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We are happy to send you information about our June 1988
revision of the Fourth Berkeley Software Distribution,
hereafter referred to as the ``4.3BSD tahoe'' distribution.
The purpose of this release is to provide 4.3BSD support
for the ``tahoe'' processor and to get feedback on some new
features and facilities that we expect to include in future
This distribution is not a standard Berkeley release;
it is an interim release intended for testing and evaluation rather
than production use by naive users.
The distribution is available
to users with licenses for the April 1986 4.3BSD release for the VAX\(dg.
\(dgVAX is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation
The enclosed information is designed to serve two purposes.
The first purpose is to acquaint you with the details of our distribution
so you can decide whether or not you would like to receive it.
The second purpose is to tell you how to obtain our distribution.
What is the 4.3BSD Tahoe Release?
The distribution consists of one 6250 BPI or three 1600 BPI magnetic tapes,
certain updated manual pages,
and a copy of ``Installing and Operating 4.3BSD on the Tahoe.''
The magnetic tape(s) contain copies of source code and documentation
for both the VAX and the tahoe, and binaries for the tahoe.
On the three-tape 1600 BPI set,
parts of the user-contributed software are shipped
as compressed archives to save space.
The primary purpose of this release is to provide support
for the ``tahoe'' processor, the CPU used by
Computer Consoles, Inc. (CCI Power 6/32, 6/32SX),
and high end lines of Harris (HCX-7 and HCX-9),
Unisys (7000/40), and ICL (Clan 7).
Support for this processor is derived from the 4.2BSD system
Support for new DEC equipment has also been added,
including support for the 8250 BI-based CPU and the KDB-50 BI disk controller
and the QVSS and QDSS display drivers for the MicroVAX II, contributed
by Digital Equipment Corporation.
We expect to provide support for both the VAX and the tahoe
processors in future releases.
The major new software systems include the following features:
The TCP and IP code is the same as that
recently made available via the ARPANET and Usenet.
Several new algorithms are used in TCP,
in particular Van Jacobson's slow start and dynamic
window size selection algorithms and Phil Karn's modification
to the round-trip timing algorithm.
These changes increase throughput
and reduce congestion and retransmission.
Several fixes were made in the handling of IP options
and other gateway support.
The file system has been generalized to remove the limits on the
maximum number of inodes per cylinder group, cylinders per cylinder
group, and number of distinguished rotational positions.
The kernel and file system utilities operate normally on both
new and old format file systems;
old kernels treat the new file systems as read-only.
This change allows better utilization of newer disks with larger numbers
The system has full support for disk labels
that contain disk geometry information and partition layout on each disk.
Labels are used on disks using the
drivers on the VAX (hp or ra disks)
and all supported disks on the tahoe.
The utility to read and write disk labels can be used with
the system running multiuser;
the labels are used and updated as appropriate by \fInewfs\fP, \fIbad144\fP,
the kernel and the bootstrap programs.
Basic file system parameters are stored in the label
so that \fIfsck\fP can locate alternate superblocks.
The filesystem and \fInewfs\fP use additional information about
the disk geometry that is now available, such as track-to-track skew.
A new general-purpose dynamic memory allocator has been written
that can be used by all the kernel subsystems.
The design of this allocator takes advantage of known memory usage
patterns in the UNIX kernel, using a hybrid strategy that is time-efficient
for small allocations and space-efficient for large allocations.
This allocator replaces most of the previous memory allocation interfaces
with a single easy-to-program interface,
results in more efficient use of global memory by eliminating
partitioned and specialized memory pools,
and is quick enough that no performance loss is observed
relative to the previous implementations.
Most of the kernel memory allocation is now done using this allocator.
The source code has been reorganized to ease support of multiple
Numerous bug fixes and enhancements have been made throughout the system,
including new versions of the nameserver \fInamed\fP and the routing daemon
Several years' backlog of bug fixes have been applied.
We have started a process of identifying the code in the 4.3BSD distribution
that is not derived from AT&T code.
The copyrights in this code have been changed to indicate that it
may be freely distributed if the copyright notice is
retained and that due credit for its origin is given to
The Regents of the University of California.
Over 1000 files have been identified in this distribution.
How to obtain the 4.3BSD tahoe release
This section should be read by existing licensees as well as new licensees.
All previous 4.3BSD licensees will be able to receive
the 4.3BSD tahoe release by simply executing the steps outlined below.
4.2BSD licensees who have not yet upgraded to 4.3BSD will be required
to do so as well as following the steps outlined below for the
For further information on ordering the standard 4.3BSD distribution,
contact our distribution office at the address given below.
Because we are a research and development organization and not a commercial
organization, we make our research results available for a fee
which covers only our costs for the distribution.
We distribute only the whole system
and cannot send individual pieces of the system.
