Items in italics are non-Multics events included for historical context.
For more historical information, see Multics History.
The site timeline is a graphical presentation of Multics site histories.
Multics Chronology
1944
1944
Whirlwind flight trainer at MIT: high-speed digital computer: core memory (Jay Forrester),
SAGE.
1956
1956
GE established a computer dept in
Phoenix for the Bank of America ERMA project.
1957
MIT Computation Center running
IBM 704 (vacuum tubes, core memory).
1958
1958
US DoD
ARPA established; MIT President J R Killian Presidential Science Advisor.
1959
1959
MIT Prof. John McCarthy proposes time-sharing in memo to Prof. Philip M. Morse, director of the MIT Computation Center.
1961
1961
Burroughs
B5000 (Algol, dual CPUs, drum, segmentation).
11/61
MIT Computation Center running IBM 709 (vacuum tubes, core memory).
Corby's team demonstrated 4-user tape
CTSS time-sharing.
1962
1962
MIT Computation Center running IBM 7090 (transistors, core memory), Spring 1962.
05/62
Paper on CTSS (Corbató, Daggett, Daley) presented at 1962 Spring Joint Computer Conference.
08/62
MIT Computation Center upgraded to IBM 7090. CTSS running on new hardware.
08/62
First Paper on Internet Concept by
J. C. R. Licklider & Welden Clark, "On-Line Man Computer Communication".
10/62
Cuban Missile Crisis showed that US military systems needed improvement. ARPA
IPTO established.
12/62
Manchester/Ferranti
Atlas (transistors, drum, paging) (12/7/62).
1963
1963
GE announces 600 line.
Atlas 2 (Titan) delivered to Cambridge University (time-sharing, core).
01/63
Project MAC proposal submitted to ARPA by MIT Prof.
R.M. Fano.
03/63
Project MAC authorized & funded by ARPA IPTO. ($3 million contract).
04/63
MIT Computation Center installed second 32K memory,
RPQs, 1302 disk, 7750 on IBM 7090.
05/63
Initial JOSS timesharing service on JOHNNIAC at RAND.
06/63
Time-Sharing running at SDC on (IBM) AN/FSQ-32 (funded by ARPA).
1964
1964
GE-635 group moves to Phoenix from Syracuse.
03/64
Passwords required on CTSS accounts (Corbató, 3/26/64).
04/64
IBM announces System/360 (4/7/64).
05/64
DTSS brought up at Dartmouth on a GE-225/DATANET-30. (05/01/64, 4AM).
08/64
General Electric selected as supplier for MAC GE-645 research machine, contract signed.
11/64
Bell Labs joins Multics project with MIT and GE. Leaders: Fano, David, Dix.
1965
1965
First inter-computer communication, between Lincoln Labs TX-2 and SDC Q-32 (Marill and Roberts).
NSA RYE time-sharing system on Univac 494: provided multilevel security.
Multics programmers using Project MAC CTSS to develop Multics code and documentation.
08/65
IBM announces TSS/360.
11/65
MIT Computation Center bringing up second CTSS on blue 7094 in MIT Building 26.
1966
1966
GE Cambridge Information Systems Laboratory (CISL) opened in
545 Tech Square.
1967 3 sites
1967
WYLBUR and ORVYL developed at Stanford on 360/67.
01/67
GE-645 delivered to Project MAC and BTL. (Segmentation and paging.)
01/67
CP-40/CMS running at IBM Scientific Center on 360/40.
03/67
GE-635 removed from Project MAC.
04/67
CP-67/CMS in service on 360/67 at Lincoln Labs.
05/67
MTS in service on 360/67 at Michigan.
10/67
Release 1 of TSS/360 on 360/67.
1968 3 sites
1968
GE Large Systems Department moves to
Phoenix from Syracuse.
04/68
IBM decommits TSS/360.
05/68
IBM releases
CP-67 version 1 to 8 sites.
10/68
Demonstrable Initial Multics milestone (8 users).
12/68
MIT returned Computation Center's 7094 (blue machine) to IBM.
12/68
MIT moved MAC 7094 (red machine) to MIT
IPC, building 39.
1969 3 sites
01/69
Limited Initial Multics milestone (12 users).
04/69
Bell Labs drops out of Multics development.
04/69
Unix begun on PDP-7 at Bell Labs.
04/69
IBM un-decommits TSS/360.
10/69
Multics public at MIT for paying customers.
10/69
First
ARPANet connection UCLA-SRI (10/29/69).
12/69
MSS 5.0 - Support for
DSU270 (10 MB disk).
1970 3 sites
1970
GE CISL moved to 575 Tech Square.
03/70
DEC announces PDP-11 (3/28/70).
05/70
First Multics talk at
GESHUA XI in Seattle (Van Vleck).
06/70
TENEX on the air (6/15/70).
08/70
Multics installed on RADC system.
10/70
MSS 10.0 - new ttydim.
11/70
MSS 11.0 - new init.
