[ih] Saving IETF history

[Toerless Eckert]

On Wed, May 12, 2021 at 07:04:06PM -0700, Jack Haverty via Internet-history wrote:
> As part of that patent effort, I analyzed the reload-related parts of
> the IMP code, instruction by instruction, and the interactions between
> the 2 IMPs involved.   I suspect it violated more core principles of
> layering, software engineering, coding structure, and other such rules
> than any software had to date.   The part where the network I/O
> overwrote the memory while the processor was executing from it was
> especially clever.
> 
> Most importantly, it worked.

;-) Software patches/upgrades in the past seem to have often been done by
starting with a base code that had a lot of interspersed NOPs and the new
code would change those accordingly... in  running system not knowing where
the CPU was... incrementally as necessary. I have no idea when this practice
was stopped though. Sounds like a real cool coding puzzle. But i wouldn't
want to be the developer applying this to e.g.: NASA deep space exploration
vehicles code. But i know companies that kept senior engineers with nothing else
to do than being able to fabricarte such paths - as late as the late 1990th.

Cheers
    Toerless
> 
> /Jack
> 
> 
> On 5/12/21 6:06 PM, Dave Crocker via Internet-history wrote:
> >
> >> "downloading new versions of system software".
> >
> > Arpanet coming out party, Fall, 1972, bowels of the Washington DC
> > Hilton.  I was asked to demo the net to Lipinski, Sr., of the IFF.  I
> > connect to BBN and run something.  Then connect to ISI and run
> > something.  He's thoroughly bored.  Too easy, quick and unengaging.  I
> > could tell that he was not appreciating what this was..
> >
> > Then the TIP crashes.  We wait a moment and he asks how long before we
> > can continue.  I check and am told a reload is needed.  I tell him
> > that and he says he'll go off to a conference session until the system
> > is reloaded.  I explain the delay will only be a few minutes.
> >
> > He says that can't be.  They haven't even rolled out the paper tape
> > reader yet.  I explain they won't be doing that, and tell him that
> > Boston will be directing a download over the net from a neighbor.
> >
> > This is a bright, experienced guy.  He takes in what I just said and
> > THEN he finally understands the net.
> >
> > d/
> >
> 
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