In California, IBM scientist John Cocke and others complete a prototype scientific computer called the ACS. It incorporates some RISC concepts, but the project is later cancelled due to the instruction set not being compatible with IBM’s System/360 computers. [95.40]
1969
(month unknown)
At Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie write a primitive operating system in assembly language on the PDP-7. This becomes the Unix operating system. [110.148] [127.168] [50.116] [51.10] [67.24] [156.ss8] [202.74]
1970
(month unknown)
Brian Kernighan suggests naming the operating system written by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie’s "Unix", as a pun on Multics, the operating system that it was to replace. [156.ss8]
1972
(month unknown)
Xerox decides to build a personal computer to be used for research. Project "Alto" begins. [52.58] [54.267] [109.85]
November
Researchers at PARC begin work on a prototype Alto personal computer. [109.93]
1973
March
The first prototype Alto workstation computer is turned on at Xerox’ Palo Alto Research Center. Its first screen display is a bitmapped image of the Sesame Street character Cookie Monster. [40.59] [109.14] [109.93] (completed in 1974 [54.267])
April
The first operational Alto computer is completed at Xerox PARC. [108.95,167]
1974
(month unknown)
Xerox releases the Alto computer. [54.xv]
IBM scientist John Cocke completes a prototype high-reliability, low-maintenance computer called the ServiceFree. It incorporates a RISC architecture, achieving at least 80 MIPS, 50 times faster than IBM’s fastest mainframe at the time. However, the project is later cancelled due to the massive "Future Systems" project consuming much of IBM’s resources. [95.40]
