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Microport Systems
Microport Systems (1985–2002) was a software development group that pioneered a new approach towards software ports that dramatically reduced development costs and, consequently, the price charged for UNIX.[citation needed] Microport created the first ports of AT&T's UNIX System V for the IBM 286 (Unix System V/AT) and 386 personal computers, as well as IBM's PS/2 systems. Microport was critical to enabling the Free Software Foundation (FSF) to port its GNU C compiler (gcc) and associated utilities, onto the x86 architecture by donating a complete 386 development system to the Richard Stallman-led group.[citation needed] Microport also played a key role in Kevin Mitnick's first arrest, after he broke into the internal computer networks of both Microport and The Santa Cruz Operation.
In 1983, AT&T announced UNIX System V at the West Coast Computer Faire in Anaheim, California.[citation needed] In an effort to promote System V, AT&T created a program with Intel, Motorola, Zilog, and other major CPU manufacturers at the time. Through this program, AT&T paid each of the processor manufacturers to port System V onto a standard hardware "reference" platform for each company's flagship CPU.[citation needed] By providing this software with the reference hardware, computer manufacturers could easily put UNIX onto their new systems, with a substantial reduction in cost. Prior to this, each hardware platform required its own UNIX port that required significant resources and time to develop. By providing a port for similar hardware designs, development cost was substantially reduced, typically only requiring minor modifications. This new porting process required only a few developers and led to the name Microport.[citation needed]
Microport's early days were characterized by an early hacker-driven environment.[citation needed] Founder Chuck Hickey realized that the AT&T port for the Intel's System 86/30 could be easily modified for the IBM 286 personal computer (PC), bringing the AT&T System V UNIX technology to the PC for the first time. Hickey was able to assemble a small team of four developers in September 1985 using incentives and little pay for compensation.[citation needed] Because of the lean operation, the reduced cost allowed the software to be sold at $99.[citation needed] At the time, Microport's main competitor, Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), sold their base XENIX Operating System for $500.[citation needed]
Microport demonstrated their product for the first time at the COMDEX trade-show in November 1985 after only two months of development.[citation needed] This demo and announcement paved the way for its initial business opportunities and brought Microport to the attention of IBM, SCO, and Microsoft. NCR was Microport's first customer, giving them a contract worth $100,000.[citation needed] With this money, Microport was able to complete the final version of System V for the IBM 286 PC and begin work on the System V port to the IBM 386 PC in September 1986. It took SCO several years to catch up with the System V, Release 3 (SVR3) technology that Microport brought out in the mid 1980s for the IBM 386 PC.[citation needed]
Following its founding days, Microport gradually adopted an increasingly corporate environment that catered more towards large OEM and VAR deals. This change also marked the beginning of a period plagued by severe financial mismanagement that ultimately sank the company.[citation needed]
Microport ran into an early problem competing for business contracts due to a lack of application software for its operating system (OS) ports.[citation needed] Due to a lack of funds, Microport could not contract application companies to port and certify their software to each new OS.[citation needed] As an alternative, Microport attempted to develop compatibility with any Xenix application (i.e. Xenix binary compatibility) to allow all SCO and Microsoft Xenix OS applications to also run on UNIX. SCO and Microsoft threatened to sue Microport, consequently ending any development efforts for Xenix binary compatibility.[citation needed] Microport was able to eventually gain application software support by using the AT&T-funded application development for the 6300+ Personal Computer, which was compatible with the standard System V. Because Microport had adhered to the System V standard, their OS ports were easily made compatible with all applications developed for the 6300+.[citation needed]
In 1986, Microport became the first company to put System V UNIX on the newly released IBM 386 PC by using Interactive Systems Corporation's (ISC) System V port for Intel's 386 Tahoe platform.[citation needed] Microport beat ISC on delivery for the PC port by three weeks.[citation needed] This product later moved from its beta version to production status when AT&T announced the full availability of SVR3 the next year.[citation needed]
Microport also ported SVR2 to the IBM AT.
