Xenix: one thing I don't understand

Message ID: 17214
Posted By: walterbyrd
Posted On: 2003-06-27 14:10:00
Subject: Xenix: one thing I don't understand

Did msft actually develop xenix? Did software developers at msft start with nothing and build xenix from the ground up?

Or did msft buy xenix from unknown software company? like msft did with dos?

Or did msft commision an outside company?

Message ID: 17228
Posted By: earlconsult
Posted On: 2003-06-27 14:32:00
Subject: Re: Xenix: one thing I don't understand

They actually licensed it from AT&T. But they didn't pay enough money to get the right to call it "Unix", so they named it Xenix. The history's very accurate as it's from the time I'd been cutting my teeth on computers- I experienced the history in question. I'd wished I could have afforded they cash for a Tandy TRS-80 Model 16 so I could run Unix like the big machines did. I was a broke kid back then, so I settled for what I could and eventually ended up running on a Tandy Color Computer with OS-9 running on it. Looking back on all of it, I ended up with the better deal- OS-9, while it was only sort-of Unix-like, worked better than Xenix under most cases and was a better overall OS than most out there (and is that way to this day- it's just it's a niche OS and always will be...).

Message ID: 17234
Posted By: walterbyrd
Posted On: 2003-06-27 14:46:00
Subject: Re: Xenix: one thing I don't understand

>> They actually licensed it from AT&T. But they didn't pay enough money to get the right to call it "Unix", so they named it Xenix. <<

Interesting. So. . .

0100 msft bought bought a partial unix license from at&t

0200 msft then sold said partial license to a company called sco

0300 novl then bought all unix rights from at&t

0400 novl then sold all those rights to a company called caldera

0500 caldera then changed it's name to sco

0600 sco then sold partial unix rights to msft.

Message ID: 17235
Posted By: martin_lvnv
Posted On: 2003-06-27 14:47:00
Subject: Re: Xenix: one thing I don't understand

< This went on at hundreds of companies. UNIX was fairly easy to port (easier than anything else available at the time)>

I've heard Unix described as the most successful computer virus in history. Build some new obscure computer hardware and before you can count to 10, unix is running on it.

Now Linux is taking over. The third fastest supercomputer in the world runs Linux. At the same time, its on embedded systems, PDAs and IBM even showed a demo of a Linux wristwatch (640x480 bitmapped screen).

Just like Unix took over from the minicomputer companies and their OSs, now SCOXs unix is on the losing end of something cheaper, quicker and more successful.

It sucks to be a dinosaur and have to deal with all the fast little mammals running around. I wonder if the dinosaurs lawyers tried to sue mammals for "unfair competition"?

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