Zork source code, 1977
Scope and Contents
The Tapes of Tech Square (ToTS) collection contains digital copies of the raw data (images) on the backup tapes and extracted directories of the files of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab and Laboratory for Computer Science (LCS) from 1973 to the early 1990s. There is also a small amount of contextual analog content related to this material. Additionally, there are associated software tools used in and documentation about the ToTS project, from the early 1990s to 2017.
The analog material mentioned above consists of four boxes of content including paper server/tape dump logs and contextual material including handbooks for using ARPANET, other servers, and timesharing systems.
The digital tape images and extracted files contain numerous directories with research and working files primarily textual in nature—code, software, logs, documents, emails, etc., organized by individual users or groups within these labs or by topics. Additionally, there are files created by non-MIT “guests” who had access to the MIT timeshare machines through MIT community members or networked environments such as ARPANET.
Included is an early versions of the source code to the interactive fiction game Zork from 1977 and January 1978, extracted for researcher ease of access.
Dates
- Creation: 1977
Creator
- Anderson, Tim (Person)
- Blank, Marc (Person)
- Daniels, Bruce (Person)
- Lebling, Dave (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Digital files are unprocessed and access is restricted without prior approval. Original creators of files can contact Distinctive Collections and request a copy of files they created that are a part of the collection.
Conditions Governing Use
To the extent that MIT holds rights in these files, they are released under the terms of the MIT No Attribution License. Any questions about permissions should be directed to permissions-lib@mit.edu
Extent
From the File: 1.3 Terabytes (13,424,283 digital files)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Repository Details
Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
Building 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307 US
distinctive-collections@mit.edu