IBM 8100 DPCX

Last updated
Distributed Processing Control eXecutive (DPCX)
Developer IBM
Written in PL/S-like PL/DS language
Working stateDiscontinued
Available in English
Platforms IBM 8100
License Proprietary

DPCX (Distributed Processing Control eXecutive) was an operating system for the IBM 8100 small computer system. [1] [2] IBM hoped it would help their installed base of IBM 3790 customers migrate to the 8100 and the DPPX operating system. [3] It was mainly deployed to support a word processing system, Distributed Office Support Facility (DOSF) which was derived from the earlier IBM 3730 word processing system.

Like DPPX, it was written in the PL/S-like PL/DS language. The applications, including much of DOSF, however, were written an interpreted language that was "compiled" using the System/370 assembler macro facility.

The 8100/DPCX/DOSF system was the first type of distributed system to connect to the IBM Distributed Office Support System (DISOSS) running on data host. [4] Later versions of DISOSS relied on SNA Distribution System (SNADS) and eventually became peer-to-peer communication of documents which complied with Document Interchange Architecture (DIA) and Document Content Architecture (DCA) as other types of distributed system gained DISOSS support – Scanmaster, Displaywriter, and 5520 Office System.

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References

  1. Tanton, Theresa T. (30 Jul 1979). "Choice involves many factors: IBM 8100 and 4300 aimed at different users". Computerworld. 13 (31): Special Report/10.
  2. Henkel, Tom (3 Mar 1980). "For distributed operation: missing links plaguing IBM's 8100 system". Computerworld. 14 (9): 5.
  3. Waters, F. C. H. (1979). "Design of the IBM 8100 Data Base and Transaction Management System—DTMS". IBM Systems Journal. 18 (4): 565–581. doi:10.1147/sj.184.0565. ISSN   0018-8670.
  4. IBM Red Book DISOSS