Re: [Aptos-devel] APT-AC ???

[Brent M. <bm...@si...>]

On 03/05/2016 01:15 PM, Kim Kirwan wrote:
> OK, thanks, this is good info, an IBM APT product that was in common
> use at aerospace companies at the time. Does this relate in any way
> to the "other" APT lists in existence?
>
I guess the answer would be "no", if you mean the other projects that 
are old APT code bases that we hobbyists have access to. It looks, from 
what Jeff Audia mentioned, that IBM took the APT-AC code into the price 
stratosphere, and it is probably heavily copyrighted.

> It was my understanding that the Apt4ssv3 list (on Assembla.com)
> was for rewriting the APT4 v3 Fortran source code, which was said to
> be available without copyright restrictions. And that the apt4ssx8
> list (on freelists.org) was for rewriting the APT4 v8 Fortran source
> code, which was said to be available, but was still covered by some
> copyright (maybe NASA?) but that someone was working on getting them
> to release it into the public domain.  However, there have been no
> substantive posts on either list for 1 year, and 3 years, respectively.
>

Those projects were worked on, but I think the implicit consensus was 
that no one felt like dedicating their hobby time to working on it (I'm 
guessing). The Apt4ssv3 code that I was given was started on a couple of 
times- The first time, we hit a snag with the syntax code generating 
file that was undocumented. It was restarted with Andy Pruitt from 
scratch, and I got it running about 20% of the test files included in 
the code base to completion. The reason I stopped was that the way 
forward from there didn't look real promising. The files ran though 
syntax-wise, but I couldn't figure why or where it was failing without 
understanding the code way more than a simple perusal. For example,if 
the code fails with a segfault or something, you can spot the problem 
and work backwards. That wasn't happening-the program ran to completion 
and basically it just gave an error message due to some problem 
somewhere. Additionally, the clfile was binary, and would have to be 
documented to write posts for.

If someone would like to look at it, I can give them a copy of the code 
to look over. I don't think Andy has been working on it either.

> The delay (as I understood it) was to wait and see if the APT4 v8 code
> could be freed up, and if so, to start with that. But if v8 could not
> be freed up, then to start with APT4 v3.
>
> What is the origin of APT360, would that be APT3? Any possibility of
> getting either of the two APT4 projects moving again? Or, the APT4
> improvements (if any?) merged with APT360? Or, something else?
>
> Any information, ideas, suggestions, much appreciated.
>
> Kim
>
>
<old stuff snipped>
Here is the relevant parts of the legal brief giving a short history of 
the software:

> 3
>
> * Both IBM and Symbolic produce a type of computer software known as an
> automatically programmed tools (APT) processor. This software permits
> the use of a computer in the production of metal parts in aviation,
> automobile manufacturing, and similar manufacturing enterprises. When an
> engineering diagram of a part to be produced is completed manually, the
> diagram is given to a computer programmer who translates the diagram
> into computer language, producing the "part program." At this point the
> APT processor comes into play: the APT processor, itself a computer
> program, is used by a computer to calculate the location, speed, and
> movement the machine tool must use to cut the metal part required.
>
> 4
>
> The first APT processor was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of
> Technology under contract to the United States Air Force. A later
> version of this program, called APT III, was placed in the public
> domain. APT III was the basis of later refined versions of the APT
> processor developed by IBM, General Electric Corporation, Sperry Rand
> Corporation, and Control Data Corporation, for use with the various
> computers produced by each of these firms.
>
> 5
>
> Between 1967 and 1970 IBM developed and distributed four versions of its
> APT processor, all designed for use with its System/360 computer. These
> software programs were identified as NC 360, followed by a version
> number and a modification level. IBM furnished all versions of the NC
> 360 program free of charge, and provided free maintenance and
> modification levels. Maintenance consists of correcting errors in the
> program, and a modification level is a compilation and incorporation of
> error corrections made after the release of the prior modification level.
>



Brent.