Post B05PZLnosfEWsu6fFg by CliftonR@wandering.shop
(DIR) More posts by CliftonR@wandering.shop
(DIR) Post #B05PNU06Zfk4psC5Dc by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-06T20:49:19Z
12 likes, 16 repeats
While cleaning a storage room, our staff found this tape containing #UNIX v4 from Bell Labs, circa 1973Apparently no other complete copies are known to exist: https://gunkies.org/wiki/UNIX_Fourth_EditionWe have arranged to deliver it to the Computer History Museum #retrocomputing
(DIR) Post #B05PNUgI2pUCwhvlyK by spacemanspiff@noauthority.social
2025-11-09T03:49:22Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
@ricci ugh. how could you? it was written by CIS WHITE MALES and should be immediately destroyed.
(DIR) Post #B05PNVfyLUpI20n27E by spacemanspiff@noauthority.social
2025-11-09T04:22:20Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci libshit blocked me. no one likes eating their own dog food.
(DIR) Post #B05PNZmV5AQOlPsIqW by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T15:12:23Z
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We have some more information on this! One of @regehr's grad students[*] did some excellent sleuthing and figured out that this was received by Martin Newell : https://archive.org/details/unix_news_july-30-1975/page/n9/mode/2upIf that name sounds familiar to you, it's probably because his teapot is ubiquitous in computer graphics: https://graphics.cs.utah.edu/teapot/[*] https://cv.thalia.dev/
(DIR) Post #B05PNaSgYKAWsFbzbE by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T02:57:57Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
Y'all are huge nerds. I love every one of you.
(DIR) Post #B05PNfOyBZASCAub0C by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T16:08:24Z
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Great talk on how recovering an old tape like this is done:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YoolSAHR5w&t=4200s
(DIR) Post #B05PZLnosfEWsu6fFg by CliftonR@wandering.shop
2025-11-09T23:58:59Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci WOW!
(DIR) Post #B05PeVtulMFNeTQ3BA by sebgiessmann@mastodon.social
2025-11-07T08:20:22Z
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RE: https://discuss.systems/@ricci/115504720054699983@ricci Like a ghostly emanation of the history of computing, writ real. #unix v4 #belllabs #1973
(DIR) Post #B05QQil4GMBLQbGgro by thesargard@mastodon.social
2025-11-08T09:00:02Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci Nice!! Is there any way you can upload it on Archive.org?
(DIR) Post #B05S0WsA1wyiwdDyoi by greatquux@mastodon.social
2025-11-06T20:54:28Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci nice!! This is a big deal! We need full interview with the staff member who discovered this, pictures of the computer room, etc. fill up that deetz truck and deliver it to us ASAP! š
(DIR) Post #B05S0Xg926xdRebtj6 by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-06T22:06:52Z
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@greatquux It probably spent most of its life sitting in my former advisor Jay Lepreau's office, whose handwriting is on the label. We've only had this specific storage space for like a decade.The staff member who found it is planning to drive it to the CHM, rather than ship it, so maybe the story will get more interesting after that - other than, we we cleaning out some stuff and this was in a box :)
(DIR) Post #B05S0YLcXu8bWI11NI by jspath55@chaos.social
2025-11-07T14:19:40Z
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@ricci @greatquux "something something bandwidth of a station wagon..."https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneakernet
(DIR) Post #B05TQWctfUd1fG2pVY by thebrokenpipe@mastodon.social
2025-11-08T10:29:36Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@ricci While going through the tapes from Dannis Ritchie earlier this year, I found some UNIX V4 distribution documents. They're at https://www.tuhs.org/Archive/Applications/Dennis_Tapes/Gao_Analysis/v4_dist.Of interest:-------------------------You should send me a complete list of your configuration plus one of the following: 600'-2400' (9 track 800 bpi) magtape RK03/RK05 disk cartridge RP03 disk pack I will be able to send the system and manuals for the system as soon as I hear from you-------------------------
(DIR) Post #B05TQczS0YEbOwdvUm by thebrokenpipe@mastodon.social
2025-11-08T10:31:22Z
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@ricci The Setting Up UNIX document says:------------------------- Enclosed are: 1. "UNIX Time Sharing System" 2. "UNIX Assembler Reference Manual" 3. "C Reference Manual" 4. "UNIX Programmerās Manual" 5. "ED Tutorial" 6. "Regenerating System Software" 7. The UNIX software on magtape or disk pack.-------------------------
(DIR) Post #B05TQjVDnLDHbDYNqi by thebrokenpipe@mastodon.social
2025-11-08T10:33:33Z
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@ricci At the end it says:-------------------------If you would like to share any UNIX compatible software with others, please let us know about it. If you find bugs in the software or the documentation, again let us know. And finally if you need any help that we can provide weāll do all we can. We expect to have a UNIX seminar early in 1974.Good luck.Ken ThompsonDennis RitchieBell Telephone LabsMurray Hill, NJ 07974-------------------------
(DIR) Post #B05VIc2bquWm38QUHQ by niallor@mastodon.ie
2025-11-07T09:52:47Z
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@ricci what's the likelihood that it still be readable, I wonder.