Because the software is distributed ``As Is'' and is partially derived
from licensed material, we are required
to have a formal license arrangement with each
organization to which we distribute.
Specifically, we must receive from your organization the
following material before the distribution can be sent:
Two appropriate signed Addenda for the tahoe distribution if you are a
4.3BSD licensee. Add to that the appropriate Addendum to
receive the upgrade if you are a 4.2BSD licensee.
For new licensees, two executed copies of the Berkeley License
Agreement (4/86) with the appropriate Addendum, i.e., for foreign
or US government sites, plus the Addendum for the tahoe distribution.
We require two copies of all Agreements/Addenda with original
signatures, one of which is returned to the Licensee.
A check from a U.S. bank for $400.00 U.S. (for a single 6250 BPI tape)
or $450.00 (for three 1600 BPI tapes) payable to
``The Regents of the University of California''
must be received before the distribution can be sent.
If you must issue a Purchase Order, please issue one that is blank-backed.
If this is not possible, insert and initialize in the body of the Purchase
Order the following clause:
``The terms and conditions of this Purchase
Order are not accepted by The Regents of the University of California.
The revised Berkeley License Agreement (4/86) governs.''
For 4.2 licensees that have updated to 4.3BSD, substitute
``The terms and conditions of this Purchase Order are not
accepted by The Regents of the University of California.
The revised Berkeley License Agreement (6/83)
and Addendum Number One govern.''
A completed Site Information Form and Equipment List.
The distribution itself will be sent to the technical contact.
The site information is kept confidential
and is for our use in identifying sites with specific configurations.
Please note that we cannot ship to post office boxes;
therefore, please have the
technical contact's address supplied without use of a post office box.
A checklist is included to aid you in assembling this material.
All the above material must be sent to:
Pauline Schwartz, Distribution Coordinator
Computer Systems Research Group
Computer Science Division, EECS
Berkeley, California 94720
Once all these items have been received and are in proper order, the
distribution will be sent to the technical address indicated on the Site
Information Form that you provided when you placed your order;
We cannot provide delivery dates.
Once the material is assembled and packaged,
the distribution is shipped by commercial carrier.
Order of shipment will be based on time
of arrival of the properly completed paperwork.
Because of the differential in costs of shipping outside the United States,
we ask that organizations beyond the North American continent pay
the collect shipping charges.
The most expedient way to insure that your full distribution is sent
as quickly as possible is to include in a single package the signed
appropriate Addenda for the tahoe distribution plus any other
necessary signed legal papers, depending on your licensing status,
the appropriate check properly made out to
``The Regents of the University of California,''
and a completely filled out Site Information Form and Equipment List,
and to send this single package to the address noted above.
Many large organizations have multiple entities that act independently
from one another and are licensed independently from AT&T.
Others have the parent organization licensed
by AT&T and copies of the software distribution sent
to each independent entity. The Berkeley License Agreement must be
executed with the organization holding the appropriate AT&T Software Agreement.
If your organization has an AT&T license
and chooses not to redistribute internally,
please contact us for a copy of the letter of authorization
to be executed by the parent company.
\fBUniversity of California Sites\fR.
If you are a part of the University of California,
\fByou must use the following procedure:\fR
Ask Pam True (415) 642-6348 in Berkeley Campus Materiel Management
for an application for an additional CPU
authorization under The Regents of the University
of California's Software Agreement with AT&T.
We will receive the completed application from Materiel Management.
In addition, the following items must
be sent to the Computer Systems Research Group:
1) a letter signed by the Director or Head of Department requesting 4.3BSD,
stating that you have read and understood the Berkeley
License Agreement and that your organization will abide by it,
2) an IOC for $400.00 or $450.00 (1600 BPI), and
3) a Site Information Form and Equipment List if it has changed.
The research on which the Berkeley Software Distributions are based
is sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency).
Provision has been made for prepayment of distribution
costs for a few designated DARPA sites.
In place of the check for $400.00 or $450.00, you should include a letter
from your Program Manager stating that you are designated as such a site.
However, you \fBmust\fR comply with all
other requirements in applying for the distribution.
Additional Copies of Documentation
If you wish additional copies of the documentation, please contact
the Usenix Association at 415-528-8649.
The procedures and rules set out in this document are University
and AT&T constraints that must be followed in order for the
distribution of software to be possible.
The Computer Systems Research Group has no control
over these constraints and must reject your application
if material submitted is not in order.
If You Have Read Everything and Still Need Help
If you have questions about the licensing process after reading
this letter, you may call Pauline Schwartz at (415) 642-7780,
write to her, or contact her via electronic mail at
pauline@Berkeley.EDU. or ucbvax!pauline.
She will not be able to answer technical questions.
Computer Systems Research Group
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