RUNOFF
Encyclopedia
RUNOFF was the first computer
text formatting program
to see significant use. It was written in 1964 for the CTSS operating system by Jerome H. Saltzer
in MAD assembler
.
It actually consisted of a pair of programs, TYPSET (which was basically a document editor), and RUNOFF (the output processor).
RUNOFF had support for pagination
and headers, as well as text justification
(TJ-2
appears to have been the earliest text justification system, but it did not have the other capabilities).
RUNOFF is a direct predecessor of the runoff
document formatting program of Multics
, which in turn was the ancestor of the roff
and nroff
document formatting programs of Unix
, and their descendants. It was also the ancestor of FORMAT for the IBM
System/360
, and of course indirectly for every computerized word processing
system.
Likewise, RUNOFF for CTSS was the predecessor of the various RUNOFFs for DEC
's operating systems, via the RUNOFF developed by the University of California, Berkeley's
Project Genie
for the SDS
940
system.
The name is alleged to have come from the phrase at the time, I'll run off a copy.
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
text formatting program
Computer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
to see significant use. It was written in 1964 for the CTSS operating system by Jerome H. Saltzer
Jerome H. Saltzer
Jerome H. Saltzer is a computer scientist who has made many notable contributions.-Career:He received an Sc. D in Electrical Engineering from MIT in 1966...
in MAD assembler
Assembly language
An assembly language is a low-level programming language for computers, microprocessors, microcontrollers, and other programmable devices. It implements a symbolic representation of the machine codes and other constants needed to program a given CPU architecture...
.
It actually consisted of a pair of programs, TYPSET (which was basically a document editor), and RUNOFF (the output processor).
RUNOFF had support for pagination
Pagination
Pagination is the process of dividing information into discrete pages, either electronic pages or printed pages. Today the latter are usually simply instances of the former that have been outputted to a printing device, such as a desktop printer or a modern printing press...
and headers, as well as text justification
Justification (typesetting)
In typesetting, justification is the typographic alignment setting of text or images within a column or "measure" to align along both the left and right margin...
(TJ-2
TJ-2
TJ-2 was published by Peter Samson in May 1963 and is thought to be the first page layout program. Although it lacks page numbering, page headers and footers, TJ-2 is the first word processor to provide a number of essential typographic alignment and automatic typesetting features:*Columnation,...
appears to have been the earliest text justification system, but it did not have the other capabilities).
RUNOFF is a direct predecessor of the runoff
Runoff (program)
runoff was the text formatting program on the Multics operating system.It was a descendant of the RUNOFF type-setting program from CTSS and was originally written by Jerome H. Saltzer...
document formatting program of Multics
Multics
Multics was an influential early time-sharing operating system. The project was started in 1964 in Cambridge, Massachusetts...
, which in turn was the ancestor of the roff
Roff
roff was the first Unix text-formatting computer program, the most important application run on the first machine specifically purchased to run UNIX, and a predecessor of the nroff and troff document processing systems....
and nroff
Nroff
nroff is a Unix text-formatting program; it produces output suitable for simple fixed-width printers and terminal windows...
document formatting programs of Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
, and their descendants. It was also the ancestor of FORMAT for the IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
System/360
System/360
The IBM System/360 was a mainframe computer system family first announced by IBM on April 7, 1964, and sold between 1964 and 1978. It was the first family of computers designed to cover the complete range of applications, from small to large, both commercial and scientific...
, and of course indirectly for every computerized word processing
Word processing
Word processing is the creation of documents using a word processor. It can also refer to advanced shorthand techniques, sometimes used in specialized contexts with a specially modified typewriter.-External links:...
system.
Likewise, RUNOFF for CTSS was the predecessor of the various RUNOFFs for DEC
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
's operating systems, via the RUNOFF developed by the University of California, Berkeley's
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
Project Genie
Project Genie
Project Genie was a computer research project started in 1964 at the University of California, Berkeley.It produced an early time-sharing system including the Berkeley Timesharing System, which was then commercialized as the SDS 940.-History:...
for the SDS
Scientific Data Systems
Scientific Data Systems, or SDS, was an American computer company founded in September 1961 by Max Palevsky, a veteran of Packard Bell and Bendix, along with eleven other computer scientists. SDS was an early adopter of integrated circuits in computer design and the first to employ silicon...
940
SDS 940
The SDS 940 was Scientific Data Systems' first machine designed to support time sharing directly, and was based on the SDS 930's 24-bit CPU built primarily of integrated circuits. It was announced in February 1966 and shipped in April, becoming a major part of Tymshare's expansion during the 1960s...
system.
The name is alleged to have come from the phrase at the time, I'll run off a copy.
See also
- Expensive TypewriterExpensive TypewriterExpensive Typewriter was a text editing program that ran on the DEC PDP-1 computer that had been recently delivered at MIT. Since it could drive an IBM Selectric typewriter , it may be considered the first word processing program, although it was not WYSIWYG, having no CRT display. It was written...
- Colossal TypewriterColossal TypewriterColossal Typewriter by John McCarthy and Roland Silver was one of the earliest computer text editors. The program ran on the PDP-1 at Bolt, Beranek and Newman by December 1960....
- TECOText Editor and CorrectorTECO is a text editor originally developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1960s, after which it was modified by 'just about everybody'...
- TJ-2TJ-2TJ-2 was published by Peter Samson in May 1963 and is thought to be the first page layout program. Although it lacks page numbering, page headers and footers, TJ-2 is the first word processor to provide a number of essential typographic alignment and automatic typesetting features:*Columnation,...