[TUHS] BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[TUHS] BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[segaloco via TUHS]

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Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter: https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978

What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge. The text goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly $1.50.

Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on auction for less than $100. Still, amazing how something was being just tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad scramble to find the same. Then there's this listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg

$3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ issue before. Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered in? It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the fact.

In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they were legally able to. In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a burger and fries. While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even meaning to...

- Matt G.

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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Warner Losh]

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On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 11:26 AM segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:

> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note
> about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter:
> https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978
>
> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time of
> that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge.  The text
> goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly $1.50.
>
> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on
> auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being just
> tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad
> scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing:
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg
>
> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the
> uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ
> issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered
> in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to
> believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the
> fact.
>
> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust
> stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they
> were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I
> paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet
> only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a
> burger and fries.  While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I
> may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even
> meaning to...
>

I bought mine in the couple of years for like $20. I think $3k is
delusional.  They range from $25-$250 in the last year for 'offered' price,
mostly in the < $100 range for the ones that sell...

Warner

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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Henry Bent]

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On Thu, 11 May 2023 at 13:38, Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 11:26 AM segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:
>
>> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note
>> about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter:
>> https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978
>>
>> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time
>> of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge.  The
>> text goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly
>> $1.50.
>>
>> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on
>> auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being just
>> tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad
>> scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing:
>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg
>>
>> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the
>> uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ
>> issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered
>> in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to
>> believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the
>> fact.
>>
>> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust
>> stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they
>> were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I
>> paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet
>> only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a
>> burger and fries.  While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I
>> may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even
>> meaning to...
>>
>
> I bought mine in the couple of years for like $20. I think $3k is
> delusional.  They range from $25-$250 in the last year for 'offered' price,
> mostly in the < $100 range for the ones that sell...
>

Indeed, something is only worth what someone will pay for it.  That auction
could sit on eBay for a long time and until it sells it's worth nothing;
the site is packed to the brim with delusional pricing.

-Henry

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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[segaloco via TUHS]

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One thing I will say is the pricing I see on some of this stuff on eBay, Biblio, etc. implies to me the fact that much of this old documentation is available as PDFs in various corners of the internet has not really phased the pricing on the collectors market.

I'm glad I haven't run into the same problems I used to encounter in video game prototype research. There've been pretty nasty flame wars in those communities over the years regarding preservation diminishing the value of unique video game artifacts sitting collecting dust in someone's closet. Sometimes you'd get in a bidding war with someone that literally derives from their desire to specifically see the item in question kept as obscured from public knowledge as possible, just so they can claim the superiority of owning it or bank on selling it later. Shockingly, a singular, unique physical item is still going to be sought even if the data or information it contains is known.

But I digress, I must appreciate the cordiality of folks with regards to this research stuff. I can't say I've had anyone come complaining to me that something I documented tanked their cartridge-based retirement fund...

- Matt G.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, May 11th, 2023 at 10:37 AM, Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com> wrote:

> On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 11:26 AM segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:
>
>> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter: https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978
>>
>> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge. The text goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly $1.50.
>>
>> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on auction for less than $100. Still, amazing how something was being just tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad scramble to find the same. Then there's this listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg
>>
>> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ issue before. Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered in? It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the fact.
>>
>> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they were legally able to. In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a burger and fries. While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even meaning to...
>
> I bought mine in the couple of years for like $20. I think $3k is delusional. They range from $25-$250 in the last year for 'offered' price, mostly in the < $100 range for the ones that sell...
>
> Warner

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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Douglas McIlroy]

If the BSTJ ever was distributed in a slip box, it was only to people
above my pay grade. The gray spine must have been specially printed,
for the BSTJ was always blue, as seen in the slip-box window.

Doug

On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 1:38 PM Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 11:26 AM segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:
>>
>> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter: https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978
>>
>> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge.  The text goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly $1.50.
>>
>> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being just tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg
>>
>> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the fact.
>>
>> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a burger and fries.  While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even meaning to...
>
>
> I bought mine in the couple of years for like $20. I think $3k is delusional.  They range from $25-$250 in the last year for 'offered' price, mostly in the < $100 range for the ones that sell...
>
> Warner

[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[arnold]

IIRC I bought mine in 1980 or 1981 by mailing a check to whatever
address was printed in it; my professor had one.

Doug, I think the grey spine in the picture is simply
age discoloration.

