SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — An unassuming tape, once relegated to the obscurity of a storage room at the University of Utah, has resurfaced as a significant digital artifact.
Experts from the Computer History Museum in California have successfully retrieved data from this tape, unveiling an early version of UNIX—software that has fundamentally influenced contemporary technology.
This historic recovery provides a rare insight into the genesis of the systems that underpin today’s computers, smartphones, and the internet.
MORE | ARC Salt Lake:
Several personnel from the university’s computer science program shared their thoughts with ARC Salt Lake regarding this groundbreaking discovery.
Professor Robert Ricci indicated that until now, it was presumed the earliest existing software version was Version 5, but they unearthed Version 4.
“It took a while for the magnitude of this discovery to fully register, especially considering that other versions of UNIX are accessible online for examination,” Ricci remarked. “It eventually dawned on us that we possessed the oldest surviving version.”
While prepping for their relocation to a new facility, staff stumbled upon the tape concealed within an old closet.
“It took us a couple of days, and several discussions with the Computer History Museum, to grasp the uniqueness of our find,” Ricci reflected.
This tape had languished in obscurity for decades.
“This is encouraging news for all hoarders,” Ricci stated, humorously advising, “Keep your old belongings; you never know when they might become invaluable historical treasures.”
The tape also contained a letter from Ken Thompson, the original creator of this software, expressing regret over the delay in sending it to the university.
This software was initially directed to Martin Newell, a notable computer scientist acclaimed for his contributions in graphics at the university.
Research associate Aleks Maricq was the one to discover the tape.
“I expected to find a plethora of old documents and administrative records, but one of the first boxes I opened astonishingly contained this tape,” Maricq recounted.
He quickly discerned the significance of his discovery.
“I recognized UNIX V4 as an early version of UNIX, but I was unaware of how exceedingly rare it was. Upon researching online, I realized it might be the sole remaining copy,” Maricq stated.
Another staff member transported the tape to the Computer History Museum for data extraction.
“I needed to get this into the hands of professionals capable of safely extracting the data,” he noted. “This tape is over 50 years old, and its condition was uncertain.”
Maricq emphasized the necessity of enlisting an expert for the task.
“This represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of operating systems,” he elaborated. “UNIX serves as the foundation for a multitude of technologies we utilize today, either through direct lineage or as a point of inspiration for online operating systems.”
“They utilize a modified vintage tape recorder,” research associate Jon Duerig explained. “Their analog probes read the raw data directly from the tape head, ensuring the preservation of the original analog signal.”
Duerig remarked on the fortunate condition of the tape.
PhD student Thalia Archibald was present at the museum during the data extraction process.
“The Computer History Museum assembled their experts for this occasion,” Archibald recounted. “It was amusing—we had been handling the tape with utmost care, while their archivist effortlessly removed the cover, demonstrating expertise we had yet to witness.”
The team confirmed that the software unveiled critical insights into the operational mechanics of early computer systems.
“This matters significantly as it provides us a window into a transformative era in technology,” Duerig explained. Computers were evolving at a pace even swifter than we perceive today. We often think of technological advancements as continuous, but that period was radically different.
He noted that the software predates more contemporary operating systems by just one year, yet in the 1970s and 1980s, such a brief interval could yield revolutionary advancements.
“Witnessing the initial stages of innovation—a mere seed sprouting into a sapling—captures the essence of this discovery,” Duerig remarked.
“We observed a pivotal moment, a snapshot of flux in its development that heralded the technological advancements we recognize today.”
Maricq stated the tapes contained just under 2 megabytes of data, an impressive storage capacity for that era.
Source link: Kmyu.tv.
