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Lost UNIX Fourth Edition Revived and Digitized Online

12/24/2025

27 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

The UNIX Fourth Edition, released in November 1973, has been recovered from a nine-track tape at the University of Utah.
The tape has been digitized and is now available on the Internet Archive.
Al Kossow of the Computer History Museum retrieved its contents, allowing users to run UNIX Fourth Edition in SimH.
The recovery underscores the value of preserving computing history for UNIX’s enduring influence.

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Story summary

The UNIX Fourth Edition, released in November 1973, has been recovered from a nine-track tape at the University of Utah.
The tape has been digitized and is now available on the Internet Archive.
Al Kossow of the Computer History Museum retrieved its contents, allowing users to run UNIX Fourth Edition in SimH.
The recovery underscores the value of preserving computing history for UNIX’s enduring influence.