Since the files are organized by DEC part number, a word about part numbers is probably in order. A DEC part number might look like any of these:

        dec-812-pb
        dec-08-d01a-pb
        dec-08-d01a-b-pb
        ac-6527d-ma

The earlier part numbers are the ones which folks are generally familiar with. These try to encode the name of function of the program into the part number, with an implicit assumption that the part number identifies a single manual or chunk of sofware with a known function.

Later on, software began to look different from this model. OS/8, for instance, encompasses a lot of bits and pieces of diverse function. The practice of listing in a handbook somewhere the bits and pieces you needed became cumbersome.

The later part numbering scheme, which almost no-one remembers how to use properly, is structured in two layers. The bottom layer has a part number like "ac-6527d-ma", which identifies an artifact, more or less, by how to find it in a warehouse. (The "ac" identifies it as a document, "6527" says which one, "d" is a revision code, and "ma" specifies the license and CPU.)

Layered on top of these part numbers, was a code that identified a product that could be ordered. Thus "qf008" would get you FORTRAN IV, etc.) The lower level part numbers are merely cited again in every software product that needed them.

What's been done here, is to organize the DEC software part numbers into directories based on the program being addressed, using the newer software product code only if an old-style part number is not available. For example, directory "dec-08-cdd" contains files for all part numbers associated with any version of DDT-8.

The directory names generally are the names of the dec part number, with the version letter removed. These start with "dec-", "maindec-", or "qf". (Clicking on the link for a directory name will take you to that directory in the repository.)

In general, the older format media codes which trail the part number have also been used (to make the software to maintain this list a little simpler). So, that "-ma" suffix in "ac-6527d-ma" should *not* be included in your search. (A search for part number ""ac-6527d" will find the file for maindec-08-dikla-d-d, as it should.)

The part numbers here have been mostly taken (and corrected where necessary) from these documents:

PDP-8 Software Components Catalog Jul79

PDP-8 8S 8I 8L System Program Index

PDP-8 Software Price List Nov73

PDP-08 Maindec Index

PDP-12 Software Packages and Services Jun72

PDP-12 Software Components Catalog Apr76

0255 index 81-05

8 deco depo diagchanges

diag index

In general, old-school part numbering is used, and an old-school suffix is often used instead of the (now useless) licensing suffix. Most of these suffixes specify a media type, possibly a file format, then possibly a sequence number if there is more than one such item needed. For example, "-pm1" signifies that it's a paper tape image, in RIM format, and that it is the first of two or more such tapes (or tape segments).

For Media types:

a	LINCtape
c	Card Deck
d	Document
f	Fiche
h	DECpack (RK05/RL01)
l	Listing
m	Magtape
p	Paper tape
t	Cassette tape
u	DECtape
y	Floppy

For file formats, the files should be compatible with SIMH or similar simulators, and any available PDF viewer. The codes are:

a	ASCII
b	Binary (BIN for Papertape)
c	ASCII and Binary, mixed
l	Load Module
m	RIM
n	Change Notice
o	LINCtape (Bootstrap for Papertape)
r	Relocatable
s	save format (EPIC)
t	no format (Diagnostic for DECtape)

Yes, I know that LINCtapes are sometimes considered oddly formatted DECtape, and sometimes as a media type of their own.

In addition to my own collection of media, *many* other collectors have contributed to what is presented here. In most cases, I have shamelessly duplicated their stuff, in an attempt to be as complete a resource as I can manage.

Here is a partial list of resources I have mined, in no particular order:

www.bitsavers.org

ftp.dbit.com

www.ibiblio.org

ftp.update.uu.se

pdp12.org

pdp8.hachti.de

pdp8.org

www.pdp8.net

www.pdp8online.net

www.vandermark.ch

My thanks to these folks and others, for making this material available!