Text preview for : 19790124_Progress_Pilot.pdf part of xerox 19790124 Progress Pilot xerox sdd memos_1979 19790124_Progress_Pilot.pdf



Back to : 19790124_Progress_Pilot.p | Home

)(EROX
nUSINESS SYSTElVIS
Systems Development Department


To: ~ill Lynch Date: 24 January 1979

From: Hugh Lauer Org: SDD" Systems Software

Subject: Progress, Pilot Filed:



The following is the status of the Pilot project as of this date.

PLANNING

Planning for Pilot 3.0 is nearly complete. The release date is set for June 15, 1979. Preference will
be given. to meeting the schedule rather than including all of the features.

Internal hearings (for the Pilot implementors) were held on January 12 and external hearings (for
the Teak committee) were held on January 23. Priorities were assigned to all tasks. An updated
task list will be circulated later this week.

Detaile"d task planning for Pilot 3.0 is in progress. Five milestones are identified:

Pilot A -- Fcbntary 15
Pilot n -- 1tlarch 15
Pilot C -- April 1
Pilot D (the alpha rClease of" Pilot 3.0) -. May 1
Pilot E (the Teak release of Pilot 3.0) -- June IS
A work plan identifying these detailed tasks will be done next week.

TECHNICAL

Technical details of software booting and microcode swapping for the debugger have been worked
out.

The rigid disk driver for the Diablo Nlodel 3] has been completely redesigned both to
accommodate the new DiskChannel interface and to improve performance, structure, and
maintainability. It is expected that this will serve as a model for olher rigid disk drivers, which can
be implemented primarily by editing this one.

General strategy for supporting the debugger on Pilot has been worked out. Supporting design and
implementation arc proceeding.

Several performance bottlenecks have been identified, both by members of the Pilot group and by
1. fvlorrison and Product Software. These include:

time to lwndle a page fault (1/3 second!)
real memory allocator (consumes 12% of all processor time)
Progress, Pilot 2

Space.Create (2.5 seconds, mostly in the allocator for placing a subspace w'ithin a
~oc~ . .
mapping data spaces (clllTently creates a new file for each space)

STAFFING

Randy o.obbel started on January 22.

We are still short of people. We need one very qualified person in a hurry and a second shortly
thereafter, preferably before the summer. .

Gobbel inherited Purcell's Alto. A new person will need an Alto as soon. as he arrives.

The DO's in this building are a