[TUHS] Early Unix Spider network

[pnr@planet.nl (Paul Ruizendaal)]

> The people working on TCP/IP did know of the Spider work (like they knew of
> the Cambridge ring work), but it didn't really have any impact; it was a
> totally different direction than the one we were going in.

I'm aware of that, and I think it was the same the other way around. My
interest is tracing how the networking API of Unix developed in the very
early days, and that's were there is a link.

When I asked a few months back why Bell Labs did not jump onto the work
done at UoI, Doug observed that the lab's focus was on Datakit and that
triggered my interest.

>>>> it turns out that the TIU driver was in Warren's repo all along:
> 
> V4?! Wow. I'd have never guessed it went that far back.

My current understanding is that Spider development began in 1969 and
that it was first operational in 1972. By '73/'74 it connected a dozen
computers at Murray Hill and Unix had gained basic network programs.