What was the first Unix version to run on a microcomputer? The Next CEO of Stack OverflowWhat was the first mass-market, 16-bit microcomputer system?What was the first CPU with exposed pipeline?What is the version of Unix and the name of the computer it run on in this 1982 video?What was the first dedicated core router?How was the Microsoft PDP-10 8080 emulator developed?The almost-was Atari IBM PCWhat was the first interactive OS to run each command in a new process?When TCP was first invented, was the initial sequence number required to be random?Which was the first programming language that had data types?What was the first microprocessor to support full virtualization?
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What was the first Unix version to run on a microcomputer?
The Next CEO of Stack OverflowWhat was the first mass-market, 16-bit microcomputer system?What was the first CPU with exposed pipeline?What is the version of Unix and the name of the computer it run on in this 1982 video?What was the first dedicated core router?How was the Microsoft PDP-10 8080 emulator developed?The almost-was Atari IBM PCWhat was the first interactive OS to run each command in a new process?When TCP was first invented, was the initial sequence number required to be random?Which was the first programming language that had data types?What was the first microprocessor to support full virtualization?
I have read that the first version of Unix was created for the PDP-7, and later versions were created for the PDP-11.
But I am wondering, what was the first Unix version to run on a microcomputer?
history
New contributor
add a comment |
I have read that the first version of Unix was created for the PDP-7, and later versions were created for the PDP-11.
But I am wondering, what was the first Unix version to run on a microcomputer?
history
New contributor
10
This question is at least as blurry as the definition what a microcomputer is - isn't it?
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Define "microcomputer". The first 64K RAM desktop with a framebuffer running UNIX was Terak in 1976 or 1977.
– Leo B.
yesterday
Define "Unix". Linux, for example, famously isn't Unix because it has never been certified as meeting the specification.
– Mark
yesterday
1
@Mark en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspur_K-UX
– Leo B.
23 hours ago
@Mark I beg to differ Is there a Linux distro that's UNIX certified?, unix.stackexchange.com/questions/393475/…
– phuclv
18 hours ago
add a comment |
I have read that the first version of Unix was created for the PDP-7, and later versions were created for the PDP-11.
But I am wondering, what was the first Unix version to run on a microcomputer?
history
New contributor
I have read that the first version of Unix was created for the PDP-7, and later versions were created for the PDP-11.
But I am wondering, what was the first Unix version to run on a microcomputer?
history
history
New contributor
New contributor
New contributor
asked yesterday
user12162user12162
392
392
New contributor
New contributor
10
This question is at least as blurry as the definition what a microcomputer is - isn't it?
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Define "microcomputer". The first 64K RAM desktop with a framebuffer running UNIX was Terak in 1976 or 1977.
– Leo B.
yesterday
Define "Unix". Linux, for example, famously isn't Unix because it has never been certified as meeting the specification.
– Mark
yesterday
1
@Mark en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspur_K-UX
– Leo B.
23 hours ago
@Mark I beg to differ Is there a Linux distro that's UNIX certified?, unix.stackexchange.com/questions/393475/…
– phuclv
18 hours ago
add a comment |
10
This question is at least as blurry as the definition what a microcomputer is - isn't it?
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Define "microcomputer". The first 64K RAM desktop with a framebuffer running UNIX was Terak in 1976 or 1977.
– Leo B.
yesterday
Define "Unix". Linux, for example, famously isn't Unix because it has never been certified as meeting the specification.
– Mark
yesterday
1
@Mark en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspur_K-UX
– Leo B.
23 hours ago
@Mark I beg to differ Is there a Linux distro that's UNIX certified?, unix.stackexchange.com/questions/393475/…
– phuclv
18 hours ago
10
10
This question is at least as blurry as the definition what a microcomputer is - isn't it?
– Raffzahn
yesterday
This question is at least as blurry as the definition what a microcomputer is - isn't it?
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
1
Define "microcomputer". The first 64K RAM desktop with a framebuffer running UNIX was Terak in 1976 or 1977.
– Leo B.
yesterday
Define "microcomputer". The first 64K RAM desktop with a framebuffer running UNIX was Terak in 1976 or 1977.
– Leo B.
yesterday
Define "Unix". Linux, for example, famously isn't Unix because it has never been certified as meeting the specification.
– Mark
yesterday
Define "Unix". Linux, for example, famously isn't Unix because it has never been certified as meeting the specification.
– Mark
yesterday
1
1
@Mark en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspur_K-UX
– Leo B.
23 hours ago
@Mark en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspur_K-UX
– Leo B.
23 hours ago
@Mark I beg to differ Is there a Linux distro that's UNIX certified?, unix.stackexchange.com/questions/393475/…
– phuclv
18 hours ago
@Mark I beg to differ Is there a Linux distro that's UNIX certified?, unix.stackexchange.com/questions/393475/…
– phuclv
18 hours ago
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
In 1981, Microsoft released Xenix which could run on the x86, the 68000, and others. As you know, Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s. So this was perhaps the first unix, or at least among the first commercial unices, to be intended to run on high-end micros.
But maybe, the term "micro" isn't so useful. After all, Version 6 UNIX from 1975 was written in C and ran blithely on the PDP-11. The PDP-11 architecture was later implemented on a microchip; A J-11 or something like that would have run V6 just as happily. And in Soviet Russia, V6 was indeed modified to run on local PDP-11-compatible microcomputers. It's arguable whether MNOS and V6 are the same UNIX; if they are, then it predates Microsoft's offering by around five years.
