Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!dali.cs.montana.edu!milton!dittrich From: dittrich@milton.u.washington.edu (Dave Dittrich) Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc Subject: Re: Where is the long awaited MS DOS 5.0 ? Message-ID: <13523@milton.u.washington.edu> Date: 28 Dec 90 18:41:24 GMT References: <8550@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> Organization: University of Washington, Seattle Lines: 59 In article ghenniga@nmsu.edu (Gary Hennigan) writes: > >I don't know who the heck said DOS is superior to UNIX. Considering >the operating system only there's no comparison, UNIX is far superior; >but, as one of the people waiting for MSDOS 5.0, there's much more to >consider than just the OS: > >1. The number of applications available for DOS is overwhelming, a lot >of which are Freeware and/or Shareware! Big deal. Most of them are primitive and not worth the disk space they take up. They are mostly meant to work alone (rather than act as building blocks for higher level tools, the way UNIX commands are used). GNU software is free, and it is more feature packed than a lot of standard UNIX, let alone commercial products--just make itself is far superior to any PD make I have seen and VASTLY superior to Microsoft's nmake "tool". >2. The ease with which a non-experienced user can learn DOS far >outpaces the same user attempting to learn the sometimes cryptic UNIX. The ease of learning is not THAT much better (OK, DOS has TENS of commands, rather than HUNDREDS, like UNIX. How many people use all of them though? And is there a "man" in DOS, hell no! How about commands telling you what flags they accept? No again. You just get a "INVALID OPTION" message and your C> prompt back.) Not much easier. But then, when did anyone buy something simply because it was easier to learn when they expected touse the thing every day of their lives? I learned how to ride a bike on a one-speed with training wheels, but I quickly got rid of it and bought a ten speed. >3. And last but by no means least, from Computer Shopper (October): > SCO Xenix 386 -- $469 >Drum roll please.......... > MSDOS 4.01 ---- $109 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! > >Is it worth the almost $400 price difference? You be the judge. I wonder if that has anything to do with the sophistication of the operating system, or because SCO makes their money selling operating systems while Microsoft makes theirs selling bug-ridden applications like Word and C 6.00? Just add the price of the C compiler ($328 in Computer Shopper) and SCO looks more attractive ($469 vs. $438). Besides, with SCO Xenix I can get X-Windows and a debugger for far less than C 6.00a and SDK. And with X, I get the ability to use OTHER computers besides just my little 286 based toy. >By and large I prefer VMS anyway! Try doing some system programming in UNIX, and you will never go back to VMS again. UNIX makes DOS look like a toy straight-jacket, while VMS looks like a stainless steel straight-jacket that makes you ask permission to squirm. As someone once said in their .signature, "VMS is a text-only adventure game. If you win, you get to use UNIX." -- Dave Dittrich Dept. of Chemistry BG-10, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 dittrich@u.washington.edu ...!uw-beaver!u.washington.edu!dittrich "Teachers are the only profession that teach our children." Dan Quayle