Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #235328

Re: Origin Of Filename Extension Dot Separator

From	Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com>
Newsgroups	alt.folklore.computers
Subject	Re: Origin Of Filename Extension Dot Separator
Date	2026-08-18 22:15 -0400
Organization	PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC
Message-ID	<mddmruix3d9.fsf@panix5.panix.com> (permalink)
References	<v8p8g6$ai44$1@dont-email.me> <87se4c5s1d.fsf@hyperbola.mail-host-address-is-not-set> <11607nk$1u4d$1@gal.iecc.com> <18cce40ea0ed5c8b$107442$754419$d54a64@news.newsdemon.com>

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Bob Eager <throwaway0008@eager.cx> writes:

> On Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:07:16 +0000, John Levine wrote:

>> According to  <anthk@not.dev.null>:

>>> Under ITS I think they were just separated by a space

>> It was a dot on the DEC PDP-6 monitor that evolved into TOPS-10. I
>> believe TOPS-10 is where both CP/M and MS-DOS got their filename syntax.

> Also (around the same time) on the PDP-8 operating system, OS/8 (modelled 
> on the PDP-6 I think)

PS/8 (the predecessor of OS/8) was influenced by work on the PDP-10, which had
come along before the PDP-8/e (for which PS/8 was created).

-- 
Rich Alderson					  news@alderson.users.panix.com
      Audendum est, et veritas investiganda; quam etiamsi non assequamur,
	  omnino tamen proprius, quam nunc sumus, ad eam perveniemus.
									--Galen

Thread

Re: Origin Of Filename Extension Dot Separator anthk@not.dev.null - 2026-08-17 23:57 +0200
  Re: Origin Of Filename Extension Dot Separator John Levine <johnl@taugh.com> - 2026-08-18 00:07 +0000
    Re: Origin Of Filename Extension Dot Separator Bob Eager <throwaway0008@eager.cx> - 2026-08-18 11:51 +0000
      Re: Origin Of Filename Extension Dot Separator Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> - 2026-08-18 22:15 -0400
    Re: Origin Of Filename Extension Dot Separator Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com> - 2026-08-18 22:13 -0400

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