From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 09:46:41 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (segaloco via TUHS) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:46:41 +0000 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found Message-ID: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> Exciting news, I managed to run down a physical copy of volume one of the Ninth Edition Programmer's Manual. I don't think any version of this is currently preserved, so I'll try and get it on my scan docket once I've got my new RISC-V machine all stable. Unfortunately it is just volume one, although given the relative lack of distribution, I wouldn't be surprised if volume two wasn't physically published, but I can't rule that out entirely. Anywho, it is thicker than the Tenth Edition I've also got sitting here, but I haven't had a chance to thumb through the indices to get a feel for what the delta is. An exciting find nonetheless! In the meantime until I get this scanned, happy to entertain any questions on contents. A question myself: What would the reach of V9 have materially been in the late 80s vs. V8 and V10 around it? The only artifacts from V9 I'm aware of are contained in the archive from the batterpudding collection. It seems V9 is pretty darn obscure in the grand scheme of things, so I find myself curious what the likelihood of something a little closer to virgin BTL tapes popping up actually is vs. trying to get hands on backup tapes or images from running systems being used in BTL between 86-89. - Matt G. From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 09:56:42 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (Clem Cole via TUHS) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:56:42 -0400 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found In-Reply-To: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> References: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> Message-ID: Wonderful. Thank you. Sent from a handheld expect more typos than usual On Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 7:46 PM segaloco via TUHS wrote: > Exciting news, I managed to run down a physical copy of volume one of > the Ninth Edition Programmer's Manual. I don't think any version of > this is currently preserved, so I'll try and get it on my scan docket > once I've got my new RISC-V machine all stable. Unfortunately it is > just volume one, although given the relative lack of distribution, I > wouldn't be surprised if volume two wasn't physically published, but I > can't rule that out entirely. > > Anywho, it is thicker than the Tenth Edition I've also got sitting here, > but I haven't had a chance to thumb through the indices to get a feel > for what the delta is. An exciting find nonetheless! > > In the meantime until I get this scanned, happy to entertain any > questions on contents. A question myself: > > What would the reach of V9 have materially been in the late 80s vs. V8 > and V10 around it? The only artifacts from V9 I'm aware of are > contained in the archive from the batterpudding collection. It seems V9 > is pretty darn obscure in the grand scheme of things, so I find myself > curious what the likelihood of something a little closer to virgin BTL > tapes popping up actually is vs. trying to get hands on backup tapes or > images from running systems being used in BTL between 86-89. > > - Matt G. > From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 10:39:15 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (Thalia Archibald via TUHS) Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:39:15 +0000 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found In-Reply-To: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> References: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> Message-ID: On Sep 30, 2026, at 17:46, segaloco wrote: > Exciting news, I managed to run down a physical copy of volume one of > the Ninth Edition Programmer's Manual. I don't think any version of > this is currently preserved, so I'll try and get it on my scan docket > once I've got my new RISC-V machine all stable. Hi Matt, Fantastic! This reminds me of a V8 tape that was recently discussed, so I looked for other mentioned distributions. Does anyone know the status of these? V8 is among Steve Bagley's magtape collection from the University of Nottingham. Have they been imaged? Lars Brinkhoff was in contact. https://www.tuhs.org/pipermail/tuhs/2026-April/033484.html Ben Huntsman has a copy of V8 and knows of at least 1-2 copies of V10. This was before V8-V10 were added to the archive in June 2020, so the legal situation was unclear. https://www.tuhs.org/pipermail/tuhs/2013-February/005991.html Thalia From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 12:03:24 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (Douglas McIlroy via TUHS) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:03:24 -0400 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found