[TUHS] WECo-specific UNIX Activities

[TUHS] WECo-specific UNIX Activities

[segaloco via TUHS]

UNIX is a trademark of Bell Laboratories...so the familiar footnote goes.

However, Western Electric handled much of the later distribution, and I find myself wondering a bit esoteric of a point.  Within the Bell System, Western Electric and Bell Laboratories complemented each other but were separate entities.  However, Western Electric had their own engineering department, distinct from the inventions brought over from the Labs.

In the case of UNIX, as I understand it, all major players were BTL, between research, USG, PWB, and Columbus.  WECos stakes early on were turnkey systems and special computing applications like COSMOS.  However, I don't ever really see mention in literature of UNIX R&D or support infrastructure that falls specifically under the Western Electric umbrella.

Did WECo personnel go directly to USG for support or was there some sort of WECo layer for all things UNIX, distinct from research and USG, that then communicated up?

- Matt G.