BYTE magazine, October 1983 talks about early unices on microcomputers
5
I agree this doesn’t deserve its downvote. The release date for Xenix is somewhat inaccurate (it was announced in 1980, but only shipped in 1981, although there are claims of a 3Com release in 1980) but that’s not all that important!
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
2
I always think it is fun to remind Unix bigots/Microsoft haters to remember that for several years Microsoft's Xenix had more systems out there than any other Unix!
– davidbak
yesterday
"Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s." This sounds like you're saying this was more true in the 80's than it is now, which is definitely incorrect, no? Or, do you mean it was especially true in the 80's compared to the 70's?
– DarthFennec
yesterday
@Darth well now they do phones and servers, don't they. In the past, their BASIC was their bread and butter. That's what I think, though I could be wrong. I never cared that much about them.
– Wilson
yesterday
1
Eh, it's a matter of what definition of "micro" you like I guess
– Wilson
yesterday
|
show 2 more comments
It all comes down to the definition of micro. After all, already the PDP-11/03, aka LSI-11, of 1975, is based on a micro chipset. That's less than a year after Unix became known outside AT&T. An 'official' AT&T port to the LSI-11 was published in 1978. Not much later, the PDP-11/24 (1979) used the F11 chips follow us where J11 and T11 (single chip PDP). Clearly micros (*1).
When it comes to more common (*2) CPUs, Intel's 8086 got its first port, by AT&T in 1978, shortly followed by Microsoft's XENIX, based on the AT&T port (*3).
*1 - Or do the case form make the difference? Then I must point to some 6502, Z80 or even 2650 based systems in 19"
*2 - not that I would call the LSI-11 uncommon
*3 - Sans the custom MMU that is.
Wow, I had read the porting paper a while ago and had completely forgotten about the AT&T 8086 port! Was Xenix 8086 really based on that though? I thought Microsoft had started with PDP-11 Xenix, then ported it to the Z8001 and only after that to the 8086 (with help from SCO).
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
@StephenKitt Not sure. It's the way I learned about it back in the 1980s - but I never verified it, so it may be unfounded coffee machine talk. Then again, isn't the AT&T itself based on the PDP-11 code? Interesting maybe in addition is that the Siemens PC-MX, a 8086 based Xenix (Sinix) system, had a custom MMU, somewhat like the AT&T one - on a ..lets say intel inspired ... CPU board. Similar for the later 80186 based PC-X workstation.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Raffzahn, What did you mean in Note *1? Are you saying there were Unix systems for 6502 and z80? Or that there were microcomputers based on these 8-bit CPUs? I'm not challenging your answer, I just don't understand this note.
– RichF
yesterday
@RichF No, *1 is related to what qualifies a microcomputer. It's meant to mark that the form factor can't be used as reasoning.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
add a comment |
According to the chronology of personal computers, the first micro-computer running Unix was “the Onyx C8002 microcomputer. It features a Zilog Z8000 microprocessor, 256 kB RAM, tape backup, hard disk, serial ports for eight users, and running UNIX, for US$20,000.” It was introduced in June 1980. (The quote is inaccurate in at least one respect: the C8002, as its name suggests, used a Zilog Z8002 CPU — thanks Raffzahn!)
This was followed shortly by Xenix, Microsoft’s licensed port of Unix, which first shipped in January 1981 on a Z8001-based Central Data Corporation system (not to be confused with the more famous Control Data Corporation). 8086 systems running Xenix started shipping in 1982. Xenix was also available on PDP-11 computers (see the OEM list for details), and there were micro-computer-class PDP-11 systems, including DEC’s own Professional range which was available with 2.9BSD.
I do not get it. How could 256kb RAM brick of metal cost 20k? It is new, super silicon ninja tech, but why it was used so it could cost 20k?
– Croll
yesterday
4
Erm, @Croll, you did note, that this is the price for the whole system, including CPU, I/O, (hard) disks, tape and so on? 20k doesn't sound much to me for a 16 bit multi user system in 1980 - rather resonable I say.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Terak was not "personal" enough?
– Leo B.
22 hours ago
1
@Leo you’d have to ask Ken Polsson ;-). Was it “micro” enough?
– Stephen Kitt
15 hours ago
add a comment |
With the other answers, it is obvious the Sun-1 was not the first. However, due to Sun Microsystem's relevance in the microcomputing world, I think this May, 1982 entry is worth mentioning here. The system was based on a 68000 CPU along with a Sun-designed MMU. (Apparently the Motorola MMU at the time was not sufficiently reliable.)
Sun-1, 1982, 68000, Sun MMU
Sun-2, 1983, 68010, Sun MMU
Sun-3, 1985, 68020, Sun MMU, Motorola fp math coprocessor
Sun-3x, 1989, 68030, inherent MMU, Motorola fp math, system coincident with SparcStation 1
No more 680x0 models past that, and later Sun models would either use the Sparc or PowerPC CPUs.
Why did Intel not use Motorola chips when they asked Microsoft to provide a disk operating system for their new microcomputer... We'd have an 8 core 68080 ... sane assembler ... the world would be a better place ;-).