In-Reply-To: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> References: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> Message-ID: > I don't think any version of [v9] is currently preserved. I have a complete set of all volumes and printed forms of all editions; see https://mcilroy.cs.dartmouth.edu/UnixManuals.jpg. If any other needs copying, I could lend it out for the purpose. > I wouldn't be surprised if volume two wasn't physically published Correct. The only editions with a second volume were v6, v7, anf v10. Doug Editor, v7-v10. On Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 7:46 PM segaloco via TUHS wrote: > > Exciting news, I managed to run down a physical copy of volume one of > the Ninth Edition Programmer's Manual. I don't think any version of > this is currently preserved, so I'll try and get it on my scan docket > once I've got my new RISC-V machine all stable. Unfortunately it is > just volume one, although given the relative lack of distribution, I > wouldn't be surprised if volume two wasn't physically published, but I > can't rule that out entirely. > > Anywho, it is thicker than the Tenth Edition I've also got sitting here, > but I haven't had a chance to thumb through the indices to get a feel > for what the delta is. An exciting find nonetheless! > > In the meantime until I get this scanned, happy to entertain any > questions on contents. A question myself: > > What would the reach of V9 have materially been in the late 80s vs. V8 > and V10 around it? The only artifacts from V9 I'm aware of are > contained in the archive from the batterpudding collection. It seems V9 > is pretty darn obscure in the grand scheme of things, so I find myself > curious what the likelihood of something a little closer to virgin BTL > tapes popping up actually is vs. trying to get hands on backup tapes or > images from running systems being used in BTL between 86-89. > > - Matt G. From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 12:17:59 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (Brantley Coile via TUHS) Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2026 02:17:59 +0000 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found In-Reply-To: References: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> Message-ID: <8A06F071-46CE-46A7-99E1-BB1EBBBC3666@coraid.com> My Ninth Edition looks even more smudgy. My collection started with the Sixth Edition, which is still knocking around here somewhere. 1970-76 was a busy time for you folks. > On Sep 30, 2026, at 10:03 PM, Douglas McIlroy via TUHS wrote: > >> I don't think any version of [v9] is currently preserved. > > I have a complete set of all volumes and printed forms of all > editions; see https://mcilroy.cs.dartmouth.edu/UnixManuals.jpg. If any > other needs copying, I could lend it out for the purpose. > >> I wouldn't be surprised if volume two wasn't physically published > > Correct. The only editions with a second volume were v6, v7, anf v10. > > Doug > Editor, v7-v10. > > On Wed, Sep 30, 2026 at 7:46 PM segaloco via TUHS wrote: >> >> Exciting news, I managed to run down a physical copy of volume one of >> the Ninth Edition Programmer's Manual. I don't think any version of >> this is currently preserved, so I'll try and get it on my scan docket >> once I've got my new RISC-V machine all stable. Unfortunately it is >> just volume one, although given the relative lack of distribution, I >> wouldn't be surprised if volume two wasn't physically published, but I >> can't rule that out entirely. >> >> Anywho, it is thicker than the Tenth Edition I've also got sitting here, >> but I haven't had a chance to thumb through the indices to get a feel >> for what the delta is. An exciting find nonetheless! >> >> In the meantime until I get this scanned, happy to entertain any >> questions on contents. A question myself: >> >> What would the reach of V9 have materially been in the late 80s vs. V8 >> and V10 around it? The only artifacts from V9 I'm aware of are >> contained in the archive from the batterpudding collection. It seems V9 >> is pretty darn obscure in the grand scheme of things, so I find myself >> curious what the likelihood of something a little closer to virgin BTL >> tapes popping up actually is vs. trying to get hands on backup tapes or >> images from running systems being used in BTL between 86-89. >> >> - Matt G. From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 15:58:47 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (segaloco via TUHS) Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:58:47 +0000 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found In-Reply-To: <8A06F071-46CE-46A7-99E1-BB1EBBBC3666@coraid.com> References: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> <8A06F071-46CE-46A7-99E1-BB1EBBBC3666@coraid.com> Message-ID: On Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 at 19:18, Brantley Coile via TUHS wrote: > My Ninth Edition looks even more smudgy. My collection started with the Sixth Edition, which is still knocking around here