Post Issue Peer-to-Patent - Information that this Process was Public Knowledge or Publicy used Prior to March 25, 1987 Commentstag:www.post-issue.org,2010:/2009/2/13/information-that-this-process-was-public-knowledge-or-publicy-used-prior-to-march-25-1986/commentsMephisto Drax2009-02-28T17:25:31ZAaron Ruscettatag:www.post-issue.org,2009-02-13:65:1462009-02-28T06:31:02Z2009-02-28T06:31:02ZComment on 'Information that this Process was Public Knowledge or Publicy used Prior to March 25, 1987' by Aaron RuscettaRE: Amiga -- As follow up to Glen Diener's comments on the multiple screen Amiga Workbench GUI environment that ran on the multi-tasking ExecOS (created by Carl Sassenrath, now CTO, Rebol.com) controlling a multi-processor, shared memory hardware architecture, I have a video copy of two 1985 Computer Chronicles (PBS) segments showing the 1985 New York debut of the Amiga and a multi-screen interface demonstration -- I'd be happy to prepare and submit these on DVD or other video format if helpful. I also have a few functional 1985/1986 era Amiga 1000 systems (and system software from that period) that could be used for live demonstration. One other possible first person contact for Amiga details would be Dale Luck, one of the key engineers of the original Amiga graphics & GUI architecture. I found him subscribed to LinkdIn and, to my understanding, is still living and working in the Bay area.
RE: Evans & Sutherland -- Hearing the name reminded of an experience where I got to run (play with) a multi-screen computerized flight simulation interface at the Evans and Sutherland facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah (University of Utah research park) around 1982/1983. To my memory, the system was comprised of 5 independent monitors (there were definitely at least 3) displaying output from synchronized graphics sub-systems to present a ~180 degree view to pilots in training. (The graphics were mostly wire frames and outlines, but it was still fun doing a low altitude fly by over the neon McD's arches near O'Hare with a Boeing 727).
I'm more computer historian than hacker, but I hope some of these leads are of help. Please contact me if the Amiga video documentation or systems might be of use.kjwtag:www.post-issue.org,2009-02-13:65:1382009-02-24T21:24:39Z2009-02-24T21:24:39ZComment on 'Information that this Process was Public Knowledge or Publicy used Prior to March 25, 1987' by kjwTo save others some research time, the earliest version of twm I could find was dated 1988, Copyright Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation. The tarball I found was http://xwinman.org/archive/twm/twm-X11R3-contrib.tar.gz. While twm was not a multiple workspaces window manager, it predates vtwm, which is. See also http://xwinman.org/vtwm.php
In fact, X11R1 was released on Sep 15, 1987, so anything X11 looks like it'll be more recent than the desired dates. Try looking at window managers running on X1 through X11.Andretag:www.post-issue.org,2009-02-13:65:1302009-02-20T12:18:30Z2009-02-20T12:18:30ZComment on 'Information that this Process was Public Knowledge or Publicy used Prior to March 25, 1987' by AndreX Terminal, X Server and X Windows are applications like this. The project from MIT was started at June 1984. There are many information’s abut the project at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_SystemHoward Thomsontag:www.post-issue.org,2009-02-13:65:1242009-02-19T12:32:49Z2009-02-19T12:32:49ZComment on 'Information that this Process was Public Knowledge or Publicy used Prior to March 25, 1987' by Howard ThomsonAn article about the Blit programmable bitmapped graphics multiplexed terminal was published in the Bell Labs Techincal Journal of October 1984, with the article, written by Rob Pike, received for publication on Aug 1st 1983. The capabilities of the windows on the screen was only limited by that of the client UNIX programs then available, and the limited (serial) communications.Glen Dienertag:www.post-issue.org,2009-02-13:65:1192009-02-18T02:30:44Z2009-02-18T02:30:44ZComment on 'Information that this Process was Public Knowledge or Publicy used Prior to March 25, 1987' by Glen DienerIFRC, AmigaOS had multiple screens in a commercially available application from 1985. Here is a short excerpt from from the AmigaOS Wikipedia article...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AmigaOS
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A unique feature of Workbench is multiple screens. These are conceptually similar to X Window System virtual desktops or workspaces, but are generated dynamically by application programs as necessary. Each screen can have a different resolution and colour depth. A gadget in the top-right corner of the screen allows screens to be cycled — as the OS stores all screens in memory simultaneously, redrawing is instantaneous. Screens can also be dragged up and down by their title bars. On older Amigas this functionality was provided by the custom chipsets specially designed for the platform, but since AmigaOS4 a new technique is adopted and the screens are draggable in any direction. Drag and drop between different screens is possible too.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------j. d. tag:www.post-issue.org,2009-02-13:65:842009-02-15T00:27:10Z2009-02-15T00:27:10ZComment on 'Information that this Process was Public Knowledge or Publicy used Prior to March 25, 1987' by j. d. There is an ACM cite on the Xerox ROOMS project in July 1986 . See
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=24056
I think the patent came out of this work.
Sorry the paper's not early enough, it may provide some pointers.
The references may be useful.
What was the publishing lead time on an ACM paper in 1986?