[TUHS] Ultrix - why "setld"?

[Chris Hanson via TUHS]

On Nov 21, 2025, at 9:42 PM, r.stricklin via TUHS <tuhs at tuhs.org> wrote:
> 
> On Nov 21, 2025, at 9:28 PM, Chris Hanson via TUHS <tuhs at tuhs.org> wrote:
>> 
>> It’s been a few years so I forgot how to install additional packages on it, and had to look it up: Turns out /etc/setld is how you install packages. Can anyone describe the thinking behind this? I know everyone was doing their own thing for package installation back then, but still…
> 
> from setld(8):
> 
>     The setld utility enables superusers to load, unload, and inventory software subsets.
> 
> so I’d imagine something like subSET LoaD.

Ha, that makes sense! Since the DECstation is at the museum and I’m home now, I didn’t think to see if I could find the Ultrix man pages online anywhere. At least CERN’s guide to installing Ultrix is still online, which is where I learned of setld...

  -- Chris
  -- who should probably hack a little more on MAME’s DECstation emulation