install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install dps8m

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#dps8m

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/dp/dps8m/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Simulator of the 36-bit GE/Honeywell/Bull 600/6000-series mainframe computers

Project links

Commands and aliases

dps8
prt2pdf
punutil
tap2raw

history

Project history and usage

DPS8M is a simulator for the 36-bit GE, Honeywell, and Bull 600/6000-series mainframes, especially the DPS-8/M line descended from GE-645 hardware and associated with running Multics.

Project history

The project presents itself as the DPS8M Simulator and credits the DPS8M Development Team across 2006-2025 in its README. Its GitLab project was created in February 2019, consistent with a later public hosting home for a longer-lived simulator codebase.

Adoption history

DPS8M's adoption is primarily in retrocomputing, operating-system preservation, and Multics study rather than ordinary application development. Packaging in Homebrew and Nix gives users a repeatable way to install a simulator that would otherwise live mostly in source builds and specialist documentation.

How it is used

Users build or install the simulator, then run dps8 and companion utilities such as tape and printer conversion tools. The official documentation is aimed at end users, operators, developers, and package maintainers, covering installation, compilation, configuration, operation, and troubleshooting.

Why package nerds care

For package nerds, DPS8M is interesting because it packages a historically specific mainframe simulator with multiple utilities, generated cross-reference documentation, and release-specific omnibus manuals, tying modern Unix package management to preserved 36-bit computing environments.

Timeline

2006: the project README's copyright range begins, indicating the long-running development team history.
2016: early alpha and release-candidate tags were present in the GitLab tag history.
2019: the GitLab project record was created.
2025: official documentation listed release-specific manuals for R3.0.0, R3.0.1, and R3.1.0.

Related projects

Multics
SIMH
GE-645
Honeywell 6180
Bull DPS-8/M

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 platform targets.
Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 2 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`dps8`	cli	global executable
`prt2pdf`	cli	global executable
`punutil`	cli	global executable
`tap2raw`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-08-04

manager version3.1.0

manager updated2026-06-25

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://dps8m.gitlab.io/

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://dps8m.gitlab.io/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:dps8m
Version	3.1.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dps8m
Homepage	https://dps8m.gitlab.io/
Upstream docs	https://dps8m.gitlab.io/
License	ICU
Source archive	https://dps8m.gitlab.io/dps8m-r3.1.0-archive/R3.1.0/dps8m-r3.1.0-src.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-25T13:37:39+02:00
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	libuv
Build dependencies	lld, llvm
Uses from macOS	bash
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	dps8m
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

dps8m

nix profile install nixpkgs#dps8m

normalized package name match
Matched by: Dps8m

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dp/dps8m/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/dps8m.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment
pkg.so package database
pkgdb category and tag curation

Install dps8m with Homebrew, Nix