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Microport Systems AI simulator
(@Microport Systems_simulator)
Microport Systems
Microport Systems (1985–2002) was a software development group that pioneered a new approach towards software ports that dramatically reduced development costs and, consequently, the price charged for UNIX.[citation needed] Microport created the first ports of AT&T's UNIX System V for the IBM 286 (Unix System V/AT) and 386 personal computers, as well as IBM's PS/2 systems. Microport was critical to enabling the Free Software Foundation (FSF) to port its GNU C compiler (gcc) and associated utilities, onto the x86 architecture by donating a complete 386 development system to the Richard Stallman-led group.[citation needed] Microport also played a key role in Kevin Mitnick's first arrest, after he broke into the internal computer networks of both Microport and The Santa Cruz Operation.
In 1983, AT&T announced UNIX System V at the West Coast Computer Faire in Anaheim, California.[citation needed] In an effort to promote System V, AT&T created a program with Intel, Motorola, Zilog, and other major CPU manufacturers at the time. Through this program, AT&T paid each of the processor manufacturers to port System V onto a standard hardware "reference" platform for each company's flagship CPU.[citation needed] By providing this software with the reference hardware, computer manufacturers could easily put UNIX onto their new systems, with a substantial reduction in cost. Prior to this, each hardware platform required its own UNIX port that required significant resources and time to develop. By providing a port for similar hardware designs, development cost was substantially reduced, typically only requiring minor modifications. This new porting process required only a few developers and led to the name Microport.[citation needed]
Microport's early days were characterized by an early hacker-driven environment.[citation needed] Founder Chuck Hickey realized that the AT&T port for the Intel's System 86/30 could be easily modified for the IBM 286 personal computer (PC), bringing the AT&T System V UNIX technology to the PC for the first time. Hickey was able to assemble a small team of four developers in September 1985 using incentives and little pay for compensation.[citation needed] Because of the lean operation, the reduced cost allowed the software to be sold at $99.[citation needed] At the time, Microport's main competitor, Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), sold their base XENIX Operating System for $500.[citation needed]
Microport demonstrated their product for the first time at the COMDEX trade-show in November 1985 after only two months of development.[citation needed] This demo and announcement paved the way for its initial business opportunities and brought Microport to the attention of IBM, SCO, and Microsoft. NCR was Microport's first customer, giving them a contract worth $100,000.[citation needed] With this money, Microport was able to complete the final version of System V for the IBM 286 PC and begin work on the System V port to the IBM 386 PC in September 1986. It took SCO several years to catch up with the System V, Release 3 (SVR3) technology that Microport brought out in the mid 1980s for the IBM 386 PC.[citation needed]
Following its founding days, Microport gradually adopted an increasingly corporate environment that catered more towards large OEM and VAR deals. This change also marked the beginning of a period plagued by severe financial mismanagement that ultimately sank the company.[citation needed]
Microport ran into an early problem competing for business contracts due to a lack of application software for its operating system (OS) ports.[citation needed] Due to a lack of funds, Microport could not contract application companies to port and certify their software to each new OS.[citation needed] As an alternative, Microport attempted to develop compatibility with any Xenix application (i.e. Xenix binary compatibility) to allow all SCO and Microsoft Xenix OS applications to also run on UNIX. SCO and Microsoft threatened to sue Microport, consequently ending any development efforts for Xenix binary compatibility.[citation needed] Microport was able to eventually gain application software support by using the AT&T-funded application development for the 6300+ Personal Computer, which was compatible with the standard System V. Because Microport had adhered to the System V standard, their OS ports were easily made compatible with all applications developed for the 6300+.[citation needed]
In 1986, Microport became the first company to put System V UNIX on the newly released IBM 386 PC by using Interactive Systems Corporation's (ISC) System V port for Intel's 386 Tahoe platform.[citation needed] Microport beat ISC on delivery for the PC port by three weeks.[citation needed] This product later moved from its beta version to production status when AT&T announced the full availability of SVR3 the next year.[citation needed]
Microport also ported SVR2 to the IBM AT.