AWhat changed
Ritchie and Thompson described a multi-user system combining a hierarchical file system, common input/output conventions, processes and a programmable shell.
Scientific scope
The system design reported in the 1974 UNIX paper, with the later author account as context.
Evidence
Original sources and institutional historical accounts support the stated contribution. The reading boundary is recorded at each source; this assessment is not an independent scientific verification.
Contributors
- Dennis M. Ritchie · SCIENCE: Named source contributor to this scoped work; individual labor shares are not measured.
- Ken Thompson · SCIENCE: Named source contributor to this scoped work; individual labor shares are not measured.
- The UNIX time-sharing system
- The UNIX time-sharing system — deposited bibliography
- Revised author account of UNIX (1978)
Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.
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