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Venix
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<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2> <p>A working version of Venix/86 for the <a href="/facts/IBM_Personal_Computer_XT/5uHxtq6H">IBM PC XT</a> was demonstrated at <a href="/facts/COMDEX/8xz4Xv8K">COMDEX</a> in May 1983. It was based on <a href="/facts/Version_7_Unix/ju5nRs7k">Version 7 Unix</a> with some enhancements from <a href="/facts/Berkeley_Software_Distribution/XQKcURrh">BSD</a> (notably <a href="/facts/Vi_(text_editor)/d8G1PkDh">vi</a>, <a href="/facts/More_(command)/emnMr8xz">more</a> and <a href="/facts/C_shell/8XRuIg0K">csh</a>) and custom <a href="/facts/Inter-process_communication/cIQYyT6y">inter-process communication</a> mechanisms.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> It was the first licensed UNIX operating system available for the IBM PC and its compatibles, supported read/write access to a separate DOS/<a href="/facts/File_Allocation_Table/uFvpmWxa">FAT</a>-<a href="/facts/Disk_partition/wrBk5RRS">partition</a> and could run in as little as 128 KB (256 KB - 512 KB recommended).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>In September 1984, Venix/86 Encore was released; it supported a number of early PC-compatibles, including the <a href="/facts/Olivetti_M24/eGQY8rY7">AT&T 6300</a>, the <a href="/facts/ZP-150/hB2r6l1U">Zenith 150</a>, the (first) <a href="/facts/NCR_Corporation/1vfttHoo">NCR</a> PC, and the <a href="/facts/Texas_Instruments_Professional_Computer/X4rrddNE">Texas Instruments Professional Computer</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>Venix Encore, which then became Venix 2.0, was still based on <a href="/facts/Version_7_Unix/ju5nRs7k">Version 7 Unix</a>, and ran on the <a href="/facts/Digital_Equipment_Corporation/ztxs6keA">DEC</a> <a href="/facts/Rainbow_100/gL4CB6Tj">Rainbow 100</a> (Venix/86R) as well as <a href="/facts/IBM_Personal_Computer/yhcJGMPL">PCs</a> (Venix/86 and /286).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> The system contained a number of enhancements, notably tools to access <a href="/facts/DOS/sWwDXNmX">DOS</a> files directly on a DOS/FAT-partition, and an updated <a href="/facts/Advanced_Debugger/Dl49m1Th">ADB debugger</a>. The system came in two flavors: a 2-user version priced at $800, and an 8-user version at $1,000. There were no technical differences between the two.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p><p>Confusingly, Venix 2.0 for the <a href="/facts/Digital_Equipment_Corporation/ztxs6keA">DEC</a> <a href="/facts/PRO-380/sB6WvfdD">PRO-380</a> <a href="/facts/Microcomputer/ETW22UTv">microcomputer</a> (Venix/PRO) was based "essentially" on <a href="/facts/Unix_System_III/nkoNsbM6">System III</a>. It no longer ran on the PRO-350.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> This is made clear in the <a href="/facts/Kermit_(protocol)/NFqqhPMf">ckermit</a> 4E build instructions, which has a special target for <i>Pro</i> running Venix 1.0, but instructs the user to use the sysiii target for the <i>Pro</i> running Venix 2.0. These same sources also make it clear that Venix had an enhanced <a href="/facts/Teleprinter/pn5SQKTf">TTY</a> interface relative to a pure V7 Unix System.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p>Venix 2.1 was released for at least the <a href="/facts/IBM_Personal_Computer/yhcJGMPL">PC</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> Like the original Venix/86, it included a <a href="/facts/C_(programming_language)/Ky2No763">C</a> <a href="/facts/Compiler/WNfCDFJe">compiler</a>, a <a href="/facts/BASIC/VYMl5TmA">BASIC</a> interpreter and added a <a href="/facts/Fortran_77/m1KqjcMU">Fortran 77</a> compiler as an option. An optional <a href="/facts/Device_driver/rDYnHU1G">driver</a> kit made it possible to develop hardware drivers for the system and generate new <a href="/facts/Kernel_(operating_system)/uEj4U3Rz">kernels</a>. In November 1985, Unisource Software Corp., a Venix retailer, announced the availability of RM/<a href="/facts/Cobol/wVnhqs0k">Cobol</a> for Venix.