From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.1 required=5.0 tests=DKIM_SIGNED,DKIM_VALID, DKIM_VALID_AU,HTML_FONT_LOW_CONTRAST,HTML_MESSAGE,MAILING_LIST_MULTI, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Received: (qmail 24276 invoked from network); 4 Jan 2021 14:12:43 -0000 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (45.79.103.53) by inbox.vuxu.org with ESMTPUTF8; 4 Jan 2021 14:12:43 -0000 Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 252A99C7DF; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 00:12:40 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 341E39C7D8; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 00:11:58 +1000 (AEST) Authentication-Results: minnie.tuhs.org; dkim=pass (1024-bit key; unprotected) header.d=ccc.com header.i=@ccc.com header.b="kL2lcvTi"; dkim-atps=neutral Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 8C4229C7D8; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 00:11:54 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail-qk1-f174.google.com (mail-qk1-f174.google.com [209.85.222.174]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 7DB669C7D7 for ; Tue, 5 Jan 2021 00:11:53 +1000 (AEST) Received: by mail-qk1-f174.google.com with SMTP id p14so23431837qke.6 for ; Mon, 04 Jan 2021 06:11:53 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=ccc.com; s=google; h=mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date:message-id:subject:to :cc; bh=VTMks/p/Umfl/8co7ZKVLWT7Rvqrxlk9Chk2cgFzil4=; b=kL2lcvTiA0mUwHRr/xQui3kq+7yqaOj6k3HZxIpHpj+QG/AsjXVfmCZBDIEcfBo9up kcWcKpvB4imdmuQRYWArnfQgQtpmsMkOBN3/4YDxCOcBuar09ziD7TYqK4+89F4fCyng 3ICItftAPInd/HTojRlrfyyTaMDrD72DBEzE4= X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:references:in-reply-to:from:date :message-id:subject:to:cc; bh=VTMks/p/Umfl/8co7ZKVLWT7Rvqrxlk9Chk2cgFzil4=; b=n9bM/lSUw2ZKcqmOCSZO4CU5ls+kjiTuYbCLlHvDHoTXhG89BpDtbb5xXi3ewKNE2g oW3dRUzzk2fI+dw2WJ18Jyo9DjO5fHhjQn4VxiVzqW6cP1O4SBlrX0hbxs46DjYUf7jN TRpcjPO7xDesWwCfnhycIHb2Ck7F2/qigDbWRkw5tPHXig8lVHJQjrEDpVT1hQF6M9eE J5B/v/cX4up1FShSLXFX8Xy+TKwSR/C2lLo3hMIoTuH5eTPhHsJGP+T9qQHpipuSpXz7 78ABC76yamEqVmXvVdttvkQuejueuy5t2NAA8IBvXvgHlMcMEdqAvIA2wJ8TOp4QIBIH MIMQ== X-Gm-Message-State: AOAM533R8oseP/USZywFF917g40Ozzpl2hCe0nCBFyKfC0eNArJ4S8YB y9wlQc8597k3dovJV1weiLhEv8+07cDiz4TWTR77694P33efjE81 X-Google-Smtp-Source: ABdhPJzOFEbbjZJfuHd625gk3DpLW7vkBsmN9PYUiMTlC3mLlTyQWVaY8G6elXaKyZCtzwEaTlvPpOixQtdZjueQR88= X-Received: by 2002:a37:a095:: with SMTP id j143mr74417089qke.25.1609769512430; Mon, 04 Jan 2021 06:11:52 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Clem Cole Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2021 09:11:26 -0500 Message-ID: To: Rob Pike , M Douglas McIlroy Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000f587a305b813ab10" Subject: Re: [TUHS] Question 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: , Cc: UNIX Heritage Society Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" --000000000000f587a305b813ab10 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I also remember a program that was kicking around WH and MH called grope(1) that IIRC used the algorithms in the code for the 411 operators. Was that related? I do remember is that had a separate dictionary from spell and ispell that was stored in /usr/lib/grope/[a-z]/mumble =E1=90=A7 On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 4:08 AM Rob Pike wrote: > That was done by Tom Duff, I believe before he came to Bell Labs. I might > have brought the idea with me from Toronto. The code, or at least a simpl= e > version of it, is in The Unix Programming Environment starting around pag= e > 208. We credit Tom in the endnotes for the chapter. > > -rob > > > On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 8:00 PM Ed Bradford wrote: > >> Thank you for responding. My recollection is that one of your >> folks put the spelling corrector into the shell so when I typed >> the wrong letters for a directory or file, the spelling correct >> would help. It was particularly noticible in the "chdir - cd" shell >> command. Do you recall any such person and if so, did he (and it >> was a he) use Peter's work? >> >> There was a distance algorithm that was far better than anything I've se= en >> since. Yes, please send me Peter's contact information. >> >> I am >> >> Ed Bradford, Ph.D. Physics, retired from IBM >> Pflugerville,TX >> egbegb2@gmail.com >> >> PS: We chatted sometime in 1980 or so about >> adding database capabilities to the interactive >> environment. I was interested in adding it to >> the Bourne Shell at the time. >> >> On Sun, Jan 3, 2021 at 2:23 PM M Douglas McIlroy < >> m.douglas.mcilroy@dartmouth.edu> wrote: >> >>> > I was a BTL person for 8 years between 1976 and 1984. During >>> > that time there was a spelling corrector that was better than >>> > anything I see today. There was a concept of "spelling distance" >>> > that corrected a whole bunch of stuff that even today cannot be > >>> corrected. >>> >>> > Who in that era worked on spelling correction at BTL. I was at >>> > Columbus BTL (1976-1979) and Whippany BTL (1979-1984). >>> >>> Peter Nelson made an interface to spell(1) that showed putative errors >>> in context. I believe it could suggest corrections. I remember the proj= ect; >>> I installed hooks for it in spell(1). I don't remember the date, but it >>> would probably not have been early enough for you to have used it in >>> Columbus. >>> >>> If there's a chance that Peter's program is the one you remember >>> and you'd like to get in touch with him, I can give you his >>> email address. >>> >>> Doug >>> >> >> >> -- >> Advice is judged by results, not by intentions. >> Cicero >> >> --000000000000f587a305b813ab10 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I also remember a program that was kicking around WH an= d MH called grope(1) that IIRC used the algorithms=C2=A0in the code for the= 411 operators.=C2=A0 =C2=A0Was that related?=C2=A0 I do remember is that h= ad a separate=C2=A0dictionary from spell and ispell that was stored in /usr= /lib/grope/[a-z]/mumble
3D""=E1=90=A7