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
1
@PeterA.Schneider: If you mean IBM, rather than Intel, using the 68000 was seriously considered fir the IBM PC. It wasn't done largely because the 8088 could use cheap 8-bit peripheral chips: remember that the IBM PC was not intended to become a dominant computer architecture at all.
– John Dallman
yesterday
@JohnDallman IBM indeed, sorry.
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
add a comment |
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4 Answers
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In 1981, Microsoft released Xenix which could run on the x86, the 68000, and others. As you know, Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s. So this was perhaps the first unix, or at least among the first commercial unices, to be intended to run on high-end micros.
But maybe, the term "micro" isn't so useful. After all, Version 6 UNIX from 1975 was written in C and ran blithely on the PDP-11. The PDP-11 architecture was later implemented on a microchip; A J-11 or something like that would have run V6 just as happily. And in Soviet Russia, V6 was indeed modified to run on local PDP-11-compatible microcomputers. It's arguable whether MNOS and V6 are the same UNIX; if they are, then it predates Microsoft's offering by around five years.
BYTE magazine, October 1983 talks about early unices on microcomputers
5
I agree this doesn’t deserve its downvote. The release date for Xenix is somewhat inaccurate (it was announced in 1980, but only shipped in 1981, although there are claims of a 3Com release in 1980) but that’s not all that important!
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
2
I always think it is fun to remind Unix bigots/Microsoft haters to remember that for several years Microsoft's Xenix had more systems out there than any other Unix!
– davidbak
yesterday
"Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s." This sounds like you're saying this was more true in the 80's than it is now, which is definitely incorrect, no? Or, do you mean it was especially true in the 80's compared to the 70's?
– DarthFennec
yesterday
@Darth well now they do phones and servers, don't they. In the past, their BASIC was their bread and butter. That's what I think, though I could be wrong. I never cared that much about them.
– Wilson
yesterday
1
Eh, it's a matter of what definition of "micro" you like I guess
– Wilson
yesterday
|
show 2 more comments
In 1981, Microsoft released Xenix which could run on the x86, the 68000, and others. As you know, Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s. So this was perhaps the first unix, or at least among the first commercial unices, to be intended to run on high-end micros.
But maybe, the term "micro" isn't so useful. After all, Version 6 UNIX from 1975 was written in C and ran blithely on the PDP-11. The PDP-11 architecture was later implemented on a microchip; A J-11 or something like that would have run V6 just as happily. And in Soviet Russia, V6 was indeed modified to run on local PDP-11-compatible microcomputers. It's arguable whether MNOS and V6 are the same UNIX; if they are, then it predates Microsoft's offering by around five years.
BYTE magazine, October 1983 talks about early unices on microcomputers
5
I agree this doesn’t deserve its downvote. The release date for Xenix is somewhat inaccurate (it was announced in 1980, but only shipped in 1981, although there are claims of a 3Com release in 1980) but that’s not all that important!
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
2
I always think it is fun to remind Unix bigots/Microsoft haters to remember that for several years Microsoft's Xenix had more systems out there than any other Unix!
– davidbak
yesterday
"Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s." This sounds like you're saying this was more true in the 80's than it is now, which is definitely incorrect, no? Or, do you mean it was especially true in the 80's compared to the 70's?
– DarthFennec
yesterday
@Darth well now they do phones and servers, don't they. In the past, their BASIC was their bread and butter. That's what I think, though I could be wrong. I never cared that much about them.
– Wilson
yesterday
1
Eh, it's a matter of what definition of "micro" you like I guess
– Wilson
yesterday
|
show 2 more comments
In 1981, Microsoft released Xenix which could run on the x86, the 68000, and others. As you know, Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s. So this was perhaps the first unix, or at least among the first commercial unices, to be intended to run on high-end micros.
But maybe, the term "micro" isn't so useful. After all, Version 6 UNIX from 1975 was written in C and ran blithely on the PDP-11. The PDP-11 architecture was later implemented on a microchip; A J-11 or something like that would have run V6 just as happily. And in Soviet Russia, V6 was indeed modified to run on local PDP-11-compatible microcomputers. It's arguable whether MNOS and V6 are the same UNIX; if they are, then it predates Microsoft's offering by around five years.
BYTE magazine, October 1983 talks about early unices on microcomputers
In 1981, Microsoft released Xenix which could run on the x86, the 68000, and others. As you know, Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s. So this was perhaps the first unix, or at least among the first commercial unices, to be intended to run on high-end micros.
But maybe, the term "micro" isn't so useful. After all, Version 6 UNIX from 1975 was written in C and ran blithely on the PDP-11. The PDP-11 architecture was later implemented on a microchip; A J-11 or something like that would have run V6 just as happily. And in Soviet Russia, V6 was indeed modified to run on local PDP-11-compatible microcomputers. It's arguable whether MNOS and V6 are the same UNIX; if they are, then it predates Microsoft's offering by around five years.
BYTE magazine, October 1983 talks about early unices on microcomputers
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
WilsonWilson
12.2k556139
12.2k556139
5
I agree this doesn’t deserve its downvote. The release date for Xenix is somewhat inaccurate (it was announced in 1980, but only shipped in 1981, although there are claims of a 3Com release in 1980) but that’s not all that important!
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
2
I always think it is fun to remind Unix bigots/Microsoft haters to remember that for several years Microsoft's Xenix had more systems out there than any other Unix!
