In Unix-like operating systems, dotfile is synonymous with hidden file. Usually used by programs to store configuration variables.

I have multiple machines, which I regularly work on. I keep sync of a set of personalized dotfiles between them – customized settings for programs that I’m using, like many of you. Till now, I was using my private git repository for things like my private scripts, Mutt, Irssi, Ekg2 or Tmux configurations. On the other hand some I keep publicly available for others i.e. on GitHub like Vim configs. And oh boy, there are so many of them! The true is, I customize almost everything that I’m using including simple tools like cp (just to get progress bar or interactivity).

The Unix epoch, defined as 00:00:00 UTC on January 1, 1970, serves as the foundational reference point for timekeeping in nearly all modern computing systems. This date, though seemingly arbitrary, emerged from a confluence of technical constraints, historical decisions, and practical considerations during Unix’s early development.

Historical Context of Unix Time

Early Development of Unix and Timekeeping

Unix, initially developed at Bell Labs in 1969, required a consistent method to track time for file management and process scheduling. Early versions of Unix stored time as a 32-bit integer counting 1/60-second intervals, a design influenced by the hardware clock frequency of the PDP-11 systems. This approach limited the maximum representable time span to approximately 829 days (~2.5 years), necessitating an epoch set in the recent past.