(DIR) Post #B05WIYRtJAPYrXmtoO by pavsmith@theblower.au
2025-11-09T20:16:09Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci install it. it'll be unhackable.
(DIR) Post #B05WKSRya8aopyjdKK by rasmus91@fosstodon.org
2025-11-09T17:17:25Z
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@ricci awesome! (That you decided to have it over to them)
(DIR) Post #B05WLVubCH6trZcuSu by larsbrinkhoff@mastodon.sdf.org
2025-11-07T06:07:30Z
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@ricci I hope the tape will be read, and the image made available to the public. In my experience, CHM isnāt great about doing that with items in their collection.
(DIR) Post #B05WLWdyTZPG8Ir9Bw by brouhaha@mastodon.social
2025-11-07T06:17:03Z
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@larsbrinkhoff @ricci They are actually fairly good about that with digital media. They do understand that preserving a data medium without copying the contents into an accessible form doesn't actually preserve it in a meaningful way. That's why they have a Software Curator.
(DIR) Post #B05WLXZP23LN0Pj0hk by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T13:19:03Z
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@brouhaha @larsbrinkhoff yeah they have connected us with an archivists, the plan is to try to read it and we'll get it back
(DIR) Post #B05Xi60Fn7Wi7gbTKS by argv_minus_one@mastodon.sdf.org
2025-11-06T21:30:11Z
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@AlisonW Here's hoping it still reads, after all these years. š¤@ricci
(DIR) Post #B05Xi6sUXSuaptymrw by whybird@aus.social
2025-11-06T21:56:44Z
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@argv_minus_one @AlisonW @ricci I bet it wouldnāt directly read, but I also think those clever archivists have ways to get the actual magnetic image and compensate for write-through and suchlike!
(DIR) Post #B05Xi7NKgna8NYPPwO by chx@chx.contact
2025-11-07T13:58:32Z
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@whybird @argv_minus_one @AlisonW @ricci clever doesn't even begin to describe it https://github.com/LenShustek/readtape
(DIR) Post #B05Xi85e231kaz8o0e by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T14:04:10Z
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@chx @whybird @argv_minus_one @AlisonW yep this is what's going to be used!
(DIR) Post #B05dY7DR1lUqiGOQWO by Homoevolutis0@mastodon.social
2025-11-08T04:53:23Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci who has run Plan ,9?
(DIR) Post #B05dp9bNPQ6X2JiSRs by MSP_SMIMSA@noauthority.social
2025-11-09T04:25:42Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@spacemanspiffPronouns in bio.Not worth it.
(DIR) Post #B05dpAYDsdAxypFSAi by spacemanspiff@noauthority.social
2025-11-09T04:32:53Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@MSP_SMIMSA oh god, I missed that virtue signal. fat fuck was at MUH NO KINGS
(DIR) Post #B05fjmCBCpA4u3Ugnw by jspath55@chaos.social
2025-11-07T15:21:32Z
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@ricci @regehr Wow. I knew recipient #8 (Bill Huggins). Guess I should have paid more attention in those classes.
(DIR) Post #B05m1Bm5xIEqsqymAq by poetaster@mastodon.gamedev.place
2025-11-08T21:57:57Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci did you find the manual, too?
(DIR) Post #B05m1DKAC75HgnvUum by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T23:14:11Z
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@poetaster Not so far, but it's available online already, thankfully - so the file format is known
(DIR) Post #B05nzWYttjYggQ8qAa by phloggen@expressional.social
2025-11-07T18:22:01Z
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@brouhaha @larsbrinkhoff @ricci I have the same good impression, but it's not clear to me if they are taking a "risk-of-loss" based approach to resourcing.The highest failure-to-recover ratio for us in datamuseum.dk is (non-CDC-origin) hard-disks from the 1990ies, about one in ten hard-disks are not recoverable.
