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From: eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya)
Newsgroups: comp.std.misc,comp.realtime,comp.arch,comp.os.misc,comp.misc
Subject: Re: TRON (a little long)
Keywords: Japan, TRON, standards, networks, operating systems
Message-ID: <3992@eos.UUCP>
Date: 16 Jun 89 01:13:43 GMT
References: <5117@stiatl.UUCP>
Reply-To: eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya)
Followup-To: comp.os.misc
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Calif.
Lines: 60

In article <5117@stiatl.UUCP> meo@stiatl.UUCP (Miles O'Neal) writes:
>In article <382@h.cs.wvu.wvnet.edu> jdm@a.cs.wvu.wvnet.edu (James D Mooney) writes:
>| 1. It's a Japanese project, not relevant outside Japan.
>Bingo. There's a lot of shortsightedness, NIH syndrome, and similar stuff
>around.
>| 2. It's not needed; there are enough standards.
>Possibly.
>| 3.  Only single-company de facto standards (like IBM) are practical.
>I doubt this is a biggie.
>| 4.  It's interesting, but will have no effect on me.
>Bingo again. Japanese project, Japanese standard.
>
>Part of it is, I believe, frustration and fear of the Japanese, and
>lack of any clear idea how to deal with them. SO, in typical US fashion,
>we ignore it and hope it goes away.
>
>But also, there has not been very much press coverage, or professional
>group attention turned towards it. I suspect most of us don't really
>even know what all it covers. I certainly don't. Throw in that with the
>fact that we are standardizing on UNIX (the ultimate real-time system
>(haha)) and a handful of microprocessors, and most people see no need,
>no interest, no threat.
>
>SO, educate us. What are the high points, the low points, and such,
>from your vantage point?

Go find the last two years IEEE COMPCON proceedings.  Each has had
an entire session on TRON.  There are also the occasional articles
in IEEE Computer.  More details than can be posted.

You should be aware that the Usenet is being read in Japan.
It's readership is impressive and growing.  I had this made clear to
me in recent meetings.  Theirs is a culture which takes a much
different view to electronic mail and news than we do.  You will not
see many postings because to express one's opinion means to carry
great weight (unlike here).  So if you (general readership) care to insult
them, they will read it.  You will just be ignored as a crank.

I think some grave mistakes (or absolutely brilliant, but off the wall
decisions) in choice were made.  I follow the TRs and TNs
which come from places like ICOT, various companies, etc. So you see
this note "tips my hand."  Like the early selection of IBM compatable
supercomputers is one decision [long before the 3090 mainframe line].
This goes for so-called new-generation machines (a physicist here
believes the NeXT is the first real 5th gen. machine).  Prolog engines,
inference machines, etc.  Different choices.  It permeates decisions
in areas like software or architectures.  It is interesting to compare
my non-disclosure 1990-notes of 1984 to the latest architectures from
the one particular conglomerate.  Plans have clearly changed.  Workstations
and Unix are coming in.  Watch for hypercubes or Connection Machine-like
architectures.  If one appears, our "lead" will diminish even more.

Another gross generalization from

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov
  resident cynic at the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers:
  "You trust the `reply' command with all those different mailers out there?"
  "If my mail does not reach you, please accept my apology."
  {ncar,decwrl,hplabs,uunet}!ames!eugene
  				Live free or die.