Watch people explain UNIX in 1982

[richb]

Check out the video, Interesting to see not only how they describe Unix, but also the equipment available in the early 80's as well as the hairstyles.

http://www.itworld.com/operating-sys...lain-unix-1982

[lcorken]

Interesting video. Thanks for that richb.

A lot of beards back then. I grew one some time in the 70s. It quickly drove me nuts so shaved it off.

Speaking of nuts, my first experience with Unix was around 1990 on a Sun workstation. I recall trying to use Emacs and decided the Emacs Psychotherapist was the most useful part. Thank God for Kate.

Ken.

[andystmartin]

Yes, cool video.

I was just finishing college in 1982 and had become familiar with Unix prior to entering the workforce. I've written many documents using troff to format them. I think I wrote one of my first resumes on a Unix system and formatted it using troff.

Unix, indeed, made programming simpler but that was not the only secret to its success. The other major factor was it's independence from being tightly coupled to specific hardware. Most of the kernel was written in C. You just needed a cross compiler and some small amount of "glue" and you could have Unix running on your own hardware. Digital's VMS was also quite easy to use, at the time. It, however, was tightly coupled to Digital's VAX hardware.

[GreyGeek]

Wow, it's giving me flashbacks! Remember Radio Shack's Xenix?

[Feathers McGraw]

I love what passed for mini computers back then!

Thanks for this Rich, I find it fascinating to watch these videos... this one was made 8 years before I was born! It makes me realise how much I take for granted, and also explains why some things are the way they are.

[richb]

I was building a Heathkit around 1982 and immersed in CPM. I remember those days very well and the tiny green or white grainy CRT's

[MoonRise]

Great video! Amazing. Just amazing. Thanks for sharing that!

[GreyGeek]

I was building a Heathkit around 1982 and immersed in CPM. I remember those days very well and the tiny green or white grainy CRT's

I used a Tandy Xenix computer and the Forth language to computerize an auto parts store. Everything, including the system, development tools, and the app I was writing were menu driven. I don't ever recall having to drop to the CLI to do anything.

I LOVED Heathkit. I was in amateur radio (WN5VSX) with a Heathkit DX-60. I built a 15' cubical quad antenna that gave me a 9X9 in Japan. The guy living next to my wife and I was an art student. He loved that antenna! I could send Morse code about 5 times faster than I could receive. I built Heathkit's analog computer for my physics and math classes. I built a Heathkit 25" color TV. I also built their grid dip meter and several other electronic devices. I was really sad when they went out of business.

[richb]

I used a Tandy Xenix computer and the Forth language to computerize an auto parts store. Everything, including the system, development tools, and the app I was writing were menu driven. I don't ever recall having to drop to the CLI to do anything.

I LOVED Heathkit. I was in amateur radio (WN5VSX) with a Heathkit DX-60. I built a 15' cubical quad antenna that gave me a 9X9 in Japan. The guy living next to my wife and I was an art student. He loved that antenna! I could send Morse code about 5 times faster than I could receive. I built Heathkit's analog computer for my physics and math classes. I built a Heathkit 25" color TV. I also built their grid dip meter and several other electronic devices. I was really sad when they went out of business.

We have that in common. I spent many hours and dollars at the Heath store and belonged to the Heath User group. I remember lusting over a s computer storage system of two 5 mbyte drives for about $1500. My cooler head prevailed thank heaven. I started with the H89 and then built a Z100. I had them until about 5 years ago when a cellar flood wiped them out.

[Feathers McGraw]

I started with the H89 and then built a Z100. I had them until about 5 years ago when a cellar flood wiped them out.

Were they still "on" doing useful things, or were they in storage?

[richb]

We have that in common. I spent many hours and dollars at the Heath store and belonged to the Heath User group. I remember lusting over a s computer storage system of two 5 mbyte drives for about $1500. My cooler head prevailed thank heaven. I started with the H89 and then built a Z100. I had them until about 5 years ago when a cellar flood wiped them out.

In storage for sentimental value. But It hurt to see them trashed.

[Feathers McGraw]

I bet! That's a shame. We've recently had some really serious flooding in the UK, it's terrible to think how many things like this get destroyed in floods.