somewhere. I feel quite fortunate to have come across all the things that I have. The comb-bound Eighth Edition manual is now the only research edition in my particular timeframe of study I haven't landed a copy of. In addition that range, I've managed to land a smattering of other USG, PWB, and CB line stuff, some of which is scanned, some of which I have on the docket. I think one of my favorite things is I can pull just about any of the manuals from my bookshelf and learn something new that is still applicable to this day. This speaks not only to the stability and insight in the system, but also the quality of the documentation. Folks to this day can still learn to use UNIX in the words of ken, dmr, bwk, and so on, at the very least in the genealogy of the current POSIX specification and C standards. If anyone's got bookshelf space, get yourself a hardcopy UNIX manual. V7 is a nice start, although you can often times find System III, System V, and BSD manuals on eBay. Just to disclaim I don't resell anything I get on eBay so I'm not invested in manual sales there aside from my own combing for lost works, but there are often copies of things I see which I already have and think, gee, I know a bunch of folks who might appreciate that. Just be nice and scan anything unpreserved if you don't let me get it :) - Matt G. From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 18:05:13 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (Arnold Robbins via TUHS) Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 02:05:13 -0600 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found In-Reply-To: References: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> <8A06F071-46CE-46A7-99E1-BB1EBBBC3666@coraid.com> Message-ID: <202610010805.69185DXm031016@freefriends.org> I have a comb-bound 8th Edition manual. BWK got it for me, many years ago. (More like decades, at this point. :-) It's a bit beat up, particularly the covers. It originally belonged to one Rae McLellan, whom I otherwise know nothing about... I also have a 9th Edition manual that I bought from Bell Labs in the early 90s. I remember corresponding with Doug about it, who said he "had to check if we can sell one to you". :-) It cost me $50, IIRC. Matt, how desperate are you to scan the 8th ed manual? Let's discuss privately. Arnold segaloco via TUHS wrote: > On Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 at 19:18, Brantley Coile via TUHS wrote: > > > My Ninth Edition looks even more smudgy. My collection started with the Sixth Edition, which is still knocking around here somewhere. > > I feel quite fortunate to have come across all the things that I have. > The comb-bound Eighth Edition manual is now the only research edition in > my particular timeframe of study I haven't landed a copy of. In > addition that range, I've managed to land a smattering of other USG, > PWB, and CB line stuff, some of which is scanned, some of which I have > on the docket. > > I think one of my favorite things is I can pull just about any of the > manuals from my bookshelf and learn something new that is still > applicable to this day. This speaks not only to the stability and > insight in the system, but also the quality of the documentation. Folks > to this day can still learn to use UNIX in the words of ken, dmr, bwk, > and so on, at the very least in the genealogy of the current POSIX > specification and C standards. > > If anyone's got bookshelf space, get yourself a hardcopy UNIX manual. > V7 is a nice start, although you can often times find System III, > System V, and BSD manuals on eBay. Just to disclaim I don't resell > anything I get on eBay so I'm not invested in manual sales there aside > from my own combing for lost works, but there are often copies of > things I see which I already have and think, gee, I know a bunch of > folks who might appreciate that. Just be nice and scan anything > unpreserved if you don't let me get it :) > > - Matt G. From tuhs at tuhs.org Thu Oct 1 20:19:26 2026 From: tuhs at tuhs.org (Lars Brinkhoff via TUHS) Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 10:19:26 +0000 Subject: [TUHS] Research Ninth Edition Manual (V1) Found In-Reply-To: (Thalia Archibald via TUHS's message of "Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:39:15 +0000") References: <5ej-AUDZ3kCnMlAZ7f46AGjul4dun66iL1QUG-bMpMK9RLh-2P4SshTnZutHBTJNGTr0_neUdPNV1HXv1IQglDfZccNcGXpN6sir-Lb0zxg=@protonmail.com> Message-ID: <7wmrsxsoy9.fsf@junk.nocrew.org> Thalia Archibald wrote: > This reminds me of a V8 tape that was recently discussed, so I looked > for other mentioned distributions. Does anyone know the status of > these? V8 is among Steve Bagley's magtape collection from the > University of Nottingham. Have they been imaged? Lars Brinkhoff was > in contact. When I asked around about the tapes I didn't sense any urgency in the reponses, so I didn't push Bagley to do something about them. Also I gather QUIC tapes are difficult to process, and I didn't see anyone who was willing to take them on.