An introduction to the Programmer's Workbench

Abstract

The Programmer's Workbench (PWB) is a specialized computing facility dedicated to satisfying the needs of developers of computer programs. The PWB might well be called a “human-end” computer; like “front-end” and “back-end” computers, it improves productivity by efficient specialization. It provides a convenient working environment and a uniform set of programming tools to a diverse group of programming projects. These projects produce software for various “target” computers, including IBM System/370 and UNIVAC 1100 systems of much greater size than the PWB machines. The projects range in size from several people up to several hundred. The first PWB machine was installed in October, 1973; usage, acceptance, and interest have grown rapidly since that time. The PWB currently supports about 110 time-sharing terminals, utilizing a network of four DEC PDP-11 computers, all running the UNIX Time-Sharing System. The PWB adds tools to UNIX to support large projects. This paper gives an overview of the PWB and its development; further details appear in the five following companion papers [BIA76A, DOL76B, KNU76A, MAS76A, MAS76B].