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From: zornig%bbn-unix@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: TOPS-20 --> UNIX
Message-ID: <12098@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 27-Sep-83 22:55:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12098
Posted: Tue Sep 27 22:55:53 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Sep-83 02:10:35 EDT
Lines: 23

From:  John Zornig <zornig@bbn-unix>

Sure, I have.  I used TOPS-20, and before that TOPS-10, for many years
before beginning with UNIX.  I can see that anyone who thinks that 
command completion and online help is the principal measure of an 
operating system or programming environment would love TOPS-20.  On 
the other hand, anyone who really uses the system, system calls and all,
could get real tired of TOPS-20 and BLISS.  I did.

Indeed, it was the severe shortcomings of TOPS-20 as a serious programming
environment that motivated a group at Yale to invest what seem like man-
centuries in developing the Yale Tools package.

If you want to see the difference, try writing your favorite UNIX utilities
in BLISS or MACRO-10 using TOPS-20 system calls and (echh..) byte pointers.
Don't forget 5 7-bit chars per word, left justified, and be sure to include
the precious command completion and "?" functions.

Talk's cheap....

				    John G. Zornig
				    Ye Olde Venerable
				      BBN Communications Corp.