26 Feb
2023
26 Feb
'23
1:48 a.m.
So in working on an unrelated 6502 project, I got to wondering about UNIX on it and other
8-bits. Did some Googling, and while I was able to turn up some attempts at UNIX-likes on
6502 as well as Z80, the only one I found that might have some Bell connection is
"uNIX" as documented here: https://bitsavers.org/pdf/uNIX/uNIX_Jan82.pdf
A forum post I read suggested those involved were some former Bell folks from NJ. In any
case, this begs the question for me: Were there ever any serious attempts at an 8-bit UNIX
in the labs or Bell System at large? Certainly it would've provided quite the
challenge without much return compared with 16 and 32-bit efforts, but does anyone know
if, say, an LSX/Mini-UNIX-ish attempt was ever made at the 6502, Z80, or other 8-bits?
Thanks all!
- Matt G.