(DIR) Post #B05nzXai4UbFsJznd2 by brouhaha@mastodon.social
2025-11-07T18:58:24Z
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@phloggen @larsbrinkhoff @ricci Their Software Curator is one of the leading experts on 9-track data recovery, has designed and built custom apparatus for that, and is well aware of the various issues that require special attention to avoid destroying the data, as can happen if one just tries to read a tape by entirely normal means, e.g., destroying the oxide layer.
(DIR) Post #B05nzYaON9wKxcr3lw by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T21:05:35Z
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@brouhaha @phloggen @larsbrinkhoff Yep, and this is who is doing it
(DIR) Post #B05pjI46EFFQzt7ar2 by AnachronistJohn@zia.io
2025-11-06T22:55:50.154191Z
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@ricci āUNIX Originalā gives the same kind of vibe as this fortune gem:The hieroglyphics are all unreadable except for a notation on the back,which reads "Genuine authentic Egyptian papyrus. Guaranteed to be atleast 5000 years old."Very cool! Canāt wait to check it out on an (emulated) PDP-11 :)
(DIR) Post #B05pjIlhc87tB7WPom by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-06T22:57:01Z
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@AnachronistJohn I have one of these in my office, I suppose I should run it on there: https://obsolescence.dev/pdp11.html
(DIR) Post #B05pjJKRWxuourm9y4 by KingTherapy@mastodon.social
2025-11-09T09:17:37Z
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@ricci @AnachronistJohn Lucky they make a PDP-8/I emulator, too!https://obsolescence.dev/pdp8.htmlIf only a PDP-11/70 were the right hardware. It wasn't available until 1975. These are 16-bit machines.I'm betting that this tape runs on a 12-bit PDP-8. I used to muck around on one of these as a kid, at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey CA., which is probably the first time I saw a shell prompt.
(DIR) Post #B05qwBX1vmBAS9Ml3g by BearGriffin@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T15:52:02Z
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@ricci Re Original UNIX on mag tape: Will anyone be able to read it?
(DIR) Post #B05qwChLau1g4RCVmK by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T15:52:57Z
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@BearGriffin @bitsavers will be on it, we are hopeful!
(DIR) Post #B05rxsPS67XngDBy0O by giggls@karlsruhe-social.de
2025-11-07T18:27:47Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci Is this running on #pidp11 ?
(DIR) Post #B05rxtNiU3kYh7O5wG by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T18:28:31Z
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@giggls If it turns out to be readable, I'm sure many people will try!
(DIR) Post #B05sWw8cE9pTNY2Daa by mehdi_benadel@mastodon.balamb.fr
2025-11-09T00:04:07Z
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@ricci the OG floppy disk
(DIR) Post #B0643F7qGalr1vHRSa by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T17:34:16Z
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@bitsavers Yeah he's planning on taking a short vacation
(DIR) Post #B068nRUB2kWeVC0pcW by cross@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T21:28:59Z
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@ricci @regehr now I'm really curious who's handwriting is on the label.
(DIR) Post #B068nSqXz40uirUD7w by regehr@mastodon.social
2025-11-07T21:29:40Z
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@cross @ricci Rob says it's Jay's handwriting, so I guess he labeled it when he got the copy. probably early 80s.
(DIR) Post #B068nTWjSDl2phDtse by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T21:30:30Z
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@regehr @cross Yeah there an old school label-maker label on the side, you know, the kind that deforms the plastic to make the letters white
(DIR) Post #B068nUJIXebdGJwga0 by cross@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T01:09:43Z
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@ricci @regehr I had one of those when I was a kid. Hours of entertainment in the pre-Internet era!The "Unix News" source is interesting, but the dates a little funky. 4th Ed was late 1973; 5th about 7 months later (June '74) and 6th Ed was May, '75 and mentioned in the newsletter. Of course, points of contact for sites would have predated that; are any of you in contact with Martin Newell to ask about the tape's provenance? Perhaps he might have some recollection?
(DIR) Post #B06DVQcc14l6NgBgau by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T17:09:51Z
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@thebrokenpipe This is very cool! Thanks for making these available
(DIR) Post #B06Dnj20JCsAgomybw by mangeurdenuage@shitposter.world
2025-11-07T12:21:57.639517Z
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@ricci Was a copy made on the @internetarchive ?
(DIR) Post #B06Dnkgo8z6dpet4qm by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T14:16:22Z
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@mangeurdenuage @internetarchive If it's readable we'll upload the copy to as many archives as we can
(DIR) Post #B06Dx4VnoVjxuuBRwW by mark@mastodon.fixermark.com
2025-11-07T20:04:44Z
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@ricci Quick! Check it to see if the C compiler source includes an injection attack against a specific binary and all other future instances of the C compiler!