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>From version 3.0, Venix was based on <a href="/facts/UNIX_System_V/Epm6GEY4">System V</a>. A <a href="/facts/Real-time_operating_system/IvUCFwCL">real-time</a> version based on System V.3.2 was released for the <a href="/facts/I386/ag5eSgWv">386</a> in 1990.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>The last version, Venix 4.2.1, based on UNIX System V Release 4.2 (<a href="/facts/UnixWare/L0q19BlL">UnixWare</a>), was released in 1994. The workstation system included the real-time operating system, <a href="/facts/Network_File_System/jWRRALVo">NFS</a> and <a href="/facts/Internet_protocol_suite/KNkxtSpw">TCP/IP</a> networking, <a href="/facts/X_Window_System/ac2vRIQL">X</a>, <a href="/facts/OPEN_LOOK/Wt7aaHQ4">OpenLook</a> and <a href="/facts/Motif_(software)/zEwd49VX">Motif</a> <a href="/facts/GUI/wBlQFWDP">GUIs</a>, and the Veritas journaling File System (<a href="/facts/Vxfs/qh1rtMTQ">vxfs</a>). A development system included additionally an <a href="/facts/ANSI_C/rPKeEuPm">ANSI C</a> compiler, a <a href="/facts/Library_(computing)/xRzL3P7q">library</a> of real-time functions, GUI development software, real-time development utilities, and selected industrial I/O device drivers. </p> <h2 id="reception">Reception</h2> <p>In its 1984 review <i><a href="/facts/PC_Magazine/uPNIj5y0">PC Magazine</a></i> found Venix functional, despite some bugs in the initial versions. Its use of the <a href="/facts/BIOS/AYYPUogS">BIOS</a> for accessing devices made it more portable than its competitor <a href="/facts/PC/IX/uWkY8Xv7">PC/IX</a>, but slowed down its display processing; the disk access speed was found to be similar.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> <i><a href="/facts/Byte_(magazine)/xWovF95Q">BYTE</a></i> stated that Venix on the DEC Professional and IBM PC "performed adequately," but criticized its limit on <a href="/facts/Background_process/evBqvbHy">background processes</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p><p>When the first <a href="/facts/Dhrystone/7obFPy8m">Dhrystone</a> benchmarks were released, only Coherent UNIX, was bench-marked on the <a href="/facts/Intel_8088/DdWKfyBp">8088</a>, all other PC UNIXs were bench marked on <a href="/facts/Intel_286/rucEU93g">286</a> processors.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="emulation">Emulation</h2> <p>The <a href="/facts/Intel_8086/sS9dlSdK">8086</a> version of PC/IX runs fine in an <a href="/facts/Emulator/FMHE8qDj">emulator</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Coherent_(operating_system)/0N5lb15h">Coherent (operating system)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Idris_(operating_system)/dM2gB4Mk">Idris (operating system)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Xenix/G8sH08Tp">Xenix</a></li></ul> <h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2> <ul><li>William B. Twitty (1984). <i>UNIX on the IBM PC</i>. <a href="/facts/Prentice_Hall/bynWAuat">Prentice Hall</a>. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0-13-939075-3. Covers and compares PC/IX, Xenix and Venix.</li> <li>Christine McGeever (1985-01-14). <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=-i4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA23">"First Unix for the PC AT"</a>. <i><a href="/facts/InfoWorld/EJ0zA8FV">InfoWorld</a></i>: 23. <a href="/facts/ISSN_(identifier)/DPAflDvU">ISSN</a> <a href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0199-6649">0199-6649</a>.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://hampage.hu/pdp-11/pro3xx.html">Professional 325, 350, 380</a></li> <li><a href="https://xhomer.isani.org/xhomer/xhomer.html">DEC PRO-350 emulator with VENIX disk images</a></li> <li><a href="https://virtuallyfun.superglobalmegacorp.com/2015/08/14/venturcomm-venix86-on-messmame/">Installing Venix 2.1 in MAME/MESS</a></li> <li><a href="https://archive.org/details/venix-386">Venix/386</a> in the <a href="/facts/Internet_Archive/PHStU8Lo">Internet Archive</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>VenturCom ships real-time Venix/386. Computer Business Review, 1 February 1990. Retrieved 23 March 2013. <a href="/w/index.php?title=Computer_Business_Review&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank">/w/index.php?title=Computer_Business_Review&action=edit&redlink=1</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Mark S. Zachmann (1984-06-12). "A Venerable UNIX". PC Magazine. 