– davidbak
yesterday
"Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s." This sounds like you're saying this was more true in the 80's than it is now, which is definitely incorrect, no? Or, do you mean it was especially true in the 80's compared to the 70's?
– DarthFennec
yesterday
@Darth well now they do phones and servers, don't they. In the past, their BASIC was their bread and butter. That's what I think, though I could be wrong. I never cared that much about them.
– Wilson
yesterday
1
Eh, it's a matter of what definition of "micro" you like I guess
– Wilson
yesterday
|
show 2 more comments
5
I agree this doesn’t deserve its downvote. The release date for Xenix is somewhat inaccurate (it was announced in 1980, but only shipped in 1981, although there are claims of a 3Com release in 1980) but that’s not all that important!
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
2
I always think it is fun to remind Unix bigots/Microsoft haters to remember that for several years Microsoft's Xenix had more systems out there than any other Unix!
– davidbak
yesterday
"Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s." This sounds like you're saying this was more true in the 80's than it is now, which is definitely incorrect, no? Or, do you mean it was especially true in the 80's compared to the 70's?
– DarthFennec
yesterday
@Darth well now they do phones and servers, don't they. In the past, their BASIC was their bread and butter. That's what I think, though I could be wrong. I never cared that much about them.
– Wilson
yesterday
1
Eh, it's a matter of what definition of "micro" you like I guess
– Wilson
yesterday
5
5
I agree this doesn’t deserve its downvote. The release date for Xenix is somewhat inaccurate (it was announced in 1980, but only shipped in 1981, although there are claims of a 3Com release in 1980) but that’s not all that important!
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
I agree this doesn’t deserve its downvote. The release date for Xenix is somewhat inaccurate (it was announced in 1980, but only shipped in 1981, although there are claims of a 3Com release in 1980) but that’s not all that important!
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
2
2
I always think it is fun to remind Unix bigots/Microsoft haters to remember that for several years Microsoft's Xenix had more systems out there than any other Unix!
– davidbak
yesterday
I always think it is fun to remind Unix bigots/Microsoft haters to remember that for several years Microsoft's Xenix had more systems out there than any other Unix!
– davidbak
yesterday
"Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s." This sounds like you're saying this was more true in the 80's than it is now, which is definitely incorrect, no? Or, do you mean it was especially true in the 80's compared to the 70's?
– DarthFennec
yesterday
"Microsoft targets microcomputers above other markets; that was especially true in the 80s." This sounds like you're saying this was more true in the 80's than it is now, which is definitely incorrect, no? Or, do you mean it was especially true in the 80's compared to the 70's?
– DarthFennec
yesterday
@Darth well now they do phones and servers, don't they. In the past, their BASIC was their bread and butter. That's what I think, though I could be wrong. I never cared that much about them.
– Wilson
yesterday
@Darth well now they do phones and servers, don't they. In the past, their BASIC was their bread and butter. That's what I think, though I could be wrong. I never cared that much about them.
– Wilson
yesterday
1
1
Eh, it's a matter of what definition of "micro" you like I guess
– Wilson
yesterday
Eh, it's a matter of what definition of "micro" you like I guess
– Wilson
yesterday
|
show 2 more comments
It all comes down to the definition of micro. After all, already the PDP-11/03, aka LSI-11, of 1975, is based on a micro chipset. That's less than a year after Unix became known outside AT&T. An 'official' AT&T port to the LSI-11 was published in 1978. Not much later, the PDP-11/24 (1979) used the F11 chips follow us where J11 and T11 (single chip PDP). Clearly micros (*1).
When it comes to more common (*2) CPUs, Intel's 8086 got its first port, by AT&T in 1978, shortly followed by Microsoft's XENIX, based on the AT&T port (*3).
*1 - Or do the case form make the difference? Then I must point to some 6502, Z80 or even 2650 based systems in 19"
*2 - not that I would call the LSI-11 uncommon
*3 - Sans the custom MMU that is.
Wow, I had read the porting paper a while ago and had completely forgotten about the AT&T 8086 port! Was Xenix 8086 really based on that though? I thought Microsoft had started with PDP-11 Xenix, then ported it to the Z8001 and only after that to the 8086 (with help from SCO).
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
@StephenKitt Not sure. It's the way I learned about it back in the 1980s - but I never verified it, so it may be unfounded coffee machine talk. Then again, isn't the AT&T itself based on the PDP-11 code? Interesting maybe in addition is that the Siemens PC-MX, a 8086 based Xenix (Sinix) system, had a custom MMU, somewhat like the AT&T one - on a ..lets say intel inspired ... CPU board. Similar for the later 80186 based PC-X workstation.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Raffzahn, What did you mean in Note *1? Are you saying there were Unix systems for 6502 and z80? Or that there were microcomputers based on these 8-bit CPUs? I'm not challenging your answer, I just don't understand this note.
– RichF
yesterday
@RichF No, *1 is related to what qualifies a microcomputer. It's meant to mark that the form factor can't be used as reasoning.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
add a comment |
It all comes down to the definition of micro. After all, already the PDP-11/03, aka LSI-11, of 1975, is based on a micro chipset. That's less than a year after Unix became known outside AT&T. An 'official' AT&T port to the LSI-11 was published in 1978. Not much later, the PDP-11/24 (1979) used the F11 chips follow us where J11 and T11 (single chip PDP). Clearly micros (*1).