12/70
MSS 12.0 - Support for
DSU170s.
12/70
MSS 13.0 - Associative Memory fix.
12/70
Unix ported to PDP-11 at Bell Labs.
1971 4 sites
1971
Honeywell Software Factory for Level 64 installed on
BCO GE-645.
01/71
MSS 14.0 - Moved processes from
ring 32 to ring 4.
01/71
Multics Symposium at MIT Jan 21-22.
04/71
MSS 15.0 - retrofit.
04/71
DTSS simulator using Dartmouth BASIC added to Multics.
05/71
IBM decommits TSS/360 again.
09/71
RCA sells its computer division to Univac.
1972 6 sites
11/72
MIT
H6180 installed in MIT Building 39.
12/72
MSS 18.0. -
ACL redo: CACLs eliminated.
1973 7 sites
01/73
Multics and H6180 products announced by Honeywell at Boston Museum of Science (01/17/73).
07/73
CTSS red machine turned off at MIT IPC (07/20/73).
12/73
MIT 6180 Multics connected to ARPANet (host #44) by
ABSI.
1974 10 sites
1974
Honeywell
CISL development machine installed.
05/74
GM Corporate (GMISCA) installed.
06/74
MR 1.0: First standard release. Compilers support
EIS,
BASIC,
GCOS Simulator,
DSS191. Enhanced PL/I, FORTRAN.
1975 11 sites
1975
RADC, BCO, System M upgraded to 6180s.
Bull Gambetta GE-645 deinstalled.
USAF
SCOMP project begun.
01/75
MR 2.0: CPU cache,
NPS, 1600bpi tape,
TN1200. Enhanced PL/I, FORTRAN, tape.
06/75
MR 2.2: Secure
Mail. Enhanced PL/I, FORTRAN, BASIC, system tools.
1976 10 sites
07/76
MR 4.0: New storage system,
MRDS,
MSU0451, MERGE, 16MB SCUs. Enhanced PL/I, FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, SORT, Graphics system, mail.
09/76
MR 4.0.1: Reconfiguration & Operator Interfaces.
12/76
MR 5.0: 4MW
SCUs. Enhanced MCS, COBOL, FORTRAN, MRDS.
1977 14 sites
Honeywell-MIT research collaboration ends.
USGS Menlo Park and Denver installed.
01/77
Apple Computer founded (01/03/77).
10/77
MR 6.0: tape,
ESD,
salvager, RJE,
WORDPRO, 7 CPUs, multiple tape controllers. Enhanced PL/I, FORTRAN, COBOL, MRDS, reliability & damage recovery.
1978 18 sites
INRIA/Rocquencourt installed.
University of Grenoble installed.
09/78
MR 6.5:
Video Terminals, DN6670, IBM 3780, 4 FNPs, run units, resource reservation, remote station TTFs. Enhanced communication, FORTRAN optimizer.
12/78
MR 6.5a: remote station TTFs. Enhanced G115 protocol.
1979 25 sites
01/79
Unix setuid patent issued (01/16/79).
03/79
MR 7.0: GTSS Simulator, TP, MSU0500, Tape Archive, T&D, tape archive, audit facility, T&D subsystem, 32 new terminal types. Enhanced PL/I, FORTRAN, communications, bulk I/O.
06/79
MR 7.0a: L6 Concentrator, MTU0610 9 Track tape,
Emacs, polled VIP7760. Enhanced APL.
09/79
MR 7.0b: Enhanced FIPS COBOL, WORDPRO.
1980 36 sites
NWGS Level 68 development system installed at US Naval War College.
ASU, Dir. Prevision, EPSHOM, INSEE, IRT installed.
03/80
MR 8.0: VIP7801/7804, IBM 3270, Process Preservation, MSS0500, ORION support, Bulk Store removed. Enhanced communications, Emacs, GCOS TSS, COBOL, WORDPRO, MRDS, tape interface to PPS.
03/80
Site N (Flagship) installed 03/27/80.
12/80
MR 8.2: MSU0500/501. Enhanced: T&D, COBOL, PL/I, FORTRAN, BOS.
1981 44 sites
1981
VW (USA) installed in Honeywell space.
01/81
US DoD National Computer Security Center (
NCSC) created at NSA
08/81
IBM PC announced (8/14/81).
10/81
MR 9.0: DPS 8/70M CPUs, 8 FNPs, Executive Mail, CSU6601, MSP0611/0612, MTP0611. Enhanced BOS, COLTS/MTAR, COBOL, MRDS, WORDPRO.
1982 51 sites
Bull Systeme X installed at Louveciennes (L68/DPS-8).
VW shut down, deal canceled by VW corporate.
03/82
MR 9.1: Enhanced: T&D, HASP, Emacs, FORTRAN, Tape.
10/82
MR 10.0: 4 IOMs, IOM Paged Mode, Dial-out, X.25, Forum, MTU0630. Enhanced HDLC & BSC to 72KB, record stocks, system recovery, forum command.
