08/22/83  multics_libraries_

This data base is the library descriptor for the Multics System
Libraries.  Like all library descriptors, it defines:  the roots of the
Multics System Libraries, the names by which these roots can be
referenced in library descriptor commands, and the default library
names and search names used by each of the library descriptor commands
when operating on the Multics System Libraries.

For detailed information on the Multics Libraries, see the Multics
Library Maintenance manual (AN80).


The Multics System Libraries:
The Multics System is composed of the "logical libraries."  Each of the
libraries is, in turn, composed of several directories containing the
different kinds of library entries (source and object segments; bind
lists; info, include, and peruse_text segments; multisegment files),
which are stored in the libraries.  A library descriptor command can
reference an entire logical library by name, or it can reference one or
more of its directories.

The logical library structure does not map directly onto the physical
library organization in the Multics storage system.  However, the
library descriptor tools can reference all of the physical libraries by
logical library name.


There are 10 logical libraries in the Multics System--standard_library
(std), languages_library (lang), unbundled_library (unb), tools_library
(tools), installation_library (inst), user_library (user),
network_library (net), supervisor_library (sup) and hardcore (hard, h),
bootload_library (boot, bos), and communications_library (com).

Each of the above logical libraries contains one or more of the
following logical directories--source (s), object (o), lists (l),
execution (x) bound_comp, (bndc, bc), info (i), and include (incl).

Library Names:
One or more libraries or directories may be referenced in a
library descriptor command by giving the appropriate combinations of
library identifier and directory identifier as library names. 


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Historical Background

This edition of the Multics software materials and documentation is provided and donated
to Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Group BULL including BULL HN Information Systems Inc. 
as a contribution to computer science knowledge.  
This donation is made also to give evidence of the common contributions of Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Bell Laboratories, General Electric, Honeywell Information Systems Inc., Honeywell BULL Inc., Groupe BULL
and BULL HN Information Systems Inc. to the development of this operating system. 
Multics development was initiated by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Project MAC (1963-1970),
renamed the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence in the mid 1970s, under the leadership
of Professor Fernando Jose Corbato. Users consider that Multics provided the best software architecture 
for managing computer hardware properly and for executing programs. Many subsequent operating systems 
incorporated Multics principles.
Multics was distributed in 1975 to 2000 by Group Bull in Europe , and in the U.S. by Bull HN Information Systems Inc., 
as successor in interest by change in name only to Honeywell Bull Inc. and Honeywell Information Systems Inc. .

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Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute these programs and their documentation for any purpose and without
fee is hereby granted,provided that the below copyright notice and historical background appear in all copies
and that both the copyright notice and historical background and this permission notice appear in supporting
documentation, and that the names of MIT, HIS, BULL or BULL HN not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining
to distribution of the programs without specific prior written permission.
    Copyright 1972 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by BULL HN Information Systems Inc.
    Copyright 2006 by Bull SAS
    All Rights Reserved