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From: kim@mcrware.UUCP (Kim Kempf)
Newsgroups: net.micro.68k
Subject: Re: Re: Holy Holistic, Batman!  (OS-9 and the art of being holistic)
Message-ID: <156@mcrware.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 17-Nov-85 14:01:10 EST
Article-I.D.: mcrware.156
Posted: Sun Nov 17 14:01:10 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Nov-85 05:20:53 EST
References: <576@sftig.UUCP> <1001@bnl44.UUCP> <11467@rochester.UUCP> <6140@utzoo.UUCP>
Organization: Microware Systems Corp., Des Moines, IA
Lines: 35

> > As I said, UNIX-sheltered.  Try to comprehend I/O devices that have no
> > association with the disks.  An "inode" is not required for OS-9 pipes or
> > any other device, and therefore needs no disk access to open such....
> 
> <5140@utzoo.UUCP> Henry Spencer:
>
> How about OS-9-sheltered?  Try to comprehend that Unix file systems do not
> have to use any particular storage technology; in particular, they do not
> need to be on disks.  It's easy to have them in RAM, almost as easy to have
> them in ROM.  Furthermore, Unix pipes do not have to be implemented as files

Try to comprehend an operating system that doesn't require hacking to
implement the "concepts" correctly (or differently).  No matter what one
desires in UNIX, someone out there has probably hacked it in.  When I speak
of the operation of UNIX, I am relying on the common implementations, not
Joe Blow Corp's hack-port to the PC Bannana Jr., Model 3B2.

Common UNIX (SysV or 4.2) serial or pipe device opens require a disk access to
obtain the inode for the device.  True, the device describing inodes can
(by hacks) be placed in rom.  Try to change them while the system is running!
Sure it UNIX could be changed to do it.  Why not admit that OS-9 does at least
one thing better than UNIX?

OS-9 has enhanced many of the great attributes of UNIX.  Let's address the
subject at hand, rather than clinging to our treasured tidbits of UNIX trivia
and history. ;-)

----------------
"...to seek out new life and new civilizations....", etc, etc.

Kim Kempf, Microware Systems Corporation

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