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From: carlo@osprey.cvs.rochester.edu (Carlo Tiana)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Protected-mode snake oil
Message-ID: <8919@ur-cc.UUCP>
Date: 11 Aug 90 18:13:33 GMT
References: <1204.26c2fb48@waikato.ac.nz>
Sender: news@uhura.cc.rochester.edu
Reply-To: carlo@cvs.rochester.edu (Carlo Tiana)
Organization: Univ. Roch. Center for Visual Sci.
Lines: 32

In article <1204.26c2fb48@waikato.ac.nz> ccc_ldo@waikato.ac.nz
(Lawrence D'Oliveiro, Waikato University) writes:
>[Mac OS "only" crashes 10x as often as VMS, so protected OS would not be
>worth it]

flame on = Apple and DEC (a little)
Well, YIKES! I would fault your so-called protected system here, rahter
than putting up with crashing on both. Since it probably takes about 10x as
long to reboot a VAX cluster than a Mac, I'd say that was a real nuisance
to begin with. In any case I am amazed at how often you claim to crash your
VAXen. I have worked on U*IX boxes much longer than on Macs and have
*never* (as mere 'user') crashed one. I crach my Mac on at least a daily
basis -- when developing on about a 10 minute cycle.
In fact, this is the one thing I feel really strongly about with Macs. I
think Apple should really get its act together; I spent over $7500 on my
system, for all the advantages of using Macs that are so well known. But I
really feel cheated in some ways. I sort of feel like the idea was good
but the implementation sucks. What's 'friendly' about a system crash under
Multifinder with 4 or 5 apps open and unsaved stuff in all of them?? In my
experience of programming PC's I've never seen quirkiness such as this.
I have helped many people purchase their home computers. I always evaluate
their patience in dealing with things technological and if that is not
above threshold I tell them that in all fairness, what you buy in
ease-of-use of the interface, you lose in system crashes.
If protected os's are the answer to this problem (though I believe more
thorough testing should be, at least in principle), then by all means,
Apple, go for it!!! I am not sure that I would advise anyone I call a
friend to spend a lot of money on a Mac, given this kind of 'performance'!

Carlo.

carlo@cvs.rochester.edu