[Simh] Unix version 1 on SIMH

[Ethan Dicks]

On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 5:25 PM, Nelson H. F. Beebe <beebe at math.utah.edu> wrote:
>
> Those of you interested in the history of computers, and Unix, may
> find interesting these new Web resources about the reconstruction of a
> working version of Unix version 1 (1969--1973):
>
>        http://minnie.tuhs.org/Z/toomey.mov
>        http://www.usenix.org/events/usenix09/tech/full_papers/toomey/toomey.pdf
>        http://www.usenix.org/events/usenix09/tech/slides/toomey.pdf

Wow!  Very well done!

> This effort is significant, because it was believed until recently
> that the early versions of Unix had been lost.

Indeed - I got my start with UNIX some decades ago, but well into the
32-bit era.  I remember asking about the murky past of UNIX and was
told even then that much was lost to time.

> The work is based on an extension of SIMH to support the PDP-11
> model used in early Unix development.

I'm very happy to see SIMH support a suitable environment, but it
really gets me itching to repair my -11/20 (I might have problems with
disk, though; the oldest disk I have is RK05 on an RK11-C).

I can't wait to try out this ancient environment.

Excellent job, one and all!

-ethan