The Unix History repository on GitHub [1] aims to provide the evolution
of Unix from the 1970s until today under Git revision control. Through
a few changes recently made [2] it's now possible for individual
contributors to have their GitHub profile linked to their early Unix
contributions. Ken Thompson graciously made this move last week
following a personal email invitation. I think it would be really cool
if more followed. This would send a powerful message of continuity and
tradition in computing to youngsters joining GitHub today.
What you need to do is the following.
- Create a GitHub profile (if you haven't already got one)
- Click on
https://github.com/settings/emails
- Add the email address(es) associated with your early Unix commits
(e.g. foo(a)research.uucp or bar(a)ucbvax.berkeley.edu) You can easily find
an author's commits and email addresses recorded in the repository
through the web search form
http://www.spinellis.gr/cgi-bin/namegrep.pl
- GitHub will tell you that a verification email has been sent to your
(probably defunct) email address. Don't worry. Your account will be
linked to the address even without the verification step.
- Adding your photograph to your profile will increase the vividness of
GitHub's revision listings.
If you're in contact with Unix contributors who are not on this list,
please forward them this message. Also, if your name isn't properly
associated with the repository's commits, drop me an email message (or a
GitHub pull request for the corresponding file [3]), and I'll add it.
[1]
https://github.com/dspinellis/unix-history-repo
[2] The modifications involved the change of UUCP addresses to use the
.uucp pseudo-domain rather than a ! path and the listing of co-authors
within the commit message.
[3]
https://github.com/dspinellis/unix-history-make/tree/master/src/author-path
Diomidis -
http://www.spinellis.gr