[TUHS] pre-UNIX legacy in UNIX?

Nigel Williams nw at retrocomputingtasmania.com
Tue Dec 19 16:00:25 AEST 2017


I blundered today into the GECOS field in /etc/passwd:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gecos_field

"Some early Unix systems at Bell Labs used GECOS machines for print
spooling and various other services,[3] so this field was added to
carry information on a user's GECOS identity."

I had forgotten about this field and I don't recall it being
previously described as related to GECOS (I likely didn't take note at
the time I first encountered it).

Aside from the influence of Multics and other things on UNIX design
are there other tangible[1] manifestations of non-UNIX operating
system things like the GECOS field that were carried forward intact in
later UNIX implementations?

[1] things can be pointed at, rather than design ideas



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