure of DCL. - Chose descriptive keywords Early in the utility's design the developer must decide which functions are to be invoked from DCL. Each function should be paired to a DCL keyword. It should not be possible to invoke a function by more than one set of keywords. For example, there should be only one way to specify to BACKUP, that you want to make an incremental backup of a particular directory. Multi-word phrases, like RMS_FILE or BY_OWNER, are valid DCL keywords. The underscore character should be used to separate the words. - Use "natural" language Try to use words that are associated with the functions provided by the utility (CONFIRM, COPY, SUBJECT). The user's learning time and anxiety level will be reduced, if the semantics of the command line can be deduced by simply looking at the syntax. Avoid computer-ese. Unless the users of your utility are other software developers, they are not going to understand, remember or feel comfortable with the 18 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility command syntax, you (worked so hard to) design. Even if the users are programmers, it isn't guaranteed that they will understand YOUR terminology. - Three parts of a DCL interface: 1. Syntax: command, parameters, qualifiers and arguments. 2. Defaults: Are optional qualifiers present by default? What are the default values for arguments and parameters? 3. Semantics: what functions are invoked from DCL? DCL COMMAND LINE STRUCTURE GENERALIZED: Command Parameter=Argument Parameter/Qualifier=Argument ENGLISH GRAMMAR EQUIVALENT: Verb Object=Adjective Object/Modifier=Adjective EXAMPLE NEW UTILITY : Clean Floor=Kitchen/Wash=(Mop:big, Water:hot) USING THE COMMAND DEFINITION UTILITY - Based on the functions provided by the new utiltiy and the structure of the DCL syntax, choose a name and syntax for the new command. 19 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Create a file that defines the command, its qualifiers, parameters and arguments; This file is called a Command Definition File. - Using the Command Definition File as input, modify either the process or system command tables to include the new command with the DCL command SET COMMAND. - Write the code for your new utility, using the appropriate command language routines to retrieve the command line information. CLI$PRESENT and CLI$GET_VALUE being the "appropriate" routines. Syntax for a Command Definition File - DEFINE VERB verb-name [verb-clause[,...]] - Defines a new command and specifies the different characteristics of the command. - The verb-name becomes the name of the command; the first four letters must be unique. - The verb-clause specifies additional information: - The name and location of image to be invoked. - What parameters can be specified, if any. - Qualifiers. - Whether certain entities, or a combination or entities, cannot appear in the command line. (i.e. you can indicate that two qualifiers are mutually exclusive or that a particular value is not valid for a certain parameter) - DEFINE TYPE type-name [type-clause[,...]] - Defines keywords that can be used as values for parameters, qualifiers or other keywords. 20 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Builtin types: $ACL, $DATETIME, $DELTATIME, $FILE, $NUMBER, $QUOTED_STRING, $REST_OF_LINE - User Defined Types: Establishes the keywords that can be used as values. Syntax for a Command Definition File - DEFINE SYNTAX syntax-name [verb-clause[,...]] - Defines a syntax change. A syntax change replaces something that has already been defined by a DEFINE VERB, DEFINE TYPE or another DEFINE SYNTAX statement. - A syntax change allows a verb to use a different syntax depending on the parameters, qualifiers or keywords that are present on the command line. - For example, the DCL ANALYZE command uses DEFINE syntax to differentiate the legal syntax for ANALYZE/RMS_FILE, ANALYZE/SYSTEM, ANALYZE/DISK_STRUCTURE, ANALYZE/ERROR_LOG, etc. - IDENT and MODULE are used to provide identification information and a module name when an object module is created from a Command Definition File. An example Command Definition File - Within verb and type clauses, there are parameter, qualifier, value, image and keyword clauses. - Image clause: defines the image to be invoked. 21 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Parameter clause (one per parameter) specify: - Name of parameter. Parameter names must numbered consecutively from P1 through P8. "P1" is how this application must refer to the parameter when using the CLI routines to retrieve information. An alternate, more mneumonic, name can be defined by using the LABEL= statement; looks just like the PROMPT= statement. - If there parameter is present on the command line by default. - The prompt to be given if a required parameter is missing from the command line. - A value clause which indicates: - The default value for the parameter, in the absence of an explicit parameter value (i.e. PURGE). - Whether the parameter is required. - If parameter can be specified as a list. - Type of the parameter -- a pre-define type (file, acl, time, etc) or a the name of a DEFINE TYPE statement. An example Command Definition File - Qualifier clause (one per qualifier) specifying: - The name of the qualifier (i.e. "/red"). - If the qualifier is present on the command line by default. - Whether the qualifier is negatable is negatable or not. - Where the qualifier may appear on the command line: 22 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Command or GLOBAL qualifiers (default) -- applies to the entire command line; may appear anywhere. - LOCAL -- can appear only after a parameter and applies only to that paramter. - POSITIONAL -- can appear anywhere on the comman line, but its meaning depends on the position it is in. - A value clause which indicates: - The default qualifier value, in absence of an explicit qualifier value being given on the command line. - Whether the qualifier value is required. - If parameter can be specified as a list. - The qualifier value's type -- a pre-define type (file, acl, time, etc) or a the name of a DEFINE TYPE statement. - Disallow clause: Disallows a command string if the results of the given expression are true. QUALIFIERS FOR THE DCL COMMAND SET COMMAND - System command table is in SYS$LIBRARY:DCLTABLES.EXE. - By default, when logging in this command table is copied to your process. - Changes to your process command table will not effect the system wide table. - No special privileges are needed to modify your own process's command table. SYSPRV is required to modify the system command table. 23 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - /REPLACE -- add or replace verbs in the command table. - /TABLE -- specifies the command table to be modified. Default is the current process's command table. - /DELETE -- removes a verb from the command table. - /OBJECT -- creates an object module. This object module can be linked into an image and used as a private command table for parsing strings and executing routines. - /[NO]LISTING -- controls whether a listing is produces - /[NO]OUTPUT -- controls where the modified command tables should be placed. Defaults is the process's command table. /NOOUTPUT indicates that no output should be generated. THE COMMAND LANGUAGE INTERFACE (CLI) ROUTINES - CLI$PRESENT (entity_desc) - Determines whether parameter, qualifier, or keyword is present on the command line. - entity_desc -- Character string descriptor for the label of the entity. - Returns separate values indicating if the entity was present, absent, locally present, negated, locally negated or defaulted on the command line. - CLI$_PRESENT, CLI$_NEGATED, CLI$_LOCPRES, CLI$_LOCNEG, CLI$_DEFAULTED, CLI$_ABSENT - CLI$GET_VALUE (entity_desc, ret_desc [,ret_length]) - Retrieves the value associated with a specified qualifier, parameter or keyword. - entity_desc -- A character string containing the label of the entity. 24 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - retdesc -- A character string containing the value retrieved by CLI$GET_VALUE. - ret_length -- The number of characters DCL returned in ret_desc. - $VERB and $LINE are predifined entities. - $VERB is used to retrieve the verb from the command line. Useful if an image contains more than one command (COPY/APPEND and PURGE/DELETE are really the same image, they use $VERB to determine which operation should be done.) - $LINE returns the whole command line with all characters converted to uppercase, defaults filled in, integers converted to decimal, etc. - Returns separate values to indicate whether the value is followed by others (i.e. it is in a list), if the value is to be concatenated, if it is absent or if it is the last or only value in a list. - CLI$_COMMA, CLI$_CONCAT, CLI$_ABSENT, SS$_NORMAL - CLI$DCL_PARSE (command_str, table [,param_rtn] [,prompt_rtn] [,prompt_str]) - Parses a command string using the command definition supplied by the specified command table. - command_str -- Descriptor for for a string containing the command line parsed. - table -- Name of module containing the command language description. This module was created by SET COMMAND/OBJECT and linked into the image. - param_rtn -- name of a routine to obtain a required parameter that was not supplied in the command string. LIB$GET_INPUT can be used or a routine that you have written, with the same calling interface as LIB$GET_INPUT. - prompt_rtn -- name of routine to call to obtain all or part of a command. "> Again, LIB$GET_INPUT or a user written routine with the same calling interface. 25 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - prompt_str -- Descriptor for for a string containing a prompt, used as an argument for the prompt_rtn. - Returns: CLI$_NOCOMD, RMS$_EOF. - CLI$DISPATCH ([userarg]) - Invokes the subroutine associates with the verb most recently parsed by a CLI$DCL_PARSE routine call. - userarg -- Data passed to the action routine. There is a good example of how to use CLI$DCL_PARSE and CLI$DISPATCH in the VAX/VMS Utility Commands Reference Manual. DEFINITION OF CONDITION CODES AND MESSAGES Creating user defined messages: - Construct messages by writing a message source file, compiling it w/ the message utility and linking the resultant object module with your utility. - The message source file contains: - Facility directive -- Specifies the facility to which the messages apply, including a facilty name, and facility number. - Severity directive -- Specifies the severity level to be associated with the messages that follow. SUCCESS, WARNING, INFORMATIONAL, ERROR, SEVERE/FATAL - Message definition -- Defines the message symbol, the message text and the number of FAO arguments that can be included in the message. - End directive -- Terminates the list of messages for the facility. 26 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Other directives: .BASE (defines a base offset for the message values), .LITERAL (defines global symbols), .IDENT, .TITLE, .PAGE - Messages for more than one facility may defined in a single message file. COMPILING MESSAGES - The Message utility creates the 32-bit message code and the message ID -- consisting of the faciity prefix, the message name and severity level. - By default an object module is created with text and symbols. - In some cases, it is desirable to change the text of messages often. There is a way of doing that which does not require the utility to be relinked each time. Two object files must be created from the message source file. The first would have the message text, but no symbols. The second object file would have symbols, no text; It also would have an indirect pointer to the first object module . - After message file has been compiled, the message object module must be linked into the utility so that the system can reference the newly defined messages. SIGNALLING USER DEFINED MESSAGES - Use the symbol formed by the facility prefix and the condition name. - If the message text contains FAO arguments, you must specify paramters for those arguments when you signal the condition. 27 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility FORMAT OF A HELP FILE - Help libraries contain modules of help text that provide user information about a utility. A help module is the lines of help text that relate to the same topic. - Each module is numbered as key-1 through key-9. Key-1 identifies the main topic of information. - The key-1 name becomes the module name in the library. - Formatting help files: - Help text can be any length. - The only restriction is that it cannot contain a number or a slash (/) in the first column. A number in the first column indicates that the line is a key. A slash indicates a qualifier line. In addition, characters such as question mark, asterisk and percent sign in key names may make retrieval of information very difficult. Therefore, it is advised to avoid special characters. - A qualifier line, which starts with a slash in the first column, is similar to a key line, except that the librarian returns a list of all the qualifier lines when you request help on key containing the qualifiers. EXAMPLE HELP FILE 1 COLOR The COLOR utility is used to paint pictures. 2 Parameters There is only one parameter for the COLOR utility. 3 OBJECT This parameter specifies which object should be colored. 2 Command_qualifiers /RED 28 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility /RED indiacates that the color red should be used. /BLUE /BLUE indicates that the color blue should be used. /GREEN [=green_amount] /GREEN indicates that the color green should be used. The optional argument, green_amount, specifies the amount of green to use. PROVIDING HELP FOR THE USER - Once the help source file has been created, the LIBRARY command is used, with the /CREATE and /HELP qualifiers, to turn it into a help library. - To provide the user with help, from within the utility: LBR$OUTPUT_HELP (output_rtn [,output_width] [,line_desc] [,library_name] [,flags] [,input_routine]) - Outputs help text to a user-supplied output routine. - Output_rtn -- Name of routine the writes the help text one line at a time. You may specify LIB$PUTOUTPUT or another routine which has the same calling format. - Output_width -- The width of a text line. Default is 80. - Line_desc -- Descriptor for the help request line, a string containing one or more help keys define the requested help. - Library_name -- Descriptor for a string containing the file specification for the main library. If this is unspecified, the defautl help libraries are used. - Flags -- Specify help output options, such as which logical name table should be searched for default help libraries and whether interactive help prompting is in effect or not. 29 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Input_rtn -- Routine used for prompting. May be specified as LIB$GET_INPUT or another routine with the same calling interface. Used only when the prompt flag is set in the FLAGS argument. CALLABLE UTILITIES (or Modular Programming) - Invocation, form and function are separated within the utility - Invocation -- The part of the utility that establishes the context in which it will run: the input and output files, the initialization files, the terminal type, etc. - Form -- That portion of the utility that communticates with the enviroment. "Form" is used by the invocation procedures to ask the user for parameters, report errors and present information. - An application is usually designed to run in a particular enviroment or set of enviroments. Within each enviroment assumptions are made about the devices, formats, conventions and language that must be used to interact with the user. "Form" refers to those portions of the program that are specifically designed for interaction with the enviroment. - Separation of form and function can be thought of as separating out the likely to change enviroment-dependant portions from the pure functions. - Such as making DCL command work in a graphical enviroment along with the current, hardcopy design center. - Function -- the actual tasks that a application is supposed to provide. 30 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - By making utilities modularized and standardizing portions, such as calling interfaces, data types and error handling: - The functions of one utility are made available to other utilities and applications, which can lessen the duplication of programming effort. - DCL no longer is the only mechanism for invoking the utility's capabilities. A utility could be written that has no command line interface at all. - Modifying utility for use in varied enviroments is simplified. - There are issues that have to be considered: - Errors -- Is signalling the user appropriate? Should an error be returned to the caller and let it handle the problem? How long can error reporting be delayed after the actual condition occurred. - How flexible of an interface is necessary? Should any language be able to call this utility? How many data types are going to be supported? - How does callability effect documentation? WHERE TO FIND DOCUMENTATION - Command Language Interface (CLI): - Guide to Programming on VAX/VMS, Chapter 7 - VAX/VMS Utility Routines Reference Manual, Section 2 - Command Definition Utility (CDU): - VAX/VMS Command Definition Utility Reference Manual 31 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Guide To Writing a VMS Utility - Guide to Programming on VAX/VMS, Chapter 7 - VAX/VMS Utility Routines Reference Manual, Section 2 - SET COMMAND: - VAX/VMS Command Definition Utility Reference Manual - VAX/VMS DCL Dictionary - MESSAGE Utility: - Guide to Programming on VAX/VMS, Chapter 10 - VAX/VMS Message Utility Reference Manual - HELP Libraries: - Guide to Programming on VAX/VMS, Chapter 9 - VAX/VMS Utility Routines Reference Manual, Section 7 32 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAXintosh Futures VAXintosh Futures James Downward VAXintosh Working Group C/O KMS Fusion, Inc P.O. Box 1567 Ann Arbor, Mich. 48106 (313)-769-8500 At the Spring DECUS meeting the VAX SIG and the Languages and Tools SIG seem to have jointly formed a VAXintosh Working Group. Yes, you heard right, a "VAXintosh". Not surprisingly, there is a lot of interest among the DECUS membership in providing MACINTOSH like functionality for VAX systems and DEC systems in general. At the "Just a Modest Proposal" session on Monday night, I presented a proposal that DEC needed a VAXintosh-like machine. The proposal was well received by the VMS community. That night I talked long into the morning hours with the software engineer in charge of the DEC user/machine interface for the VAXstation. It was quite clear from this conversation that DEC was very interested in the issue and wanted significant user input to help define what the needs, requirements, and market place for such product were. Consequently on Wednesday, A BOF session on "VAXintosh Futures" was held with close to 100 attendees. It was soon realized that a VAXintosh represents a rather complicated, multi-faceted issue. Consequently, we propose to develop a working paper for presentation to DEC outlining in some detail what we mean by a VAXintosh. Topics which must be addressed include both hardware and software requirements and the general philosophy for the user/machine interface. Topics which we feel need to be addressed include: o Market segments to be addressed by the VAXintosh. Why is it needed? What users would benefit most from a VAXintosh and why? o Specific hardware requirements. Would just a cheap desk-VAX do, or is more needed? This includes graphic resolution, graphic display speed, ergonomics, input device (mouse?), local intelligence, and computer port I/O speed. o User/Machine Interface. Is a MAC-like, icon driven interface what is needed? If so, must it mimic all of DCL or just a subset? 33 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAXintosh Futures o User software development tools for a VAXintosh. Is an extension of SMG adequate to provide the functionality needed? Is a "Quick-Draw"-like interface needed. What about a special CLI to map MAC-like icon commands into DCL commands, or possibly extensions of the CDU to include ICON commands so that utilities could work both from an icon driven interface or from a DCL interface? o DEC-supplied VAXintosh software. Are DEC equivalents of software packages like MACwrite, MACdraw, etc. needed for the VAXintosh or will user developed software suffice (if the interface and development tools exist)? o MAC-Specific issues. Should DEC have a DECnet-MAC software product (they have a DECnet/MS-DOS product) or an interconnect to AppleTalk? Should DEC offer additional support for the MACINTOSH as a VAX terminal? As you can see the issues are rather complex and we have a significant amount of work to do if we are to address these issues adequately to make an impact on DEC within the appropriate time window. Numerous attendees at the BOF session, have volunteered to write mini-working papers on one or more of the above subjects. I have volunteered to gather these papers and try to hammer them into a coherent whole (throwing in my own ideas also, of course). However, we don't want to limit the input to this effort to the people who attended the BOF. Input from as many sources and points of view as possible is needed. Consequently, if you are interested in "VAXintosh Futures", write down your thoughts, proposals, or design goals and send them to me. If we get enough input and support from the VMS community, by Fall, the VAX and Languages and Tools SIGs can jointly present DEC with a detailed working paper proposing what we would want in a VAXintosh. Currently, we have some support within DEC for a VAXintosh in some form. They have a "gut level" feeling that something is needed but are not sure quite what. This gives the VMS community a significant "window of opportunity" to influence DEC software and hardware product management when it counts. 