When it comes to more common (*2) CPUs, Intel's 8086 got its first port, by AT&T in 1978, shortly followed by Microsoft's XENIX, based on the AT&T port (*3).
*1 - Or do the case form make the difference? Then I must point to some 6502, Z80 or even 2650 based systems in 19"
*2 - not that I would call the LSI-11 uncommon
*3 - Sans the custom MMU that is.
Wow, I had read the porting paper a while ago and had completely forgotten about the AT&T 8086 port! Was Xenix 8086 really based on that though? I thought Microsoft had started with PDP-11 Xenix, then ported it to the Z8001 and only after that to the 8086 (with help from SCO).
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
@StephenKitt Not sure. It's the way I learned about it back in the 1980s - but I never verified it, so it may be unfounded coffee machine talk. Then again, isn't the AT&T itself based on the PDP-11 code? Interesting maybe in addition is that the Siemens PC-MX, a 8086 based Xenix (Sinix) system, had a custom MMU, somewhat like the AT&T one - on a ..lets say intel inspired ... CPU board. Similar for the later 80186 based PC-X workstation.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Raffzahn, What did you mean in Note *1? Are you saying there were Unix systems for 6502 and z80? Or that there were microcomputers based on these 8-bit CPUs? I'm not challenging your answer, I just don't understand this note.
– RichF
yesterday
@RichF No, *1 is related to what qualifies a microcomputer. It's meant to mark that the form factor can't be used as reasoning.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
add a comment |
It all comes down to the definition of micro. After all, already the PDP-11/03, aka LSI-11, of 1975, is based on a micro chipset. That's less than a year after Unix became known outside AT&T. An 'official' AT&T port to the LSI-11 was published in 1978. Not much later, the PDP-11/24 (1979) used the F11 chips follow us where J11 and T11 (single chip PDP). Clearly micros (*1).
When it comes to more common (*2) CPUs, Intel's 8086 got its first port, by AT&T in 1978, shortly followed by Microsoft's XENIX, based on the AT&T port (*3).
*1 - Or do the case form make the difference? Then I must point to some 6502, Z80 or even 2650 based systems in 19"
*2 - not that I would call the LSI-11 uncommon
*3 - Sans the custom MMU that is.
It all comes down to the definition of micro. After all, already the PDP-11/03, aka LSI-11, of 1975, is based on a micro chipset. That's less than a year after Unix became known outside AT&T. An 'official' AT&T port to the LSI-11 was published in 1978. Not much later, the PDP-11/24 (1979) used the F11 chips follow us where J11 and T11 (single chip PDP). Clearly micros (*1).
When it comes to more common (*2) CPUs, Intel's 8086 got its first port, by AT&T in 1978, shortly followed by Microsoft's XENIX, based on the AT&T port (*3).
*1 - Or do the case form make the difference? Then I must point to some 6502, Z80 or even 2650 based systems in 19"
*2 - not that I would call the LSI-11 uncommon
*3 - Sans the custom MMU that is.
edited yesterday
Wilson
12.2k556139
12.2k556139
answered yesterday
RaffzahnRaffzahn
54.4k6133219
54.4k6133219
Wow, I had read the porting paper a while ago and had completely forgotten about the AT&T 8086 port! Was Xenix 8086 really based on that though? I thought Microsoft had started with PDP-11 Xenix, then ported it to the Z8001 and only after that to the 8086 (with help from SCO).
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
@StephenKitt Not sure. It's the way I learned about it back in the 1980s - but I never verified it, so it may be unfounded coffee machine talk. Then again, isn't the AT&T itself based on the PDP-11 code? Interesting maybe in addition is that the Siemens PC-MX, a 8086 based Xenix (Sinix) system, had a custom MMU, somewhat like the AT&T one - on a ..lets say intel inspired ... CPU board. Similar for the later 80186 based PC-X workstation.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Raffzahn, What did you mean in Note *1? Are you saying there were Unix systems for 6502 and z80? Or that there were microcomputers based on these 8-bit CPUs? I'm not challenging your answer, I just don't understand this note.
– RichF
yesterday
@RichF No, *1 is related to what qualifies a microcomputer. It's meant to mark that the form factor can't be used as reasoning.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
add a comment |
Wow, I had read the porting paper a while ago and had completely forgotten about the AT&T 8086 port! Was Xenix 8086 really based on that though? I thought Microsoft had started with PDP-11 Xenix, then ported it to the Z8001 and only after that to the 8086 (with help from SCO).
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
@StephenKitt Not sure. It's the way I learned about it back in the 1980s - but I never verified it, so it may be unfounded coffee machine talk. Then again, isn't the AT&T itself based on the PDP-11 code? Interesting maybe in addition is that the Siemens PC-MX, a 8086 based Xenix (Sinix) system, had a custom MMU, somewhat like the AT&T one - on a ..lets say intel inspired ... CPU board. Similar for the later 80186 based PC-X workstation.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Raffzahn, What did you mean in Note *1? Are you saying there were Unix systems for 6502 and z80? Or that there were microcomputers based on these 8-bit CPUs? I'm not challenging your answer, I just don't understand this note.
