Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!uunet!auspex!guy
From: guy@auspex.auspex.com (Guy Harris)
Newsgroups: comp.os.misc
Subject: Re: What constitutes a good OS?
Message-ID: <5430@auspex.auspex.com>
Date: 22 Jan 91 19:30:10 GMT
References: <1991Jan17.114801@hermes.ladc.bull.com> <5395@auspex.auspex.com> <42351@nigel.ee.udel.edu>
Organization: Auspex Systems, Santa Clara
Lines: 14

>Every system I've worked on that allowed keyed records has been
>easier to program than systems that don't.

So lobby for more UNIX systems to come standard with ISAM packages or
"(n)dbm" or whatever.  So far, the only example you've given with
indexed files *that can look just like text files* is the line-number
example, and frankly that doesn't look like a win at all to me.

Most systems I've seen have different access methods for sequential
files and keyed files, and implement text files as sequential files. 
Making some keyed-file access method something you can count on being
present on a UNIX system would make UNIX resemble those other systems;
if you want me to believe you need more, you'll need to make a better
case than the one made for persistent line numbers.