34 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Gary Grebus SIR Coordinator with Jim Swist VMS Development Once again, I have the privilege of reporting the results of the System Improvement Request ballot conducted by the VAX Systems SIG. This ballot was originally published in the February, 1985 issue of the Pageswapper. By the response deadline, 268 ballot replies had been received (where was everyone else?). At a session during the New Orleans Symposium, Digital presented their responses to the 10 items receiving the most votes. The responses were presented by Jim Swist from the VMS development group, and represented the input from several developers. The text of these top ten items are reproduced below, along with the text of the responses. Note that several of the top ten items (project accounting, file archiving, and tape management) are currently being addressed by the SIG's Commercial and System Management working groups. If you have additional input on these topics, contact the Working Group chairs listed elsewhere in this newsletter. Following the top ten responses, are a number of summaries of the SIR voting. These summaries show the interest in the SIR items divided among various groups of VAX users. A description of the report format is included. The Spring 1985 Top 10 System Improvement Requests 1. SIR: S85-36 Currently, the BACKUP utility will search an entire save set for files selected in a restore operation. As a result, multiple tapes may be processed even if the desired files were located on the first tape. BACKUP should make use of all available information about the ordering of files in the save set to avoid needless searching. At a minimum, this capability should be available when the ordering of files must be strictly alphabetical, for example an image mode save set. Ideally, BACKUP should support this capability even if the input specifier included a list of directories or files. Reply: 35 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot We understand that this is a significant human factors improvement, and plan to address it in a future release. Note that there are two factors that complicate solving this problem 1. Possible lack of ordering of files and directories in a save set. This can result from either an ODS-1 disk or lists of file specs when the save set is created. 2. The implied wild carding in the /SELECT qualifier. Perhaps a solution to this problem would be the addition of a /ONE_ONLY qualifier that stops searching for a select item when one instance has been found in the save set. 2. SIR: F85-32 SEARCH would be much more useful if it allowed more elaborate specification of the pattern to be searched for. SEARCH should support some notation for complex pattern matching, much like UNIX regular expressions. Such a notation would allow "wildcard" matching of such things as alphabetic characters, numeric characters, "word" and "delimiter" characters, beginning of line, end of line, etc. It should also be possible to restrict the column positions in which a pattern matches. For example, SEARCH/MATCH=AND "ABC"/POS=1, "DEFG"/POS=27 would restrict the search for the patterns to the specified character positions. Ideally, SEARCH might use RMS keys if the file was indexed and hey coincided with the specified positions. Finally, SEARCH should be available through a callable interface. Reply: We will consider searching for regular expressions in a future version of VMS. We have an experimental version of SEARCH in VMS which supports a very powerful regular expression scan. Unfortunately, we are still looking for a reasonable meta-language in which to express the pattern. A pattern language which has reasonable mnemonic value seems to produce very bulky patterns, while a more concise language is too cryptic to understand without great difficulty. We are researching this problem, and may release this version of SEARCH when we are satisfied with the pattern meta-language. The idea for column-restricted searches also seems reasonable to implement in a fashion which would not significantly hurt the 36 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot performance of non-restricted searches. It would seem to be necessary to have /POSITION=(27,[NO]EXPAND_TABS) for this to be useful, however. EXPAND_TABS should be the default. The concept of special-casing RMS indexed files with /POSITION seems to be too expensive for the benefit, and we do not plan to pursue this idea. A callable interface for SEARCH is an interesting idea, but it would take a major rewrite to make search a callable, reentrant facility. It is unlikely this will happen in the near future. 3. SIR: F85-6 The use of local time by VMS has several shortcomings, some only recently apparent. The growth of widely spaced distributed software systems (which DEC justifiably prides itself on) is inconsistent with the use of local time. Time stamps on messages, synchronization for "first in line" distributed services (such as selling tickets to a concert of the Rolling Stones), and many other distributes applications are not served well by the use of local time. Even on local applications, the twice yearly changes for daylight savings time wreaks havoc for accounting and continuous, real-time monitoring. A universal time format should be adopted and the local time should be generated by the services which produce formatted output, such as $ASCTIM. Conversion utilities could be provided for changing time stamps on files to the new standard. Appropriate SYSGEN parameters could allow a vast majority of programs to run unmodified when the change is made. Both UNIX and TOPS-20 utilize a similar scheme. Reply: We will investigate this. While the internal implementation is fairly straightforward, there are some external ramifications that need to be understood. 1. Conversion: We consider a conversion of storage media to be an unacceptable cost to impose on customers. The encoding of universal time must be able to coexist with local time encodings. 2. External representation: If a stored time (e.g. a file creation time) is displayed in different time zones, different display values will result. We need to investigate whether this is a problem, how other operating systems deal with it, if at all, and how VMS should deal with it, if at all. 4. SIR: F85-35 37 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot The DCL symbol capability should be expanded in somewhat the same manner as the VMS logical name facility. It should be possible to define a class of symbols that are common to all processes in a job. This would simplify communication between a subprocess and its parent. Most sites define a large number of DCL symbols in the SYSLOGIN procedure. Login overhead could be reduced if a class of system wide DCL symbols was available. A suitably privileged user could make all the site-wide definitions in one place, and could insure that all changes occurred at the same time for all users. Reply: The current DCL symbol table design will not support the notion of job and system wide symbols. However, we are currently reviewing the design of DCL's symbol processing, with the idea of increasing its performance and function. Since we believe that system and job wide DCL symbols are a good idea on the surface, the ramifications of implementing this feature will be taken into account while studying the restructuring of DCL's symbol processing. 5. SIR: F85-47 In every organization that we are familiar with, VMS users divide their time between two or more projects, and the set of projects that any one user works on changes with time. In contrast, VMS authorization records impose an organization in which a user can belong to one and only one account. VMS should provide users with the ability to charge their computer resources to multiple projects, a feature which we refer to as Project Accounting. Project Accounting should include a SET PROJECT command to quickly change the current project being charged, and disk and CPU time quotas should be based on Project designation. Batch, Print, Network, and Detached jobs should inherit the Project designation from the process issuing the SUBMIT, PRINT, or RUN command. Project Management should be separated from the System Management and distributed in a hierarchical fashion. Disk quotas and CPU time quotas should be controlled by the Project Management. A system service should be provided which enables privileged programs to flush the accumulated charges of a process to the accounting log. Reply: 38 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot We also feel that project accounting is very important. Although we do not see ourselves producing complete and final billing systems, we do see a strong need for VMS to provide the necessary capabilities for our users to produce the resource accounting and billing systems that they need. It is clear that project accounting fits into this area. We have begun investigation into providing the needed capabilities in the area. We feel that this is a reasonably complex area and, as such, some of the enhancements that we intend to make in this area will appear over time. Again, we do feel that this is an important area which we are investigating. 6. SIR: F85-28 It would be convenient to have a qualifier which would turn on procedure verification for the duration of one command procedure. Possibly this qualifier should override SET VERIFY and F$VERIFY() commands issued within the procedure. This would enable normally "quiet" procedures to be monitored without the need to modify them. Reply: We believe that this would present a security risk because it defeats the only method available to conceal the inner workings of a command procedure. There is currently no method available to determine whether the command procedure turned off verification just to cut down on the amount of output or if verification was turned off for security reasons to conceal a portion of a procedure. Therefore, we do not plan on implementing this feature in the near future. 7. SIR: F85-40 During the backup of large disks and volume sets, the date recording pass can take 15 minutes or longer. During this time, the tape drive is unavailable for other work (such as beginning other backups). The BACKUP utility should have an option which allows it to dismount and deallocate the tape drive before it begins the recording pass. This would significantly reduce the elapsed time required for many backup operations. Reply: We will investigate this for a future release. Because BACKUP does not at present use the $MOUNT and $DISMOUNT services, but relies on the tape being externally mounted, implementation is not trivial. However, we recognize its usefulness. 39 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot 8. SIR: F85-68 VMS should provide an archiving/restoration facility for disk backup which is as automatic as possible. It should make possible a very short latency period between the time of file creation and the time when a file is backed up for safety. It should respond to users' requests for restoration of files with the least possible uncertainty or ambiguity as to the files' whereabouts, and should also enable safe, reliable reconstruction of entire disk structures. A new approach is needed which eliminates as much as possible the need for human (particularly operator) intervention in the process, and which does not disturb the continuous operation of the system (i.e. the archiving and restoration operations must take place on line during normal timesharing operation). Reply: This service is strategic in the future plans of VMS. We agree with each point in this request. Even now, we are researching such a service and expect to make specific statements concerning our plans in the near future. 9. SIR: F85-1 It should be possible to make the VMS terminal driver consider a BACKSPACE as equivalent to a DELETE for one or more terminals. This option should be implemented as a terminal attribute, controlled via QIO call or via the DCL SET TERMINAL command. It is acceptable that the line editing function normally assigned to BACKSPACE would be inaccessible. This feature is required because many novice users, despite exhaustive warnings, try to use BACKSPACE to correct typing errors. This confusion is also prevalent in multi-vendor sites, because most non-DEC operating systems use BACKSPACE to delete characters. Reply: We think the idea has merit, and we will consider it for a future release. Note, however, that the suggested implementation requires new terminal characteristics bits, and there currently aren't any unused bits. New bits must be stored in the UCB, which is a fair amount of work and can only be shipped with a major release. 10. SIR: F85-49 As systems get larger, they will support more and more users. similarly, disk technology will result in larger and larger 40 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot disks. Both changes will generate significantly more usage of tapes for backup, archiving, intersystem interchange, etc. It dos not take long for several hundred tapes to accumulate. A library like this is difficult, if not impossible to manager manually, A tape management system would track tape usage, indicate which tapes are free, act as a locator tool and generally assist in tape management. Reply: Again, this service we believe to be of stratgic importance to VMS. In researching features which are available in competitive software, we find the following features very interesting: 1. Manual/interactive inquiry and update 2. Multiple pool management: scratch, vault (long-term), and others as needed. Maybe one for tapes that are currently off-site. 3. Support for levels of classification. 4. Control tape "INIT" and volume serial number assignment. 5. Support media maintenance, driven by time and/or number of accesses. 6. Accounting assistance - establish and bill various rates for various pools, classification levels, etc. 7. Tailored report generator. 8. ANSI, foreign, and IBM tape info. 9. Information of access dates and files written. One of the absolutely mandatory goals is that this system SUPPLEMENT and SUPPORT system security, rather than provide means to subvert it. We expect to make specific statements concerning our plans in the near future. Interpreting the SIR Ballot Summaries All of the reports have the same one page format. Following the report title is the number of ballots counted for that report. The number shown on the "All Users" report is the total number of ballots which were returned. The ballots on the "11/780 Users" report is the number of ballots which checked the 41 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 DEC Response to the Spring 1985 SIR Ballot "11/780" blank on the ballot questionnaire, and so on. The SIR's are listed on the page in order of points received, from highest to lowest. The entry for each SIR begins with the SIR number (from the ballot), a brief description, and the total number of points received by that SIR. Next are listed the number of ballots which assigned positive and negative points points to the SIR. These numbers are expressed as a percentage of the total number of ballots represented on the report. Finally, the mean number of points assigned and the standard deviation of the points are show. The data is summarized in two different ways. First, there are a series of reports broken down by user category. The user categories are defined by the questionnaire portion of the SIR ballot. A ballot was counted in each user category which was checked off. Examples of these categories are "VAX 11/780 users", "TOPS-20 users", "Business EDP users", etc. Finally, there are a series of reports ranking the SIR's within SIR category. The SIR categories are those shown on the ballot, for example "DCL and Utilities" and "Commercial". The reports by SIR category use the data from all ballots received. Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results 42 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY ALL USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 268 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 937 50.7 0.0 6.89 2.8949 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 813 42.2 0.0 7.19 2.8311 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 774 44.4 0.4 6.45 3.3503 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 732 37.3 0.0 7.32 2.9742 47 Support for project accounting 729 34.3 0.4 7.84 3.3825 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 701 43.3 2.2 5.75 4.4305 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 651 39.6 0.4 6.08 3.3537 68 Provide true file archiving 648 29.9 0.0 8.10 2.7030 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 560 35.1 3.7 5.38 4.9253 49 Implement tape volume management 536 26.5 0.4 7.44 3.5599 22 Support a standard print file format 522 28.4 0.0 6.87 3.1595 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 506 36.2 0.4 5.16 3.2766 39 Log that one process stopped another 505 34.7 0.0 5.43 3.1395 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 494 27.6 0.0 6.68 3.2100 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 484 24.6 0.0 7.33 3.1493 10 Service to return extended error info 476 29.5 0.7 5.88 3.7960 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 468 30.6 0.7 5.57 3.8754 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 447 29.5 0.0 5.66 3.2379 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 427 27.2 1.1 5.62 3.9020 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 413 25.0 0.0 6.16 3.4183 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 411 24.3 0.0 6.32 3.1529 74 Provide DECnet information service 406 21.6 0.0 7.00 3.0146 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 385 25.7 0.0 5.58 3.2873 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 383 24.6 0.4 5.72 3.8131 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 382 20.5 0.0 6.95 3.0271 69 Provide command/filename completion 377 19.8 0.7 6.85 4.1160 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 339 19.0 0.0 6.65 3.1864 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 328 15.3 0.0 8.00 2.8548 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 318 22.0 0.7 5.21 4.0789 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 316 18.7 0.0 6.32 2.9860 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 307 21.6 0.0 5.29 3.1289 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 300 18.7 0.0 6.00 3.1037 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 282 20.1 0.0 5.22 2.9439 5 Means to debug another process 279 19.0 1.1 5.17 4.0550 12 Package to support multithread programs 270 16.0 0.7 6.00 3.7050 15 Improve directory performance 264 16.4 1.1 5.62 4.2352 63 Allow image-controlled file access 244 14.2 0.4 6.26 3.1180 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 229 11.2 0.0 7.63 2.6972 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 229 12.7 0.0 6.74 3.0482 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 229 18.3 1.9 4.24 4.5305 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 228 12.7 0.0 6.71 3.0702 70 Provide compile/link/go command 226 11.6 0.7 6.85 4.1917 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 220 16.0 0.4 5.00 3.5240 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 220 16.0 0.4 5.00 3.8094 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 204 15.3 0.0 4.98 2.9282 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 202 15.3 0.0 4.93 3.2279 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 199 14.2 0.0 5.24 3.2585 24 Add function for testing file access 194 13.4 0.0 5.39 3.4499 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 187 13.1 0.0 5.34 3.2171 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 184 9.7 0.4 6.81 4.3768 43 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY VAX 8600 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 16 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 80 62.5 0.0 8.00 2.5820 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 60 50.0 0.0 7.50 3.6253 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 59 50.0 0.0 7.38 2.8253 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 53 37.5 0.0 8.83 2.0412 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 48 43.8 0.0 6.86 2.4785 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 48 31.3 0.0 9.60 0.8944 68 Provide true file archiving 48 31.3 0.0 9.60 0.8944 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 45 31.3 0.0 9.00 2.2361 69 Provide command/filename completion 44 31.3 0.0 8.80 2.6833 47 Support for project accounting 40 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 38 25.0 0.0 9.50 1.0000 22 Support a standard print file format 37 31.3 0.0 7.40 2.5100 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 35 25.0 0.0 8.75 2.5000 64 Implement government 34 25.0 0.0 8.50 3.0000 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 32 25.0 0.0 8.00 4.0000 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 30 25.0 0.0 7.50 2.8868 49 Implement tape volume management 30 18.8 0.0 10.00 0.0000 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 30 18.8 0.0 10.00 0.0000 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 30 18.8 0.0 10.00 0.0000 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 29 31.3 0.0 5.80 2.3875 74 Provide DECnet information service 29 25.0 0.0 7.25 3.2016 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 27 31.3 0.0 5.40 2.8810 14 User reserved space in file header 25 18.8 0.0 8.33 2.8868 70 Provide compile/link/go command 25 18.8 0.0 8.33 2.8868 10 Service to return extended error info 24 18.8 0.0 8.00 3.4641 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 23 18.8 6.3 5.75 5.6789 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 21 18.8 0.0 7.00 5.1962 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 21 18.8 0.0 7.00 5.1962 23 Document the cluster interface 20 12.5 0.0 10.00 0.0000 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 20 12.5 0.0 10.00 0.0000 39 Log that one process stopped another 19 18.8 0.0 6.33 3.2145 15 Improve directory performance 19 18.8 0.0 6.33 3.2145 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 19 18.8 0.0 6.33 3.2145 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 16 18.8 0.0 5.33 4.5092 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 15 12.5 0.0 7.50 3.5355 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 15 12.5 0.0 7.50 3.5355 54 Support TECO in full native mode 14 12.5 0.0 7.00 4.2426 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 14 12.5 0.0 7.00 4.2426 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 12 12.5 0.0 6.00 1.4142 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 12 12.5 0.0 6.00 1.4142 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 11 18.8 0.0 3.67 1.1547 5 Means to debug another process 11 12.5 0.0 5.50 6.3640 4 More selective control over traceback 11 18.8 0.0 3.67 2.3094 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 11 12.5 0.0 5.50 3.5355 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 10 6.