– RichF
yesterday
@RichF No, *1 is related to what qualifies a microcomputer. It's meant to mark that the form factor can't be used as reasoning.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
Wow, I had read the porting paper a while ago and had completely forgotten about the AT&T 8086 port! Was Xenix 8086 really based on that though? I thought Microsoft had started with PDP-11 Xenix, then ported it to the Z8001 and only after that to the 8086 (with help from SCO).
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
Wow, I had read the porting paper a while ago and had completely forgotten about the AT&T 8086 port! Was Xenix 8086 really based on that though? I thought Microsoft had started with PDP-11 Xenix, then ported it to the Z8001 and only after that to the 8086 (with help from SCO).
– Stephen Kitt
yesterday
@StephenKitt Not sure. It's the way I learned about it back in the 1980s - but I never verified it, so it may be unfounded coffee machine talk. Then again, isn't the AT&T itself based on the PDP-11 code? Interesting maybe in addition is that the Siemens PC-MX, a 8086 based Xenix (Sinix) system, had a custom MMU, somewhat like the AT&T one - on a ..lets say intel inspired ... CPU board. Similar for the later 80186 based PC-X workstation.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
@StephenKitt Not sure. It's the way I learned about it back in the 1980s - but I never verified it, so it may be unfounded coffee machine talk. Then again, isn't the AT&T itself based on the PDP-11 code? Interesting maybe in addition is that the Siemens PC-MX, a 8086 based Xenix (Sinix) system, had a custom MMU, somewhat like the AT&T one - on a ..lets say intel inspired ... CPU board. Similar for the later 80186 based PC-X workstation.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
1
Raffzahn, What did you mean in Note *1? Are you saying there were Unix systems for 6502 and z80? Or that there were microcomputers based on these 8-bit CPUs? I'm not challenging your answer, I just don't understand this note.
– RichF
yesterday
Raffzahn, What did you mean in Note *1? Are you saying there were Unix systems for 6502 and z80? Or that there were microcomputers based on these 8-bit CPUs? I'm not challenging your answer, I just don't understand this note.
– RichF
yesterday
@RichF No, *1 is related to what qualifies a microcomputer. It's meant to mark that the form factor can't be used as reasoning.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
@RichF No, *1 is related to what qualifies a microcomputer. It's meant to mark that the form factor can't be used as reasoning.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
add a comment |
According to the chronology of personal computers, the first micro-computer running Unix was “the Onyx C8002 microcomputer. It features a Zilog Z8000 microprocessor, 256 kB RAM, tape backup, hard disk, serial ports for eight users, and running UNIX, for US$20,000.” It was introduced in June 1980. (The quote is inaccurate in at least one respect: the C8002, as its name suggests, used a Zilog Z8002 CPU — thanks Raffzahn!)
This was followed shortly by Xenix, Microsoft’s licensed port of Unix, which first shipped in January 1981 on a Z8001-based Central Data Corporation system (not to be confused with the more famous Control Data Corporation). 8086 systems running Xenix started shipping in 1982. Xenix was also available on PDP-11 computers (see the OEM list for details), and there were micro-computer-class PDP-11 systems, including DEC’s own Professional range which was available with 2.9BSD.
I do not get it. How could 256kb RAM brick of metal cost 20k? It is new, super silicon ninja tech, but why it was used so it could cost 20k?
– Croll
yesterday
4
Erm, @Croll, you did note, that this is the price for the whole system, including CPU, I/O, (hard) disks, tape and so on? 20k doesn't sound much to me for a 16 bit multi user system in 1980 - rather resonable I say.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Terak was not "personal" enough?
– Leo B.
22 hours ago
1
@Leo you’d have to ask Ken Polsson ;-). Was it “micro” enough?
– Stephen Kitt
15 hours ago
add a comment |
According to the chronology of personal computers, the first micro-computer running Unix was “the Onyx C8002 microcomputer. It features a Zilog Z8000 microprocessor, 256 kB RAM, tape backup, hard disk, serial ports for eight users, and running UNIX, for US$20,000.” It was introduced in June 1980. (The quote is inaccurate in at least one respect: the C8002, as its name suggests, used a Zilog Z8002 CPU — thanks Raffzahn!)
This was followed shortly by Xenix, Microsoft’s licensed port of Unix, which first shipped in January 1981 on a Z8001-based Central Data Corporation system (not to be confused with the more famous Control Data Corporation). 8086 systems running Xenix started shipping in 1982. Xenix was also available on PDP-11 computers (see the OEM list for details), and there were micro-computer-class PDP-11 systems, including DEC’s own Professional range which was available with 2.9BSD.
I do not get it. How could 256kb RAM brick of metal cost 20k? It is new, super silicon ninja tech, but why it was used so it could cost 20k?
– Croll
yesterday
4
Erm, @Croll, you did note, that this is the price for the whole system, including CPU, I/O, (hard) disks, tape and so on? 20k doesn't sound much to me for a 16 bit multi user system in 1980 - rather resonable I say.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Terak was not "personal" enough?
– Leo B.
22 hours ago
1
@Leo you’d have to ask Ken Polsson ;-). Was it “micro” enough?
– Stephen Kitt
15 hours ago
add a comment |
According to the chronology of personal computers, the first micro-computer running Unix was “the Onyx C8002 microcomputer. It features a Zilog Z8000 microprocessor, 256 kB RAM, tape backup, hard disk, serial ports for eight users, and running UNIX, for US$20,000.” It was introduced in June 1980. (The quote is inaccurate in at least one respect: the C8002, as its name suggests, used a Zilog Z8002 CPU — thanks Raffzahn!)