(DIR) Post #B06Dx5cDi8T5L6C5aK by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T21:04:01Z
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@mark Seriously, this did occur to me
(DIR) Post #B06ElpOrl75Hoi8qXo by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-07T21:29:48Z
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@cross @regehr It's Jay Lepreau's.We are pretty sure the tape was originally sent to Martin Newell
(DIR) Post #B06K4sUF0SIifAYhn6 by whybird@aus.social
2025-11-07T23:58:44Z
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@ricci @chx @argv_minus_one @AlisonW Genuinely awesome top-notch work
(DIR) Post #B06OWXVaznYdWddcEC by CatChucks@mastodon.social
2025-11-07T17:34:53Z
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@ricci Unbelievable! It is a great piece of history!
(DIR) Post #B06Oa5qRn4xOt15NGy by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T17:10:29Z
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@thesargard If it's readable we plan to make it widely available
(DIR) Post #B06YduI1h3cVkTRVpo by thesargard@mastodon.social
2025-11-08T17:13:52Z
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@ricci Nice
(DIR) Post #B06dO6oHsJJZiWopSy by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T01:14:10Z
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@cross @regehr oh I uh just kinda assumed he was no longer alive
(DIR) Post #B06dO8Le9laqUHQz6O by cross@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T01:39:58Z
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@ricci @regehr huh, I don't see any immediate online indication of that; no obituary or death notice on his wikipedia page or anything. Perhaps someone at Adobe knows more of his current whereabouts?
(DIR) Post #B06dO9hJ8iVwfkZnVI by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T01:42:49Z
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@cross @regehr I asked in our faculty slack
(DIR) Post #B06ifeTYSZOAp5J1bk by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-08T01:17:14Z
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@sgnj151 DAMMIT THE REGISTER YOU HAD ONE JOB https://discuss.systems/@ricci/115096806565494197
(DIR) Post #B06n6avc9mGjSLX7vE by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-10T16:51:29Z
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Thalia Archibald has been transcribing old issue of #UNIX News from @internetarchive and John Gilmore's scans, and has the text up on github:https://github.com/thaliaarchi/unix-news#retrocomputing
(DIR) Post #B06rBrSqVGhk0RqNhg by xenotar@mastodon.social
2025-11-07T23:40:53Z
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@ricci I hope they give a copy to the TUHS archives
(DIR) Post #B06w903QboOFY9PTPs by iogrt@functional.cafe
2025-11-08T00:52:13Z
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@ricci it is news like this that makes me indulge in data hoarding
(DIR) Post #B07PBpZSwI5UZm65tg by etbe@mastodon.nzoss.nz
2025-11-10T23:58:11Z
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@ricci how much was readable after 52 years?
(DIR) Post #B07WeIPxyqU3pXAsOu by nisroc@mastodon.social
2025-11-11T01:21:46Z
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@ricci @greatquux I assume per the (See Manual For Format) note that there is at least one copy of said manual out there, or if there is not, many people know exactly what format to use. š
(DIR) Post #B07dI72kI0AfrRgMZk by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-11T02:36:14Z
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@nisroc @greatquux yeah the manual was already online, thankfully
(DIR) Post #B07qlTxvRVoGkslLEW by cschrader@jawns.club
2025-11-11T05:07:10Z
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@ricci wow, thats quite a find!
(DIR) Post #B0899BPPsyKVKO4Xmy by vaporeon_@glaceon.social
2025-11-06T20:57:52Z
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@ricci Do you (and the Computer History Museum) plan to read the tape and publish the source code for UNIXv4 anywhere?
(DIR) Post #B0899CTLvp4YcsvCYy by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-06T22:07:34Z
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@vaporeon_ Yeah I think that's the plan. No idea if it's still actually readable, though....
(DIR) Post #B0899DZ3s5EW0sbH6G by allison@hidamari.apartments
2025-11-06T22:10:30.045553Z
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@ricci @vaporeon_ it's all down to al kossow and the hand of god now
(DIR) Post #B08O3tdE3J2y3bT6zQ by Diogenese_Shiplap@poa.st
2025-11-07T00:55:12.963077Z
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@allison @ricci @vaporeon_ Don't let any Microsoftians near it! They'll replace it with Edge!