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 10 18.8 0.0 3.33 2.0817 3 True AND function for event flag wait 10 6.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 10 6.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 9 12.5 0.0 4.50 4.9497 12 Package to support multithread programs 8 6.3 6.3 4.00 8.4853 44 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY 11/782 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 17 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 47 Support for project accounting 69 52.9 0.0 7.67 3.0414 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 66 52.9 0.0 7.33 2.7386 39 Log that one process stopped another 60 52.9 0.0 6.67 2.9155 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 55 52.9 0.0 6.11 3.2956 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 53 41.2 0.0 7.57 2.5071 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 47 47.1 0.0 5.88 3.7201 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 44 41.2 0.0 6.29 3.5456 68 Provide true file archiving 42 41.2 0.0 6.00 3.3166 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 40 35.3 0.0 6.67 3.7771 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 39 35.3 0.0 6.50 3.4496 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 38 23.5 0.0 9.50 1.0000 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 38 23.5 0.0 9.50 1.0000 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 38 35.3 0.0 6.33 3.1411 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 38 35.3 5.9 5.43 7.1147 49 Implement tape volume management 37 29.4 0.0 7.40 3.7148 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 36 29.4 0.0 7.20 1.6432 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 35 23.5 0.0 8.75 2.5000 22 Support a standard print file format 33 29.4 0.0 6.60 3.2094 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 33 23.5 0.0 8.25 2.3629 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 32 35.3 0.0 5.33 3.8297 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 32 29.4 0.0 6.40 3.3615 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 32 29.4 0.0 6.40 3.5071 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 30 17.6 0.0 10.00 0.0000 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 30 23.5 0.0 7.50 2.8868 63 Allow image-controlled file access 29 29.4 0.0 5.80 3.1937 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 28 17.6 0.0 9.33 1.1547 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 25 23.5 0.0 6.25 2.5000 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 24 23.5 0.0 6.00 2.7080 74 Provide DECnet information service 24 17.6 0.0 8.00 3.4641 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 22 17.6 0.0 7.33 4.6188 14 User reserved space in file header 21 23.5 0.0 5.25 3.4034 70 Provide compile/link/go command 20 17.6 0.0 6.67 2.8868 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 20 11.8 0.0 10.00 0.0000 4 More selective control over traceback 20 11.8 0.0 10.00 0.0000 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 20 17.6 0.0 6.67 3.5119 23 Document the cluster interface 18 11.8 0.0 9.00 1.4142 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 16 23.5 0.0 4.00 1.4142 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 14 17.6 0.0 4.67 4.6188 10 Service to return extended error info 14 17.6 5.9 3.50 6.8557 64 Implement government 13 11.8 5.9 4.33 6.0277 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 12 11.8 0.0 6.00 5.6569 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 12 23.5 5.9 2.40 7.5033 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 11 17.6 5.9 2.75 3.3040 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 10 5.9 0.0 10.00 0.0000 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 10 5.9 0.0 10.00 0.0000 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 10 5.9 0.0 10.00 0.0000 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 10 11.8 0.0 5.00 0.0000 54 Support TECO in full native mode 10 5.9 0.0 10.00 0.0000 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 8 11.8 0.0 4.00 2.8284 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 7 17.6 0.0 2.33 0.5774 45 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY 11/780 and 11/785 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 186 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 633 47.8 0.0 7.11 2.7979 47 Support for project accounting 575 38.7 0.0 7.99 2.9094 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 545 45.2 0.5 6.41 3.5197 68 Provide true file archiving 541 35.5 0.0 8.20 2.5614 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 522 38.7 0.0 7.25 3.0059 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 502 44.1 1.6 5.91 4.1680 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 475 36.6 0.0 6.99 2.8884 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 455 37.6 0.5 6.41 3.4375 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 420 32.3 0.0 7.00 2.9802 49 Implement tape volume management 394 26.9 0.5 7.73 3.6882 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 374 31.7 2.7 5.84 4.8932 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 360 26.3 0.0 7.35 3.2181 22 Support a standard print file format 354 27.4 0.0 6.94 3.1901 39 Log that one process stopped another 348 33.3 0.0 5.61 3.1848 74 Provide DECnet information service 327 25.8 0.0 6.81 3.0082 10 Service to return extended error info 322 29.0 1.1 5.75 4.0553 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 306 25.3 0.0 6.51 3.1614 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 302 32.8 0.5 4.87 3.3264 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 302 29.0 1.1 5.39 4.1283 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 293 28.5 0.0 5.53 3.1720 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 291 25.8 0.0 6.06 3.4047 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 288 26.9 0.5 5.65 3.8978 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 279 26.3 0.0 5.69 3.3053 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 263 18.3 0.0 7.74 2.9676 69 Provide command/filename completion 261 20.4 1.1 6.53 4.4721 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 257 24.2 1.6 5.35 4.2451 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 250 19.4 0.0 6.94 3.2244 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 230 19.4 0.0 6.39 3.0074 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 223 21.0 0.5 5.57 4.2055 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 216 21.5 0.0 5.40 3.1607 15 Improve directory performance 215 17.7 1.6 5.97 4.5825 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 209 18.3 0.0 6.15 3.3315 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 198 18.3 0.0 5.82 3.0696 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 198 14.5 0.0 7.33 2.4807 5 Means to debug another process 183 18.3 1.6 4.95 4.4842 63 Allow image-controlled file access 181 15.6 0.0 6.24 2.8241 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 178 12.4 0.0 7.74 2.6666 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 176 14.0 0.0 6.77 2.8887 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 164 17.2 0.0 5.13 3.2602 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 158 12.4 0.0 6.87 3.7088 12 Package to support multithread programs 154 13.4 1.1 5.70 3.9596 23 Document the cluster interface 150 11.3 0.0 7.14 2.6322 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 148 15.6 0.0 5.10 3.2331 24 Add function for testing file access 148 14.0 0.0 5.69 3.8028 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 147 15.1 0.0 5.25 3.2045 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 133 15.1 0.0 4.75 3.0383 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 129 14.5 2.2 4.16 4.9470 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 126 14.0 0.0 4.85 2.9352 70 Provide compile/link/go command 123 8.6 0.5 7.24 4.2943 4 More selective control over traceback 123 14.0 0.0 4.73 3.1312 46 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY 11/750 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 175 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 596 50.3 0.0 6.77 3.0238 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 540 46.3 0.0 6.67 3.0000 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 533 41.7 0.0 7.30 2.7471 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 460 40.6 2.9 6.05 4.7297 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 443 34.3 0.0 7.38 3.0648 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 413 39.4 0.6 5.90 3.5351 47 Support for project accounting 412 30.9 0.6 7.49 3.6660 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 376 38.3 0.0 5.61 3.2704 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 374 37.1 4.6 5.12 5.1369 68 Provide true file archiving 369 26.9 0.0 7.85 3.0430 39 Log that one process stopped another 355 37.7 0.0 5.38 3.1854 49 Implement tape volume management 344 28.0 0.6 6.88 3.9468 22 Support a standard print file format 343 29.1 0.0 6.73 3.2067 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 310 30.3 0.6 5.74 3.4268 10 Service to return extended error info 302 29.1 1.1 5.70 4.2543 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 301 29.7 0.6 5.68 3.7814 74 Provide DECnet information service 295 21.7 0.0 7.76 2.8326 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 294 25.1 0.0 6.68 3.0176 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 291 22.3 0.0 7.46 3.1191 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 286 25.7 0.0 6.36 3.2902 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 285 29.7 0.0 5.48 3.2869 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 254 23.4 0.0 6.20 3.3408 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 248 22.3 0.0 6.36 3.5651 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 240 24.0 0.6 5.58 4.0955 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 239 26.3 0.0 5.20 3.1876 69 Provide command/filename completion 228 18.3 1.1 6.71 4.7324 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 220 18.9 0.0 6.67 3.4065 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 203 14.3 0.0 8.12 2.9200 12 Package to support multithread programs 201 18.3 0.6 6.09 3.6087 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 199 18.9 0.0 6.03 2.8776 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 198 20.0 0.0 5.66 3.0769 5 Means to debug another process 189 19.4 1.1 5.25 4.3777 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 189 21.7 0.6 4.85 3.5655 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 183 19.4 0.0 5.38 3.0946 70 Provide compile/link/go command 178 13.7 1.1 6.85 4.3881 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 171 20.6 0.0 4.75 2.8723 15 Improve directory performance 168 17.1 0.6 5.42 4.1294 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 164 12.6 0.0 7.45 3.0973 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 164 11.4 0.0 8.20 2.4623 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 160 16.0 0.6 5.52 4.2310 63 Allow image-controlled file access 158 14.3 0.6 6.08 3.2239 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 149 17.1 0.0 4.97 2.7478 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 139 11.4 0.0 6.95 3.4255 24 Add function for testing file access 139 13.7 0.0 5.79 3.2434 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 136 10.9 0.0 7.16 3.4199 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 136 19.4 2.3 3.58 4.3597 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 134 16.6 0.0 4.62 3.0521 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 132 14.9 0.6 4.89 3.9158 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 127 12.6 0.0 5.77 3.0384 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 124 11.4 0.6 5.90 4.5815 47 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY 11/730 and 11/725 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 75 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 250 48.0 0.0 6.94 3.0514 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 240 45.3 0.0 7.06 2.8063 47 Support for project accounting 228 40.0 0.0 7.60 3.0126 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 192 36.0 0.0 7.11 3.2621 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 190 37.3 1.3 6.55 4.2894 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 180 37.3 0.0 6.43 2.7679 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 172 29.3 0.0 7.82 2.9218 39 Log that one process stopped another 162 36.0 0.0 6.00 3.3968 68 Provide true file archiving 157 28.0 0.0 7.48 3.3109 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 146 37.3 0.0 5.21 3.3373 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 145 29.3 0.0 6.59 3.3045 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 143 28.0 0.0 6.81 3.3409 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 142 32.0 0.0 5.92 3.1056 74 Provide DECnet information service 139 25.3 0.0 7.32 3.3508 10 Service to return extended error info 137 30.7 2.7 5.48 5.1407 49 Implement tape volume management 130 24.0 1.3 6.84 4.8678 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 127 30.7 1.3 5.29 4.7226 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 126 29.3 1.3 5.48 4.6404 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 126 22.7 0.0 7.41 2.2377 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 125 21.3 0.0 7.81 3.0380 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 121 29.3 0.0 5.50 3.2477 22 Support a standard print file format 118 25.3 0.0 6.21 3.1724 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 115 30.7 0.0 5.00 3.0600 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 113 28.0 4.0 4.71 5.3931 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 113 20.0 0.0 7.53 3.2921 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 111 30.7 1.3 4.63 3.9871 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 111 24.0 0.0 6.17 3.3650 63 Allow image-controlled file access 99 22.7 1.3 5.50 3.5189 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 95 22.7 0.0 5.59 3.2607 69 Provide command/filename completion 94 18.7 2.7 5.88 6.0539 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 84 16.0 0.0 7.00 3.3029 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 82 20.0 0.0 5.47 3.4407 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 82 20.0 0.0 5.47 3.7582 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 81 16.0 0.0 6.75 3.0488 15 Improve directory performance 81 18.7 1.3 5.40 5.0822 24 Add function for testing file access 81 18.7 0.0 5.79 3.4458 12 Package to support multithread programs 80 17.3 0.0 6.15 3.6707 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 79 18.7 0.0 5.64 3.0786 5 Means to debug another process 75 14.7 1.3 6.25 4.0480 70 Provide compile/link/go command 73 12.0 1.3 7.30 5.0122 14 User reserved space in file header 68 14.7 0.0 6.18 3.8941 23 Document the cluster interface 66 12.0 0.0 7.33 3.0822 54 Support TECO in full native mode 66 12.0 1.3 6.60 6.5184 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 64 18.7 2.7 4.00 5.3666 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 64 17.3 0.0 4.92 3.0403 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 62 16.0 0.0 5.17 2.7579 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 62 13.3 0.0 6.20 3.4577 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 59 9.3 0.0 8.43 2.6992 20 Support a "time change" AST. 56 13.3 0.0 5.60 3.3066 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 54 14.7 0.0 4.91 3.4772 48 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY MicroVAX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 42 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 165 57.1 0.0 6.88 3.1666 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 125 40.5 0.0 7.35 3.0195 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 125 45.2 0.0 6.58 2.8542 47 Support for project accounting 115 35.7 0.0 7.67 2.8200 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 114 38.1 2.4 6.71 4.9845 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 110 38.1 0.0 6.88 3.2429 74 Provide DECnet information service 109 38.1 0.0 6.81 2.9937 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 107 38.1 0.0 6.69 2.7981 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 107 38.1 0.0 6.69 3.4394 39 Log that one process stopped another 93 33.3 0.0 6.64 3.3651 10 Service to return extended error info 92 28.6 0.0 7.67 3.5505 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 90 33.3 0.0 6.43 3.8970 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 87 23.8 0.0 8.70 2.8304 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 80 35.7 0.0 5.33 2.9681 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 79 26.2 0.0 7.18 3.1565 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 78 28.6 0.0 6.50 3.3166 68 Provide true file archiving 77 26.2 0.0 7.00 3.6332 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 73 21.4 0.0 8.11 3.0185 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 68 31.0 0.0 5.23 3.2699 23 Document the cluster interface 68 21.4 0.0 7.56 2.8771 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 68 28.6 0.0 5.67 3.0847 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 68 19.0 0.0 8.50 2.5071 15 Improve directory performance 67 23.8 0.0 6.70 2.9078 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 66 26.2 0.0 6.00 3.6878 22 Support a standard print file format 66 26.2 0.0 6.00 3.4351 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 63 23.8 0.0 6.30 3.7431 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 63 28.6 0.0 5.25 3.4145 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 62 28.6 0.0 5.17 3.1575 63 Allow image-controlled file access 59 23.8 0.0 5.90 2.8848 24 Add function for testing file access 56 21.4 0.0 6.22 3.8006 49 Implement tape volume management 56 21.4 0.0 6.22 2.2236 69 Provide command/filename completion 53 16.7 0.0 7.57 3.3094 12 Package to support multithread programs 51 21.4 0.0 5.67 4.1231 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 50 23.8 4.8 4.17 6.5343 54 Support TECO in full native mode 47 16.7 0.0 6.71 3.4503 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 47 16.7 0.0 6.71 3.3523 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 45 19.0 0.0 5.63 3.8891 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 41 14.3 0.0 6.83 3.7103 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 36 14.3 0.0 6.00 3.2249 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 36 14.3 0.0 6.00 3.2249 14 User reserved space in file header 36 14.3 0.0 6.00 4.5166 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 35 11.9 0.0 7.00 4.1231 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 34 14.3 0.0 5.67 3.5024 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 33 19.0 0.0 4.13 2.9490 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 33 16.7 0.0 4.71 3.0938 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 32 14.3 0.0 5.33 2.8752 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 31 14.3 0.0 5.17 3.9707 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 31 14.3 0.0 5.17 2.5626 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 27 11.9 0.0 5.40 3.5071 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 27 9.5 0.0 6.75 4.2720 49 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY BUSINESS EDP USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 103 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 419 54.4 0.0 7.48 2.8025 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 335 45.6 1.0 6.98 3.8509 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 313 43.7 0.0 6.96 2.9461 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 296 36.9 0.0 7.79 2.9515 49 Implement tape volume management 293 37.9 1.0 7.32 3.9444 47 Support for project accounting 270 34.0 0.0 7.71 2.8858 