Arnold

Douglas McIlroy <douglas.mcilroy@dartmouth.edu> wrote:

> If the BSTJ ever was distributed in a slip box, it was only to people
> above my pay grade. The gray spine must have been specially printed,
> for the BSTJ was always blue, as seen in the slip-box window.
>
> Doug
>
> On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 1:38 PM Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 11:26 AM segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter: https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978
> >>
> >> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge.  The text goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly $1.50.
> >>
> >> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being just tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg
> >>
> >> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the fact.
> >>
> >> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a burger and fries.  While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even meaning to...
> >
> >
> > I bought mine in the couple of years for like $20. I think $3k is delusional.  They range from $25-$250 in the last year for 'offered' price, mostly in the < $100 range for the ones that sell...
> >
> > Warner

[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Clem Cole]

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Matt, this was not unusual in those days.  Many of us have a few shelves
full of the "Handbooks" that DEC used to give out at trade shows for free
starting in the 1960s [my PDP-6 was damaged in a flood, but I still have my
white PDP-10 "phone book".   The microprocessor companies followed suit in
the mid/late 1970s, too.   My wife hates it, but I have a few shelves of
these from DEC, IBM, TI, Moto, and Intel.

Interestingly, they often were updated and/or split, and the newer edition
might have been "prettier" from a marketing standpoint, but older editions
sometimes (often) had better details.  For instance, the 1976 PDP-11
version of the peripheral's handbook is the best doc for the interfaces for
a classic PDP-11.  The 1978s edition is missing a number of the classic
peripherals and I almost have never used to look something up.    Of
course, the earlier edition does not have documentation for the later
peripherals from the 80s and early 90s. But, if you are trying to run a
SIMH 11/70 instance of Unix Research 7, it's almost a must-have (a number
of us that haunt the simh and pidp mailing lists recommend people get a
copy and read before asking some of their questions).  The point is that we
all had copies back in the day, and when we got stuff -- needed to figure
something out -- read the source and look at the DEC handbook [and my is
sitting next to me, and as I was hacking on my PiDPD-11 earlier today and I
needed to look something up].

IIRC, Gorden & Steely Dan's infamous architecture course at CMU required
you to buy one of two of them for a nominal fee at the bookstore.   The
back of my 11/70 Processor Handbook has an old CMU bookstore sticker on it,
but I can not read the price almost 50 years later (I'm sure it was under
$5 even in 1975 money).

Fortunately, Al Kossow has scans of many of them (including the
aforementioned edition of the Peripherals' Handbook)  as scanned PDF files.
Still, it is not quite as nice [much to my wife's belief that they are
clutter].
ᐧ

On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 1:26 PM segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:

> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note
> about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter:
> https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978
>
> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time of
> that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge.  The text
> goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly $1.50.
>
> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on
> auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being just
> tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad
> scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing:
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg
>
> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the
> uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ
> issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered
> in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to
> believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the
> fact.
>
> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust
> stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they
> were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I
> paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet
> only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a
> burger and fries.  While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I
> may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even
> meaning to...
>
> - Matt G.
>

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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Dan Cross]

On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 2:46 PM Clem Cole <clemc@ccc.com> wrote:
> [snip]
> IIRC, Gorden & Steely Dan's infamous architecture course at CMU ....

"Steely Dan"? Tell me that's a double entendre....

        - Dan C.

[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Clem Cole]

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Dan Siewiorek and Gordon Bell authors with Allen Newell of "Computer
Structures: Principles and Examples"  (a.k.a. SBN) - until Hennesy and
Patterson wrote their book, was popularly used by the schools that
taught computer architecture.  [You can download a PDF from Gordon web site
if you search for it] The book has copies of some of the most famous papers
on computer architecture, among other things. Gordon was still on CMU's
faculty part-time when he was at DEC when I was a student.

I'm one of the many legacies of the over 50 years of teaching by Dan
Siewiorek -- remember in the 1970s there was an infamous band (named after
an interesting object BTW).  His students sometimes referred to him
as Steely Dan as a term of endearment.  I think he has been emeritus for a
number of years, but he still comes (walks) to work most days and still is
part of the grad systems seminar. In fact, the last time I saw him, he had
asked me to come to be a guest lecturer.  Funny, I rarely get nervous
before a talk, and I have had some interesting and infamous people in my
audience asking questions.  But doing a  talk for someone who had been my
undergrad advisor and I so revered did make me so. I wanted to do right for
him.

Clem
ᐧ

On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 3:15 PM Dan Cross <crossd@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Thu, May 11, 2023 at 2:46 PM Clem Cole <clemc@ccc.com> wrote:
> > [snip]
> > IIRC, Gorden & Steely Dan's infamous architecture course at CMU ....
>
> "Steely Dan"? Tell me that's a double entendre....
>
>         - Dan C.
>

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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[steve jenkin]

Clem,

Thanks for the recommendation.

Gordon Bell has put copies of his publications, including books, on his website. [ Books at end of page ]
The 1971 and 1982 ‘Computer Structures’ books are there.

	<http://gordonbell.azurewebsites.net/Pubs.htm>

However, they aren’t in PDF or .doc format but a series of single-page HTML, at least they’re linked + ‘Contents’.
The images are scans from the book - not always straight or highly legible.

The effort that went into creating these online works and providing them for free (in perpetuity?)
is to be appreciated & applauded.

I found a PDF of a scanned & searchable version elsewhere.

