From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.2 (2018-09-13) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.0 required=5.0 tests=HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS, MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.2 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (minnie.tuhs.org [45.79.103.53]) by inbox.vuxu.org (OpenSMTPD) with ESMTP id 72b73eec for ; Sun, 21 Apr 2019 16:47:03 +0000 (UTC) Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 6926C93D5C; Mon, 22 Apr 2019 02:47:02 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7AA9893D23; Mon, 22 Apr 2019 02:46:35 +1000 (AEST) Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id EC88A93D23; Mon, 22 Apr 2019 02:46:30 +1000 (AEST) Received: from darkstar.fourwinds.com (fourwinds.com [63.64.179.162]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 8A0A593D21 for ; Mon, 22 Apr 2019 02:46:30 +1000 (AEST) Received: from darkstar.fourwinds.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by darkstar.fourwinds.com (8.15.2/8.15.2) with ESMTP id x3LGkTQM031121 for ; Sun, 21 Apr 2019 09:46:29 -0700 Received: from darkstar.fourwinds.com (jon@localhost) by darkstar.fourwinds.com (8.15.2/8.15.2/Submit) with ESMTP id x3LGkTw0031117 for ; Sun, 21 Apr 2019 09:46:29 -0700 Message-Id: <201904211646.x3LGkTw0031117@darkstar.fourwinds.com> From: Jon Steinhart To: tuhs@tuhs.org In-reply-to: References: <201904202257.x3KMvRQ1011077@darkstar.fourwinds.com> Comments: In-reply-to Rob Pike message dated "Sun, 21 Apr 2019 15:52:13 +1000." MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-ID: <31115.1555865189.1@darkstar.fourwinds.com> Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2019 09:46:29 -0700 X-JON-SPAM: local delivery Subject: Re: [TUHS] Joe Condon [ long, slightly off-topic post ] X-BeenThere: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.26 Precedence: list List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" Rob Pike writes: > > The Unix on 516s sounds wrong to me. Perhaps it conflates GCOS remote job > entry and Unix? > > But the PBX story is correct. To demonstrate how message passing was a good > model for a switching system, in particular to make a point to the > switching systems division of Bell Labs/AT&T, Ken and Joe bought a > commercial PBX and swapped out its processor for a PDP-11/23 (I think), and > programmed it up. It was just before I arrived there but I was given the > impression it had the desired strategic influence on Indian Hill. > > The feature we all loved it for was that instead of ringing the phone in > the Unix room when you got a call, it would announce your name through the > voice synthesizer: "Phone call for Ken." "Phone call for Joe". One rapidly > stopped even hearing the announcement if it didn't end with your name. > > -rob Well, I think at this point I know that the 516 part of the story is incorrect but am not sure exactly what is correct so I'm not going to edit it. The GCOS remote job entry had nothing to do with UNIX. As I said earlier, it may have been the model for UNIX V3 gerts but I don't know the timing. I do remember finding the V3 manual entertaining, I seem to remember that the gerts man page that said something like "using this command requires divine guidance". In hindsight, this probably influenced my own documentation style. The PBX story must be after my time. Makes me wonder what ever happened to the SS1 project. Since it was written in C I would surmise that it laid the groundwork for using C in the PBX project.