Stuff i’m kinda remembering now. CMS was an acronym for Conversational Monitor System. You could write short programs using a scripting language, i think it was called REXX. Sent from my iPhone
> On Feb 6, 2026, at 20:00, Wayne S <[email protected]> wrote: > > You could run different jobs at the same time in different partitions. Just > had to make sure the jobs didn’t need the same resources or you would get a > lock. So if a jobs needed a certain tape, make sure another job running in > another partition didn’t need it. > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Feb 6, 2026, at 19:51, Steve Lewis via cctalk <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >> Dave, >> >> Page 439 of that document you linked has a nice chart of "integrated >> emulators that run execute under VM/370" - now I do recall one of the >> "famous" things about the prior S/360 was it could emulate 1401 and other >> IBM systems. Then later on, more systems to emulate would be the >> 709-series. Ok, so VM/370 is more like what we might today call a >> Hypervisor? So the "it looks like whatever you want" comment makes >> sense. >> >> I suppose what I'm after is more a visual on the usage of CMS, DOS/VS or >> OS/VS1 ( OS's that one would only use on an S/370 ? ) >> >> I put a couple reference images here on what I have about CTSS and TOPS-10 >> (CTSS is from a modern-day emulators, TOPS-10 is from one of their manuals >> so its from in 1970). I see how you mean VM/370 isn't quite the same >> nature (not "just an OS" but an enterprise thing like for airlines, banks, >> financial brokers -- and the virtualization helped in testing/deploying new >> systems -- that maybe had newer OS's -- without disrupting operational >> systems?) >> >> https://github.com/voidstar78/OS_NOTES >> >> >> - Steve >> >> >> >> >>>> On Fri, Feb 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM David Wade <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>> On 06/02/2026 14:55, Steve Lewis wrote: >>>> Thanks Dave, the 3270 terminal screen makes sense. Or to make use of >>>> the system and resources, you'd remote to it using a 3270. >>>> So it may have been at a time no one thought to snap a photograph of >>>> any of those 3270s in use (not just a "room full of 3270's" kind of >>>> photo - but of the actual screen, showing whatever it was they were >>>> doing; managing tape/disk resources, files, users, or running APL or >>>> something. That's more what I was looking for, when you "used VM/370 >>>> {or remoted into it}, this is what it looked like." >>> Generally thats not what you did with VM/370. You edited, compiled, and >>> ran programs.... >>> >>>> >>>> There had to be some kind of installer? Or maybe I'm viewing it wrong >>>> - they (a business) didn't just buy a S/370 then decide what OS to >>>> install. But rather it was a packaged prepared by IBM, so maybe it >>>> was pre-installed with VM/370 and configured to whatever the >>>> arrangement/contract was? >>> >>> For VM you usually got a "starter system" on a tape. There was a >>> different tape for each disk type. The first file on the tape is the >>> standalone disk dump and restore program, DDR. So you IPL (boot) from >>> this tape, and use DDR to restore the starter system to DASD (disk). >>> You usually needed three packs. The first time you IPL the restored >>> starter system it asks you some basic config questions, and you then >>> have a working system that you can use to restore the rest of the >>> VM/370, load and apply service (fixes) , and configure to your exact >>> hardware set-up. >>> >>> I expect at 522 pages this manual which covers install and congigureis a >>> tad bigger than the one for other systems... >>> >>> >>> https://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/370/VM/370/Release_6/GC20-1801-10_VM370_Sysgen_Rel_6_Jan80.pdf >>> >>> >>>> Or a way to say "when someone used a S/370 {or CMS}, this is what the >>>> console content looked like" (printed, or by that time yea probably >>>> more likely a CRT). >>>> >>> >>> It looked like whatever you wanted. The samples in the previous e-mail >>> are typical... >>> >>> >>>> “The Origin of the VM/370 Time-Sharing System” – R.J. Creasy gives a >>>> little bit of a description on those components CP, CMS, and RSCS. >>>> But no photo/image yet of a terminal with content to identify "yeah, >>>> see they are using a S/370 there" (maybe its listing disk packs, >>>> tapes, memory resources, etc?) I got something like this for the >>>> earlier CTSS and TOPS-10. >>>> >>> pass me what you have for that so I can see what a VM Equivalent might >>> be. The definitive thing on a users 3270 is the status bottom right >>> which on a pukka system which usually reads "VM READ VM/370" but can >>> also start "RUNNING", "HOLDING" "CP READ". >>> >>>> -Steve >>>> >>>> >>> Dave >>>
