fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) (03/05/90)
hi folks, does anybody know, what the abbreviation '*nix' stands for? thanks, axel -- A.F.Zinser | / !watzman!horga!veeble!fifi | ...uunet!mcsun!unido!tmpmbx!mcshh!fifi | \ !cosmo!fifi fifi@cosmo.uucp
lwall@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (Larry Wall) (03/06/90)
In article <5155@balu.UUCP> fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) writes:
: does anybody know, what the abbreviation '*nix' stands for?
Yes, we know, but we're not allowed to say. :-)
Larry Wall
lwall@jpl-devvax.jpl.nasa.govcmp8118@sys.uea.ac.uk (D.S. Cartwright) (03/06/90)
fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) writes: >does anybody know, what the abbreviation '*nix' stands for? Well, hopefully this will be the final response to this question ... it's getting a bit outdated now. Basically, you may (or may not)ay no that there are several, errm ... what shall I call them ... 'Alternatives' to UNIX, such as AIX, MINIX, etc, which are named differently due to copyright problems. Therefore, when people refer to UNIX their arguments tend also to reflect the other, similar systems. Therefore, using the standard UNIX wildcard *, the term *NIX (or more accurately *IX to allow for those like AIX which don't fit *NIX) is used to get across the concept of 'all (or most) UNIX-like systems'. Dave C -- Dave Cartwright, | cmp8118@uk.ac.uea.sys <- Here School of Information Systems, | cmp8118@uk.ac.uea.cpc780 <- Somewhere else University of East Anglia, | "Computing Science undergraduates do it Norwich, ENGLAND. NR4 7TJ. | concurrently, using several I/O ports ..."
fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) (03/07/90)
sorry, I don't want to know the meaning of '*', but the meaning of 'unix' - if there is one. thanks -- A.F.Zinser | / !watzman!horga!veeble!fifi | ...uunet!mcsun!unido!tmpmbx!mcshh!fifi | \ !cosmo!fifi fifi@cosmo.uucp
ghe@mist.cs.orst.edu (Guangliang He) (03/08/90)
In article <1344@sys.uea.ac.uk> cmp8118@sys.uea.ac.uk (D.S. Cartwright) writes: >fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) writes: > >other, similar systems. Therefore, using the standard UNIX wildcard *, the >term *NIX (or more accurately *IX to allow for those like AIX which don't fit >*NIX) is used to get across the concept of 'all (or most) UNIX-like systems'. > What about AU/X (Apple Unix) and RX (Ridge Unix)? They don't fit in the general expression *IX :-). Some one may find some name even doesn't fit it *X. ghe@mist.cs.orst.edu
gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (03/08/90)
In article <5167@balu.UUCP> fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) writes: >I don't want to know the meaning of '*', but the meaning of >'unix' - if there is one. It's the same as the meaning of the sound of no hands clapping.
dbrooks@osf.osf.org (David Brooks) (03/08/90)
In article <16576@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> ghe@mist.CS.ORST.EDU (Guangliang He) writes: > >What about AU/X (Apple Unix) and RX (Ridge Unix)? They don't fit in the >general expression *IX :-). Some one may find some name even doesn't fit >it *X. OSF/1 :-) -- David Brooks dbrooks@osf.org Open Software Foundation uunet!osf.org!dbrooks
jik@athena.mit.edu (Jonathan I. Kamens) (03/08/90)
In article <5167@balu.UUCP>, fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) writes: > I don't want to know the meaning of '*', but the meaning of > 'unix' - if there is one. I'm surprised this isn't in the monthly "frequently asked questions" posting. The story I heard is that "Unix" a parody of "Multics", an operating system which preceded Unix and which I will not discuss here (This is, after all, comp.UNIX.questions, not comp.MULTICS.questions). Oh, one thing I will mention is that I think the reason they decided to parody Multics' name is that they didn't like the draconian security features present in Multics, and wanted to write an operating system that was more open. There goes the idea that Unix is secure :-) Jonathan Kamens USnail: MIT Project Athena 11 Ashford Terrace jik@Athena.MIT.EDU Allston, MA 02134 Office: 617-253-8495 Home: 617-782-0710 P.S. Unix and Multics are almost definitely registered trademarks owned by somebody (AT&T for Unix, probably Honeywell for Multics). If you're they, Plbbbbbbbb.