On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 = at 4:08 AM Rob Pike <robpike@gmail.= com> wrote:
That was done by Tom Duff, I believe before he came to = Bell Labs. I might have brought the idea with me from Toronto. The code, or= at least a simple version of it, is in The Unix Programming Environment st= arting around page 208. We credit Tom in the endnotes for the chapter.
=
-rob


On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 8:00 PM Ed B= radford <egbegb2@= gmail.com> wrote:
Thank you for responding. My recollection is that o= ne of your
folks put the spelling corrector into the shell so when I typed=
the wrong letters for a directory or file, the spelling correct
would=C2= =A0help. It was particularly noticible=C2=A0in the "chdir - cd" s= hell
command. Do you recall any such person and if so, did he (and it
was= a he) use Peter's work?

There was a distance algorithm that wa= s far better than anything I've seen
since. Yes, please send me Peter&= #39;s contact information.

I am

Ed Bradford, Ph.D. Physics, r= etired from IBM
Pflugerville,TX
egbegb2@gmail.com

PS: We chatted sometime in 1980 = or so about
adding database capabilities to the interactive
environment. = I was interested in adding it to
the Bourne Shell at the time.
=
On Sun= , Jan 3, 2021 at 2:23 PM M Douglas McIlroy <m.douglas.mcilroy@dartmouth.edu> wrote:
> I was a BTL person for 8 years between 1976= and 1984. During
> that time there was a spelling corrector that was b= etter than
> anything I see today. There was a concept of "spellin= g distance"
> that corrected a whole bunch of stuff that even toda= y cannot be > corrected.

> Who in that era worked on spellin= g correction at BTL. I was at
> Columbus BTL (1976-1979) and Whippany B= TL (1979-1984).

Peter Nelson made an interface to spell(1) that = showed putative errors in context. I believe it could suggest corrections. = I remember the project; I installed hooks for it in spell(1). I don't r= emember the date, but it would probably not have been early enough for you = to=C2=A0have used it in Columbus.

If there's a chance that Pet= er's program is the one you remember
and you'd like to get in touc= h with him, I can give you his
email address.

Doug


--
Advice is judged by results, not by intentions.
=C2=A0= Cicero

--000000000000f587a305b813ab10--