From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.8 required=5.0 tests=DKIM_ADSP_CUSTOM_MED, DKIM_INVALID,DKIM_SIGNED,FREEMAIL_FORGED_FROMDOMAIN,FREEMAIL_FROM, HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS,HTML_MESSAGE,MAILING_LIST_MULTI autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (minnie.tuhs.org [50.116.15.146]) by inbox.vuxu.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1B31D31062 for ; Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:23:01 +0100 (CET) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [IPv6:::1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 97E8E4274B; Sat, 14 Dec 2024 07:22:57 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail-pj1-x102f.google.com (mail-pj1-x102f.google.com [IPv6:2607:f8b0:4864:20::102f]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 54F724274A for ; Sat, 14 Dec 2024 07:22:53 +1000 (AEST) Received: by mail-pj1-x102f.google.com with SMTP id 98e67ed59e1d1-2efded08c79so1548317a91.0 for ; Fri, 13 Dec 2024 13:22:53 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20230601; t=1734124972; x=1734729772; darn=tuhs.org; h=cc:to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references :mime-version:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id:reply-to; bh=IQo6FvsPXTh8HhpOdbSGfC6MfjSPWZsrwiTL5X9TvBU=; b=CDLrUyawSjtG2893KTWblvmHJOlVuR+z1JTLdkhwfLOmfmLvZSsDegwNWPJvE3/6Xi gL8rk9slU21f5Sd5Ycyn6WIxdLEohKxSvKGCDRPX/7GDsE8bf5rCK4Ox/bgUniwhgkfM oPdoIuRl5CUF0re4SEUD1hlZAynS2VRptV3TbtP0Erj6UHn/32RNxM2dIo59m4X/xSvv 1K5Jd1uvgw/RsD0dTjiXqoYdATDvukI/gozQXXR/MI0Cj4UlIlDNyw03AtftH/pZ7RDE XxQi4PsxYC3BTK40W3+0RPfsmsmGMguWPwk+L6WExuq+3Xpe4ZeNfiuP4vrBIlVudqVW nCUg== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20230601; t=1734124972; x=1734729772; h=cc:to:subject:message-id:date:from:in-reply-to:references :mime-version:x-gm-message-state:from:to:cc:subject:date:message-id :reply-to; bh=IQo6FvsPXTh8HhpOdbSGfC6MfjSPWZsrwiTL5X9TvBU=; b=fyzKLZ+DDjWhxxXFlp87PAUEo2l+ARGO0LCtJF+0aJo0lQ73cvOhj89xARmvpzMDxW D2EsFp9XO7i0luWhM7F4wZ5rkXG/x9xki9edM7eQoMkU6ChT0Z3gvMvZp041VobPhHl+ h4XyGGGFs8yI4wf0d/2UL8yJcW28OomgWrV+ABqX8+znfasDvzHDoI8wnYEHpyj8oXuQ r9qlmHgZvNO63HEOZw3tjSvneELVhirjarI8oTXuBJEYjkNibmPn5kd2pK7CX/6hLdrg muH0ZBB91OXZhP1Dj/VYny/MWVvBD2Ztsa4yv/Xe9mj/XV/zOt/noqsTGwp1FG1YXaPZ dYhg== X-Gm-Message-State: AOJu0YzHUzXmNUV+jaPygXxoaFGhcjusHw6AVGlCZhU6bbM5nSAV2K8j 5Eipr0lVdDQAVipfc+HzhL5w4EWmJao+cmXXOvmCSX5I+1hbmQrsWB+GbPeXsNnJcnUGVO9zTSs YIh9VE9mzkIERKKVAkFJ09zI5MzTEDMIU X-Gm-Gg: ASbGncuvYa/Ru/hgHd18c7bWFwwQhrC5rdYak4/LauZ2nCeaybDLRsSQHGPMIksRYg0 DXbS1kgL3ZVE0MBmz2XpceKkubbDMn/fqhDMFWg== X-Google-Smtp-Source: AGHT+IGtOtd32vGPrTkj6CZwxoQsGpGq1H/S/82AM6+hHtJOVNUMZJglUuR/UPz+5K8bLIEmnWdbpn3Qy0/aPo9BFtM= X-Received: by 2002:a17:90b:3c02:b0:2ef:19d0:2261 with SMTP id 98e67ed59e1d1-2f28fb677cdmr6993739a91.16.1734124972562; Fri, 13 Dec 2024 13:22:52 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 References: In-Reply-To: From: Rob Pike Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2024 08:22:41 +1100 Message-ID: To: Marc Rochkind Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000fc605f06292d6e08" Message-ID-Hash: JL4UN4D7FKFVYPZXRQ5N62BYERDXH5YQ X-Message-ID-Hash: JL4UN4D7FKFVYPZXRQ5N62BYERDXH5YQ X-MailFrom: robpike@gmail.com X-Mailman-Rule-Misses: dmarc-mitigation; no-senders; approved; emergency; loop; banned-address; member-moderation; header-match-tuhs.tuhs.org-0; nonmember-moderation; administrivia; implicit-dest; max-recipients; max-size; news-moderation; no-subject; digests; suspicious-header CC: The UNIX Historical Society X-Mailman-Version: 3.3.6b1 Precedence: list Subject: [TUHS] Re: SCCS roach motel List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list Archived-At: List-Archive: List-Help: List-Owner: List-Post: List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: --000000000000fc605f06292d6e08 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable According to the Unix room fortunes file, the actual quote is SCCS: the source-code motel -- your code checks in but it never checks out. Ken Thompson On Sat, Dec 14, 2024 at 3:52=E2=80=AFAM Marc Rochkind = wrote: > IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering has asked me to write a > retrospective on the influence of SCCS over the last 50 years, as my SCCS > paper was published in 1975. They consider it one of the most influential > papers from TSE's first decade. > > There's a funny quote from Ken Thompson that circulates from time-to-time= : > > "SCCS, the source motel! Programs check in and never check out!" > > But nobody seems to know what it means exactly. As part of my research, I > asked Ken what the quote meant, sunce I wanted to include it. He explaine= d > that it refers to SCCS storing binary data in its repository file, > preventing UNIX text tools from operating on the file. > > Of course, this is only one of SCCS's many weaknesses. If you have > anything funny about any of the others, post it here. I already have all > the boring usual stuff (e.g., long-term locks, file-oriented, no merging)= . > > Marc Rochkind > mrochkind.com > > > > > --000000000000fc605f06292d6e08 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
According to the Unix room fortunes file, the actual quote is

<= /div>SCCS: the source-code motel -- your code checks in but it never checks= out.
Ken Thompson

On Sat, Dec 14, 2024 at 3= :52=E2=80=AFAM Marc Rochkind <mro= chkind@gmail.com> wrote:
IEEE Transactions on Software Enginee= ring has asked me to write a retrospective on the influence of SCCS over th= e last 50 years, as my SCCS paper was published in 1975. They consider it o= ne of the most influential papers from TSE's first decade.
There's a funny quote from Ken Thompson that circulates fr= om time-to-time:

"SCCS, the source motel! Pro= grams check in and never check out!"

But nobo= dy seems to know what it means exactly. As part of my research, I asked Ken= what the quote meant, sunce I wanted to include it. He explained that it r= efers to SCCS storing binary data in its repository file, preventing UNIX t= ext tools from operating on the file.

Of course, t= his is only one of SCCS's=C2=A0many=C2=A0weaknesses. If you have anythi= ng funny about any of the others, post it here. I already have all the bori= ng usual stuff (e.g., long-term locks, file-oriented, no merging).

Marc Rochkind


=

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