[llvm-dev] the Univac 2200, LLVM, and national security

[Caldarale, Charles R via llvm-dev]

> From: llvm-dev [mailto:llvm-dev-bounces at lists.llvm.org] 
> On Behalf Of Peter Lawrence via llvm-dev
> Subject: [llvm-dev] the Univac 2200, LLVM, and national security

> One of my previous jobs was at Unisys doing a dynamic translator for the 
> Univac 1100 / 2200 series computers.

As technical lead on that project, I feel I have to respond.  First, the product name is now Unisys ClearPath; the Univac name has not been used for several decades.  Second, Peter's position with the company was terminated after a couple of months for reasons that should now be fairly obvious.

> We chose LLVM for the base of the translator for its modularity, optimizations, 
> and x86 code generation.  We wrote a front-end that parsed Univac instructions 
> and generated IR for them. It all ran on X86-Linux boxes which with some special 
> peripheral adaptors were then plug-in replacements for Univac hardware.

Although much of the above is technically correct, the use of "we" in the above is a bit misleading, since Peter was involved only in very early definition and design discussions, and not at all in the implementation.

> You might be wondering what anyone was doing with the very ancient and very 
> decrepit Univac computer, which it turns out is a very interesting question.

Using the term "decrepit" here is a serious disservice to history, Unisys, and our customers, which include numerous airlines, banks, and various government agencies around the world.

> The problem is that no one at Unisys knows for sure what was being done with
> Univac computers because it is classified top secret information, no one at 
> Unisys had that clearance, and if they did they couldn't talk about it.

The above, of course, is utter gibberish.  We work closely with all of our customers and know very well how our systems are utilized.

I'm not going to bother with the rest - there's real work to be done.

 - Chuck


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