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 253 37.9 1.0 6.32 3.9897 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 235 35.0 0.0 6.53 2.8029 22 Support a standard print file format 229 29.1 0.0 7.63 2.9418 39 Log that one process stopped another 217 36.9 0.0 5.71 3.1870 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 207 37.9 0.0 5.31 2.9838 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 206 36.9 1.9 5.15 4.4696 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 204 22.3 0.0 8.87 2.6681 10 Service to return extended error info 202 31.1 1.0 6.12 4.1964 68 Provide true file archiving 201 22.3 0.0 8.74 2.2607 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 195 32.0 0.0 5.91 2.6735 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 194 23.3 0.0 8.08 3.0348 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 194 25.2 0.0 7.46 3.1904 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 192 23.3 0.0 8.00 2.7819 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 190 29.1 0.0 6.33 3.2940 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 177 29.1 0.0 5.90 3.4376 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 171 32.0 4.9 4.50 5.4114 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 160 22.3 0.0 6.96 3.5353 74 Provide DECnet information service 160 20.4 0.0 7.62 2.7654 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 138 22.3 0.0 6.00 3.6432 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 137 17.5 0.0 7.61 2.7038 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 131 22.3 0.0 5.70 3.0665 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 130 22.3 0.0 5.65 3.0542 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 128 21.4 1.9 5.33 4.7243 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 115 16.5 0.0 6.76 2.6582 12 Package to support multithread programs 115 17.5 0.0 6.39 3.5002 5 Means to debug another process 114 16.5 0.0 6.71 3.4235 15 Improve directory performance 110 18.4 0.0 5.79 2.7805 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 109 14.6 0.0 7.27 3.0111 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 109 17.5 0.0 6.06 3.5226 69 Provide command/filename completion 107 14.6 1.0 6.69 5.2500 70 Provide compile/link/go command 103 11.7 0.0 8.58 2.6097 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 103 19.4 0.0 5.15 3.0136 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 91 16.5 1.9 4.79 5.4628 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 91 12.6 0.0 7.00 3.5119 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 90 16.5 0.0 5.29 2.8672 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 88 14.6 0.0 5.87 2.9488 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 81 14.6 1.0 5.06 4.8369 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 81 12.6 0.0 6.23 3.3949 63 Allow image-controlled file access 78 10.7 1.0 6.50 3.5802 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 77 16.5 1.0 4.28 3.5778 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 77 13.6 0.0 5.50 2.9548 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 66 10.7 0.0 6.00 3.4351 24 Add function for testing file access 61 9.7 0.0 6.10 3.1073 23 Document the cluster interface 61 7.8 0.0 7.63 3.5026 50 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS -- Total ballots in this category: 181 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 656 51.4 0.0 7.05 2.8260 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 593 45.9 0.0 7.14 2.8074 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 579 47.5 0.0 6.73 2.9443 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 530 39.2 0.0 7.46 2.8377 47 Support for project accounting 523 37.0 0.6 7.69 3.4910 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 508 45.3 1.1 6.05 3.9175 68 Provide true file archiving 430 29.8 0.0 7.96 2.9006 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 411 36.5 0.0 6.23 2.9498 22 Support a standard print file format 395 30.9 0.0 7.05 3.0832 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 344 35.4 0.6 5.29 3.4311 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 341 28.7 0.0 6.56 3.2745 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 337 23.2 0.0 8.02 2.7452 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 317 27.6 0.0 6.34 3.1273 10 Service to return extended error info 312 29.8 0.6 5.67 3.4590 49 Implement tape volume management 310 23.2 0.6 7.21 3.9974 39 Log that one process stopped another 310 32.6 0.0 5.25 3.1327 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 293 30.9 0.6 5.14 3.5377 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 286 29.8 5.0 4.54 5.3726 69 Provide command/filename completion 281 21.0 1.1 7.03 4.3823 74 Provide DECnet information service 280 22.1 0.0 7.00 2.8912 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 270 25.4 1.7 5.51 4.1889 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 270 21.5 0.0 6.92 2.9414 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 260 24.9 0.6 5.65 3.7429 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 258 24.9 0.0 5.73 3.2009 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 249 24.3 0.0 5.66 3.3684 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 247 24.9 0.0 5.49 3.1811 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 240 22.1 0.0 6.00 3.0884 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 239 19.3 0.0 6.83 3.2583 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 237 23.2 0.6 5.51 4.0495 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 217 20.4 0.0 5.86 2.9170 15 Improve directory performance 214 19.9 1.1 5.63 4.2707 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 213 21.0 0.0 5.61 3.2008 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 200 13.8 0.0 8.00 2.9011 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 196 21.0 0.0 5.16 3.1238 5 Means to debug another process 188 19.3 1.7 4.95 4.2231 63 Allow image-controlled file access 183 16.6 0.6 5.90 3.2286 12 Package to support multithread programs 176 16.6 1.1 5.50 3.8353 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 173 18.8 0.6 4.94 3.5723 24 Add function for testing file access 169 16.6 0.0 5.63 3.5669 70 Provide compile/link/go command 166 12.7 0.6 6.92 3.8212 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 165 15.5 0.0 5.89 3.1191 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 165 12.2 0.0 7.50 2.5588 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 157 12.7 0.0 6.83 3.6388 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 150 16.0 0.0 5.17 3.0597 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 145 16.6 0.0 4.83 2.9952 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 145 15.5 0.0 5.18 3.2666 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 142 11.6 0.0 6.76 3.3302 23 Document the cluster interface 134 10.5 0.0 7.05 3.1530 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 129 14.9 0.0 4.78 3.0551 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 127 11.6 0.0 6.05 3.2012 51 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY EDUCATIONAL USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 33 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 133 54.5 0.0 7.39 2.8726 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 122 54.5 3.0 6.42 5.2632 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 108 45.5 0.0 7.20 2.4260 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 108 48.5 0.0 6.75 3.2558 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 88 39.4 0.0 6.77 2.8034 68 Provide true file archiving 86 30.3 0.0 8.60 2.5473 47 Support for project accounting 83 30.3 0.0 8.30 2.3594 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 76 27.3 0.0 8.44 2.3511 10 Service to return extended error info 74 30.3 0.0 7.40 3.0984 39 Log that one process stopped another 73 36.4 0.0 6.08 2.8749 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 68 33.3 0.0 6.18 3.1880 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 68 36.4 0.0 5.67 3.2287 63 Allow image-controlled file access 64 24.2 0.0 8.00 2.4495 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 63 24.2 0.0 7.88 2.5319 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 62 30.3 0.0 6.20 3.3267 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 59 24.2 0.0 7.38 2.8754 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 58 21.2 0.0 8.29 2.6277 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 58 39.4 0.0 4.46 2.8465 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 57 27.3 0.0 6.33 3.2016 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 56 24.2 0.0 7.00 3.0237 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 55 27.3 0.0 6.11 3.2575 22 Support a standard print file format 54 24.2 0.0 6.75 3.8079 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 49 24.2 0.0 6.13 3.3568 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 49 27.3 0.0 5.44 3.1269 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 47 24.2 0.0 5.88 2.9001 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 45 27.3 0.0 5.00 3.3166 12 Package to support multithread programs 44 15.2 3.0 7.33 4.6762 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 44 24.2 0.0 5.50 3.9641 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 39 15.2 0.0 7.80 3.3466 49 Implement tape volume management 39 24.2 0.0 4.88 2.9970 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 38 15.2 0.0 7.60 3.3615 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 38 15.2 0.0 7.60 2.8810 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 37 18.2 0.0 6.17 3.4303 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 35 18.2 0.0 5.83 3.6009 69 Provide command/filename completion 34 18.2 0.0 5.67 3.9328 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 34 15.2 0.0 6.80 3.1145 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 33 18.2 0.0 5.50 3.0822 74 Provide DECnet information service 33 18.2 0.0 5.50 3.7283 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 32 15.2 0.0 6.40 2.3022 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 31 12.1 0.0 7.75 3.3040 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 31 18.2 0.0 5.17 3.8687 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 30 15.2 0.0 6.00 3.8079 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 28 15.2 0.0 5.60 4.1593 70 Provide compile/link/go command 27 12.1 0.0 6.75 3.9476 23 Document the cluster interface 27 9.1 0.0 9.00 1.0000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 24 21.2 3.0 3.00 6.2792 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 24 21.2 3.0 3.00 3.2071 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 23 12.1 0.0 5.75 0.9574 15 Improve directory performance 23 9.1 0.0 7.67 2.5166 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 22 12.1 0.0 5.50 4.2032 52 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY COMPUTER SCI. RESEARCHERS -- Total ballots in this category: 19 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 69 52.6 0.0 6.90 2.5144 10 Service to return extended error info 68 52.6 0.0 6.80 4.1312 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 60 42.1 0.0 7.50 3.2514 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 58 47.4 0.0 6.44 3.2830 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 54 42.1 0.0 6.75 3.8079 47 Support for project accounting 54 36.8 0.0 7.71 2.4976 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 52 36.8 0.0 7.43 3.0472 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 52 42.1 0.0 6.50 4.0356 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 51 52.6 0.0 5.10 3.9001 68 Provide true file archiving 50 26.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 47 42.1 0.0 5.88 3.6815 74 Provide DECnet information service 46 31.6 0.0 7.67 3.8297 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 45 31.6 0.0 7.50 3.9875 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 44 52.6 10.5 3.67 7.3526 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 41 31.6 0.0 6.83 3.5449 39 Log that one process stopped another 37 47.4 0.0 4.11 3.5862 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 37 36.8 0.0 5.29 4.4615 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 37 31.6 0.0 6.17 3.1885 12 Package to support multithread programs 34 26.3 0.0 6.80 3.4205 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 32 26.3 0.0 6.40 3.7815 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 32 21.1 0.0 8.00 4.0000 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 30 26.3 0.0 6.00 4.0620 63 Allow image-controlled file access 28 21.1 0.0 7.00 3.5590 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 28 36.8 0.0 4.00 4.1633 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 28 15.8 0.0 9.33 1.1547 15 Improve directory performance 25 21.1 0.0 6.25 4.3493 69 Provide command/filename completion 25 15.8 0.0 8.33 2.8868 20 Support a "time change" AST. 25 21.1 0.0 6.25 4.3493 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 24 15.8 0.0 8.00 3.4641 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 23 15.8 0.0 7.67 4.0415 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 22 21.1 0.0 5.50 3.1091 3 True AND function for event flag wait 22 21.1 0.0 5.50 5.1962 5 Means to debug another process 21 21.1 0.0 5.25 3.6856 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 21 21.1 0.0 5.25 3.2016 22 Support a standard print file format 20 10.5 0.0 10.00 0.0000 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 19 21.1 0.0 4.75 3.7749 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 19 21.1 0.0 4.75 4.1130 49 Implement tape volume management 17 15.8 0.0 5.67 4.0415 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 16 15.8 0.0 5.33 4.5092 70 Provide compile/link/go command 15 10.5 0.0 7.50 3.5355 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 15 10.5 0.0 7.50 3.5355 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 15 10.5 0.0 7.50 3.5355 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 13 15.8 0.0 4.33 4.9329 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 13 10.5 0.0 6.50 4.9497 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 13 10.5 0.0 6.50 4.9497 50 Provide 3279 emulator for the VT241 13 10.5 0.0 6.50 4.9497 24 Add function for testing file access 12 10.5 0.0 6.00 5.6569 18 Improve group global section access 12 10.5 0.0 6.00 5.6569 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 12 10.5 0.0 6.00 5.6569 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 12 10.5 0.0 6.00 5.6569 53 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY REAL-TIME USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 48 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 206 58.3 0.0 7.36 2.9340 47 Support for project accounting 140 35.4 0.0 8.24 2.3057 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 139 43.8 0.0 6.62 2.7654 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 132 39.6 0.0 6.95 2.7983 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 127 35.4 0.0 7.47 3.0643 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 116 33.3 0.0 7.25 2.7689 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 115 35.4 0.0 6.76 2.5379 10 Service to return extended error info 109 33.3 0.0 6.81 3.5444 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 107 37.5 0.0 5.94 2.9798 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 105 35.4 0.0 6.18 3.2256 68 Provide true file archiving 102 29.2 0.0 7.29 3.1483 74 Provide DECnet information service 101 35.4 0.0 5.94 2.9255 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 97 41.7 2.1 4.62 4.5329 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 96 29.2 0.0 6.86 3.0849 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 94 22.9 0.0 8.55 2.5832 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 88 29.2 0.0 6.29 3.4736 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 84 29.2 0.0 6.00 3.3512 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 75 27.1 0.0 5.77 3.4437 5 Means to debug another process 74 25.0 2.1 5.69 3.9451 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 73 29.2 0.0 5.21 3.0679 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 72 18.8 0.0 8.00 2.6926 12 Package to support multithread programs 69 20.8 4.2 5.75 5.2071 49 Implement tape volume management 69 18.8 0.0 7.67 2.7839 39 Log that one process stopped another 67 31.3 0.0 4.47 2.6421 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 65 16.7 0.0 8.13 2.2321 70 Provide compile/link/go command 63 16.7 2.1 7.00 5.2202 22 Support a standard print file format 62 22.9 0.0 5.64 3.2946 63 Allow image-controlled file access 59 22.9 2.1 4.92 3.4499 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 57 18.8 0.0 6.33 3.7417 23 Document the cluster interface 57 16.7 0.0 7.13 2.8504 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 57 22.9 0.0 5.18 2.9939 14 User reserved space in file header 55 20.8 0.0 5.50 3.4400 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 54 18.8 0.0 6.00 3.1225 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 54 27.1 2.1 3.86 3.7387 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 54 18.8 0.0 6.00 3.0822 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 53 22.9 4.2 4.08 4.3486 15 Improve directory performance 52 18.8 2.1 5.20 6.0516 4 More selective control over traceback 52 16.7 0.0 6.50 3.4641 24 Add function for testing file access 48 20.8 0.0 4.80 3.0478 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 47 12.5 0.0 7.83 3.4881 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 47 22.9 8.3 3.13 7.2690 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 45 10.4 0.0 9.00 2.2361 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 45 14.6 0.0 6.43 3.6904 54 Support TECO in full native mode 44 18.8 2.1 4.40 5.9479 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 39 18.8 0.0 4.33 2.5495 20 Support a "time change" AST. 39 14.6 0.0 5.57 3.5989 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 36 12.5 0.0 6.00 3.2249 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 36 20.8 4.2 3.00 5.2397 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 35 14.6 0.0 5.00 2.8868 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 35 14.6 0.0 5.00 2.7689 54 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY CAD/CAM USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 49 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 68 Provide true file archiving 205 49.0 0.0 8.54 2.6699 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 189 55.1 0.0 7.00 2.7596 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 159 46.9 0.0 6.91 3.3291 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 158 51.0 0.0 6.32 2.8537 47 Support for project accounting 151 38.8 2.0 7.55 4.7292 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 132 34.7 0.0 7.76 2.4882 49 Implement tape volume management 129 28.6 0.0 9.21 2.0069 22 Support a standard print file format 107 32.7 0.0 6.69 3.1983 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 101 34.7 0.0 5.94 2.6094 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 100 34.7 0.0 5.88 3.3332 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 97 30.6 0.0 6.47 3.1818 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 95 34.7 0.0 5.59 3.2607 74 Provide DECnet information service 94 28.6 0.0 6.71 2.7296 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 93 28.6 0.0 6.64 3.1035 69 Provide command/filename completion 91 22.4 2.0 7.58 4.3996 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 89 24.5 0.0 7.42 3.1176 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 88 24.5 0.0 7.33 3.0251 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 86 24.5 0.0 7.17 2.2896 10 Service to return extended error info 82 26.5 0.0 6.31 3.3011 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 82 26.5 0.0 6.31 3.2758 39 Log that one process stopped another 79 30.6 0.0 5.27 3.1275 12 Package to support multithread programs 77 24.5 0.0 6.42 3.5280 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 77 30.6 0.0 5.13 3.0907 15 Improve directory performance 76 24.5 0.0 6.33 3.3665 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 71 22.4 0.0 6.45 2.5832 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 70 22.4 0.0 6.36 3.1392 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 68 20.4 0.0 6.80 2.7809 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 66 26.5 6.1 4.13 6.2809 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 65 22.4 0.0 5.91 3.4483 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 61 22.4 0.0 5.55 3.0451 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 58 24.5 2.0 4.46 4.8754 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 55 22.4 2.0 4.58 4.1661 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 52 14.3 0.0 7.43 3.3594 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 46 14.3 0.0 6.57 3.5523 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 46 14.3 0.0 6.57 3.9097 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 45 10.2 0.0 9.00 2.2361 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 42 12.2 0.0 7.00 2.6833 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 42 14.3 0.0 6.00 3.8730 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 42 14.3 0.0 6.00 3.4157 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 37 8.2 0.0 9.25 0.9574 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 37 14.3 0.0 5.29 3.4503 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 37 20.4 0.0 3.70 2.5841 70 Provide compile/link/go command 35 12.2 4.1 4.38 6.2321 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 35 12.2 0.0 5.83 3.3714 5 Means to debug