This was followed shortly by Xenix, Microsoft’s licensed port of Unix, which first shipped in January 1981 on a Z8001-based Central Data Corporation system (not to be confused with the more famous Control Data Corporation). 8086 systems running Xenix started shipping in 1982. Xenix was also available on PDP-11 computers (see the OEM list for details), and there were micro-computer-class PDP-11 systems, including DEC’s own Professional range which was available with 2.9BSD.
According to the chronology of personal computers, the first micro-computer running Unix was “the Onyx C8002 microcomputer. It features a Zilog Z8000 microprocessor, 256 kB RAM, tape backup, hard disk, serial ports for eight users, and running UNIX, for US$20,000.” It was introduced in June 1980. (The quote is inaccurate in at least one respect: the C8002, as its name suggests, used a Zilog Z8002 CPU — thanks Raffzahn!)
This was followed shortly by Xenix, Microsoft’s licensed port of Unix, which first shipped in January 1981 on a Z8001-based Central Data Corporation system (not to be confused with the more famous Control Data Corporation). 8086 systems running Xenix started shipping in 1982. Xenix was also available on PDP-11 computers (see the OEM list for details), and there were micro-computer-class PDP-11 systems, including DEC’s own Professional range which was available with 2.9BSD.
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
Stephen KittStephen Kitt
38.6k8158168
38.6k8158168
I do not get it. How could 256kb RAM brick of metal cost 20k? It is new, super silicon ninja tech, but why it was used so it could cost 20k?
– Croll
yesterday
4
Erm, @Croll, you did note, that this is the price for the whole system, including CPU, I/O, (hard) disks, tape and so on? 20k doesn't sound much to me for a 16 bit multi user system in 1980 - rather resonable I say.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Terak was not "personal" enough?
– Leo B.
22 hours ago
1
@Leo you’d have to ask Ken Polsson ;-). Was it “micro” enough?
– Stephen Kitt
15 hours ago
add a comment |
I do not get it. How could 256kb RAM brick of metal cost 20k? It is new, super silicon ninja tech, but why it was used so it could cost 20k?
– Croll
yesterday
4
Erm, @Croll, you did note, that this is the price for the whole system, including CPU, I/O, (hard) disks, tape and so on? 20k doesn't sound much to me for a 16 bit multi user system in 1980 - rather resonable I say.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Terak was not "personal" enough?
– Leo B.
22 hours ago
1
@Leo you’d have to ask Ken Polsson ;-). Was it “micro” enough?
– Stephen Kitt
15 hours ago
I do not get it. How could 256kb RAM brick of metal cost 20k? It is new, super silicon ninja tech, but why it was used so it could cost 20k?
– Croll
yesterday
I do not get it. How could 256kb RAM brick of metal cost 20k? It is new, super silicon ninja tech, but why it was used so it could cost 20k?
– Croll
yesterday
4
4
Erm, @Croll, you did note, that this is the price for the whole system, including CPU, I/O, (hard) disks, tape and so on? 20k doesn't sound much to me for a 16 bit multi user system in 1980 - rather resonable I say.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
Erm, @Croll, you did note, that this is the price for the whole system, including CPU, I/O, (hard) disks, tape and so on? 20k doesn't sound much to me for a 16 bit multi user system in 1980 - rather resonable I say.
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
1
Terak was not "personal" enough?
– Leo B.
22 hours ago
Terak was not "personal" enough?
– Leo B.
22 hours ago
1
1
@Leo you’d have to ask Ken Polsson ;-). Was it “micro” enough?
– Stephen Kitt
15 hours ago
@Leo you’d have to ask Ken Polsson ;-). Was it “micro” enough?
– Stephen Kitt
15 hours ago
add a comment |
With the other answers, it is obvious the Sun-1 was not the first. However, due to Sun Microsystem's relevance in the microcomputing world, I think this May, 1982 entry is worth mentioning here. The system was based on a 68000 CPU along with a Sun-designed MMU. (Apparently the Motorola MMU at the time was not sufficiently reliable.)
Sun-1, 1982, 68000, Sun MMU
Sun-2, 1983, 68010, Sun MMU
Sun-3, 1985, 68020, Sun MMU, Motorola fp math coprocessor
Sun-3x, 1989, 68030, inherent MMU, Motorola fp math, system coincident with SparcStation 1
No more 680x0 models past that, and later Sun models would either use the Sparc or PowerPC CPUs.
Why did Intel not use Motorola chips when they asked Microsoft to provide a disk operating system for their new microcomputer... We'd have an 8 core 68080 ... sane assembler ... the world would be a better place ;-).
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
1
@PeterA.Schneider: If you mean IBM, rather than Intel, using the 68000 was seriously considered fir the IBM PC. It wasn't done largely because the 8088 could use cheap 8-bit peripheral chips: remember that the IBM PC was not intended to become a dominant computer architecture at all.
– John Dallman
yesterday
@JohnDallman IBM indeed, sorry.
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
add a comment |
With the other answers, it is obvious the Sun-1 was not the first. However, due to Sun Microsystem's relevance in the microcomputing world, I think this May, 1982 entry is worth mentioning here. The system was based on a 68000 CPU along with a Sun-designed MMU. (Apparently the Motorola MMU at the time was not sufficiently reliable.)
