Peter H. Salus

To the initiated, a very funny set of essays which examine taboo phrases according using arcane generative grammars. To me, as a grad student, I took it as much a spoof on such grammars as on language analysis, but perhaps the contributors meant it seriously.

While not the slickest or even best-written book, A Quarter Century of UNIX is full of interesting historical detail, much of it in the words of the folks who cut the code. And, c'mon! Who can resist a book with dazzling black and white pictures of Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie? [2007-01-13]

Peter was kind enough to write a very sweet note in the front. It's always an amazement to realize that I know people who were there in the beginning. His Wikipedia page is so terribly thin, but then, that's the fate of so many.

It's a remarkable work, from beginning to end, and includes the *best* code comment ever in the front of the book.

/* You are not expected to understand this */

from the Sixth Edition of UNIX, copyright (then) by Western Electric Co.

The comment line is 2238; the lines show more it refers to are 2240-2243. If you own a copy of Lion's Commentary, those lines are on Sheet 22. There are photographs in the center of the book, and they're hard to look at. I imagine as more of them leave us, it will only be harder.

RIP, Evi. show less

Delightful for even a non-linguist to read.