(DIR) Post #B08O3vAwJRboqSFYB6 by allison@hidamari.apartments
2025-11-07T00:56:47.276824Z
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@Diogenese_Shiplap Amusingly, Microsoft was a big Unix shop both back then (Xenix etc.), and now (every other employee using MacBooks and/or doing much of their *real* work under WSL2)
(DIR) Post #B08dzqXnBlA4ab1B4K by bdf2121cc3334b35b6ecda66e471@mastodon.social
2025-11-11T14:18:40Z
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@ricci this is the most excited I've been about anything, ever
(DIR) Post #B08vwYet1qIZQMuy3s by adamshostack@infosec.exchange
2025-11-11T17:39:54Z
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@ricci @greatquux What a cool find! Also, I hope y'all have a very strong fireproof box. :)
(DIR) Post #B09kz6u1mACls8yTKK by rootwyrm@weird.autos
2025-11-12T03:11:49Z
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@ricci if this is Martin Newell's copy, then this is likely going to be a NIGHTMARE to recover. This looks to be a 1600 BPI tape, and his thesis says he was working on a PDP10.https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA039008.pdfTHAT'S the scary part. DEC didn't make a 1600 BPI drive! (TU45 wasn't until '78, and sucks.) The only one I know of from '73 would be the HP 7970A. I have NO idea how you'd connect that up to a PDP11.
(DIR) Post #B09tg3AgK9XaNvkaJM by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-12T04:49:14Z
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@rootwyrm The archivists are (so far) pretty optimistic that they'll be able to read it using a process like this that uses a tape head but not thee rest of the tape drive: https://discuss.systems/@ricci/115509277761272616I've been in touch with Martin and he doesn't remember anything about this tape. So it's actually unclear if/how much it was actually used.
(DIR) Post #B09xuZvZjVxvqcrr4y by rootwyrm@weird.autos
2025-11-12T05:36:40Z
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@ricci based on the tape and label combined, my guess would be there was a PDP11 hooked to an HP 7970, though I don't know how. Flux is still going to be a challenge because you're having to guess at controller and drive, which could completely change how it needs read.But the size really has me thinking it's 1600; that'd be around 20MB. Which sounds about right for v4 + all source + manuals.
(DIR) Post #B0CRFhu6YguXebWiqe by lvl3k@mastodon.social
2025-11-13T10:14:51Z
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@ricci Thanks to every one of you people who actually label things.
(DIR) Post #B0i1opQPvD9AN2TrWK by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-28T16:00:38Z
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@rcgj_OxPhys @bitsavers @TerryHancock hasn't happened yet
(DIR) Post #B0tdLhjlMOYH7rd1EW by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-04T06:22:59Z
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Some local stories about this tape:https://attheu.utah.edu/science-technology/precious-computer-age-relic-turns-up-in-u-storage-room/https://ksltv.com/science-technology/university-of-utah-discovers-rare-computer-relic/853296/We're going to try to get it read in a couple of weeks
(DIR) Post #B0tgVc5hVV2aNBJ2iO by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-04T06:58:21Z
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See if you can spot the cameo by my 3d printed handwired mechanical keyboard
(DIR) Post #B0tgiTcYJHslrro24W by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-04T07:00:45Z
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Also you can see how absolutely cluttered our group's lab space is, if you had any doubts about that
(DIR) Post #B0thC6acVIql7q1vbE by dan@discuss.systems
2025-12-04T07:06:04Z
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@ricci also good discuss.systems citation!
(DIR) Post #B0thI1DFPNDeBcuwca by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-04T07:07:09Z
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@dan true!
(DIR) Post #B0thnSOIPV7PSI4mvo by brouhaha@mastodon.social
2025-12-04T07:12:44Z
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@ricci Sadly, I couldn't see the ksltv video, perhaps because I'm using Firefox on Linux. But I've long been fanatical about having the right keyboard. I am lucky to have found one off-the-shelf that I like (Drop CTRL, original and v2), but I've built some of my own keyboards before that, and still do for special applications. Here's an example. I didn't 3D print a case, but made a PCB top bezel and a PCB bottom. Uses Cherry MX keyswitches and relegendable keycaps (no legends installed).
(DIR) Post #B0tiBwk5DSW0XRwcds by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-04T07:17:17Z
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@brouhaha a thing of beauty! That sounds like a great keyboard Here's the one on my desk at work: https://discuss.systems/@ricci/109384497357864393
(DIR) Post #B0tiY6eF4EFXdDmMIS by brouhaha@mastodon.social
2025-12-04T07:21:16Z
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@ricci Ah, very nice! The only _somewhat_ ergonomic keyboard I ever used was a Microsoft Natural keyboard. A friend gave me an old Kinesis keyboard, but I didn't actually like it.In the past, aside from the MS Natural, I mostly used the Northgate Omnikey Ultra T, and genuine IBM/Lexmark Model M keyboards. I preferred Model F, but...
