From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!lime!houxg!hogpc!houti!pegasus!guidi
Newsgroups: net.followup
Title: Re: What does UNIX stand for?
Article-I.D.: pegasus.326
Posted: Wed Apr 20 08:57:52 1983
Received: Thu Apr 21 07:59:54 1983
References: utcsrgv.1279

my understanding is that "unix" is a play on the previuosly famous system
called "multics" (Bell Labs, MIT, GE in the 60's).  Whereas "multics"
was everything to everyone all the time, "unix" was at first seen as
a simple, elegant approach for individual users, not great multitudes.