University of Illinois 'Network Unix'
(from Noel Chiappa)
The first networked Unix system was one produced at the University of
Illinois in 1974-75 for use on the ARPANET;
it used the NCP protocol.
The code is divided into three main groups: code for the kernel (further divided into
device drivers, and code common to all methods of interfacing to the ARPANET); a daemon
which ran as a process, which handled a lot of the protocol overhead (e.g. opening and
closing connections); and programs (also run as processes) to implement applications
such as FTP and TELNET.
The code was originally written mostly by Gary R. Grossman and Steve
F. Holmgren; many others later contributed fixes and improvements. The code
rapidly spread among computer science centers which were connected to the
ARPANET; this copy of the code came via NOSC (Naval Ocean Systems Center)
and SRI.
Also included are two important major application packages produced
elsewhere: the MH mail reader, done by Bruce S. Borden at RAND based on
suggestions by R. Stockton Gaines; and the MMDF mail agent, written by David
Crocker at the University of Delaware.
For more information about this system, see:
- Steve Holmgren; "The Network UNIX System"; Center for Advanced
Computation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana, Illinois;
1975
- Karl C Kelley, Richard Balocca, Jody Kravitz; "A Network Unix System for
the ARPANET: Volume 1 - The Network Control Program"; Center for Advanced
Computation and Computing Services Office, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign; Urbana, Illinois; 1978