cpcahil@virtech.uucp (Conor P. Cahill) (03/08/90)
In article <1344@sys.uea.ac.uk> cmp8118@sys.uea.ac.uk (D.S. Cartwright) writes: >other, similar systems. Therefore, using the standard UNIX wildcard *, the >term *NIX (or more accurately *IX to allow for those like AIX which don't fit >*NIX) is used to get across the concept of 'all (or most) UNIX-like systems'. I guess it will have to be *X to allow for hp/ux and a/ux. :-} -- Conor P. Cahill (703)430-9247 Virtual Technologies, Inc., uunet!virtech!cpcahil 46030 Manekin Plaza, Suite 160 Sterling, VA 22170
bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton) (03/08/90)
In article <12312@smoke.BRL.MIL> gwyn@brl.arpa (Doug Gwyn) writes: >In article <5167@balu.UUCP> fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) writes: >>I don't want to know the meaning of '*', but the meaning of >>'unix' - if there is one. > >It's the same as the meaning of the sound of no hands clapping. Which is to say the sound of no postings progressing beyond news.announce.newusers... --Blair "RTFN.A.NFAQP."
brian@c3ns1.gcs.co.nz (Brian Burroughs) (03/09/90)
In article <7279@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV> lwall@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (Larry Wall) writes: >In article <5155@balu.UUCP> fifi@cosmo.UUCP (A.F.Zinser) writes: >: does anybody know, what the abbreviation '*nix' stands for? > >Yes, we know, but we're not allowed to say. :-) > >Larry Wall >lwall@jpl-devvax.jpl.nasa.gov Tell me larry, are you any relation to Larry Laffer, my hero? Brian. -- ______________ Brian Burroughs (guru in training), GCS Ltd, _______________ ________ P.O. Box 11-642, Manners Street, Wellington, New Zealand. ________ _____________ Voice: +64 4 801-8000 Fax: +64 4 801-8888 _________________ __LOOK! New address> Email: brian@c3ns1.gcs.co.nz _________________________
dan@kfw.COM (Dan Mick) (03/09/90)
I think we should ask 'what is the meaning of "Zinser"'.
cmp8118@sys.uea.ac.uk (D.S. Cartwright) (03/09/90)
cpcahil@virtech.uucp (Conor P. Cahill) writes: >In article <1344@sys.uea.ac.uk> cmp8118@sys.uea.ac.uk (D.S. Cartwright) writes ^ Me !!!! >>other, similar systems. Therefore, using the standard UNIX wildcard *, the >>term *NIX (or more accurately *IX to allow for those like AIX which don't fit >>*NIX) is used to get across the concept of 'all (or most) UNIX-like systems'. >I guess it will have to be *X to allow for hp/ux and a/ux. :-} Now come on, chaps ... can someone out there please write something looking like UNIX but not ending in 'X' (perhaps back to the old 'ICS' of Multics ?? }:^)), so that we can finally refer to all UNIX-like systems as : * Dave C (again) -- Dave Cartwright, | cmp8118@uk.ac.uea.sys <- Here School of Information Systems, | cmp8118@uk.ac.uea.cpc780 <- Somewhere else University of East Anglia, | "Computing Science undergraduates do it Norwich, ENGLAND. NR4 7TJ. | concurrently, using several I/O ports ..."
