Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!bywater!arnor!ibmman!larrys From: larrys@watson.ibm.com (Larry Salomon, Jr.) Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc Subject: Re: (Sigh) Here we go again... Message-ID: <1991May9.161302.9489@watson.ibm.com> Date: 9 May 91 16:09:02 GMT References: <3.8g.ra@rpi.edu> Sender: larrys@ibmman.watson.ibm.com Reply-To: larrys@yktvmv Organization: IBM Research Lines: 55 News-Software: NewsKit 1.2 - LaMail Nntp-Posting-Host: ibmman In <3.8g.ra@rpi.edu>, yee@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Crimson Avenger) writes: > >ARGG!! Unix and OS/2 are TWO seperate products for different marketing >stragety. Unix came first and is now running on a host of machines from >mainframes to micro-computers, while OS/2 is MAINLY for the IBM PC and clone >family. You can't run OS/2 on a VAX or some other mini-computer. Even >IBM is recognizing the fact with the popularity of UNIX that it has AIX for >370 mainframes all the way down to RISC 6000, and to IBM PCs. You can run >Unix on the PC. Which do I prefer? I have seen Unix and I like it very much. >I tend to think OS/2 with the Presentation Manager is sort of like Windows >which I run. Somebody had the idea of the PM being the main selling point >for OS/2 was wrong. Let's really look at the question of GUI: Agreed. Unix's availability on many different platforms is one of the reasons it is so popular. >Who is GUI really for? I grew up learning to use the command line and >anything you can do for a GUI, you can do with a command line. GUI is really >an end-user product for someone who don't want to learn how to use the >computer. It's just point and click thing. I prefer that we go back to >command line rather than just point and shoot. Why? It would force people >to learn about the computer and become more computer literate. Yeah right. Tell that to Mr. Joe Executive who is in charge of 300 people and DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO LEARN. >I vote we scrap the PM, Apple's System 7, X11, and other GUIs.. make the >user learn about the computer. Any seconds? Gime a break. >p.s. I think UNIX system calls are standard, better than OS/2. Have you seen >some of the names for the system routines for OS/2? It sounds >so technical. The system call names are more "friender".. Oh boy. This is a gem. Tell me then why a programmer who is new to Unix takes so long to learn how to program for it? I was a Unix neophyte once (and kinda still am) and you don't know HOW FRUSTRATING it is to want to do something in my program and not knowing the system call and then having to spend 30 minutes looking through 'man' pages trying to find the right function. Oh sure, 'popen' (:sarcasm.) OBVIOUSLY (:esarcasm.) means to shell to another process and create a pipe between the two. Gime a break. Cheers, Larry Salomon, Jr. (aka 'Q') LARRYS@YKTVMV.BITNET OS/2 Applications and Tools larrys@ibmman.watson.ibm.com IBM T.J. Watson Research Center larrys@eng.clemson.edu Yorktown Heights, NY Disclaimer: The statements and/or opinions stated above are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of my employer. Additionally, I have a reputation for being obnoxious, so don't take any personal attacks too seriously.