another process 34 16.3 0.0 4.25 2.2520 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 33 12.2 0.0 5.50 3.6194 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 33 12.2 0.0 5.50 2.9496 20 Support a "time change" AST. 32 12.2 0.0 5.33 3.8816 14 User reserved space in file header 32 10.2 2.0 5.33 6.0553 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 30 8.2 0.0 7.50 2.8868 55 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY SERVICE BUREAU OPERATORS -- Total ballots in this category: 13 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 53 53.8 0.0 7.57 2.4397 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 50 46.2 0.0 8.33 2.5820 47 Support for project accounting 47 46.2 0.0 7.83 2.3166 15 Improve directory performance 41 46.2 0.0 6.83 3.3116 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 39 38.5 0.0 7.80 2.5884 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 38 46.2 0.0 6.33 2.9439 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 35 38.5 0.0 7.00 2.7386 39 Log that one process stopped another 34 30.8 0.0 8.50 2.3805 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 30 23.1 0.0 10.00 0.0000 22 Support a standard print file format 30 30.8 0.0 7.50 2.8868 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 30 23.1 0.0 10.00 0.0000 63 Allow image-controlled file access 30 23.1 0.0 10.00 0.0000 68 Provide true file archiving 30 30.8 0.0 7.50 2.8868 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 30 23.1 0.0 10.00 0.0000 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 30 30.8 0.0 7.50 2.8868 54 Support TECO in full native mode 29 30.8 0.0 7.25 2.6300 10 Service to return extended error info 27 38.5 0.0 5.40 2.8810 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 26 30.8 0.0 6.50 3.6968 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 26 23.1 0.0 8.67 2.3094 14 User reserved space in file header 25 23.1 0.0 8.33 2.8868 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 24 30.8 0.0 6.00 2.0000 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 24 30.8 0.0 6.00 2.7080 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 24 23.1 0.0 8.00 2.6458 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 24 23.1 0.0 8.00 2.6458 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 21 30.8 0.0 5.25 3.6856 24 Add function for testing file access 20 15.4 0.0 10.00 0.0000 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 20 15.4 0.0 10.00 0.0000 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 16 23.1 0.0 5.33 4.5092 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 15 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.5355 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 15 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.5355 23 Document the cluster interface 15 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.5355 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 15 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.5355 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 15 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.5355 20 Support a "time change" AST. 15 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.5355 74 Provide DECnet information service 15 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.5355 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 12 15.4 0.0 6.00 1.4142 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 10 7.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 10 7.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 10 15.4 0.0 5.00 0.0000 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 10 15.4 0.0 5.00 0.0000 69 Provide command/filename completion 10 7.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 70 Provide compile/link/go command 10 7.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 10 15.4 0.0 5.00 0.0000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 10 7.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 38 Allow ERF to run with input from mailbox 10 7.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 10 7.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 5 7.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 5 7.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 49 Implement tape volume management 5 7.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 5 7.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 56 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY HARDWARE DEVELOPERS -- Total ballots in this category: 26 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 113 65.4 0.0 6.65 2.3436 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 87 53.8 0.0 6.21 2.6654 68 Provide true file archiving 77 38.5 0.0 7.70 2.9833 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 71 53.8 0.0 5.07 3.4073 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 66 46.2 0.0 5.50 2.9695 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 63 42.3 0.0 5.73 2.6867 74 Provide DECnet information service 61 30.8 0.0 7.63 2.8253 10 Service to return extended error info 60 34.6 0.0 6.67 3.0000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 54 42.3 0.0 4.91 3.2390 47 Support for project accounting 52 38.5 3.8 4.73 5.9176 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 50 34.6 0.0 5.56 3.5395 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 49 30.8 0.0 6.13 3.7961 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 48 38.5 0.0 4.80 3.3599 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 48 26.9 0.0 6.86 2.4785 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 46 26.9 0.0 6.57 2.6992 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 44 34.6 0.0 4.89 3.1002 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 43 30.8 0.0 5.38 2.3867 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 41 30.8 0.0 5.13 3.1368 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 40 30.8 0.0 5.00 3.2514 49 Implement tape volume management 39 26.9 0.0 5.57 3.3594 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 38 30.8 0.0 4.75 3.6154 39 Log that one process stopped another 37 34.6 0.0 4.11 2.2608 22 Support a standard print file format 36 34.6 0.0 4.00 2.7386 5 Means to debug another process 34 23.1 0.0 5.67 3.8297 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 34 19.2 0.0 6.80 3.8341 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 31 26.9 0.0 4.43 4.0356 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 31 15.4 0.0 7.75 2.8723 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 30 15.4 0.0 7.50 3.7859 24 Add function for testing file access 30 23.1 0.0 5.00 4.0000 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 30 11.5 0.0 10.00 0.0000 63 Allow image-controlled file access 29 19.2 0.0 5.80 3.1937 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 28 26.9 0.0 4.00 3.0551 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 28 19.2 0.0 5.60 3.2094 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 27 23.1 0.0 4.50 2.3452 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 27 15.4 0.0 6.75 3.9476 4 More selective control over traceback 27 19.2 0.0 5.40 4.3359 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 23 19.2 0.0 4.60 3.2094 23 Document the cluster interface 23 15.4 0.0 5.75 2.8723 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 22 11.5 0.0 7.33 2.5166 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 22 19.2 3.8 3.67 4.8854 54 Support TECO in full native mode 20 15.4 3.8 4.00 8.2462 15 Improve directory performance 20 19.2 3.8 3.33 7.3666 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 19 11.5 0.0 6.33 3.2145 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 19 30.8 7.7 1.90 6.6575 14 User reserved space in file header 18 19.2 0.0 3.60 3.7815 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 17 19.2 3.8 2.83 7.3326 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 16 11.5 0.0 5.33 4.1633 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 14 15.4 0.0 3.50 2.3805 57 Provide merged source/errors file 14 7.7 0.0 7.00 4.2426 12 Package to support multithread programs 13 15.4 0.0 3.25 1.5000 57 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY SCIENTIFIC/ENGINEERING USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 157 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 546 53.5 0.6 6.42 3.5703 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 530 50.3 0.0 6.71 2.7788 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 491 42.0 0.0 7.44 2.6552 47 Support for project accounting 484 39.5 0.6 7.68 3.7106 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 450 44.6 0.6 6.34 3.5211 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 448 37.6 0.0 7.59 2.6853 68 Provide true file archiving 395 31.2 0.0 8.06 2.7341 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 355 33.1 0.0 6.83 3.0468 22 Support a standard print file format 337 31.8 0.0 6.74 3.1024 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 328 40.1 3.2 4.82 4.7125 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 293 28.7 0.0 6.51 2.9590 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 288 25.5 0.0 7.20 3.1395 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 282 31.8 3.8 5.04 4.8914 69 Provide command/filename completion 280 23.6 0.6 7.37 3.9485 49 Implement tape volume management 279 21.7 0.0 8.21 2.5676 74 Provide DECnet information service 273 25.5 0.0 6.82 2.9690 10 Service to return extended error info 270 28.0 0.6 6.00 3.5291 39 Log that one process stopped another 263 32.5 0.0 5.16 3.1393 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 257 29.3 0.6 5.47 3.8778 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 247 31.8 0.6 4.84 3.4373 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 246 26.1 0.0 6.00 3.5285 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 230 25.5 0.0 5.75 3.3263 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 225 26.8 0.0 5.36 3.2447 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 202 24.2 0.6 5.18 3.6409 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 198 20.4 0.0 6.19 3.1565 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 186 22.3 1.9 4.89 4.3421 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 180 22.9 0.0 5.00 2.9374 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 178 17.8 0.0 6.36 2.6417 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 177 19.1 0.0 5.90 3.2308 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 174 18.5 0.0 6.00 3.0472 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 172 21.0 0.0 5.21 2.5465 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 151 19.7 0.0 4.87 3.0522 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 151 19.7 0.6 4.72 3.3431 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 146 14.6 0.0 6.35 3.0542 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 142 12.1 0.0 7.47 2.9883 12 Package to support multithread programs 142 14.6 1.3 5.68 4.2004 70 Provide compile/link/go command 139 12.7 0.6 6.62 4.0801 63 Allow image-controlled file access 138 14.6 0.0 6.00 2.9077 5 Means to debug another process 136 17.2 1.3 4.69 3.6066 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 136 15.9 0.0 5.44 3.1765 4 More selective control over traceback 132 15.9 0.0 5.28 3.1559 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 131 17.8 0.0 4.68 2.9571 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 127 12.1 0.0 6.68 3.5909 15 Improve directory performance 126 12.7 1.9 5.48 5.2559 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 124 10.8 0.0 7.29 3.1774 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 124 18.5 2.5 3.76 4.5623 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 116 14.6 0.0 5.04 2.9151 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 111 13.4 0.6 5.05 3.3163 64 Implement government 107 9.6 0.6 6.69 3.6827 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 102 15.3 0.6 4.08 3.9678 58 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY OFFICE AUTOMATION USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 76 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 265 48.7 0.0 7.16 2.7740 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 255 50.0 0.0 6.71 2.7402 22 Support a standard print file format 239 40.8 0.0 7.71 2.6732 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 224 36.8 0.0 8.00 2.7352 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 214 40.8 0.0 6.90 2.5994 68 Provide true file archiving 205 31.6 0.0 8.54 2.4491 47 Support for project accounting 197 34.2 0.0 7.58 2.8868 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 188 40.8 1.3 5.88 4.1872 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 175 43.4 0.0 5.30 3.0770 69 Provide command/filename completion 159 26.3 1.3 7.57 4.6430 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 156 28.9 0.0 7.09 3.0847 74 Provide DECnet information service 144 26.3 0.0 7.20 2.9842 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 142 31.6 0.0 5.92 2.9476 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 139 21.1 0.0 8.69 1.9225 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 139 32.9 3.9 4.96 5.0441 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 132 28.9 1.3 5.74 4.5148 49 Implement tape volume management 131 25.0 1.3 6.55 4.9997 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 119 21.1 0.0 7.44 3.1616 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 118 23.7 0.0 6.56 2.8122 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 112 30.3 2.6 4.48 4.9592 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 106 18.4 0.0 7.57 2.4718 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 104 22.4 0.0 6.12 3.2187 39 Log that one process stopped another 104 26.3 0.0 5.20 3.2216 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 102 22.4 0.0 6.00 3.2596 10 Service to return extended error info 101 21.1 0.0 6.31 2.8687 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 94 15.8 0.0 7.83 3.1286 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 93 21.1 0.0 5.81 3.3510 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 92 23.7 0.0 5.11 3.0849 15 Improve directory performance 91 17.1 0.0 7.00 3.4881 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 89 21.1 0.0 5.56 3.5208 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 88 18.4 0.0 6.29 3.3839 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 82 18.4 0.0 5.86 3.3249 70 Provide compile/link/go command 81 14.5 0.0 7.36 3.1072 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 81 18.4 0.0 5.79 2.8603 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 78 22.4 0.0 4.59 2.6234 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 77 19.7 0.0 5.13 3.1366 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 77 14.5 0.0 7.00 2.3238 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 74 18.4 1.3 4.93 5.3247 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 69 18.4 1.3 4.60 4.7630 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 68 14.5 0.0 6.18 3.1247 24 Add function for testing file access 67 15.8 0.0 5.58 3.3967 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 66 17.1 0.0 5.08 2.3966 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 65 10.5 0.0 8.13 3.3568 12 Package to support multithread programs 58 13.2 0.0 5.80 3.3599 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 56 10.5 0.0 7.00 3.3381 64 Implement government 54 10.5 0.0 6.75 3.0589 63 Allow image-controlled file access 50 11.8 1.3 5.00 3.4960 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 48 7.9 0.0 8.00 3.1623 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 47 9.2 0.0 6.71 3.2514 4 More selective control over traceback 42 13.2 0.0 4.20 2.7406 59 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY VMS USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 266 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 937 51.1 0.0 6.89 2.8949 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 803 42.1 0.0 7.17 2.8313 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 774 44.7 0.4 6.45 3.3503 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 732 37.6 0.0 7.32 2.9742 47 Support for project accounting 724 34.2 0.4 7.87 3.3878 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 696 43.2 2.3 5.75 4.4484 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 643 39.5 0.4 6.07 3.3644 68 Provide true file archiving 638 29.7 0.0 8.08 2.7117 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 550 35.0 3.8 5.34 4.9280 49 Implement tape volume management 528 26.3 0.4 7.44 3.5846 22 Support a standard print file format 522 28.6 0.0 6.87 3.1595 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 506 36.5 0.4 5.16 3.2766 39 Log that one process stopped another 497 34.6 0.0 5.40 3.1451 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 489 27.4 0.0 6.70 3.2261 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 484 24.8 0.0 7.33 3.1493 10 Service to return extended error info 471 29.3 0.8 5.89 3.8187 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 468 30.8 0.8 5.57 3.8754 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 447 29.7 0.0 5.66 3.2379 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 419 27.1 1.1 5.59 3.9184 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 411 24.4 0.0 6.32 3.1529 74 Provide DECnet information service 406 21.8 0.0 7.00 3.0146 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 403 24.8 0.0 6.11 3.4110 69 Provide command/filename completion 377 19.9 0.8 6.85 4.1160 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 375 25.6 0.0 5.51 3.2667 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 373 24.4 0.4 5.65 3.8048 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 372 20.3 0.0 6.89 3.0261 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 329 18.8 0.0 6.58 3.1822 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 328 15.4 0.0 8.00 2.8548 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 318 22.2 0.8 5.21 4.0789 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 316 18.8 0.0 6.32 2.9860 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 300 18.8 0.0 6.00 3.1037 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 299 21.4 0.0 5.25 3.1355 5 Means to debug another process 279 19.2 1.1 5.17 4.0550 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 272 19.9 0.0 5.13 2.8959 12 Package to support multithread programs 270 16.2 0.8 6.00 3.7050 15 Improve directory performance 264 16.5 1.1 5.62 4.2352 63 Allow image-controlled file access 234 13.9 0.4 6.16 3.0977 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 229 12.8 0.0 6.74 3.0482 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 229 18.4 1.9 4.24 4.5305 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 228 12.8 0.0 6.71 3.0702 70 Provide compile/link/go command 226 11.7 0.8 6.85 4.1917 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 221 10.9 0.0 7.62 2.7440 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 220 16.2 0.4 5.00 3.5240 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 220 16.2 0.4 5.00 3.8094 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 204 15.4 0.0 4.98 2.9282 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 202 15.4 0.0 4.93 3.2279 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 199 14.3 0.0 5.24 3.2585 24 Add function for testing file access 186 13.2 0.0 5.31 3.4706 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 184 9.8 0.4 6.81 4.3768 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 179 12.8 0.0 5.26 3.2316 60 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY VAXeln USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 5 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 27 80.0 0.0 6.75 3.2016 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 20 80.0 0.0 5.00 0.8165 15 Improve directory performance 18 60.0 0.0 6.00 3.6056 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 17 80.0 0.0 4.25 1.5000 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 17 60.0 0.0 5.67 4.0415 23 Document the cluster interface 16 60.0 0.0 5.33 3.5119 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 16 60.0 0.0 5.33 4.0415 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 15 60.0 0.0 5.00 2.0000 74 Provide DECnet information service 15 40.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 14 80.0 0.0 3.50 1.9149 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 13 40.0 0.0 6.50 4.9497 63 Allow image-controlled file access 13 60.0 0.0 4.33 1.1547 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 13 80.0 0.0 3.25 2.0616 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 12 60.0 0.0 4.00 1.0000 51 Add a PRINT/NUMBER option 10 60.0 0.0 3.33 1.5275 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 10 40.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 10 40.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 64 Implement government 10 40.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 5 Means to debug another process 10 40.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 9 40.0 0.0 4.50 0.7071 39 Log that one process stopped another 9 60.0 0.0 3.00 1.7321 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 9 40.0 0.0 4.50 0.7071 49 Implement tape volume management 9 40.0 0.0 4.50 0.7071 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 8 40.0 0.0 4.00 1.4142 10 Service to return extended error info 8 40.0 0.0 4.00 1.4142 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 8 20.0 0.0 8.00 0.0000 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 8 40.0 0.0 4.00 1.4142 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 8 40.0 0.0 4.00 1.4142 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 8 40.0 0.0 4.00 1.4142 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 7 40.0 0.0 3.50 2.1213 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 6 40.