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John Sambrook, Unix Hacker |
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I started using UNIX in 1981 or so. I was working part-time in the Department of Radiology, Division of Radiobiology at The Ohio State University. Thanks to the insight and leadership of the principal investigator on the project (Dr. Stephen D’Ambrosio) we had some Fortune 32:16 microcomputers running a combination of UNIX V7 and 4.1BSD.
The company, Fortune Systems was a pioneering computer company that made significant contributions to the microcomputer industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Founded in 1974 by two former Data General employees, William Poduska and Daniel E. Meyer, Fortune Systems aimed to develop and market high-performance microcomputers for the emerging business and scientific markets. Their flagship product, the Fortune 32:16 microcomputer, was introduced in 1978 and quickly gained attention for its advanced features and capabilities.
The Fortune 32:16 was powered by a powerful 16-bit microprocessor and boasted an impressive 32 kilobytes of memory, a vast amount at that time. It supported multitasking and had a sophisticated operating system. While Fortune Systems faced intense competition from other emerging microcomputer companies, its products found success in areas such as scientific research, engineering, and financial institutions. However, as the industry rapidly evolved, Fortune Systems struggled to keep up with the shifting market demands and eventually ceased operations in the mid-1980s. Despite its relatively short lifespan, Fortune Systems and its Fortune 32:16 microcomputer played a significant role in the early microcomputer revolution, showcasing the potential of high-performance computing in a compact form factor.
A larger Fortune 32:16 system
The Fortune 32:16 was a system ahead of its time. I think I might have written my first C program on that system; I remember plenty of telephone calls with my brother Bob who lived in Seattle at the time. He was always a good listener and just a smart guy.
I went on to use UNIX and UNIX-like systems the rest of my career. That's on the order of 35 years of more-or-less full time UNIX or UNIX-like use. I have really enjoyed it.
What happens to us is always strictly a matter of luck in some way. Becoming involved with software development and computers in the late 70s and early 80s was a winning lottery ticket for me, and one of many I would receive over the course of my life.