Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!apple!well!gors
From: gors@well.UUCP (Gordon Stewart)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.rt
Subject: Re: AIX - How is it? (Summary - long)
Message-ID: <12938@well.UUCP>
Date: 31 Jul 89 15:16:54 GMT
References: <557@limbic.UUCP> <29176@beta.lanl.gov> <972@ks.UUCP>
Reply-To: gors@well.UUCP (Gordon Stewart)
Distribution: comp
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 51


I have found no performance problems with the RT under AIX -- it's
certainly faster than a Sun 3/260, etc. I have plenty of complaints
about AIX, however --

I don't particularly like the documentation -- especially the user
docs, which give a syntax diagram of the commands, but are sparse
in examples (usually, they'll give one or two trivial examples). When
my colleagues and I asked IBM if they'd ever seen Sun's documentation
(which is EXEMPLARY) or AT&T's (ADEQUATE) they responded by claiming
"our documentation is the best in the industry"

I especially don't like that they've changed the name of some common
commands (if you use AIX, you know which ones) and added multi-letter
command-line options -- a clear poke in the eye to System V, which
actually has STANDARDS about commands and options.  I guess IBM felt
the need to put their proprietary stamp on it -- like what Raymond
Chandler said about editors (they like the flavor better after they've
pissed in it)!

Product Support and Defect Support are abysmal -- at least from the
point of view of a competent UNIX programmer trying to develop
software for the RT under AIX.  I must go through too many hoops, and
speak to too many people who don't know diddly-poop about what I'm
saying, before I get a response from someone who's informed.  The 
usual IBM chain of command B.S.

Typical of IBM, they have the most polished sales and marketing
presentations in the business -- targeted for the person making
purchase decisions.  The rest of us have to live with those decisions,
however.

All in all, the RT is a pretty good piece of hardware -- but AIX isn't
a mature enough product to take seriously.  And the "improvements" and
"enhancements" that make AIX proprietary (i.e., non-standard!) will
have the effect of relegating AIX to a very small percentage of the
UNIX market share.  Which means less support, any way you look at it.

Just look at the traffic in this newsgroup, compared to comp.unix.whatever!
Not all articles are of note, but I have found a few here that were
very helpful, and am grateful to those who have responded to my cries
for help.  There are just too damn few of us, though!

A SUN4! A SUN4! My KINGDOM FOR A SUN4!


Michael Sierchio
-- 
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