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 6 40.0 0.0 3.00 1.4142 22 Support a standard print file format 6 20.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 6 20.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 54 Support TECO in full native mode 6 20.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 6 40.0 0.0 3.00 2.8284 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 5 40.0 0.0 2.50 0.7071 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 5 20.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 5 40.0 0.0 2.50 0.7071 18 Improve group global section access 5 20.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 47 Support for project accounting 5 20.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 68 Provide true file archiving 5 20.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 24 Add function for testing file access 5 40.0 0.0 2.50 0.7071 14 User reserved space in file header 4 20.0 0.0 4.00 0.0000 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 4 20.0 0.0 4.00 0.0000 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 4 40.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 4 More selective control over traceback 4 40.0 0.0 2.00 1.4142 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 3 20.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 69 Provide command/filename completion 3 20.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 3 20.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 61 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY ULTRIX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 6 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 68 Provide true file archiving 30 50.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 29 83.3 0.0 5.80 4.0866 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 28 66.7 0.0 7.00 4.2426 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 27 50.0 0.0 9.00 1.7321 69 Provide command/filename completion 27 50.0 0.0 9.00 1.7321 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 26 66.7 0.0 6.50 3.1091 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 25 66.7 0.0 6.25 4.3493 74 Provide DECnet information service 23 50.0 0.0 7.67 4.0415 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 22 50.0 0.0 7.33 2.5166 15 Improve directory performance 20 33.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 47 Support for project accounting 18 33.3 0.0 9.00 1.4142 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 18 33.3 0.0 9.00 1.4142 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 17 33.3 0.0 8.50 2.1213 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 17 33.3 0.0 8.50 2.1213 63 Allow image-controlled file access 13 50.0 0.0 4.33 3.0551 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 13 33.3 0.0 6.50 4.9497 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 12 33.3 0.0 6.00 1.4142 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 12 33.3 0.0 6.00 1.4142 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 11 33.3 0.0 5.50 6.3640 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 10 16.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 10 33.3 0.0 5.00 2.8284 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 10 16.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 23 Document the cluster interface 8 16.7 0.0 8.00 0.0000 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 7 16.7 0.0 7.00 0.0000 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 5 33.3 0.0 2.50 2.1213 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 5 16.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 5 33.3 0.0 2.50 2.1213 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 5 16.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 51 Add a PRINT/NUMBER option 5 16.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 5 16.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 39 Log that one process stopped another 5 16.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 4 16.7 0.0 4.00 0.0000 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 3 16.7 0.0 3.00 0.0000 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 3 16.7 0.0 3.00 0.0000 5 Means to debug another process 3 16.7 0.0 3.00 0.0000 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 2 16.7 0.0 2.00 0.0000 12 Package to support multithread programs 2 16.7 0.0 2.00 0.0000 24 Add function for testing file access 1 16.7 0.0 1.00 0.0000 4 More selective control over traceback 1 16.7 0.0 1.00 0.0000 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 1 16.7 0.0 1.00 0.0000 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 1 16.7 0.0 1.00 0.0000 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 1 16.7 0.0 1.00 0.0000 62 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY UNIX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 29 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 103 51.7 3.4 6.44 5.4279 74 Provide DECnet information service 85 31.0 0.0 9.44 1.6667 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 82 37.9 0.0 7.45 2.7700 47 Support for project accounting 78 34.5 0.0 7.80 2.8597 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 78 37.9 0.0 7.09 3.1130 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 77 34.5 0.0 7.70 3.0930 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 76 37.9 0.0 6.91 3.3303 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 69 34.5 0.0 6.90 3.3483 68 Provide true file archiving 65 24.1 0.0 9.29 1.8898 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 60 24.1 0.0 8.57 2.2991 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 60 31.0 0.0 6.67 3.2787 22 Support a standard print file format 60 27.6 0.0 7.50 3.8545 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 56 24.1 0.0 8.00 2.0817 69 Provide command/filename completion 52 24.1 0.0 7.43 3.5523 15 Improve directory performance 51 27.6 3.4 5.67 6.6521 12 Package to support multithread programs 49 24.1 3.4 6.13 4.2573 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 46 31.0 0.0 5.11 3.9511 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 44 20.7 0.0 7.33 3.6697 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 42 27.6 0.0 5.25 4.0267 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 42 24.1 0.0 6.00 4.0825 10 Service to return extended error info 41 27.6 0.0 5.13 4.1209 49 Implement tape volume management 41 17.2 0.0 8.20 4.0249 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 40 31.0 0.0 4.44 3.4319 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 38 20.7 0.0 6.33 4.1312 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 38 27.6 0.0 4.75 3.4949 54 Support TECO in full native mode 37 20.7 3.4 5.29 5.5291 70 Provide compile/link/go command 35 13.8 0.0 8.75 2.5000 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 35 24.1 0.0 5.00 3.7417 5 Means to debug another process 30 24.1 3.4 3.75 6.3189 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 30 17.2 0.0 6.00 3.9370 51 Add a PRINT/NUMBER option 29 13.8 0.0 7.25 3.2016 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 28 13.8 0.0 7.00 4.2426 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 27 17.2 0.0 5.40 4.5056 39 Log that one process stopped another 26 20.7 0.0 4.33 3.0111 24 Add function for testing file access 25 13.8 0.0 6.25 4.3493 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 25 10.3 0.0 8.33 2.8868 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 25 13.8 0.0 6.25 2.5000 23 Document the cluster interface 25 13.8 0.0 6.25 4.1130 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 25 10.3 0.0 8.33 2.8868 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 24 13.8 3.4 4.80 5.3572 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 23 13.8 0.0 5.75 2.9861 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 22 13.8 0.0 5.50 3.3166 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 22 13.8 0.0 5.50 3.3166 63 Allow image-controlled file access 22 10.3 0.0 7.33 2.5166 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 21 13.8 0.0 5.25 3.3040 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 20 10.3 0.0 6.67 2.8868 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 19 17.2 0.0 3.80 3.6332 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 19 13.8 0.0 4.75 3.8622 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 17 10.3 3.4 4.25 6.5000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 17 17.2 0.0 3.40 1.6733 63 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY RSX-11 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 82 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 299 53.7 0.0 6.80 2.9061 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 285 47.6 0.0 7.31 2.7830 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 242 39.0 0.0 7.56 2.6993 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 232 41.5 1.2 6.63 3.8812 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 219 45.1 1.2 5.76 4.0432 49 Implement tape volume management 214 32.9 0.0 7.93 2.7164 68 Provide true file archiving 213 30.5 0.0 8.52 2.6944 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 212 37.8 0.0 6.84 2.8879 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 208 30.5 0.0 8.32 2.9822 47 Support for project accounting 182 30.5 1.2 7.00 4.2802 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 162 25.6 0.0 7.71 2.9689 22 Support a standard print file format 161 29.3 0.0 6.71 3.2768 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 159 36.6 0.0 5.30 2.8905 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 152 30.5 0.0 6.08 3.3030 74 Provide DECnet information service 149 28.0 0.0 6.48 3.1023 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 147 35.4 1.2 4.90 3.6986 39 Log that one process stopped another 129 29.3 0.0 5.38 3.2679 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 128 24.4 0.0 6.40 3.3935 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 128 23.2 0.0 6.74 3.4131 10 Service to return extended error info 128 29.3 1.2 5.12 4.7198 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 115 17.1 0.0 8.21 2.5170 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 114 17.1 0.0 8.14 2.6561 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 113 19.5 0.0 7.06 3.3160 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 113 22.0 0.0 6.28 3.0641 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 112 26.8 0.0 5.09 3.5977 69 Provide command/filename completion 112 20.7 1.2 6.22 4.0953 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 110 31.7 7.3 3.44 5.7132 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 106 24.4 0.0 5.30 3.3576 70 Provide compile/link/go command 104 14.6 2.4 7.43 5.4309 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 103 26.8 1.2 4.48 3.9181 5 Means to debug another process 100 23.2 1.2 5.00 3.9736 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 99 15.9 0.0 7.62 3.3301 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 93 24.4 2.4 4.23 3.7788 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 90 19.5 0.0 5.63 3.5000 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 90 18.3 0.0 6.00 3.1396 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 89 20.7 0.0 5.24 3.1727 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 89 18.3 1.2 5.56 5.2405 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 84 19.5 0.0 5.25 3.0441 63 Allow image-controlled file access 81 18.3 0.0 5.40 2.3845 15 Improve directory performance 78 18.3 1.2 4.88 5.0448 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 74 12.2 0.0 7.40 2.5033 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 71 17.1 1.2 4.73 3.8073 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 69 17.1 1.2 4.60 4.4045 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 64 19.5 0.0 4.00 2.1909 12 Package to support multithread programs 63 15.9 2.4 4.20 4.3622 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 61 12.2 0.0 6.10 3.6040 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 59 12.2 0.0 5.90 3.6953 24 Add function for testing file access 58 13.4 0.0 5.27 3.2891 4 More selective control over traceback 54 12.2 0.0 5.40 3.3731 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 53 14.6 0.0 4.42 2.6443 64 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY RSTS USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 20 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 72 45.0 0.0 8.00 2.8284 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 71 45.0 0.0 7.89 2.8916 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 64 40.0 0.0 8.00 2.7255 47 Support for project accounting 64 35.0 0.0 9.14 1.8645 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 60 35.0 0.0 8.57 2.1492 39 Log that one process stopped another 55 40.0 0.0 6.88 2.3566 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 55 30.0 0.0 9.17 2.0412 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 53 35.0 0.0 7.57 2.7603 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 52 35.0 0.0 7.43 3.3594 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 50 35.0 10.0 5.56 7.6830 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 50 30.0 0.0 8.33 2.5820 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 45 30.0 0.0 7.50 2.2583 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 42 25.0 0.0 8.40 2.3022 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 40 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 40 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 40 30.0 5.0 5.71 7.3193 68 Provide true file archiving 40 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 40 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 38 25.0 0.0 7.60 2.0736 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 35 20.0 0.0 8.75 2.5000 74 Provide DECnet information service 34 30.0 0.0 5.67 3.6697 49 Implement tape volume management 29 20.0 0.0 7.25 3.4034 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 29 20.0 0.0 7.25 2.6300 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 29 20.0 0.0 7.25 3.2016 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 28 25.0 0.0 5.60 1.9494 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 28 20.0 0.0 7.00 3.5590 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 25 15.0 0.0 8.33 2.8868 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 25 20.0 0.0 6.25 2.5000 14 User reserved space in file header 23 20.0 5.0 4.60 6.1887 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 22 15.0 0.0 7.33 2.5166 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 21 15.0 0.0 7.00 5.1962 10 Service to return extended error info 20 10.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 20 15.0 0.0 6.67 2.8868 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 20 10.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 20 10.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 70 Provide compile/link/go command 20 10.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 20 15.0 0.0 6.67 2.8868 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 20 15.0 0.0 6.67 2.8868 22 Support a standard print file format 20 10.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 18 15.0 0.0 6.00 3.6056 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 17 15.0 0.0 5.67 4.0415 64 Implement government 15 10.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 15 10.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 15 15.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 69 Provide command/filename completion 15 10.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 13 10.0 0.0 6.50 4.9497 51 Add a PRINT/NUMBER option 11 10.0 0.0 5.50 6.3640 3 True AND function for event flag wait 10 10.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 57 Provide merged source/errors file 10 5.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 60 Provide delete/search in EDT 10 5.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 65 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY RT-11 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 39 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 123 51.3 0.0 6.15 3.2650 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 122 46.2 0.0 6.78 3.3529 68 Provide true file archiving 109 35.9 0.0 7.79 3.2148 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 107 41.0 5.1 5.94 4.8564 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 106 33.3 0.0 8.15 2.3038 22 Support a standard print file format 99 41.0 0.0 6.19 2.9033 49 Implement tape volume management 97 30.8 0.0 8.08 2.4664 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 92 33.3 0.0 7.08 2.3260 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 92 28.2 0.0 8.36 3.6407 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 82 35.9 0.0 5.86 3.4831 47 Support for project accounting 81 33.3 0.0 6.23 3.3949 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 80 30.8 0.0 6.67 3.2845 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 79 41.0 0.0 4.94 3.3160 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 78 25.6 0.0 7.80 3.1552 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 78 30.8 0.0 6.50 3.0302 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 75 33.3 0.0 5.77 3.2185 74 Provide DECnet information service 75 30.8 0.0 6.25 3.4935 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 74 25.6 0.0 7.40 2.8363 69 Provide command/filename completion 71 25.6 0.0 7.10 3.1429 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 71 35.9 0.0 5.07 3.5619 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 68 33.3 0.0 5.23 3.8547 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 67 20.5 0.0 8.38 2.3261 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 63 33.3 0.0 4.85 3.3627 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 62 33.3 0.0 4.77 3.8763 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 62 30.8 0.0 5.17 3.1575 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 60 28.2 2.6 5.00 5.8621 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 58 20.5 0.0 7.25 3.0119 70 Provide compile/link/go command 57 17.9 2.6 7.13 5.4625 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 57 30.8 0.0 4.75 3.3609 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 57 20.5 0.0 7.13 3.2705 39 Log that one process stopped another 56 33.3 0.0 4.31 2.9548 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 55 30.8 0.0 4.58 2.3143 5 Means to debug another process 50 25.6 2.6 4.55 4.6554 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 49 20.5 0.0 6.13 3.4821 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 48 20.5 0.0 6.00 4.3425 63 Allow image-controlled file access 43 20.5 0.0 5.38 2.5600 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 43 20.5 0.0 5.38 3.2043 10 Service to return extended error info 42 20.5 0.0 5.25 3.2404 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 38 17.9 0.0 5.43 3.7353 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 34 15.4 0.0 5.67 2.1602 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 32 12.8 0.0 6.40 3.7815 54 Support TECO in full native mode 31 15.4 2.6 4.43 7.1381 23 Document the cluster interface 31 12.8 0.0 6.20 3.2711 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 30 15.4 0.0 5.00 2.7568 24 Add function for testing file access 30 20.5 0.0 3.75 2.9641 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 30 12.8 2.6 5.00 5.4772 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 29 15.4 0.0 4.83 2.7869 15 Improve directory performance 28 10.3 0.0 7.00 3.5590 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 27 20.5 0.0 3.38 1.8468 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 26 15.4 2.6 3.71 4.5722 66 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY IAS USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 4 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 33 100.0 0.0 8.25 2.0616 70 Provide compile/link/go command 22 75.0 0.0 7.33 3.7859 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 20 75.0 0.0 6.67 2.5166 22 Support a standard print file format 20 75.0 0.0 6.67 3.5119 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 16 50.0 0.0 8.00 1.4142 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 15 50.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 14 50.0 0.0 7.00 4.2426 39 Log that one process stopped another 13 50.0 0.0 6.50 4.9497 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 13 50.0 0.0 6.50 4.9497 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 13 50.0 0.0 6.50 4.9497 20 Support a "time change" AST. 10 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 10 50.0 0.0 5.00 4.2426 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 10 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 10 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 10 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 64 Implement government 10 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 10 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 10 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 9 50.0 0.0 4.50 0.7071 68 Provide true file archiving 9 50.0 0.0 4.50 0.7071 54 Support TECO in full native mode 9 25.0 0.0 9.00 0.0000 5 Means to debug another process 9 25.0 0.0 9.00 0.0000 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 7 50.0 0.0 3.50 2.1213 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 6 25.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 49 Implement tape volume management 6 25.