Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!ubc-cs!alberta!alberta!cpsc.ucalgary.ca!news From: sharp@fsd.cpsc.ucalgary.ca (Maurice Sharp) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: System 7.0 vs. NeXT Step Message-ID: <1991Jan23.220918.3655@cpsc.ucalgary.ca> Date: 23 Jan 91 22:09:18 GMT References: <11468@helios.TAMU.EDU> Distribution: comp Organization: U. of Calgary Computer Science Lines: 65 Nntp-Posting-Host: fsd Having used 7.0b1, and UNIX, I feel I should put my 2cents worth in. First, what is the machine for ? I use UNIX boxes for some things, and the Mac for other different things. The NeXT crosses some of the boundries, but not all. In article <11468@helios.TAMU.EDU> n138ct@tamuts.tamu.edu (Brent Burton) writes: >In article (Michael D Mellinger) writes: >>...System 7.0 for a couple years, but what will it offer us that NeXTSTep >>2.0 doesn't already have? The trigger question... >NeXTStep or UNIX(mach)? NeXTStep is the INTERFACE, MACH(unix) is the op sys. >Will 7.0 have links to files and directories (false copies)? Pipes? >Sockets? It's supposed to have inter-process communication, but we'll >have to see how Apple does the 'Application Communication' Manager. Yes, 7.0 has *better* links than UNIX or the NeXT. They are called Aliases, and they hit the target regardless of target renaming or movement. That is, make an alias to file/application/folder (whatever) X, and you can change the name of X, move it to another disk or file server, and the alias will still hit the target. Pipes can be constructed using tools provided to the developer. You can already drop documents onto applications for opening. All you need is to drop a document on an application that operates only in the background and invokes other background only apps. That is a pipe. In UNIX you specify by typing in names, if you figure out how to specify that on the Mac, you can make some bucks. Sockets, as in BSD sockets. No. But you can code to use them (assuming you have a TCP/IP hookup). As to IPC, it is much better than any system I have seen yet. This includes the implementation on Apollos (NCS) and Suns. It is a fully object oriented high level message passing system. I like it. >It's too bad 7.0 isn't unix. I'd rather have unix onmy plus than the Go buy a copy of Xenix for the Mac then :-) [stuff about Next as memory/cpu hog] > >Not really. The more memory you have the less paging the OS has to do >(if it even supports VM, i.e., NOT macOS by design) and therefore, no The MacOS is now fully VM compatible, either in 24 or 32 bit addressing modes. It is applications for the Mac that have problems. As to the memory/cpu hog, both the NeXT AND the mac are hogs. That is a trend in systems, the memory and MIPS are there so use them. Whatever happened to really optimizing code :-). The bottom line, decide what you are going to use the system for, then buy the most appropriate system. Just make sure the company is going to be there in 5 years whey you need support or fixes ! maurice -- Maurice Sharp MSc. Student (403) 220 7690 University of Calgary Computer Science Department 2500 University Drive N.W. sharp@cpsc.UCalgary.CA Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4 GEnie M.SHARP5