[pups] AT&T Unix Operating System for Writers Workbench Softw are?

[Grant Maizels]

Tim,

Writers Work Bench was an extension to the basic troff/nroff tools developed
earlier, but took new directions. It included a whole lot of new programs
like diction (a grammar checker??) which were more to do with the content
than the formatting. I think that pic was developed separately by bwk for a
research version. I have never used WWB but I have some documentation on it
somewhere at home. I believe that it was sold with source as an add on for
various Unicies.

Grant Maizels
grant at maizels.nu

-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Shoppa [mailto:SHOPPA at trailing-edge.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 11 July 2000 9:51
To: PUPS at MINNIE.CS.ADFA.OZ.AU
Subject: Re: [pups] AT&T Unix Operating System for Writers Workbench
Software?


>I believe WWB was an offshoot or derivative of PWB, the Programmer's
Workbench,
>which was a special version of V6.  I think WWB was where "pic" first
showed
>up.  PWB was, I think V6 with a few extra utilities added.  WWB may be the
same.

I don't think what I've found here is that major.  It starts
with a Makefile:

# NOTICE-NOT TO BE DISCLOSED OUTSIDE BELL SYS EXCEPT UNDER WRITTEN AGRMT
#             Makefile: Writer's Workbench system version 2.0.1.10, 5/26/83
#               makefile for the WRITER'S WORKBENCH SYSTEM
#       This package includes over 30 programs that suggest improvements
#       to written documents, including improved versions of the
#       Style  and Diction programs as well as many more writing aids.

and the README says:

       This file gives instructions for building and installing the Writer's
       Workbench system source  code.  This information is also contained
       in the document "UNIX(TM) Writer's Workbench Software Installation
       and Administration Guide."

These particular tapes have been stored in absolutely horrible conditions
(pretty much kept in an outdoors storage shed during both winter and summer
for
the past decade) and I'm going to have to bake and/or lubricate them before
I
make a not-half-assed attempt at recovering them.  The PDP11/70 tape is
particularly bad (it actually broke when I was just loading it into
the drive!) and it may be a goner.

I don't see any obvious mentions of 'pic' in what I read so far.

-- 
 Tim Shoppa                        Email: shoppa at trailing-edge.com
 Trailing Edge Technology          WWW:   http://www.trailing-edge.com/
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 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817           Fax:   301-767-5927

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