wrwalke@prcrs.UUCP (William Walker) (03/10/90)
In article <4752@paperboy.OSF.ORG>, dbrooks@osf.osf.org (David Brooks) writes: > In article <16576@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> ghe@mist.CS.ORST.EDU (Guangliang He) writes: > > > >What about AU/X (Apple Unix) and RX (Ridge Unix)? They don't fit in the > >general expression *IX :-). Some one may find some name even doesn't fit > >it *X. > > OSF/1 :-) For those with LARGE budgets... UNICOS from cray. bill. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= William Walker --- wrwalke@prcrs.UUCP --- 530N-3 x-2565 "There's nothing wrong with IBM that a REAL Operating System couldn't cure." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
mchinni@pica.army.mil (Michael J. Chinni, SMCAR-CCS-E) (03/10/90)
In article recently (8 Mar 90 13:25:13 GMT) Conor P. Cahill <cpcahil@virtech.uucp> writes: >In article <1344@sys.uea.ac.uk> cmp8118@sys.uea.ac.uk (D.S. Cartwright) writes: >>other, similar systems. Therefore, using the standard UNIX wildcard *, the >>term *NIX (or more accurately *IX to allow for those like AIX which don't fit >>*NIX) is used to get across the concept of 'all (or most) UNIX-like systems'. >I guess it will have to be *X to allow for hp/ux and a/ux. :-} So how do you handle "RTU" Concurrent's (formerly MassComp) Real-Time Unix I don't think that anyone will ever find a SINGLE name like that (e.g. *NIX, *IX, *X, etc.) that will work for ALL variations of UNIX by any company. ...Mike Chinni <mchinni@pica.army.mil> Life is not a cabaret - it's a f*ing circus
brister@td2cad.intel.com (James Brister) (03/10/90)
So far I haven't seen what I heard was the meaning of the word "UNIX."
Seems Ken Thompson liked Multics enough to pattern some of UNIX after it,
but made it much smaller than Multics. UNIX is a castrated version of
Multics. Think about it....
James
--
James Brister brister@td2cad.intel.com
Intel Corp. {decwrl,oliveb}!intelca!mipos3!td2cad!bristerpalowoda@fiver.UUCP (Bob Palowoda) (03/10/90)
From article <4752@paperboy.OSF.ORG>, by dbrooks@osf.osf.org (David Brooks): > In article <16576@orstcs.CS.ORST.EDU> ghe@mist.CS.ORST.EDU (Guangliang He) writes: >> >>What about AU/X (Apple Unix) and RX (Ridge Unix)? They don't fit in the >>general expression *IX :-). Some one may find some name even doesn't fit >>it *X. > > OSF/1 :-) Is Vaporware! -- Bob Palowoda indetech!fiver!palowoda *Home of Fiver BBS* login: bbs Home {sun|daisy}!ys2!fiver!palowoda (415)-623-8809 1200/2400 Work {sun|pyramid|decwrl}!megatest!palowoda (415)-623-8806 2400/9600/19200 TB Voice: (415)-623-7495 palowoda@fiver Public access UNIX XBBS
unhd (Roger Gonzalez ) (03/13/90)
Yep, as you said A/UX and others don't fit the *IX. For that matter, one of our systems runs UNOS, which is a UN* :-) -- UUCP: ..!uunet!unhd!rg | USPS: Marine Systems Engineering Laboratory BITNET: r_gonzalez at unhh | University of New Hampshire PHONE: (603) 862-4600 | Marine Programs Building FAX: (603) 862-4399 | Durham, NH 03824-3525
lwall@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV (Larry Wall) (03/15/90)
In article <1990Mar13.134602.12921@uunet!unhd> rg@unhd.unh.edu.UUCP (Roger Gonzalez ) writes:
: Yep, as you said A/UX and others don't fit the *IX. For that matter,
: one of our systems runs UNOS, which is a UN* :-)
How 'bout we switch to normal regular expressions and say something like:
(u.*[nx]|[rn].*x|ix)
That gets most of 'em, and maybe a few that haven't been invented yet.
Or perhaps
(^u|[ux]$)
Or maybe that should that be
(^u|[ux]$|osf)
Probably get a false positive with that one, though. :-)
Larry Wall
lwall@jpl-devvax.jpl.nasa.gov