Ken Thompson Shares Memories of Unix's Early Development at Bell Labs
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Fresh out the oven, still warm. Top of the tray.
Summary
Ken Thompson, co-creator of Unix and the C programming language, shares vivid memories of the early days of Unix development at Bell Labs in a newly released oral history. The 82-year-old computer pioneer recalls the rowdy, playful environment where a group of geeks built foundational technologies through open collaboration and experimentation. Thompson discusses his work on Unix, the C language, Plan 9 operating system, and the Go programming language, providing insights into the culture of innovation at Bell Labs that shaped modern computing.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe 82-year-old Ken Thompson has some amazing memories about the earliest days of the Unix operating system — and the rowdy room full of geeks who built it.
Thompson dutifully recalled many of his career highlights — from his work on the C programming language and Unix to the 'Plan 9 from Bell Labs' operating system and the Go programming language.
Ken Thompson's vivid recollection of the rowdy roomful of geeks at Bell Labs who built the digital world in a spirit of open play.
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