The virtual consoles using the function keys predate Linux and 386BSD by a number of years.  I used them only early x86 Unix ports to the IBM PC such as Xenix.  

FWIW I think Minix for the 8088 may have supported them - be worth checking.  

  I have no memories off them on the 8 bit systems when concurrency was added but I did but do much them.

  I would not have been surprised that predates the x86 versions of different systems. I.e. I have vague memories of something using the function keys on the PDP-10s switching between screens but that was long ago.   

My bet would be to look at ITS, WAITES and Twenex for the origin story. 

On Mon, Mar 13, 2023 at 11:13 AM Paul Ruizendaal via TUHS <tuhs@tuhs.org> wrote:

Thinking a bit more about terminal multiplexing was a major use case for early X, I recalled using Linux virtual consoles in the late 90’s for this purpose.

According to Wikipedia, virtual consoles originated with Xenix and before that with concurrent CP/M.

Perusing the documentation of those on Bitsavers, I can see that virtual consoles have a prominent mention in the manual for concurrent CP/M (1983), but not those of its forerunners MP/M II and MP/M (1979). I cannot find a mention of virtual consoles in Xenix documentation as late as 1988.

No such thing as a virtual (as distinct from pseudo) tty on 16-bit Unix or early 32-bit, as far as I know; one could argue it does not make much sense with physical terminals. Wikipedia says no such thing existed on SunOS either.

I think virtual consoles where present in Linux from a very early point.

So, as far as I can tell virtual consoles were invented for concurrent CP/M around 1983, made their way to Xenix in the late 80’s and became part of Linux in the early 90’s.

Have I missed other prior art?

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Sent from a handheld expect more typos than usual