Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!motcid!dhiman
From: dhiman@motcid.UUCP (Ravinder Dhiman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Where does UNIX fit in a graphically-based computer world?
Message-ID: <4327@cocoa11.UUCP>
Date: 6 Sep 90 12:17:18 GMT
References: <1990Sep5.202652.700@sun.soe.clarkson.edu>
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Div., Arlington Heights, IL
Lines: 54

anthonjw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Jason W. Anthony) writes:

[...deleted..]

>It would seem UNIX would be in direct opposition to a "GUI" (Graphical
>User Interface) world since it is completely character-based and also
>very cryptic.  However, we do see UNIX appearing on many mainframes,
>workstations, and even as A/UX on the Mac, which doesn't seem to be
>very popular (price being one reason).  UNIX also I think is considered
>the (or one of the) most "powerful" operating systems in existance.

Unix is not inherently "in opposition" to GUIs.  Unix has until 
"recently" been character-based because it was developed at a time when
GUIs did not exist (at least not comercially).  Also, whether
software (aplication program, OS, etc.) is cryptic has little bearing
on its suitability to a GUI (Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little :)).

Unix is in an excellent position (or soon will be) to become the 
dominant OS for micros, be they Macs, Intel uP types, etc.  PCs
are at or near workstation level performance and there are numerous
GUI based Unix packages available (A/UX, SCO Desktop, etc.) and 
numerous standards being proposed for Unix GUIs (OSF/Motif, Looking 
Glass, etc.).

The question now is which Unix GUI standard will be dominant.

>So, if the world is indeed going GUI, will UNIX fade away, or will
>there try to be some kind of combination of the two?  Also, why
>have we seen very little GUI in the mainframe world?  It seems
>vector-based graphics and/or smarter terminals could make that
>possible.  Or is GUI simply a personal computer thing?

Unix will NOT fade away.  I don't have the requisite background on the
rest of this so maybe someone else can reply to your questions.


[...deleted...]

BTW, I'm writing this on a Sun workstation which uses Sun's Sunview
GUI.  Sun did a nice job on this (IMHO).

>__________________________________________________________________         
>Jason W. Anthony         anthonjw@clutx.clarkson.edu      ////  /|         
>Computer Engineering                                       /   / |         
>Clarkson University, Potsdam N.Y.                       / /   /--|         
>____________________________________________________   ///.  /   |.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ravi Dhiman
Motorola, Inc.
Cellular Infrastructure Div. M/S IL27-N276 
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Disclaimer: My opinions, not my employer's.