12/82
Formal
B2 security evaluation of Multics begun at US DoD NCSC
1983 63 sites
1983
SNECMA,
CICRP, INNPPP, Credit Lyonnais, SOZAWE, ONERA/CERT, ELF, LUT, Brunel, INPPP installed.
USGS Menlo Park shut down.
01/83
Honeywell
CNO upgraded to 8/70M.
06/83
Canada
DND (DDDS) installed.
09/83
Honeywell
CISL moved from Tech Square to Cambridge Center.
10/83
MR 10.1: Printers 901/1201, X.25 LAPB, Subsystem Utilities, EURCs 8001/8002/8004. Enhanced Video, tape, mail, MRDS, FNP memory.
1984 64 sites
USGS Reston, Dir. Prevision, INSEE shut down.
Honeywell
Flower project started, new Multics machine.
01/84
MR 10.2: Satellite 6M,
LINUS. Enhanced operator interface, crash analysis, EURC, APL, FIPS FORTRAN, GCOS simulator, MRDS, ARPANet, X.25.
02/84
ACTC becomes additional development site (2/3/84).
06/84
Special project for Canada DND: IO reconfiguration.
1985 60 sites
1985
Almost 100 sites (
Gintell ACM speech).
ASU, STC, USGS Denver, INRA, Renault, ELF shut down.
DND-H upgraded to triple 8-70M.
Bull System H (Hounslow) installed.
06/85
MR 11.0:
B2 security, 32k Cache,
FAMIS, Executive Forum, PC Support, Bootload Multics; 2741, 1050, and ARDS support removed. Enhanced IOM reconfiguration, disk interface, video, FORTRAN, BASIC, mail, dump analysis.
10/85
Initial study for NOS (Opus) with MOD-400 group.
11/85
Multics Company spin-off dismissed by Honeywell.
1986 55 sites
North American Honeywell Bull integrated into Groupe Bull.
01/86
Opus (NOS/VS3)
IPR-0 review at Honeywell. (Multics-like OS on Level 6)
05/86
Honeywell
CISL closed (5/22/86), Opus team to Honeywell Billerica.
07/86
NWGS DPS 8/70(M) installed at US Naval War College. Level 68 moved to SDF, Moorestown NJ, and got SMS workstations.
12/86
MR 12.0: BOS eliminated, IMU, FIPS tape & disk, C compiler.
1987 51 sites
Bull Systeme X moved to Rocquencourt.
US Naval War College TTGL (Dam Neck VA) and TTGP (San Diego) sites installed.
11/87
Bull takes over Honeywell computer division.
12/87
Shutdown of
CNO system (12/11/87).
1988 48 sites
01/88
Shutdown of MIT Multics (system MSS 38.3), hardware sent to McDonnell (01/02/88).
04/88
Multics development transferred to ACTC (Calgary).
05/88
Shutdown of AFDSC system T (05/31/88).
07/88
Shutdown of
Brunel University system.
11/88
MR 12.2 released: lint and make; TCP/IP support and inter-system mail.
1989 35 sites
09/89
Shutdown of
St Johns (SJU) system (09/14/89).
09/89
Shutdown of
RADC system (09/30/89).
1990 30 sites
Shutdown of Bell Canada Toronto,
CCVR,
SEP system.
01/90
Shutdown of ENWGS-SDF system.
1991 25 sites
1991
Linux begun by Linus Torvalds.
Shutdown of
ABB (formerly Industrial Nucleonics) system.
03/91
Shutdown of
Cardiff Joint Computing Centre (CJCC) system (03/15/91).
08/91
World Wide Web demonstrated (Tim Berners-Lee, CERN).
1992 20 sites
02/92
Shutdown of AFDSC system D (02/28/92).
03/92
Shutdown of
INRIA system.
03/92
Shutdown of AFDSC system M (03/31/92).
06/92
Shutdown of last
AFDSC machine, system Z (06/30/92).
09/92
Shutdown of
Site N (Flagship) system.
1993 15 sites
04/93
USENET News group alt.os.multics started by Magnus Olsson.
09/93
Shutdown of DDDS/ORAE (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) system (09/03/93).
1994 12 sites
1995 12 sites
1996 8 sites
04/96
Shutdown of last
NWGS system, at US Naval War College.
1997 6 sites
04/97
Shutdown of
Ford system (04/25/97).
1998 5 sites
06/98
DEC acquired by COMPAQ.
10/98
Shutdown of
GM system (10/20/98).
1999 3 sites
1999
PRHA no longer used?
2000 2 sites
07/00
Shutdown of
CGI system (was Perigon (was ACTC)) (07/07/00).
10/00
Shutdown of last site DND-H system (17:08Z 10/30/00).
2003
2004
2006
2007
2011
2012
2014
2016
2017
2019
2020
2021
07/21
Multics Release 12.7 for the Multics simulator available.
2022
2024