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Unix and Google

FOAM · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Operating systems & kernelsSoftware architecture & designHistory of computing

What it is

A short animated simulation comparing how Multics and Unix were developed, showing why Unix's small composable programs and pipes gave it a efficiency advantage. It frames Unix as a moonshot achievable by a small team.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Cited constantly in threads on microservices, composability and the Unix philosophy as a compact explanation of why small interoperable pieces win.

  • 4 people recommended it
  • 7 different months
  • 2 strong recommendations
  • first 2016, last 2023

What HN commenters said

  1. “A guy on YT [1] simulates in 7 minutes how the two biggest operating systems were built in the sixties”

    Seven-minute simulation of Multics versus Unix development, mind-blowing for commenter.

    mettamage, 2021-06 · Strong recommendation · in “Glue: The Dark Matter of Software”

  2. “a youtube video on Multics vs Unix[2] which really outlines why microservices were always doomed”

    Shows Multics versus Unix and why microservices struggle.

    deckard1, 2021-06 · Strong recommendation · in “Disasters I've seen in a microservices world”

  3. “This video shows how Unix was mathematically more efficient than Multics”

    Shows mathematically why Unix beat Multics in efficiency.

    kgr, 2016-06 · Recommendation · in “The Strange Birth and Long Life of Unix (2011)”

  4. “This video explains it well”

    Explains writing N+M composable programs rather than N*M.

    foooobaba, 2022-11 · Recommendation · in “Following the Unix philosophy without getting left-pad (2021)”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: unix, multics, pipes, composability, software architecture

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