(DIR) Post #B0tk7IdYaIFGu7ntqa by brouhaha@mastodon.social
2025-12-04T07:17:41Z
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@ricci The separate encoder board in the bottom photo is an Adafruit KB2040, based on the Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller, running a modified version of the TinyUSB HID keyboard demo. The next version of the main board will include a RP2354, and I'm switching to KMK firmware (based on Python).
(DIR) Post #B0tk7JwjiTBIxtmjNg by brouhaha@mastodon.social
2025-12-04T07:24:03Z
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@ricci This keyboard is designed for a custom desktop calculator, with the functionality of the HP-11C, 12C, 15C, or 16C, running the actual HP microcode. I haven't yet build the main unit, although John Doran and I previously did that for a Nixie tube scientific calculator, seen here:https://hackaday.com/2023/11/07/nixie-tube-rpn-calculator-project/
(DIR) Post #B0tk7KXbVOfioF2AqW by brouhaha@mastodon.social
2025-12-04T07:26:23Z
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@ricci Sorry to hijack your thread!Now I'll eat some sushi, so I can wait with baited breath for the tape to be read!
(DIR) Post #B0tk7LRc99TVbxEu9I by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-04T07:38:48Z
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@brouhaha this is very cool, thank you for sharing!
(DIR) Post #B0yrGLVow0I7thFI2a by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-06T18:52:27Z
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@secretasianman I dunno, there's a lot of stuff on this here webbed sight
(DIR) Post #B1PrISs1nHiuZ7YrHE by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T19:18:43Z
2 likes, 6 repeats
The attempt to read the UNIX V4 tape is underway!
(DIR) Post #B1Q44zL1a8fYc11pGC by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T19:50:50Z
2 likes, 2 repeats
There will be more video later (there's a TV news crew there) but here's a bit that Jon Duerig has sent from on-site
(DIR) Post #B1Q455VWe0dNkJzISe by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T20:02:02Z
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I'm told "there is data" but I honestly don't know what that means yet
(DIR) Post #B1Q45Byoa1czotjlwm by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T21:36:47Z
2 likes, 2 repeats
Apparently the entire UNIX v4 tape was read successfully, what's going to need to happen next is to decode the signal from it, decipher the file formats, etc., I'll post updates as I get them
(DIR) Post #B1Q7QvNxG5DKaPYCga by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T22:22:31Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
We have the binary image of the tape, link going up soon
(DIR) Post #B1Q7Qwcse4kOQzXdaa by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T22:29:41Z
5 likes, 16 repeats
Here's the document release you were waiting for today! The UNIX V4 tape! https://archive.org/details/utah_unix_v4_raw#retrocomputing
(DIR) Post #B1Q7R1Kd9M7V1q2dKy by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T22:27:58Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
So far some of our folks think they have found Hunt The Wumpus and the C code for a Snobol interpreter
(DIR) Post #B1Q9Dj0QAqQIKrNPnc by heretical_i@kafeneio.social
2025-11-06T23:38:55Z
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@ricci If it's tails weren't turned regularly it probably isn't operational. Printthrough u know?
(DIR) Post #B1Q9DkTAjR10sJptFg by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-06T23:40:10Z
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@heretical_i The person who is going to attempt to read it is hopeful: https://oldbytes.space/@bitsavers/115505135441862982
(DIR) Post #B1Q9DleCLvQgWo0D4q by jbowen@mast.hpc.social
2025-11-06T23:54:07Z
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@ricci @heretical_i Hehe, I was going to ask if you'd let the TUHS folks know, but was thrilled to see @robpike was on it.TUHS mailing list thread about it: https://www.tuhs.org/pipermail/tuhs/2025-November/032758.htmlCan't wait, @bitsavers!#unix
(DIR) Post #B1Q9DmZcuPMnOus4ae by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-11-06T23:57:05Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@jbowen @heretical_i @robpike @bitsavers Fun fact, some of the students in our department saw Rob's post there, posted about it on a Slack I'm on - without realizing that it was us that found it until I replied to them. Two minutes later there were in my office to have a look at it. News spreads fast in 2025.
