Early file system layouts (was: Splitting / and /usr)

[Greg Lehey]

Saw this on a NetBSD list.

Greg

----- Forwarded message from "Alistair G. Crooks" <agc at ftp.netbsd.org> -----

> Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 01:31:41 -0700 (PDT)
> To: kre at munnari.oz.au
> Cc: current-users at netbsd.org
> Precedence: list
> Delivered-To: current-users at netbsd.org
>
> Robert,
>
> [Off topic warning]
>
>>> Did you not know that /usr was split off only because the disks were too
>>> small to keep everything on one way back in the early days
>>
>> That's how I heard it too - but this split must have occurred way back
>> very early in the days before anyone outside Bell Labs had ever heard of
>> unix (as I remember it, even the CACM paper had /usr in it).
>
> I believe that the topic of splitting / and /usr was discussed
> at the Glasgow University meeting of the UKUUG, which was around
> 1978, if my memory serves me well. As the first copy of V5 and V6
> came out of the labs in the 1975/1976 timeframe, I suspect it came
> later. I don't have my copy of the CACM paper to hand, so I can't
> check dates.
>
> Whilst I attented the University there at that time, I didn't attend
> the conference - more fool me.
>
> I suspect that Alistair Kilgour or Zdravko Podolski could provide
> more information, or any of the Bell Labs alumni who were there.
>
> agc

----- End forwarded message -----
----- Forwarded message from Robert Elz <kre at munnari.OZ.AU> -----

> To: "Alistair G. Crooks" <agc at ftp.netbsd.org>
> Cc: current-users at netbsd.org
> Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 10:36:15 +1000
> Precedence: list
> Delivered-To: current-users at netbsd.org
>
>     Date:        Wed, 12 Apr 2000 01:31:41 -0700 (PDT)
>     From:        "Alistair G. Crooks" <agc at ftp.netbsd.org>
>     Message-ID:  <200004120831.BAA06860 at nbftp.isc.org>
>
>> [Off topic warning]
>
> Ditto - but recording history sometimes has its uses...
>
>> I believe that the topic of splitting / and /usr was discussed
>> at the Glasgow University meeting of the UKUUG, which was around
>> 1978,
>
> It was definitely done before that.
>
> Unfortunately, I can't find a 5th edition manual (or even a reprinted
> facsimilie thereof at the minute), but the 6th edition manual for sh(1)
> says ...
>
> 	If the first argument [ on a command line ] is the name of an
> 	executable file, it is invoked; otherwise the string `/bin' is
> 	prepended to the argument.  (In this way most standard commands,
> 	which reside in `/bin', are found.)  If no such command is found,
> 	the string `/usr' is further prepended (to give `/usr/bin/command')
> 	and another attempt is made to execute the resulting file.  (Certain
> 	lesser-used commands live in `/usr/bin'.)
>
> The sixth edition manual is dated May 75, but the date on the sh man page
> is 5/15/74 (which I interpret as the 15th of May, 1974).
>
> For those who are new to unix (within the last 20 years) note that there
> was no notion of a user settable path...
>
>> I don't have my copy of the CACM paper to hand, so I can't
>> check dates.
>
> I have checked now, and it says nothing either way, so that is no help.
> Kernighan's "Unix for Beginners" (of a generally similar vintage) gives
> a diagrammatic view of the filesystem tree, in which all that exists in
> /usr are user directories, though that is not really conclusive.
>
>> I suspect that Alistair Kilgour or Zdravko Podolski could provide
>> more information, or any of the Bell Labs alumni who were there.
>
> I will see if Dennis will tell me...
>
> kre
>

----- End forwarded message -----
----- Forwarded message from Robert Elz <kre at munnari.OZ.AU> -----

> To: "Alistair G. Crooks" <agc at ftp.netbsd.org>, current-users at netbsd.org
> Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 12:45:05 +1000
> Precedence: list
> Delivered-To: current-users at netbsd.org
>
>     Date:        Thu, 13 Apr 2000 10:36:15 +1000
>     From:        Robert Elz <kre at munnari.OZ.AU>
>     Message-ID:  <353.955586175 at munnari.OZ.AU>
>
>> I will see if Dennis will tell me...
>
> He did, ...
>
>   But early; definitely by the time of the "nsys" system, the
>   first C version, which was 1973.
>
> And ...
>
>   The point of /usr/bin was really to find a place to put
>   those binaries.  (The .5MB disk was pretty cramped even
>   with with two of them, as we later had).
>
> which (if we ever needed it) is confirmation or the original reason...
>
> kre
>

----- End forwarded message -----

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