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From: btb@mtuxo.UUCP (Bruce Burger)
Newsgroups: net.unix,net.unix-wizards,net.micro
Subject: Re: Binary Compatibility 80286
Message-ID: <1056@mtuxo.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 23-Oct-85 15:12:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: mtuxo.1056
Posted: Wed Oct 23 15:12:53 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Oct-85 08:04:34 EDT
References: <248@omen.UUCP> <10764@ucbvax.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Holmdel NJ
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> Anyone worrying about binary compatability for UNIX programs has
> totally missed the point.

What is the point?  I think the point here is that a given machine cannot
sell well to the mass market until retail stores carry software for
it.  Retail stores will invest in software inventory ONLY if they
know there is a large base of hardware to support it.  Since
commercial software is sold in binary form, binary compatibility is
important.

Other types of compatibility are important for other reasons -- but
for retail success, you need binary compatibility.

--Bruce Burger