(DIR) Post #B1QC4DdlihRUJVwLGC by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T23:00:52Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
(DIR) Post #B1QC4J7jKjNbJszq9g by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T23:02:38Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
(DIR) Post #B1QIyd2d4APT2Eqk6K by p
2025-12-20T00:40:17.667959Z
3 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci :bwksmug:
(DIR) Post #B1QJbntkdPZs06NRzc by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-19T23:04:14Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
Thread about the .tap format for those who want to dig in more:https://github.com/larsbrinkhoff/emacs-history/pull/17
(DIR) Post #B1QJdLtji4bhjr6nIW by icedquinn@blob.cat
2025-12-20T00:47:37.261973Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci thought this was gonna be the tap test protocol
(DIR) Post #B1QRhc0uX7ViVp0Ta4 by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-20T01:56:47Z
2 likes, 3 repeats
Here's a copy of the filesystem that has been extracted as a .tar file: http://squoze.net/UNIX/v4/
(DIR) Post #B1QSWeg6O2S9Xoc33g by Perrin42@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T00:22:15Z
2 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci Boy, time travelers would have an opportunity for the *best* Rickroll of all time.
(DIR) Post #B1QVpI9WexNn30xBom by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-20T02:27:50Z
2 likes, 0 repeats
The more we look into this, the more it appears that this is a complete system or pretty close to it! There's a kernel, userspace binaries, source, including userland, kernel, device drivers, seems to be the full UNIX V4!
(DIR) Post #B1QVpNYAal4BmtWRQO by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-20T02:45:55Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
This has a `sh.c` from Jun 10, 1974 - is this the oldest known version of sh in C?
(DIR) Post #B1QVpTce12D8cVf6ES by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-20T02:47:13Z
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`mail.c`! Have I found my new mailreader?
(DIR) Post #B1SmQ1SHxQLo1jwPFQ by christophehenry@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T16:12:13Z
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@ricci Is it legal to publish the code? I suppose Nokia now has the rights on this?#retrocomputing
(DIR) Post #B1SmQ3D7QnP9TGrJse by glent@aus.social
2025-12-21T04:33:49Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
@christophehenry @ricci A partial history is here https://wiki.tuhs.org/doku.php?id=events:free_licensesSubsequent events showed that SCO were not in fact able to offer this license, Novell actually owned the Unix source code.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCO_Group,_Inc._v._Novell,_Inc.Novell settled a suit with UCB which effectively makes non-Ancient Unix available under the free BSD Licensehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNIX_System_Laboratories,_Inc._v._Berkeley_Software_Design,_Inc.And the remaining copyrights in Ancient Unix are so confused that it's unclear who owns what. Except to say that this is also a barrier for a litigant, who would live in fear of a countersuit by one of the other potential partial copyright holders (eg, University of NSW or University of Melbourne). For this most-ancient version it is likely that OpenText Corporation hold the copyrights, assuming they have not expired.Moreover, copyright is an economic law. It's difficult to see what the disputed amount could possibly be for which compensation is sought. Remember that modern Unix source code is already free.
(DIR) Post #B1SmXJgmYyVybaCMam by zorun@social.atypique.net
2025-12-20T10:03:41Z
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@ricci Interestingly, running "strings" through the raw file reveals what looks like ... paper reviews for CACM! Not sure if these are emails or some kind of database, there are placeholders in the text. I did not find them again in the tar file that somebody extracted from the raw file, so it may an additional backup or something?One quote:> As for the CACM, your paper is too theoretical and too remote from potential applications to warrant publication there.
(DIR) Post #B1SmXLAb3bxRCL9ghc by zorun@social.atypique.net
2025-12-20T10:04:59Z
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@ricci Another quote about Frank Sinatra (?!) that I frankly can't make out without context:> Lankler has said that the deception was designed to make the affair, which featured such standouts as Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, appear more successful than it was.
(DIR) Post #B1SmXLya3lwLhMXbc0 by zorun@social.atypique.net
2025-12-20T10:08:47Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci Another interesting bit of code in the time conversion routine (usr/source/s3/ctime.c), it has a "Nixon flag":> "nixonflg,", if set to 1, will cause daylight savings time all year around independently of "daylight".@quota_atypique worked out that this must be in anticipation of this law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Daylight_Saving_Time_Energy_Conservation_ActAnother comment in that same file:> The routine does not work in Saudi Arabia which runs on Solar time.
