1 :Info: command: commands:
  2 
  3 Commands are your principal means of telling Multics what to do.  A command is
  4 used by typing its name when the computer is at command level, which indicated
  5 by a ready message like: r 10:05 12.085 945.  Printing segments and reading
  6 mail are some of the operations performed with commands.
  7 
  8 
  9 :Info: command_level:
 10 
 11 Command level is the level at which Multics accepts commands.  Command level
 12 is indicated by a ready message like: r 10:05 12.086 945 appearing at the left
 13 of the screen with the cursor, the moving light that marks your place, two
 14 lines below at the left.
 15 
 16 
 17 :Info: cursor:
 18 
 19 The cursor is the moving light that marks your place on the terminal screen.
 20 
 21 
 22 :Info: argument: arguments:
 23 
 24 An argument is the name of a "segment" or some other information given to a
 25 "command" when it is invoked.  Arguments are separated from the command, and
 26 from each other when there is more than one, by at least one blank space.  For
 27 example: command_name argument1 argument2
 28 
 29 
 30 :Info: pathname:
 31 
 32 A pathname is the name that indicates where certain information is stored in
 33 the computer.  It can be either relative to the "working directory," in which
 34 case it begins without a greater-than character (>), or absolute, in which
 35 case it does begin with >.
 36 
 37 
 38 :Info: control_argument: control_arguments:
 39 
 40 A control argument is added to a command line, the line made up of a command
 41 and all its accompanying information, to specify some variation in the way the
 42 "command" normally performs its function.  Control arguments are preceded by a
 43 hyphen, for example: -brief.
 44 
 45 
 46 :Info: segment: segments:
 47 
 48 A segment is a collection of information.  It is the basic unit of storage on
 49 Multics, analagous to a file on many other systems.  A segment may be empty or
 50 contain up to over a million printed characters.
 51 
 52 
 53 :Info: directory: directories:
 54 
 55 A directory is a catalog of segments, the basic units of storage on Multics.
 56 It serves like a file drawer, with segments being the file folders in that
 57 drawer.  Directories also catalog other directories, thereby creating
 58 hierarchies of directories.
 59 
 60 
 61 :Info: profile_segment:
 62 
 63 A profile segment is a "segment" that contains the personal abbreviations the
 64 user has established for use on the command line, the line made up of a
 65 command and all its accompanying information.  This segment is stored in the
 66 user's "home directory" with the user's name and suffix of .profile.
 67 
 68 
 69 :Info: programs:
 70 
 71 Programs are what make the computer run.  They are written in a variety of
 72 programming languages (e.g., pl1, FORTRAN, COBOL, PASCAL) and then translated
 73 into a machine language that the computer hardware can understand and execute.
 74 
 75 
 76 :Info: subroutine:
 77 
 78 A subroutine is a program; programs are what make the computer run.
 79 Specifically, a subroutine is a program that is used by another program.  It
 80 usually performs some operation independently from the program that is usuing
 81 it and returns the results to the original program.
 82 
 83 
 84 :Info: ready_message:
 85 
 86 A ready message indicates that Multics is ready for you to give it a command
 87 to tell it what to do.  It looks like: r 1504 12.23 105.  Users can also
 88 create their own version of the ready message to replace this form.
 89 
 90 
 91 :Info: macro: macros:
 92 
 93 A macro is group of commands or other executable statements, such as requests
 94 given to an editor, that are stored and executed together.
 95 
 96 
 97 :Info: prompt:
 98 
 99 A prompt is a request by the computer for some kind of information.  It may be
100 in the form of a question or of a phrase (usually followed by a colon, as in
101 the prompt: read_mail:).
102 
103 
104 :Info: user_name:
105 
106 The user name is the name a user is known by on Multics.  Usually, it is the
107 person's last name, but it may have initials as well, e.g., JSmith.  A user
108 name may also be some sort of short name.  The user name is set by a project
109 administrator.
110 
111 
112 :Info: requests:
113 
114 Requests direct the computer to perform some action.  They are like "commands"
115 in their basic function, but they are not issued from "command level." They
116 are issued when you are working in editors, reading mail, etc.
117 
118 
119 :Info: user_identification:
120 
121 The user identification (abbreviated User_id) is the combined identification
122 of the user name, the name the user goes by on Multics, and the project name,
123 e.g., JSmith.Sales.  A user may have several user identifications if he or she
124 works on several projects.
125 
126 
127 :Info: entryname: entrynames:
128 
129 An entryname is the name given to a segment, the basic unit of storage on
130 Multics, or a directory, the storage system unit used for cataloging segments.
131 
132 
133 :Info: working_directory:
134 
135 The working directory is the part of the storage system you are working in at
136 any particular time.  It may be one of your personal "directories" or any
137 directory in the Multics system that you can go to.  When you first get on the
138 computer and are in your "home directory," that is your working directory.
139 
140 
141 :Info: log_out: logout:
142 
143 Log out (or logout) is the process of getting off the computer.  It involves
144 simply issuing the logout command at command level (the level at which Multics
145 accepts commands, indicated by a ready message such as: r 12:34 23.45 678).
146 
147 
148 :Info: log_in: login:
149 
150 Log in (or login) is the process of getting on the computer.  It involves
151 issuing the login command with your user name, the name Multics knows you by,
152 once Multics has been connected to your terminal.  After issuing the login
153 command with your user name, you will be asked to supply your password.
154 
155 
156 :Info: home_directory: home_directories:
157 
158 The home directory is your primary working area.  It has your user name, the
159 name Multics knows you by, on it, and it is the source of all your other
160 "directories." It is also where you are first placed each time you get on the
161 computer.
162 
163 
164 :Info: directory_hierarchy:
165 
166 The directory hierarchy is the arrangement pattern for directories, the
167 storage system units for cataloging information stored on Multics.  It is like
168 an inverted tree, with directories starting at the root and branching out from
169 there into multiple levels.
170 
171 
172 :Info: root_directory:
173 
174 The root directory is the source from which all other directories, the storage
175 system units used for cataloging information, stem.  It does not have a name;
176 it is denoted simply by the greater-than character (>) at the beginning of a
177 path of directories, e.g., >udd>Multics>JSmith.
178 
179 
180 :Info: abbreviations:
181 
182 Abbreviations, usually called abbrevs, are those symbols a user defines
183 specifically for personal use on the "command line." The term does not refer
184 to the short names for "commands" and "arguments" that everyone uses.
185 
186 
187 :Info: command_line: command_lines:
188 
189 A command line is a line containing a command, the basic means of telling
190 Multics what to do, and any information that command needs to operate.  It is
191 always concluded by a carriage return.  A command line may consist of more
192 than one command.
193 
194 
195 :Info: text_editor: text_editors:
196 
197 A text editor is a special environment in which you can write new text and
198 edit existing text.  An editor is invoked by typing the name of the particular
199 editor as a command.
200 
201 
202 :Info: search_path: search_paths:
203 
204 A search path is the "pathname" of a "directory" that is to be searched under
205 certain circumstances.