Category Archives: Uncategorized
More Teaching Computing
In my last post I talked about teaching Jim how to program using my favorite language, Ruby. Rather than focusing on the syntax and semantics of the Ruby language we are focusing on how to design and build software. There … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged computing history, Ruby, teaching computing, TX-2
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Teaching Computing
Recently a friend of mine (I’ll call him Jim – not his name) asked me to teach him how to write computer programs. Since my current favorite language is Ruby, I suggested that he start with one of the Ruby … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged Alan Turing, encryption, Ruby, teaching computing, Turing complete
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Machines I Have Known
The first machine I ever programmed was a UNIVAC 1, in 1957, as an undergraduate at Harvard. Although I did not know it at the time, Sperry-Rand Corporation had given this machine to Harvard the previous year. Apparently not even … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged Bell Labs, computing history, Harvard, M.I.T., TX-2, UNIVAC
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Inventing a Database Server
A colleague of mine at Bell Labs, A. (Tax) Metaxides, was chair of the CODASYL task group on database management. He had been trying to interest people in the idea of using a specialized computer to do database management as … Continue reading
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Tagged Bell Labs, computing history, database server
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Building UNIX
UNIX was born from the ashes of the MULTICS project at Bell Labs. Although many people involved in MULTICS contributed to UNIX, it really was the creation of one brilliant software designer: Ken Thompson. As discussed in my previous blog post, Bell … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Bell Labs, computing history, file systems, MULTICS, UNIX, UNIX history
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How UNIX Came to Be
MULTICS suffered from second system syndrome. That’s a good thing, because the failure of MULTICS inspired us to create UNIX. As I’ve discussed in a previous post, when I assembled a team to build a time-sharing system the project was criticized … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged Bell Labs, GE computer, MULTICS, time-sharing system, UNIX, UNIX history
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How C Came to Be
One of the most important things to come from Bell Labs computer science research was the C language. Here is how it happened. In my previous post I tell how I came to join the computer science research department at … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged BCPL, Bell Labs, C language, computing history, MULTICS, UNIX
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How I Beat and Joined MULTICS
I have found that the best way for me to advance my software career is not to try to advance it, not to make plans for the future, but just to find work that I really enjoy doing and do … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged Bell Labs, computing history, CTSS, MULTICS, Nike abm, UNIX
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Building Software Then and Now
The tools we use to craft software have changed radically since my first job, but the art remains much the same. Today it is not unusual for a 26 year old to hire and lead a team of programmers. In … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged Bell Labs, computing history, CTSS, time-sharing system, UNIX history
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Boring Software Job Becomes Bold Adventure
It’s a very good thing that my first job after graduate school was boring, because that boredom led me to take a bold step to fix it. My boring software job turned into an adventure and my most enjoyable job. … Continue reading
Posted in Rudd's Blog, Uncategorized
Tagged Bell Labs, computing history, GE computer, Nike abm, time-sharing system, UNIX, UNIX history
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