(DIR) Post #B1SmhExizYUOqDr4sq by mcc@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T05:00:38Z
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@ricci Iā¦ I kinda want to write some SNOBOL
(DIR) Post #B1SmhGQTY957NgJYKu by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-20T05:03:05Z
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@mcc it's free and no one can stop you
(DIR) Post #B1SmhHocNrzHgqcLbc by mcc@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T05:09:31Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci Right right it's justā¦ there's something that feels more visceral about writing SNOBOL from a C implementation on a recovered lost unix tape. Like eating cheese out of the mummy tomb. I know that there's cheese around the corner but THIS cheese has a forbidden thrill
(DIR) Post #B1Smj3H5PwWdAhm7c0 by gnomon@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T04:43:27Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci psst @cks , ya gotta see this thread if you haven't already.
(DIR) Post #B1Smj4qZZUVO33NyYy by cks@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T04:46:25Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@gnomon I've been following the news with quite a bit of interest, and I'm happy for the outcome so far (people are even booting V4 on simulated hardware now). If I get energetic I might look over old techblog entries to see if there's anything this new V4 treasury can clarify or expand.
(DIR) Post #B1SmkwCAi175nLNLhA by gnomon@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T04:48:19Z
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@cks ah, sorry, I should have guessed you'd be all over it already!
(DIR) Post #B1SmkxPgBHVpZWheO8 by cks@mastodon.social
2025-12-20T04:51:18Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@gnomon It made me wonder what we (at the university) might have sitting around in a back room, but the answer is probably "nothing by now". There was some effort to copy old 9-track tapes as the university's 9-track tape drives dwindled, but that was decades ago and I doubt anyone kept tapes back with important stuff on them.(Although I heard the other day that there are still some sitting around some places.)
(DIR) Post #B1SmqHpdgyMGLbO2fQ by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-20T03:01:08Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@SnoopJ @aud Source for init in /usr/source/s1/init.c maybe I will run this instead of systemd
(DIR) Post #B1Smr4NfBm5wv1ftMe by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-20T02:59:10Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@SnoopJ @aud check out this š„ /etc/rc:```rm -f /etc/mtabchdir /tmprm -f [a-t]* [x-z]* v*chdir //etc/update```
(DIR) Post #B1SmyZY1hzgBbp6EZk by vk2bea@mastodon.radio
2025-12-20T02:56:13Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@ricci It's been booted!http://squoze.net/UNIX/v4/
(DIR) Post #B1eOLoU0BEfBdHinTc by ricci@discuss.systems
2025-12-26T19:43:51Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
Oh and by the way, there are more tapes. Did I mention there are more tapes? No, I don't think I did. We sent a box of other tapes the the Computer History Museum along with the UNIX V4 tape. These are considerably newer, are not necessarily "lost", and may not be redistributable due to the licensing issues.But, for what it's worth, here are what the labels say they are:* HP-UX 8.07 Sources for HP9000/S700, tar format (1 tape per: NFS, SAM, Commands, ARPA, Kernel, Network Services), DDS 60m* HP-UX 9.01 Sources for HP9000/S700, tar format (1 tape total containing: ARPA, Commands, Help, Kernel, NFS, Network Services, SAM), DDS 60m* ODE build environment, rc_files tools src, HP 92283A DDS 60m* OSF1 Acorn 1.0 from Utah 6/25/92 INCOMPLETE, dd image of ācā partition of Quantum 425S (64k blocks), HP92283A DDS 60m* OSF Research Institute AD2.0 for X86 (tar format), Sony DDS 60m* OSF Research Institute MK6.1 Release, September 27 1994, DDS 60m Media Recognition System* HP-UX 8.01 single tar file of root and /usr, 8/22/91, HP 92283A DDS 60m* Transarc Distribution Tapes, Sony DDS DG-60m (Restricted Rights Legend): * Binary Distribution rs_aix31 x2 (AFS Version 3.1a and 3.1b) * Binary Distribution HP300_UX70 x2 (AFS Version 3.1a and 3.1b) * Source Distribution hp700_ux80 x2 (AFS Version 3.1b) * Binary Distribution sun4c_411 x2 (AFS Version 3.1a and 3.1b) * Source Distribution AFS 3.1a (AFS Version 3.1a) * Source Distribution (Unknown) (AFS Version 3.1b)* Acorn S115 sources tar b20 1/31/92, HP 92283A DDS 60m* HP-UX 8.05 recovery system 2/18/92, HP 92283A DDS 60m* HP-UX 8.05 backup of 720, HP 92283A DDS 60m* Mt Xinu More/bsd 4.3 6250bpi Source Distribution 6/15/88 (4 tar files: usr/src, usr/src/sys, usr/ingres/source, usr/src/new)I'll let you know if they find anything interesting on them!