Sun-1, 1982, 68000, Sun MMU
Sun-2, 1983, 68010, Sun MMU
Sun-3, 1985, 68020, Sun MMU, Motorola fp math coprocessor
Sun-3x, 1989, 68030, inherent MMU, Motorola fp math, system coincident with SparcStation 1
No more 680x0 models past that, and later Sun models would either use the Sparc or PowerPC CPUs.
Why did Intel not use Motorola chips when they asked Microsoft to provide a disk operating system for their new microcomputer... We'd have an 8 core 68080 ... sane assembler ... the world would be a better place ;-).
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
1
@PeterA.Schneider: If you mean IBM, rather than Intel, using the 68000 was seriously considered fir the IBM PC. It wasn't done largely because the 8088 could use cheap 8-bit peripheral chips: remember that the IBM PC was not intended to become a dominant computer architecture at all.
– John Dallman
yesterday
@JohnDallman IBM indeed, sorry.
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
add a comment |
With the other answers, it is obvious the Sun-1 was not the first. However, due to Sun Microsystem's relevance in the microcomputing world, I think this May, 1982 entry is worth mentioning here. The system was based on a 68000 CPU along with a Sun-designed MMU. (Apparently the Motorola MMU at the time was not sufficiently reliable.)
Sun-1, 1982, 68000, Sun MMU
Sun-2, 1983, 68010, Sun MMU
Sun-3, 1985, 68020, Sun MMU, Motorola fp math coprocessor
Sun-3x, 1989, 68030, inherent MMU, Motorola fp math, system coincident with SparcStation 1
No more 680x0 models past that, and later Sun models would either use the Sparc or PowerPC CPUs.
With the other answers, it is obvious the Sun-1 was not the first. However, due to Sun Microsystem's relevance in the microcomputing world, I think this May, 1982 entry is worth mentioning here. The system was based on a 68000 CPU along with a Sun-designed MMU. (Apparently the Motorola MMU at the time was not sufficiently reliable.)
Sun-1, 1982, 68000, Sun MMU
Sun-2, 1983, 68010, Sun MMU
Sun-3, 1985, 68020, Sun MMU, Motorola fp math coprocessor
Sun-3x, 1989, 68030, inherent MMU, Motorola fp math, system coincident with SparcStation 1
No more 680x0 models past that, and later Sun models would either use the Sparc or PowerPC CPUs.
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
RichFRichF
4,6311435
4,6311435
Why did Intel not use Motorola chips when they asked Microsoft to provide a disk operating system for their new microcomputer... We'd have an 8 core 68080 ... sane assembler ... the world would be a better place ;-).
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
1
@PeterA.Schneider: If you mean IBM, rather than Intel, using the 68000 was seriously considered fir the IBM PC. It wasn't done largely because the 8088 could use cheap 8-bit peripheral chips: remember that the IBM PC was not intended to become a dominant computer architecture at all.
– John Dallman
yesterday
@JohnDallman IBM indeed, sorry.
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
add a comment |
Why did Intel not use Motorola chips when they asked Microsoft to provide a disk operating system for their new microcomputer... We'd have an 8 core 68080 ... sane assembler ... the world would be a better place ;-).
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
1
@PeterA.Schneider: If you mean IBM, rather than Intel, using the 68000 was seriously considered fir the IBM PC. It wasn't done largely because the 8088 could use cheap 8-bit peripheral chips: remember that the IBM PC was not intended to become a dominant computer architecture at all.
– John Dallman
yesterday
@JohnDallman IBM indeed, sorry.
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
Why did Intel not use Motorola chips when they asked Microsoft to provide a disk operating system for their new microcomputer... We'd have an 8 core 68080 ... sane assembler ... the world would be a better place ;-).
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
Why did Intel not use Motorola chips when they asked Microsoft to provide a disk operating system for their new microcomputer... We'd have an 8 core 68080 ... sane assembler ... the world would be a better place ;-).
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
1
1
@PeterA.Schneider: If you mean IBM, rather than Intel, using the 68000 was seriously considered fir the IBM PC. It wasn't done largely because the 8088 could use cheap 8-bit peripheral chips: remember that the IBM PC was not intended to become a dominant computer architecture at all.
– John Dallman
yesterday
@PeterA.Schneider: If you mean IBM, rather than Intel, using the 68000 was seriously considered fir the IBM PC. It wasn't done largely because the 8088 could use cheap 8-bit peripheral chips: remember that the IBM PC was not intended to become a dominant computer architecture at all.
– John Dallman
yesterday
@JohnDallman IBM indeed, sorry.
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
@JohnDallman IBM indeed, sorry.
– Peter A. Schneider
yesterday
add a comment |
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10
This question is at least as blurry as the definition what a microcomputer is - isn't it?
– Raffzahn
yesterday
1
Define "microcomputer". The first 64K RAM desktop with a framebuffer running UNIX was Terak in 1976 or 1977.
– Leo B.
yesterday
Define "Unix". Linux, for example, famously isn't Unix because it has never been certified as meeting the specification.
– Mark
yesterday
1
@Mark en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspur_K-UX
– Leo B.
23 hours ago
@Mark I beg to differ Is there a Linux distro that's UNIX certified?, unix.stackexchange.com/questions/393475/…
– phuclv
18 hours ago