[Info-vax] RMS - Wish list

[David Jones]

On Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 11:06:29 AM UTC-4, hb wrote:
> On 10/19/21 3:52 PM, Hein RMS van den Heuvel wrote: 
> > The only known usage in the system that I am aware of is in the linker/debugger image area. 
> > The image itself in the exe file is 512 bytes fixed length - no length word, no round up. 
> > The debugger symbol table is like an object file - variable length - inside the same image. 
> > It's my understanding SYS$MODIFY is used to make the switch. 
> >
> VAX and Alpha.

Here's an excerpt from RMS0MODFY.MAR's comments:

; Implicit Inputs:
;
;	The contents of the fab and possible related user interface
;	blocks.
;	The esc bit is set in fop indicating that the caller desires
;	to execute one of the 'escape sequences', otherwise known as
;	'back doors' or 'kludges', that is, ways of tricking rms into
;	thinking that the situation is other than rms's current view of it.
;	These will, hopefully, remain few in number.  Implementing these
;	as a service is necessary due to the requirement for exec mode
;	privileges and additionally gives us a handle on the extent of the
;	cancer.  Improper use of an escape sequence can blow rms out of the
;	water.