Its \Its\ ([i^]ts), poss. pron.
   Possessive form of the pronoun it. See It.
   [1913 Webster]

	

	ITS
     Incompatible Time-sharing System (DEC)

	

	ITS
     International Telecommunications Society (org.)

	

	ITS /I-T-S/ n. 1. Incompatible Time-sharing System, an influential
   though highly idiosyncratic operating system written for PDP-6s and
   PDP-10s at MIT and long used at the MIT AI Lab. Much AI-hacker jargon
   derives from ITS folklore, and to have been `an ITS hacker' qualifies
   one instantly as an old-timer of the most venerable sort. ITS pioneered
   many important innovations, including transparent file sharing between
   machines and terminal-independent I/O. After about 1982, most actual
   work was shifted to newer machines, with the remaining ITS boxes run
   essentially as a hobby and service to the hacker community. The shutdown
   of the lab's last ITS machine in May 1990 marked the end of an era and
   sent old-time hackers into mourning nationwide (see high moby). 2. A
   mythical image of operating-system perfection worshiped by a bizarre,
   fervent retro-cult of old-time hackers and ex-users (see troglodyte,
   sense 2). ITS worshipers manage somehow to continue believing that an OS
   maintained by assembly-language hand-hacking that supported only
   monocase 6-character filenames in one directory per account remains
   superior to today's state of commercial art (their venom against Unix
   is particularly intense). See also holy wars, Weenix.

	

	ITS
     
        1. Incompatible time-sharing System
     
        An influential but highly idiosyncratic operating system
        written for the PDP-6 and PDP-10 at MIT and long used at
        the MIT AI Lab.  Much AI-hacker jargon derives from ITS
        folklore, and to have been "an ITS hacker" qualifies one
        instantly as an old-timer of the most venerable sort.  ITS
        pioneered many important innovations, including transparent
        file sharing between machines and terminal-independent I/O.
        After about 1982, most actual work was shifted to newer
        machines, with the remaining ITS boxes run essentially as a
        hobby and service to the hacker community.  The shutdown of
        the lab's last ITS machine in May 1990 marked the end of an
        era and sent old-time hackers into mourning nationwide (see
        high moby).  The Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden is
        maintaining one "live" ITS site at its computer museum (right
        next to the only TOPS-10 system still on the Internet), so
        ITS is still alleged to hold the record for OS in longest
        continuous use (however, WAITS is a credible rival for this
        palm).
     
        2. A mythical image of operating system perfection worshiped
        by a bizarre, fervent retro-cult of old-time hackers and
        ex-users (see troglodyte).  ITS worshipers manage somehow to
        continue believing that an OS maintained by assembly
        language hand-hacking that supported only monocase
        6-character filenames in one directory per account remains
        superior to today's state of commercial art (their venom
        against Unix is particularly intense).
     
        See also holy wars, Weenix.
     
        [Jargon File]
     
        (1994-12-15)