Remembering our times in Columbus together, you were my mentor, the one I looked up to and wanted to emulate. You taught me "Unix" and C. Between you and Dale DeJager I couldn't have had better teachers. I learned so much from both of you.
I learned about the PDP 11-70 and how to boot it from the front panel (I was a punched card Fortran programmer and had never touched an actual computer); I remember you developed a 512 byte boot loader program and how you managed your boot loader program's last (exit) address to over flow from 65534 to 0 which was the start of the program you loaded from disk (I thought that amazingly clever); I remember your Ron Hardin stories and his quirks; I remember our manager Dick Machol who hired me; I vaguely remember you in my BTL interview; I remember our trip to the Air Force Museum in Dayton (you, Mary Jo, Mary and me); but most of all I remember your friendship at work at Bell Labs in Columbus Ohio.
I think it was you who told me the phone number to use for free long distance calls within the AT&T system. I think it was you who told me about a CB BTL project purchasing a long distance phone line and keeping it open continuously for over a year at which time the billing wrapped around to zero dollars. Geez, if I think of the excellent and wonderful times I had at Columbus Bell Labs with you and Dale and Don Cochron and others, nothing but smiles arise.
Later we got to New Jersey within a year or so of each other. We didn't see as much of each other and from there, I left for California and we lost contact until about three (?) years ago. I wish we could have a CBUnix reunion. I'm ready and willing to go anywhere for that.
Go well, stay well, and I pray for your health.
I never said this but I should have and I do now:
~Ed Bradford
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