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 6 25.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 6 25.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 6 25.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 6 25.0 0.0 6.00 0.0000 74 Provide DECnet information service 6 50.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 5 50.0 0.0 2.50 0.7071 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 5 25.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 3 25.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 62 Add digit separator for FORTRAN 3 25.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 3 25.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 3 25.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 10 Service to return extended error info 3 25.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 2 25.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 2 25.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 67 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY TOPS-10 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 5 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 28 60.0 0.0 9.33 1.1547 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 25 80.0 0.0 6.25 3.5000 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 20 60.0 0.0 6.67 4.1633 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 20 60.0 0.0 6.67 2.8868 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 20 60.0 0.0 6.67 0.5774 39 Log that one process stopped another 18 60.0 0.0 6.00 1.7321 22 Support a standard print file format 15 60.0 0.0 5.00 2.0000 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 15 40.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 47 Support for project accounting 15 40.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 49 Implement tape volume management 15 40.0 0.0 7.50 3.5355 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 14 60.0 0.0 4.67 2.5166 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 14 40.0 0.0 7.00 2.8284 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 12 40.0 0.0 6.00 5.6569 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 11 40.0 0.0 5.50 4.9497 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 11 60.0 0.0 3.67 1.1547 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 11 60.0 0.0 3.67 2.8868 23 Document the cluster interface 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 14 User reserved space in file header 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 10 40.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 15 Improve directory performance 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 10 40.0 0.0 5.00 2.8284 63 Allow image-controlled file access 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 68 Provide true file archiving 10 60.0 0.0 3.33 1.5275 38 Allow ERF to run with input from mailbox 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 74 Provide DECnet information service 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 9 20.0 0.0 9.00 0.0000 70 Provide compile/link/go command 9 20.0 0.0 9.00 0.0000 54 Support TECO in full native mode 9 20.0 0.0 9.00 0.0000 5 Means to debug another process 9 20.0 0.0 9.00 0.0000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 8 60.0 0.0 2.67 0.5773 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 8 40.0 0.0 4.00 1.4142 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 7 20.0 0.0 7.00 0.0000 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 7 40.0 0.0 3.50 2.1213 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 6 40.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 5 20.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 5 20.0 0.0 5.00 0.0000 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 4 40.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 4 40.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 3 20.0 0.0 3.00 0.0000 12 Package to support multithread programs 2 20.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 2 20.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 2 20.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 57 Provide merged source/errors file 2 20.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 20 Support a "time change" AST. 2 20.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 2 20.0 0.0 2.00 0.0000 68 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY TOPS-20 USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 12 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 69 Provide command/filename completion 60 50.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 60 50.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 70 Provide compile/link/go command 50 41.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 68 Provide true file archiving 40 33.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 22 Support a standard print file format 39 50.0 0.0 6.50 3.3912 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 36 41.7 0.0 7.20 3.8987 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 35 33.3 0.0 8.75 2.5000 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 35 41.7 0.0 7.00 2.7386 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 35 33.3 0.0 8.75 2.5000 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 33 41.7 0.0 6.60 3.2094 47 Support for project accounting 32 33.3 0.0 8.00 4.0000 39 Log that one process stopped another 32 33.3 0.0 8.00 4.0000 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 30 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 30 25.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 49 Implement tape volume management 30 33.3 0.0 7.50 3.0000 10 Service to return extended error info 25 33.3 0.0 6.25 4.5000 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 22 25.0 0.0 7.33 4.6188 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 21 25.0 0.0 7.00 5.1962 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 21 25.0 0.0 7.00 5.1962 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 20 16.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 74 Provide DECnet information service 20 16.7 0.0 10.00 0.0000 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 19 33.3 0.0 4.75 3.7749 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 19 33.3 0.0 4.75 3.7749 15 Improve directory performance 19 33.3 0.0 4.75 0.5000 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 17 25.0 0.0 5.67 4.0415 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 16 25.0 0.0 5.33 4.5092 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 16 16.7 0.0 8.00 2.8284 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 16 25.0 0.0 5.33 4.1633 54 Support TECO in full native mode 16 16.7 0.0 8.00 2.8284 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 14 25.0 0.0 4.67 4.6188 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 13 25.0 0.0 4.33 0.5773 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 12 25.0 0.0 4.00 2.6458 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 12 25.0 0.0 4.00 2.6458 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 12 16.7 0.0 6.00 5.6569 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 12 16.7 0.0 6.00 5.6569 23 Document the cluster interface 12 16.7 0.0 6.00 5.6569 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 11 16.7 0.0 5.50 6.3640 14 User reserved space in file header 10 8.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 10 8.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 60 Provide delete/search in EDT 10 8.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 10 8.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 64 Implement government 10 8.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 10 8.3 0.0 10.00 0.0000 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 10 16.7 0.0 5.00 0.0000 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 8 16.7 0.0 4.00 1.4142 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 6 16.7 0.0 3.00 0.0000 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 5 8.3 0.0 5.00 0.0000 63 Allow image-controlled file access 5 8.3 0.0 5.00 0.0000 18 Improve group global section access 5 8.3 0.0 5.00 0.0000 20 Support a "time change" AST. 5 8.3 0.0 5.00 0.0000 69 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY WIZARD VAX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 11 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 66 72.7 0.0 8.25 2.5495 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 41 63.6 0.0 5.86 2.7343 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 38 36.4 0.0 9.50 1.0000 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 37 54.5 0.0 6.17 3.0605 54 Support TECO in full native mode 35 45.5 0.0 7.00 2.7386 74 Provide DECnet information service 35 36.4 0.0 8.75 2.5000 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 34 45.5 0.0 6.80 3.1145 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 31 36.4 0.0 7.75 2.2174 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 31 45.5 0.0 6.20 2.7749 63 Allow image-controlled file access 30 45.5 0.0 6.00 2.5495 68 Provide true file archiving 30 36.4 0.0 7.50 2.8868 47 Support for project accounting 30 36.4 0.0 7.50 2.8868 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 25 27.3 0.0 8.33 2.8868 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 24 27.3 0.0 8.00 1.7321 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 23 36.4 0.0 5.75 2.9861 15 Improve directory performance 20 18.2 0.0 10.00 0.0000 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 20 27.3 0.0 6.67 2.8868 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 17 27.3 0.0 5.67 4.5092 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 16 27.3 0.0 5.33 4.5092 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 16 27.3 0.0 5.33 4.5092 24 Add function for testing file access 15 27.3 0.0 5.00 4.3589 23 Document the cluster interface 14 18.2 0.0 7.00 2.8284 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 14 18.2 0.0 7.00 4.2426 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 13 18.2 0.0 6.50 4.9497 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 13 27.3 0.0 4.33 4.9329 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 13 27.3 0.0 4.33 4.9329 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 11 18.2 0.0 5.50 3.5355 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 11 18.2 0.0 5.50 6.3640 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 10 9.1 0.0 10.00 0.0000 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 9 27.3 0.0 3.00 2.6458 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 8 18.2 0.0 4.00 1.4142 51 Add a PRINT/NUMBER option 8 18.2 0.0 4.00 1.4142 4 More selective control over traceback 8 27.3 0.0 2.67 1.5275 10 Service to return extended error info 7 18.2 0.0 3.50 2.1213 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 6 18.2 0.0 3.00 2.8284 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 6 18.2 0.0 3.00 0.0000 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 5 9.1 0.0 5.00 0.0000 18 Improve group global section access 5 9.1 0.0 5.00 0.0000 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 5 9.1 0.0 5.00 0.0000 39 Log that one process stopped another 5 9.1 0.0 5.00 0.0000 69 Provide command/filename completion 5 18.2 9.1 1.67 10.4083 20 Support a "time change" AST. 5 9.1 0.0 5.00 0.0000 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 5 9.1 0.0 5.00 0.0000 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 5 27.3 9.1 1.25 4.3493 12 Package to support multithread programs 4 9.1 9.1 2.00 9.8995 3 True AND function for event flag wait 4 9.1 9.1 2.00 9.8995 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 3 9.1 0.0 3.00 0.0000 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 2 9.1 0.0 2.00 0.0000 14 User reserved space in file header 1 9.1 0.0 1.00 0.0000 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 1 9.1 0.0 1.00 0.0000 70 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY EXPERT VAX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 85 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 329 51.8 0.0 7.48 2.8732 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 286 44.7 0.0 7.53 2.5441 47 Support for project accounting 261 42.4 1.2 7.05 4.2028 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 252 50.6 1.2 5.73 3.9554 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 240 48.2 0.0 5.85 2.7437 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 218 43.5 1.2 5.74 3.9159 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 199 34.1 0.0 6.86 3.0205 68 Provide true file archiving 186 29.4 0.0 7.44 2.8148 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 181 28.2 0.0 7.54 3.3619 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 175 40.0 2.4 4.86 4.7458 74 Provide DECnet information service 170 28.2 0.0 7.08 2.9915 10 Service to return extended error info 167 29.4 0.0 6.68 3.2239 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 167 30.6 0.0 6.42 3.2517 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 164 38.8 0.0 4.97 2.8338 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 160 37.6 7.1 4.21 5.7571 22 Support a standard print file format 156 27.1 0.0 6.78 3.3160 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 144 25.9 0.0 6.55 3.2766 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 136 27.1 0.0 5.91 3.2039 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 136 30.6 0.0 5.23 3.2534 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 135 25.9 0.0 6.14 3.5630 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 134 29.4 0.0 5.36 2.6752 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 120 28.2 1.2 4.80 3.9791 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 118 28.2 1.2 4.72 4.3447 69 Provide command/filename completion 118 20.0 1.2 6.56 3.9885 39 Log that one process stopped another 115 30.6 0.0 4.42 3.1263 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 114 16.5 0.0 8.14 2.2823 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 109 18.8 0.0 6.81 2.5356 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 109 24.7 2.4 4.74 4.5748 49 Implement tape volume management 108 21.2 1.2 5.68 4.8654 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 105 14.1 0.0 8.75 2.3789 14 User reserved space in file header 100 23.5 0.0 5.00 2.9558 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 99 21.2 0.0 5.50 2.8336 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 97 23.5 0.0 4.85 2.9961 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 95 15.3 0.0 7.31 3.6144 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 95 22.4 0.0 5.00 3.0000 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 94 24.7 0.0 4.48 3.0103 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 88 20.0 0.0 5.18 2.8990 5 Means to debug another process 86 21.2 1.2 4.53 3.1157 12 Package to support multithread programs 86 17.6 1.2 5.38 3.7394 23 Document the cluster interface 85 17.6 0.0 5.67 2.9439 63 Allow image-controlled file access 83 15.3 0.0 6.38 2.9872 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 78 14.1 0.0 6.50 2.7798 4 More selective control over traceback 74 14.1 0.0 6.17 3.0101 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 71 15.3 0.0 5.46 2.4703 15 Improve directory performance 69 15.3 2.4 4.60 5.5652 70 Provide compile/link/go command 68 10.6 1.2 6.80 4.9621 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 65 10.6 0.0 7.22 2.9486 24 Add function for testing file access 65 16.5 0.0 4.64 3.2724 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 60 9.4 0.0 7.50 2.6726 20 Support a "time change" AST. 58 12.9 0.0 5.27 3.4955 71 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY KNOWLEDGABLE VAX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 118 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 443 53.4 0.0 7.03 2.9891 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 372 44.1 0.0 7.15 3.0188 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 367 44.9 0.0 6.92 2.7305 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 349 46.6 2.5 6.02 4.1780 47 Support for project accounting 326 33.1 0.0 8.36 2.5802 68 Provide true file archiving 315 32.2 0.0 8.29 2.7402 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 307 39.8 0.0 6.53 3.0917 39 Log that one process stopped another 303 43.2 0.0 5.94 3.1712 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 286 36.4 1.7 6.36 3.8207 22 Support a standard print file format 268 33.9 0.0 6.70 3.1720 49 Implement tape volume management 262 28.0 0.0 7.94 3.0098 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 258 31.4 0.0 6.97 3.1578 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 248 34.7 0.0 6.05 3.1221 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 227 33.1 0.0 5.82 3.5009 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 205 30.5 0.0 5.69 3.0782 10 Service to return extended error info 202 30.5 0.8 5.46 3.6863 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 196 28.8 0.0 5.76 3.2104 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 195 25.4 0.0 6.50 3.5404 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 193 32.2 0.0 5.08 3.1052 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 193 22.9 0.0 7.15 2.9704 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 191 25.4 0.0 6.37 3.5475 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 184 22.0 0.0 7.08 3.1486 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 178 24.6 0.0 6.14 3.0790 74 Provide DECnet information service 167 20.3 0.0 6.96 3.1825 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 165 22.9 0.0 6.11 3.4344 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 155 19.5 0.0 6.74 3.2504 69 Provide command/filename completion 154 17.8 0.0 7.33 3.2146 12 Package to support multithread programs 151 17.8 0.0 7.19 2.9089 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 145 20.3 0.0 6.04 3.3941 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 139 19.5 0.0 6.04 3.5094 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 138 19.5 0.0 6.00 3.3979 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 137 22.0 0.0 5.27 3.1440 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 128 12.7 0.0 8.53 2.3865 5 Means to debug another process 127 16.9 0.8 6.05 3.5844 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 126 15.3 0.0 7.00 2.6568 70 Provide compile/link/go command 121 13.6 0.0 7.56 2.9658 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 115 19.5 0.0 5.00 2.9695 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 112 14.4 0.0 6.59 3.2222 15 Improve directory performance 111 16.1 0.8 5.55 3.5611 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 109 15.3 0.0 6.06 3.1337 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 108 16.9 0.0 5.40 3.4853 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 106 12.7 0.0 7.07 2.7115 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 99 12.7 0.0 6.60 3.5214 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 98 16.9 0.0 4.90 3.4626 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 97 15.3 0.8 5.11 4.7830 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 96 15.3 0.0 5.33 2.9306 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 96 16.1 0.0 5.05 3.3412 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 91 14.4 0.0 5.35 3.2004 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 78 14.4 0.0 4.59 2.9167 63 Allow image-controlled file access 73 9.3 0.8 6.08 3.9187 72 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY AVERAGE VAX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 49 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 216 57.1 0.0 7.71 2.5943 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 170 49.0 0.0 7.08 3.1196 49 Implement tape volume management 149 36.7 0.0 8.28 2.3466 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 135 42.9 0.0 6.43 3.5295 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 111 32.7 0.0 6.94 3.3758 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 109 30.6 0.0 7.27 3.0111 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 108 28.6 0.0 7.71 2.8670 47 Support for project accounting 106 22.4 0.0 9.64 1.2060 10 Service to return extended error info 100 32.7 2.0 5.88 4.8462 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 98 24.5 0.0 8.17 2.4802 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 97 24.5 0.0 8.08 2.6443 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 96 28.6 0.0 6.86 3.1588 68 Provide true file archiving 95 20.4 0.0 9.50 0.8498 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 94 28.6 0.0 6.71 3.4065 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 94 32.7 0.0 5.88 2.7538 22 Support a standard print file format 91 22.4 0.0 8.27 2.6112 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 87 22.4 0.0 7.91 3.2079 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 81 24.5 0.0 6.75 2.7345 69 Provide command/filename completion 80 22.4 0.0 7.27 3.3494 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 78 28.6 4.1 4.88 5.4635 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 72 24.5 2.0 5.54 5.4561 5 Means to debug another process 71 22.4 0.0 6.45 3.8565 15 Improve directory performance 64 20.4 0.0 6.40 3.1693 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 64 24.5 2.0 4.92 4.2713 39 Log that one process stopped another 62 24.5 0.0 5.17 3.0699 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 62 22.4 0.0 5.64 2.7667 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 60 20.4 0.0 6.00 3.4641 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 59 16.3 0.0 7.38 3.2486 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 59 22.4 0.0 5.36 3.6680 57 Provide merged source/errors file 58 18.4 0.0 6.44 3.6094 63 Allow image-controlled file access 58 18.4 0.0 6.44 2.8771 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 54 16.3 0.0 6.75 2.1213 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 54 16.3 0.0 6.75 4.0267 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 53 16.3 0.0 6.63 3.9978 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 51 16.3 0.0 6.38 3.2043 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 51 16.3 0.0 6.38 3.2486 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 47 18.4 4.1 4.27 6.7096 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 47 16.3 0.0 5.88 3.6425 24 Add function for testing file access 45 12.2 0.0 7.50 3.8859 51 Add a PRINT/NUMBER option 41 14.3 0.0 5.86 3.2367 12 Package to support multithread programs 37 12.2 0.0 6.17 3.4303 74 Provide DECnet information service 37 14.3 0.0 5.29 2.6904 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 35 12.2 0.0 5.83 2.6394 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 35 10.2 0.0 7.00 2.4495 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 34 14.3 0.0 4.86 2.6095 70 Provide compile/link/go command 32 10.2 0.0 6.40 3.5071 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 32 8.2 0.0 8.00 4.0000 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 31 12.2 2.0 4.43 5.2236 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 30 8.2 0.0 7.50 2.8868 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 29 12.2 0.0 4.83 3.4303 73 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE TOP 50 SIR's IN ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED AS RANKED BY NOVICE VAX USERS -- Total ballots in this category: 5 SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 39 Log that one process stopped another 22 60.0 0.0 7.33 3.0550 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 20 40.