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From: jweiss@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Jerry Weiss)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.dec,comp.os.vms,comp.editors,comp.unix.shell
Subject: Re: DCL and EDT for Unix?
Message-ID: <1991Jun19.170723.5663@casbah.acns.nwu.edu>
Date: 19 Jun 91 17:07:23 GMT
References: <91169.171310SCHDAVZ@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu> <1991Jun19.122116.8961@cs.utk.edu>
Organization: Northwestern University
Lines: 41

In article <1991Jun19.122116.8961@cs.utk.edu> Dave Sill <de5@ornl.gov> writes:
>In article <91169.171310SCHDAVZ@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu>, SCHDAVZ@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu (Dave Schweisguth) writes:
>>I'd like to find clones of VMS' DCL and EDT (and/or TPU) for a Personal Iris.
>>...
>>Identical look-n'feel is a BIG
>>priority, since we have here a large group of Vax users who (quite rightly)
>>want to spend as little time as possible learning how to use another #$%@&
>>computer ...
>
>This is the wrong approach.  Attempting to hide UNIX from your users
>with a mask of VMS will only lead to frustration in the long run.
>There will be lots of picky little incompatibilities, forcing
>everything through a VMS model is inefficient, and you won't be able
>to take advantage of the features of UNIX that make it worthwhile.
>
>I suggest you all bite the bullet and learn your new systems, rather
>than trying to make them look like your old systems.  Vive la
>difference.
>

There is nothing wrong with this approach.  It certainly has its 
advantages and disadvantages and these should be weighed closely and 
in consideration with the user population's level of expertise.

If the users aren't programmers and dont normally deal with the fine
details of either DCL or UNIX, then it is probably an acceptable
alternative.

If on the other hand they are going to be writing DCL procedures or 
programming, then they should "bite the bullet" and learn
a UNIX shell.  

You can make life easier for most of them however with a few alias
commands for things like delete, copy and rename etc.

Don't get hung up about rights and wrongs.  Evaluate the situation and
tradeoffs and make an informed decision.


Jerry S. Weiss
Northwestern Univ. Medical School