3 (11): 246–248. ISSN 0888-8507. Retrieved 2022-01-29. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=amQldGdl9LkC&pg=RA1-PA246" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=amQldGdl9LkC&pg=RA1-PA246</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Roberts, S.D. (1985). Unix, Xenix & Venix. Germany: ELCOMP Publishing Inc. p. 193. ISBN 3-88963-064-2. <a href="3-88963-064-2" target="_blank">3-88963-064-2</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Enhanced Venix/86 out". Computerworld: 76. 1984-09-17. ISSN 0010-4841. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nwWa0N_4NgsC&pg=RA1-PA76" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=nwWa0N_4NgsC&pg=RA1-PA76</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Enhanced VENIX/Rainbow". 1986-12-16. <a href="https://groups.google.com/d/msg/mod.newprod/iYLc3cdnyms/Him5XgqwT70J" target="_blank">https://groups.google.com/d/msg/mod.newprod/iYLc3cdnyms/Him5XgqwT70J</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Roberts, S.D. (1985). Unix, Xenix & Venix. Germany: ELCOMP Publishing Inc. p. 193. ISBN 3-88963-064-2. <a href="3-88963-064-2" target="_blank">3-88963-064-2</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"README". GitHub. <a href="https://github.com/eunuchs/unix-archive/blob/master/PDP-11/Distributions/other/Venix/README" target="_blank">https://github.com/eunuchs/unix-archive/blob/master/PDP-11/Distributions/other/Venix/README</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Kermit Archive". <a href="http://www.kermitproject.org/archive.html" target="_blank">http://www.kermitproject.org/archive.html</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"VenturComm Venix/86 on MESS/MAME". 2015-08-14. <a href="https://virtuallyfun.superglobalmegacorp.com/wordpress/2015/08/14/venturcomm-venix86-on-messmame/" target="_blank">https://virtuallyfun.superglobalmegacorp.com/wordpress/2015/08/14/venturcomm-venix86-on-messmame/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"New Products". 1985-11-18. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=O90MzD9_kawC&q=unisource+software+corp&pg=PA118" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=O90MzD9_kawC&q=unisource+software+corp&pg=PA118</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>VenturCom ships real-time Venix/386. Computer Business Review, 1 February 1990. Retrieved 23 March 2013. <a href="/w/index.php?title=Computer_Business_Review&action=edit&redlink=1" target="_blank">/w/index.php?title=Computer_Business_Review&action=edit&redlink=1</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Mark S. Zachmann (1984-06-12). "A Venerable UNIX". PC Magazine. 3 (11): 246–248. ISSN 0888-8507. Retrieved 2022-01-29. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=amQldGdl9LkC&pg=RA1-PA246" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=amQldGdl9LkC&pg=RA1-PA246</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Hinnant, David F. (August 1984). "Benchmarking UNIX Systems". BYTE. pp. 132–135, 400–409. Retrieved 2016-02-23. <a href="https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1984-08/1984_08_BYTE_09-08_Modula-2#page/n137/mode/2up" target="_blank">https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1984-08/1984_08_BYTE_09-08_Modula-2#page/n137/mode/2up</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141202093953/http://wiretap.area.com/Gopher/Library/Techdoc/Bench/dhryst.txt DHRYSTONE 1.1 BENCHMARK SUMMARY <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141202093953/http://wiretap.area.com/Gopher/Library/Techdoc/Bench/dhryst.txt" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20141202093953/http://wiretap.area.com/Gopher/Library/Techdoc/Bench/dhryst.txt</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>An IBM PC/XT 5160 with PC/IX 1.0 <a href="http://www.hampa.ch/pce/download.html" target="_blank">http://www.hampa.ch/pce/download.html</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>