UNIX System III

SYSIII
Logging into a SYSIII system
Type:	Multitasking, multiuser
Creator:	Bell Labs / AT&T / Western Electric
Architecture:	VAX, PDP11,z8000 probably others
This Version:	1.0 (1982)
Date Released:	1982

SYSIII was the first commercial release of UNIX by AT&T. The 32bit version was based on 32v while the 16bit version was based on Seventh Edition Unix. SYSIII also was the first commercial version of Unix to be sold by AT&T.

I don't think this version saw widespread adoptation, compared to the BSD's.

Besides Xenix, was there any other adoptions of SYSIII??

SYS III also introduced the uname command.

Platforms

SYS III is known to have run on the following computers:

• VAX
• PDP-11
• i286 (Xenix)
• z8000 (plexis)

How do I get this to run?!

Right now, you don't. SYSIII is still copyrited. At one point SCO sold legacy licenses for $100 USD, and I did purchase one, but this is not free, nor abandonware.

SIMH cannot run the boot tape fully, however I was able to find someone on the list who managed to hack together a working system! The DZ controller doesn't work so it's not fully multiuser. However I've been able to use the system somewhat, if not only for checking various system stuff out.

However there are versions floating around on the internet.

What Runs?

I haven't tried to port any software to SYS III as I don't think there really is any installations still in existence.