Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!tivoli!greylock!lark
From: lark@greylock.osf.org (Lar Kaufman)
Newsgroups: comp.os.mach
Subject: Re: comp.os.osf???
Message-ID: <447@tivoli.UUCP>
Date: 2 Mar 91 21:37:57 GMT
References: <1991Mar1.232013.31954@mp.cs.niu.edu> <2999@fai.UUCP> <193@idt.UUCP>
Sender: news@tivoli.UUCP
Reply-To: lark@greylock.osf.org (Lar Kaufman)
Followup-To: news.groups
Distribution: usa
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Lines: 49

In article <1991Mar1.232013.31954@mp.cs.niu.edu>, bennett@mp.cs.niu.edu
(Scott Bennett) writes:
> In article <193@idt.UUCP> vladan@idt.UUCP (Vladan Djakovic) writes:
> >In article <2999@fai.UUCP>, georgeb@fai.UUCP (George Bosworth) writes:
> >> Is there any newsgroup for OSF operating system news, such
> >> as comp.os.osf?
> >> 
> >> If not, is there interest in starting one?
> >> 
> >comp.os.osf is sound idea. If others are interested the formal
procedure should
> >be started.
> 
>      I agree in principle, but the name should be comp.unix.osf.  OSF/1
> is supposedly a UNIX system containing code from various sources, 
> including AT&T, UCB, CMU, MIT, and the OSF.  This is quite a different
> case from the recently proposed Coherent group because Coherent is a
> complete rewrite, i.e. a UNIX "workalike" rather than a version of UNIX.
You are correct that the name should be comp.unix.osf - for now.  I understand 
that the next iteration of OSF (OSF/2 ?) is to have no licensed UNIX code. 
 
I have no objection to comp.os.osf as a name, however.  After all, the first 
major anamoly in the hierarchy is that comp.unix* is not comp.os.unix*  

We really need Usenet to seek permission from Unix Systems Laboratories to 
put non-licensed Unix-lookalikes into comp.unix.*  - and I bet USL won't 
permit it.  Perhaps we shouldn't even use the word "unix" in our hierarchical 
structure at all.  Maybe comp.os.u.bsd and comp.os.u.svr would be better
starting 
points... Would that mean that comp.os.coherent would have to be 
comp.os.u.v7.coherent?

This is a thorny problem and it will remain so, especially as OSes try
to borrow 
concepts and features from other OSes.  Where, for example, do you talk about 
Posix, when VMS becomes Posix-compliant?

My suggested (short-term) solution: 
 - form comp.unix.osf1 now
 - form comp.os.osf2 later.

Note that I've set follow-ups to news.groups.

-lar

Lar Kaufman            I would feel more optimistic about a bright future
(voice) 512-794-9070   for man if he spent less time proving that he can
(fax)   512-794-0623   outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness 
lark@tivoli.com        and respecting her seniority.  - E.B. White