[TUHS] History of non-Bell C compilers?

[segaloco via TUHS]

Tom you mentioned non-Bell compilers, but also x86, so I can't resist pointing out: https://www.bell-labs.com/usr/dmr/www/otherports/newp.pdf

Among the handful of systems experimented with in these Bell Labs UNIX porting experiences is the 8086 which was being used for some sort of internal project at the time. I'm not aware of any artifacts (UNIX nor C) from that port, nor if any 32-bit and beyond x86 compiler technology out there derives from any of these efforts, but worth mentioning in the history of C touching Intel platforms. I do seem to recall some discussion here a while back that implied that the SGS suite may have had its genesis in some of these efforts. The internal Bell Labs version of Release 5.0 has SGS compilers for several BellMAC targets that I think descend from some of this work. I'd have to go looking for proof though so consider that anecdotal for now.

- Matt G.

On Thursday, March 7th, 2024 at 4:54 PM, Heinz Lycklama heinz at osta.com wrote:

> Marc is correct. All of ISC C compilers were based
> on Bell Labs C compilers, starting with a C compiler
> for the DEC VAX machine in 1978.
>
> Heinz
>
> On 3/7/2024 4:30 PM, Marc Rochkind wrote:
>
>> Larry & Dave, thanks for jogging my memory. I'm pretty sure it was BDS C on that z80 Zenith computer. (See my longer post above.)
>> I should add that around 1984 I got a copy of PC/IX for the IBM XT, directly from Interactive Systems in Santa Monica, where I knew a few people. That was true UNIX, System III, I think, and I used it for all of the examples for my book "Advanced UNIX Programming," which came out in 1985. It, of course, had a real Bell Labs C compiler.
>>
>> Marc
>>
>> On Thu, Mar 7, 2024 at 5:15 PM Charles H Sauer (he/him) sauer at technologists.com wrote:
>>
>>> On 3/7/2024 5:52 PM, Warner Losh wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Thu, Mar 7, 2024 at 4:24 PM Warner Losh <imp at bsdimp.com
>>>> mailto:imp at bsdimp.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Mar 7, 2024, 4:14 PM Tom Lyon <pugs78 at gmail.com
>>>> mailto:pugs78 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> For no good reason, I've been wondering about the early history
>>>> of C compilers that were not derived from Ritchie, Johnson, and
>>>> Snyder at Bell. Especially for x86. Anyone have tales?
>>>> Were any of those compilers ever used to port UNIX?
>>>>
>>>> MIT had several that were used for ka9q and at least the Venix x86
>>>> port. They supported the popular micros of the time. Various
>>>> versions of them survive to the present day.
>>>>
>>>> It's at bitsavers:
>>>>
>>>> https://bitsavers.org/bits/MIT/pc-ip/8086_C_19850820.tar
>>>> https://bitsavers.org/bits/MIT/pc-ip/8086_C_19850820.tar
>>>> and
>>>> https://bitsavers.org/bits/MIT/trix/MIT_Compiler_Tape/
>>>> https://bitsavers.org/bits/MIT/trix/MIT_Compiler_Tape/
>>>>
>>>> are pointers to compilers from the early 80s. Obviously not ANSI-C
>>>> compilers :)
>>>>
>>>> Warner
>>>
>>> See, also,
>>> https://www.program-transformation.org/Transform/CCompilerHistory.html &
>>> http://www.desmet-c.com/.
>>>
>>> When I only had PC/IX on an XT at my office and a PCjr at home, I mostly
>>> worked with C at home with DeSmet. I still have a couple of 5.25" 360K
>>> diskettes labeled C-Ware, which I think are DeSmet 2.4.
>>>
>>> Charlie
>>>
>>> --
>>> voice: +1.512.784.7526 e-mail: sauer at technologists.com
>>> fax: +1.512.346.5240 Web: https://technologists.com/sauer/Facebook/Google/LinkedIn/Twitter: CharlesHSauer
>>
>> --
>> My new email address is mrochkind at gmail.com
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