Subject: Re: UNIX manpage history: runoff
From: Doug McIlroy 
Date: 22/10/2011 01:45
To: Kristaps Dzonsons

> >  am I correct in saying that Bob Morris' version of runoff/roff
> >  predates your own?

Yes

> > Can you give a ballpark year of his production?

I believe it happened after his year in Berkeley. That would probably
make it about 1967 or 1968.

> > did you use Saltzer's manuals/memoranda as a basis for writing the
> > BCPL runoff?

Yes.  AND...checking my files more carefully, I see that I called it
"runoff" in 1969.  By 1971 it was "roff".  Now I'm not so sure I got the
name from Morris.  Conceivably it came from Thompson, who was big on
shortening names.  My 1971 description came in January; the first ediion
Unix manual is dated December 1971.

If you wish, I can (in the fullness of time) try to scan any of the
three manuals: 1969 ( 12 pages), 1971 (18 pages), 1973 (32 pages).

Doug