Developer | Lantech Systems |
---|---|
OS family | Unix-like |
Working state | Discontinued |
Platforms | x86 |
License | Proprietary |
uNETix is an early implementation of UNIX for IBM PC systems. It was not a "true" UNIX, but was written from scratch for the PC without using any code from System V.
uNETix only supported a single user. However, it maintained closer compatibility with standard versions of UNIX than early versions of
QNX. uNETix' multiple windows capability was possibly the first implementation of windowing in a
Unix-like operating system.
[1] Up to 10 windows were supported, which could each run independent tasks and could have individual foreground and background colors set with a special color
command.
Published by Lantech Systems, Inc, uNETix had a list price in 1984 of US$130, [1] but was discounted and advertised at US$99 (300 USD today). [2] The minimum RAM requirement was 256 kB, but a 256 kB machine would only be able to support single-tasking; multitasking required 512 kB. It had an emulation environment for MS-DOS that could run DOS 1.1 programs in one window while UNIX programs ran in other windows. [3] Its major weaknesses were slow speed and lack of hard disk support. uNETix came with a full assembly language programming environment, and a C compiler was optional. Lantech claimed that the C compiler was the first available for the x86 architecture.
This is the first product we know of that has implemented a multiple-window capability in a UNIX environment, improving the user interface of an otherwise notoriously hard-to-use system.
Developer | Lantech Systems |
---|---|
OS family | Unix-like |
Working state | Discontinued |
Platforms | x86 |
License | Proprietary |
uNETix is an early implementation of UNIX for IBM PC systems. It was not a "true" UNIX, but was written from scratch for the PC without using any code from System V.
uNETix only supported a single user. However, it maintained closer compatibility with standard versions of UNIX than early versions of
QNX. uNETix' multiple windows capability was possibly the first implementation of windowing in a
Unix-like operating system.
[1] Up to 10 windows were supported, which could each run independent tasks and could have individual foreground and background colors set with a special color
command.
Published by Lantech Systems, Inc, uNETix had a list price in 1984 of US$130, [1] but was discounted and advertised at US$99 (300 USD today). [2] The minimum RAM requirement was 256 kB, but a 256 kB machine would only be able to support single-tasking; multitasking required 512 kB. It had an emulation environment for MS-DOS that could run DOS 1.1 programs in one window while UNIX programs ran in other windows. [3] Its major weaknesses were slow speed and lack of hard disk support. uNETix came with a full assembly language programming environment, and a C compiler was optional. Lantech claimed that the C compiler was the first available for the x86 architecture.
This is the first product we know of that has implemented a multiple-window capability in a UNIX environment, improving the user interface of an otherwise notoriously hard-to-use system.