🚀 go-pugleaf

Dan Espen <dan1...@gmail.com> writes:
> At Bell Labs and it's descendants, we had the "dq" command.
> (Directory Query).
> The UNIX version had a nice phonetic search.  You really only
> had to approximate the name you were looking for.
> You could get "dq" to return a full list of all employees.
> A few employees used this to build a tool that would track
> new hires and fires.  You could get on a distribution list
> and get weekly updates on changes within the company.

re:
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2018c.html#41 S/360 announce 4/7/1964, 54yrs

somewhat later there was some effort made to get a copy of phonetic
search ... to add as option.

Late 70s, early 80s, I was blamed for online computer conferencing
on the internetl network (folklore when corporate executive committee
was told, 5of6 wanted to fire me).

One of the most "popular" was trip report I distributed after visiting
Jim at Tandem (not long after he left Research) ... which kicked off
what was called "Tandem memos" ... from IBMJARGON:

Tandem Memos - n. Something constructive but hard to control; a fresh of
breath air (sic). That's another Tandem Memos. A phrase to worry middle
management. It refers to the computer-based conference (widely
distributed in 1981) in which many technical personnel expressed
dissatisfaction with the tools available to them at that time, and also
constructively criticised the way products were are developed.  The
memos are required reading for anyone with a serious interest in quality
products. If you have not seen the memos, try reading the November 1981
Datamation summary.

... snip ...

... which resulted in lots of corporate attention and investigations.  A
series of investigations was to visit other research-like institutions
... later there was a claim that these visits were in response to "MIP
Envy" that Jim at written as he left research (for tandem) ... old email
reference
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2007.html#email801006
and
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2007.html#email801016

copy here as well as URL for slightly later version at m'osft (gone
404 but lives on at wayback machine)
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2007d.html#17 Jim Gray Is Missing
i.e.
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2007d.html#email800920

visits were done summer of '81 as computer conferencing came to head
with corporate executive committee ... nearly year after Jim left
(and MIP Envy). part of trip reports including Bell Labs
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2006n.html#56
summary of machines at some of locations visited
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2001l.html#61
Part of Xerox trip report in this post
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2006t.html#37
CMU visit
http://www.garlic.com/~lynn/2007d.html#14

-- 
virtualization experience starting Jan1968, online at home since Mar1970