Q739186
Sign in to saveMultics ("Multiplexed Information and Computing Service") is an influential early time-sharing operating system based on the concept of a single-level memory. It has been written that Multics "has influenced all modern operating systems since, from microcomputers to mainframes."
Key facts
- OS.name
- Multics
- OS.logo
- Multics-logo.svg
- OS.logo_size
- 128px
- OS.screenshot
- DPS8M emulator running Multics screenshot.webp
- OS.caption
- Screenshot of Multics 12.8 with login prompt and some commands
- OS.developer
- MIT, GE, Honeywell, Bell Labs
- OS.programmed_in
- PL/I, Assembly language
- OS.working_state
- Mature, current, historic, emulator available
- OS.source_model
- Open source
- OS.latest_release_version
- 12.8
- OS.language
- English
- OS.supported_platforms
- GE-645, Honeywell 6000 series machines (Honeywell 6180, Series-60/Level-68, DPS-8/M mainframes)
- OS.kernel_type
- Monolithic kernel
- OS.ui
- Command-line interface
- OS.license
- Originally proprietary,Free software Multics License since 2007
- OS.preceded by
- Compatible Time-Sharing System
- OS.influenced
- Unix, GEORGE 3, ICL VME, PRIMOS, Domain/OS, Stratus VOS
via Wikipedia infobox
~25 min read
Encyclopedic overview
24 sectionsContents
- Novel ideas
- Project history
- Current status
- Commands
- File and directory access commands
- Text editors
- Document formatters
- Compilers, assemblers, and interpreters
- On-line documentation
- Scripting
- Data processing
- Login sessions
- Active functions
- Retrospective observations
- Influence on other projects
- Unix
- Other operating systems
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- Technical details
- Security
- External links
Multics ("Multiplexed Information and Computing Service") is an influential early time-sharing operating system based on the concept of a single-level memory. It has been written that Multics "has influenced all modern operating systems since, from microcomputers to mainframes."
Initial planning and development for Multics started in 1964, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Originally it was a cooperative project led by MIT (Project MAC with Fernando Corbató) along with General Electric and Bell Labs. It was developed on the GE 645 computer, which was specially designed for it; the first one was delivered to MIT in January 1967. GE offered their earlier GE 635 systems with the Dartmouth Time-Sharing System, which they called "Mark I" and intended to offer the 645 with Multics as a larger successor. Bell withdrew from the project in 1969 as it became clear it would not deliver a working system in the short term. Shortly thereafter, GE decided to exit the computer industry entirely and sold the division to Honeywell in 1970. Honeywell offered Multics commercially, but with limited success.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Q739186” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.