Quite different from the Patterson/Hennessy book.
The field & its understanding of itself visibly progressed.

regards
steve j

> On 12 May 2023, at 05:38, Clem Cole <clemc@ccc.com> wrote:
> 
> Dan Siewiorek and Gordon Bell authors with Allen Newell of "Computer Structures: Principles and Examples"  (a.k.a. SBN) - until Hennesy and Patterson wrote their book, was popularly used by the schools that taught computer architecture.  [You can download a PDF from Gordon web site if you search for it] The book has copies of some of the most famous papers on computer architecture, among other things. Gordon was still on CMU's faculty part-time when he was at DEC when I was a student. 
> 
> I'm one of the many legacies of the over 50 years of teaching by Dan Siewiorek -- remember in the 1970s there was an infamous band (named after an interesting object BTW).  His students sometimes referred to him as Steely Dan as a term of endearment.  I think he has been emeritus for a number of years, but he still comes (walks) to work most days and still is part of the grad systems seminar. In fact, the last time I saw him, he had asked me to come to be a guest lecturer.  Funny, I rarely get nervous before a talk, and I have had some interesting and infamous people in my audience asking questions.  But doing a  talk for someone who had been my undergrad advisor and I so revered did make me so. I wanted to do right for him.
> 
> Clem

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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Henry Mensch]

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note that this seller has a tiny reputation on ebay. anyone who would give this seller that much money for anything is just not. thinking carefully.

- Henry

On May 11, 2023 13:26:27 segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:
> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a note about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter: https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978
>
> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the time of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of charge.  The text goes on to indicate additional copies can be purchased for a measly $1.50.
>
> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being just tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, it's a mad scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg
>
> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on the uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those with a BSTJ issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues were delivered in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on either side, so I want to believe it's original and not something someone threw together after the fact.
>
> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell anti-trust stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on documentation once they were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always shocked to see how much I paid for something in my archival efforts and then I find a price sheet only to find out someone bought a book back in the day for the cost of a burger and fries.  While I'm pursuing documents for research purposes...I may be inadvertently building myself quite the value store without even meaning to...
>
> - Matt G.


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[TUHS] Re: BSTJ 1978 UNIX Issue Price Appreciation

[Charles H Sauer (he/him)]

note, also, 
https://www.amazon.com/Unix-Time-Sharing-System-Technical-Journal/dp/B004BHP0TE. 
Charlie

On 5/13/2023 4:14 PM, Henry Mensch wrote:
> note that this seller has a tiny reputation on ebay. anyone who would 
> give this seller that much money for anything is just not. thinking 
> carefully.
> 
> - Henry
> 
> On May 11, 2023 13:26:27 segaloco via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:
> 
>> Howdy folks, I was perusing old copies of ;login: and came across a 
>> note about the BSTJ UNIX issue in the August 1978 newsletter: 
>> https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978 
>> <https://archive.org/details/login_august-1978>
>>
>> What I find particularly amusing is that all UNIX licensees at the 
>> time of that publication allegedly were provided a copy free of 
>> charge.  The text goes on to indicate additional copies can be 
>> purchased for a measly $1.50.
>>
>> Fast forward to today and I typically don't see this copy pop up on 
>> auction for less than $100.  Still, amazing how something was being 
>> just tossed out to anyone who wanted one and now here 45 years later, 
>> it's a mad scramble to find the same.  Then there's this listing: 
>> https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg <https://www.ebay.com/itm/134212722284?hash=item1f3fb39e6c:g:9VEAAOSw8HtjCp2H&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4IPDo14%2B7%2BCT30D5MvU1f9BJm77l1XWLxt2ojhau503DpckIGbEgDyGAtPFQgj8m5y9CebRCho1Y9INzCsMX72UaQy96ent8gqtgFWH5MY3kpSNzkYBKgrjnVDMiom2HOuqHiy5H%2FzRjvpdv0BE7tKJ7tJv4BRuCeSEPoqd2U%2FdfuKVuvOTdG%2B28JSWuPcN764AWcg3EbpeU7LUiGEELwjxL0FTsCQ%2F2wK5AuuwK8E9E7WFVuZzsm07jesQcjq75A7t5fM0ggrRX2Mn9cO9%2BHRAP7KcOYhGJ1BqIYz1P1FzL%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_bFmL2BYg>
>>
>> $3000 dollars...quite shocking, although perhaps they're banking on 
>> the uniqueness of that little sleeve, I've never seen one of those 
>> with a BSTJ issue before.  Was that some sort of packaging the issues 
>> were delivered in?  It has the Bell Logo in the little window on 
>> either side, so I want to believe it's original and not something 
>> someone threw together after the fact.
>>
>> In any case, I suspect part of the low pricing is due to Bell 
>> anti-trust stuff, as they really moved on nickle and diming on 
>> documentation once they were legally able to.  In any case, I'm always 
>> shocked to see how much I paid for something in my archival efforts 
>> and then I find a price sheet only to find out someone bought a book 
>> back in the day for the cost of a burger and fries.  While I'm 
>> pursuing documents for research purposes...I may be inadvertently 
>> building myself quite the value store without even meaning to...
>>
>> - Matt G.
> 

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