It’s fine replying to old stuff, it shows up.

Finding old Soviet stuff is really difficult, at least back then. And being an outsider makes it all the more difficult. It was kinda fun though.

There must be some 32bit advanced stuff, I saw something written mostly in modula 2, even with a Tetris.

Maybe it’s still in use, hence the information scarcity

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find versions for other architectures too (I understand and speak Russian, then I can google in Russian). Maybe I’ll try to ask someone…

There’s no vi. But I built it. But it doesn’t support Cyrillic.
When I found the FPGA project https://github.com/forth32/dvk-fpga – I decided to have DEMOS on it, and I had to recompile the kernel.

Ctrl+N (RU) / Ctrl+O (EN) are used to change language (actually, there’re RUS and LAT keys on Soviet terminals, or sometimes one RUS/LAT key which sends those sequences).

I found out that the image doesn’t have all utilities / headers / etc., something I had to build. I wrote a little here https://merclangrat.wordpress.com/2025/08/28/35-years-since-the-soviet-unions-first-internet-connection/ and would try to make a website.

I've only read about Russian computers in spy novels and whatnot so it's not the kind of thing I'd ever expect to get a hold of. I've got to admit, that a norton commander like interface on top of BSD Unix is the last thing I'd ever expect.. It's also very interesting how you can change input languages on DEMOS.. the BSD still remained in English, while the Russian would be for data…

And I'm shocked there is no VI!!!

I also assume that the cloned popularity of the PDP-11 is why this version survives, while the seeming rarity of CM 1700's is why the 32bit versions of DEMOS are all but lost.

It's such a shame, the DEMOS team really did a good job in bringing BSD to behind the Iron Curtain….

I always wonder if someone from UCB gave the Russians the source.. Even in the Cuckoo's Egg they do mention that they didn't need it stolen, as they already had it……