Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc:39119 comp.unix.xenix:8809
Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!mit-eddie!aryeh
From: aryeh@eddie.mit.edu (Aryeh M. Weiss)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.unix.xenix
Subject: Re: deep-six os/2
Keywords: os/2 xenix
Message-ID: <1989Dec1.151709.27609@eddie.mit.edu>
Date: 1 Dec 89 15:17:09 GMT
References: <4003@amelia.nas.nasa.gov> <11846@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Sender: eliot%lees-rif@eddie.MIT.EDU (Eliot Frank)
Organization: MIT EE/CS Computer Facilities, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 33

OS/2: single-user (working at console) / multi-tasking
Unix/Xenix: multi-user (logged in at multiple terminals 
	or remote networked locations) / multi-tasking

Both OS's are multi-tasking, but Unix has direct support for multiple users.

The internals concerning file i/o (read, write, etc) and process creation
(fork/exec) of OS/2 (and Dos for that matter) are modeled after Unix.

One question would be, could a suitable init/getty/login/shell set of
programs be written for OS/2 to simulate multi-user login's?  

SCO Unix/Xenix provides program cross-development for Dos and, I assume, OS/2.
(The converse is not true.)

Case History:

At the Continuum Electromechanics Group at MIT, we have two Xenix/386 systems
and three Xenix/286 systems.  The 386's support staff and students for text
processing and data crunching.  The 286's coordinate data collection from
various devices and XT's.  XT's running DOS are used as either smart terminals
or dedicated for data-taking from and control of experimental apparatus.
One 386 has 10 terminals scattered thru the lab.  The 386 also has the
printer (Apple LaserWriter).  Everyone has a common platform with Emacs,
TeX, and C and the programs that people port or write and share.
I can't imagine having ten single-user machines to maintain and giving the 
same performance.

For our equipment and budget constraints, my philosophy has been to run
Unix on one or two capable machines to give support to common tasks that
everyone requires and then dedicate cheap machines to specific tasks.
-- 
eliot%lees-rif@eddie.mit.edu (Eliot H. Frank)