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 20 40.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 20 40.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 68 Provide true file archiving 20 40.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 69 Provide command/filename completion 20 40.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 19 60.0 0.0 6.33 4.7258 49 Implement tape volume management 18 40.0 0.0 9.00 1.4142 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 11 40.0 0.0 5.50 6.3640 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 10 Service to return extended error info 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 50 Provide 3279 emulator for the VT241 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 54 Support TECO in full native mode 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 64 Implement government 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 70 Provide compile/link/go command 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 10 20.0 0.0 10.00 0.0000 24 Add function for testing file access 9 40.0 0.0 4.50 4.9497 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 9 40.0 0.0 4.50 4.9497 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 9 40.0 0.0 4.50 4.9497 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 8 20.0 0.0 8.00 0.0000 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 8 20.0 0.0 8.00 0.0000 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 8 20.0 0.0 8.00 0.0000 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 8 20.0 0.0 8.00 0.0000 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 8 20.0 0.0 8.00 0.0000 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 8 20.0 0.0 8.00 0.0000 22 Support a standard print file format 4 20.0 0.0 4.00 0.0000 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 4 20.0 0.0 4.00 0.0000 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 4 20.0 0.0 4.00 0.0000 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 47 Support for project accounting 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 5 Means to debug another process 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 1 20.0 0.0 1.00 0.0000 74 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "VMS INTERNALS" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 6 Change VMS's internal time standard. 774 44.4 0.4 6.45 3.3503 1 Allow BACKSPACE equivalent to DEL 560 35.1 3.7 5.38 4.9253 22 Support a standard print file format 522 28.4 0.0 6.87 3.1595 10 Service to return extended error info 476 29.5 0.7 5.88 3.7960 19 Allow INSTALL with priority and UIC 413 25.0 0.0 6.16 3.4183 2 Make the use of sharable images easier 411 24.3 0.0 6.32 3.1529 16 Allow fragmented SYSDUMP file 385 25.7 0.0 5.58 3.2873 21 Provide a "unique name" service. 318 22.0 0.7 5.21 4.0789 5 Means to debug another process 279 19.0 1.1 5.17 4.0550 12 Package to support multithread programs 270 16.0 0.7 6.00 3.7050 15 Improve directory performance 264 16.4 1.1 5.62 4.2352 17 Allow reboot with "estimated" date 229 18.3 1.9 4.24 4.5305 7 Add a "passall" mask to terminal driver 220 16.0 0.4 5.00 3.5240 13 Support "factoring" file specifications 220 16.0 0.4 5.00 3.8094 9 Provide restrictions on autobaud speeds 202 15.3 0.0 4.93 3.2279 24 Add function for testing file access 194 13.4 0.0 5.39 3.4499 23 Document the cluster interface 178 9.7 0.0 6.85 2.9758 4 More selective control over traceback 164 12.7 0.0 4.82 3.1283 14 User reserved space in file header 154 11.9 0.4 4.67 3.6714 8 Add ACK/NACK protocol to terminal driver 148 11.6 0.4 4.63 3.4524 20 Support a "time change" AST. 147 11.9 0.0 4.59 3.1913 11 CPU error counts available via $GETSYI 102 10.4 0.4 3.52 3.2029 18 Improve group global section access 90 5.2 0.0 6.43 3.2984 3 True AND function for event flag wait 69 5.2 0.4 4.60 3.9060 75 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "DCL AND UTILITIES" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 32 Enhance the SEARCH utility. 813 42.2 0.0 7.19 2.8311 35 Provide system and job-wide DCL symbols 732 37.3 0.0 7.32 2.9742 28 Add a /VERIFY qualifier to "@" command 701 43.3 2.2 5.75 4.4305 26 Provide a DCL WRITE with no advancing 506 36.2 0.4 5.16 3.2766 30 /UIC and /IMAGE qualifiers on SHOW SYS 447 29.5 0.0 5.66 3.2379 29 Allow DCL READ command to extract field 427 27.2 1.1 5.62 3.9020 31 Support site-supplied lexical functions 300 18.7 0.0 6.00 3.1037 33 Add /EXCLUDE to MAIL SEND command 204 15.3 0.0 4.98 2.9282 34 Provide original line via LIB$GETFOREIGN 170 13.1 0.0 4.86 2.9520 25 Make syntax of SHOW QUOTA consistent 166 13.1 0.0 4.74 2.7796 27 Provide a record count from ANALYZE/RMS 153 12.3 0.4 4.50 3.4488 THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "SYSTEM MANAGEMENT" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 36 Enable BACKUP to stop searching a tape 937 50.7 0.0 6.89 2.8949 40 Release drive before BACKUP recording 651 39.6 0.4 6.08 3.3537 39 Log that one process stopped another 505 34.7 0.0 5.43 3.1395 45 Provide screen editor for AUTHORIZE 468 30.6 0.7 5.57 3.8754 43 Give STANDALONE BACKUP a subset of DCL 382 20.5 0.0 6.95 3.0271 44 Add kernal mode analysis to MONITOR 316 18.7 0.0 6.32 2.9860 37 Make BACKUP/LOG display volume switches 307 21.6 0.0 5.29 3.1289 42 Add a soft error warning to BACKUP. 282 20.1 0.0 5.22 2.9439 41 Improve BACKUP verification features 228 12.7 0.0 6.71 3.0702 38 Allow ERF to run with input from mailbox 37 3.0 0.0 4.63 2.3867 THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "COMMERCIAL" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 47 Support for project accounting 729 34.3 0.4 7.84 3.3825 49 Implement tape volume management 536 26.5 0.4 7.44 3.5599 46 Enhance the ALLOCATE command 494 27.6 0.0 6.68 3.2100 48 Add class based scheduling to VMS 484 24.6 0.0 7.33 3.1493 52 Add wildcard support to ACCOUNTING 187 13.1 0.0 5.34 3.2171 53 Improve ACCOUNTING histograms 169 12.3 0.4 4.97 3.0697 51 Add a PRINT/NUMBER option 100 9.3 0.4 3.85 4.0860 50 Provide 3279 emulator for the VT241 75 4.5 0.0 6.25 3.4411 76 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 Spring 1985 SIR Ballot Results THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "LANGUAGES AND TOOLS" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 58 Allow debugging a shareable image 229 11.2 0.0 7.63 2.6972 61 Improve EDT buffer operations 229 12.7 0.0 6.74 3.0482 56 Add /INCLUDE qualifier on compilers 199 14.2 0.0 5.24 3.2585 55 Add "fast compile" mode to compilers 184 9.7 0.4 6.81 4.3768 59 Add EDT warning on attribute changes 122 7.5 0.0 6.10 3.3230 57 Provide merged source/errors file 109 8.2 0.4 4.74 4.4642 54 Support TECO in full native mode 107 10.1 3.7 2.89 7.8979 60 Provide delete/search in EDT 72 3.4 0.0 8.00 2.2361 62 Add digit separator for FORTRAN 40 3.4 0.0 4.44 3.3208 THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "SECURITY" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 63 Allow image-controlled file access 244 14.2 0.4 6.26 3.1180 65 Add DECnet End-to-end encryption 175 9.7 0.0 6.73 3.5728 64 Implement government 122 6.7 0.4 6.42 3.5326 66 Improve node authentication in DECnet 107 5.6 0.0 7.13 3.3352 THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "LARGE SYSTEMS" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 68 Provide true file archiving 648 29.9 0.0 8.10 2.7030 73 Provide time stamping in batch log 383 24.6 0.4 5.72 3.8131 69 Provide command/filename completion 377 19.8 0.7 6.85 4.1160 71 Provide DELETE at logoff capability 339 19.0 0.0 6.65 3.1864 67 Add tape AVR and label processing 328 15.3 0.0 8.00 2.8548 70 Provide compile/link/go command 226 11.6 0.7 6.85 4.1917 72 Allow mixed 32/36 bit on a CI 50 2.2 0.0 8.33 2.5820 THE SIR's IN THE CATEGORY "MISCELLANEOUS" IN THE ORDER OF POINTS RECEIVED -- AS RANKED BY ALL USERS SIR SIR Total % Ballots % Ballots Avg Pts Std Dev Nr. Description Pts Pos Pts Neg Pts Given of Pts 74 Provide DECnet information service 406 21.6 0.0 7.00 3.0146 77 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAX System SIG Committee List VAX System SIG Committee List As of June 16, 1985 Joe Angelico - System Management US Coast Guard CCGD8(DT) Hale Boggs Federal Building 500 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA. 70130 June Baker - Planning Elizabeth Bailey - Volunteer Coordinator 222 CEB Tennessee Valley Authority Muscle Shoals, AL 35660 Joe L. Bingham - Librarian Mantech International 2320 Mill Road Alexandria, VA 22314 C. Doug Brown - Security Sandia Labs P.O. Box 2644 Albuquerque, NM 87185 Jack Cundiff - Assistant Symposium Coordinator Muskigum College New Concord, OH 43762 James R. Cutler - Hardware Software Results Corporation 2887 Silver Drive Columbus, OH 43211 Tom Danforth - Handout Editor Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Woods Hole, MA 02543 Doug Dickey - Data Management SIG Interface CTEC, Inc. 6862 Elm Street McLean, VA 22101 Jim Downward - Migration and Host Development KMS Fusion Inc. 3621 South State Road, P.O. Box 1567 Ann Arbor MI 48106 78 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAX System SIG Committee List Dan Fleury - Education University of Hartford West Hartford, CT 06117 Dennis Frayne - Real Time/Process Control McDonnell Douglas 5301 Bolsa Avenue Huntington Beach, CA 92646 Carl E. Friedberg - Internals In House Systems 165 William Street New York, NY 10038 Bob Boyd - Commercial GE Microelectronics Center MS 2P-04 Post Office Box 13409 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 Don Golden - Overseas Coordinator / Publications Coordinator c/o Shell Development Company, D-2132 Westhollow Research Center Post Office Box 1380 Houston, TX 77001 Mark Graff - TOPS-VAX M/A-COM Linkabit, Incorporated 3033 Science Park Road San Diego, CA 92121 Gary Grebus - System Improvement Request Battelle Columbis Labs 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201 B. Hancock - Network Sohio Petroleum Company Two Lincoln Center 5420 LBJ Freeway, Suite 900/LB 03 Dallas, TX 75240 R. Haydt - Foreign Devices, Hardware/Software Information Consultants International Incorporated P. O. Box 2014, E. V. STA Ormond Beach, FL 32074 Jeffrey S. Jalbert - Symposium Coordinator Dennison University Granville, OH 43023 79 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAX System SIG Committee List Ken Johnson - VAXcluster Working Group Chair Meridian Technology Corporation Post Office Box 2006 St. Louis, MO 63011 Lawrence J. Kilgallen - Newsletter Editor Box 81, MIT Station Cambridge, MA 02139-0901 Margaret Knox - Chair Computation Center University of Texas Austin, Texas 78712 Ross W. Miller - Vice Chair and Working Group Coordinator Online Data Processing, Inc. N 637 Hamilton Spokane, WA 99202 Bob Robbins - VAXElan Array Computer Consultants 5364 Woodvale Drive Sarasota, FL 33582 Larry Robertson - Real Time/Process Control Bear Computer Systems Inc. 5651 Case Avenue North Hollywood, CA P. Sandwell - Graphics Seismograph Service Corporation P. O. Box 1590 Tulsa, OK 74102 David Schmidt - LUG Coordinator Management Sciences Associates 5100 Centre Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15232 Al Siegel - Advisor Battelle Memorial Institute 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201 D. Slater - Artificial Intelligence Mantech International 2320 Mill Road Alexandria, VA 22314 Louise Wholey - Languages and Tools Measurex Corporation One Results Way Cupertino, CA 95014 80 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 VAX System SIG Committee List Douglas J. Wilson - Office Automation MIT Joint Computer Facility Room 5-137, 22 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 81 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT A SIG Information Interchange A form for INPUT/OUTPUT submissions is available at the back of the issue. indent (5) blanks before (1) test page (2) INPUT/OUTPUT 422 Caption: Looking for MODULA-2 Language System -- Reply to I/O # 364 Message: In 1982 I received an announcement that MODULA-2 is available for a one-time handling charge from: Dr. Joachim Schmidt Fachbereich Informatik Universitat Hamburg Schlaler str. 70 D-2000 Hamburg FRG Contact: Ulrick B. Noelpp Nuclear Medicine Lusel Hospital CH-3010 Berne Switzerland Telephone xx41/31/64 24 54 Date: March 13, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 423 Caption: Reading RT11 tapes on VAX/VMS Message: Owning a big library of patient-image data on RT11 magtapes (800 and 1600 bpi) I need a utility to read them - if possible FLX-style. My data are mostly GAMMA-11 type, 512 byte records with unsigned integers. Contact: Ulrick B. Noelpp Nuclear Medicine Lusel Hospital CH-3010 Berne Switzerland Telephone xx41/31/64 24 54 82 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 INPUT/OUTPUT Date: March 13, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 424 Caption: Modula-2 System for VMS -- Reply to I/O # 364 Message: We obtained our Modula-2 system for VMS from: Dr. J. W. Schmidt Fachbereich Informatik Universitat Hamburg Schlaler str. 70 D-2000 Hamburg West Germany Contact: Chris Rusbridge S. A. Institute of Technology Post Office Box 1 Ingle Farm South Australia 5098 Telephone (08) 260-2055 Date: March 15, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 425 Caption: Printronix graphics on VMS 4.0 Message: Our only printer is LPA0:, a Printronix dot matrix printer. We mix normal text output and graphics output. This is achieved by modification to our graphics software to put a CR after every line but a LF after every 12th line and a user-modified print symbiont. We can now use a top margin and plot with PRINT/PASSALL. Contact: Claude Marinier Directorate of Military Communications Communications Research Centre Shirley Bay Post Office Box 11490 Station H Ottawa K2H 852 Canada Telephone (613) 998-2076 Date: March 20, 1985 83 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT 426 Caption: Mouse for VT 240/241 terminal Message: Does anyone know of a company that markets a mouse for graphics input for VT-240/VT-241 terminals? If not, does anyone know how to hook one up? Contact: David Jerome GTE Government Systems 77 A Street Needham Heights, MA 02194 Telephone (617) 449-2000 x 3957 Date: March 22, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 427 Caption: Using VMS Help Files -- Reply to Editor's Workfile Message: As mentioned in the Editor's Workfile, VMS help files provide an excellent means of documentation. By using the logical SYS$HELP, different groups of users may be provided specific Help files, application Help files, or programmer Help files. For those who are not familiar with the Librarian Utility, there exists under VMS 3.7, an excellent example of using the Librarian Routines from a Fortran program to allow easy creation of help files. Look under SYS$EXAMPLES for the set of LBRDEMO files. LBRDEMO.EXE allows easy creation of Help files. Contact: William S. Dishman 1 West Court Square Decatur, GA 30301 Telephone (404) 377-0711 Date: March 24, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 428 Caption: Remote Printing on a VAX Network Message: Does anyone know where I can find a program that allows a user to queue a local file to a remote terminal queue other than SYS$PRINT? Support for qualifiers not available with PRINT/REMOTE would be useful also. 84 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 INPUT/OUTPUT Contact: Christopher J. Godly Massachusetts Financial Services 200 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116 Telephone (617) 423-3500 x 206 Date: April 30, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 429 Caption: WPS-PLUS/Graphics Message: We are looking for a way of integrating high quality, high resolution graphics into a WPS-PLUS file for output to a laser printer (LN03). Is there anything available to accomplish this? Contact: David Hirsh Dravo Engineers, Incorporated 1 Oliver Plaza Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Telephone (412) 566-3722 Date: May 14, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 430 Caption: FORTRAN Argument List Checker -- Reply to I/O # 406 Message: We currently use a program called MAT from SAIC. MAT also can find errors in FORTRAN programs such as common variables that are referenced but never set. MAT outputs a complete program crossreference list for all variables and call tree information. Contact: Paul Plum Post Office Box 1208 Lansdale, PA 19446 Telephone (215) 275-7216 Date: May 16, 1985 85 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 INPUT/OUTPUT INPUT/OUTPUT 431 Caption: IBM 3740 Floppy Interchange -- Reply to I/O # 379 Message: We have a FORTRAN program that will read and write single sided 128 IBM 3740 floppies. The floppies must be formatted on the IBM first! The program is set up structurally to handle multiple files, but we only allow one per floppy. Minor changes would expand it. Available at no chare upon request. Our local DEC office (Ottawa, ON) has a copy as well. The program may appear on a DECUS tape if I get time. Note that I/O # 399 referenced IBM Series 1 floppies -- I'm not sure if the format for Series 1 is 3740 or not. If so, this may help there too. Contact: Allison Hamilton OC TRANSPO MIS Department 1500 St Laurent Boulevard Ottawa, ON CANADA KIB3L1 Telephone (613) 741-6440 Date: May 16, 1985 INPUT/OUTPUT 432 Caption: VAX Pascal Pretty Printer -- Reply to I/O # 395 Message: We've been working on a VAX-11 Pascal Pretty Printer that will be available in June of 1985. It handles all the bells and whistles of VAX-11 Pascal (almost) and accomodates many different formatting styles. Write or call if you're interested in obtaining a copy. We are placing it in the public domain. Contact: Ray Ontko Computing Center Earlham College National Road West Richmond, IN 47374 Telephone (317) 962-6561 x 285 Date: May 20, 1985 86 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form A SIG Information Interchange Please reprint in the next issue of the Pageswapper If this is a reply to a previous I/O, which number? ________ Caption: ______________________________________________________ Message: ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ Contact: Name _______________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Telephone ____________________________ Signature _____________________________ Date ________________ Mail this form to: PAGESWAPPER Editor, DECUS, 249 Northboro Road (BPO2), Marlborough, MA 01752, USA 87 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 INPUT/OUTPUT Submission Form Tear out to submit an I/O item PAGESWAPPER Editor DECUS 249 Northboro Road (BPO2) Marlborough, MA 01752 USA 88 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 System Improvement Request Submission Form System Improvement Request Submission Form Page 1 of _____ ________________________________________________________________ Submittor: Firm: Address: Phone: ________________________________________________________________ How to write an SIR: Describe the capability you would like to see available on VAX systems. Be as specific as possible. Please don't assume we know how it's done on the XYZ system. Justify why the capability would be useful and give an example of its use. If you wish, suggest a possible implementation of your request. ________________________________________________________________ Abstract (Please limit to four lines): ________________________________________________________________ Description and examples (use additional pages if required) 89 PAGESWAPPER - July 1985 - Volume 7 Number 1 System Improvement Request Submission Form Tear out to submit an SIR Gary L. Grebus Battelle Columbus Laboratories Room 11-6011 505 King Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43201 USA 90