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From: bzs%bostonu.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re:  ULTRIX futures?
Message-ID: <761@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 8-Feb-86 15:11:24 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.761
Posted: Sat Feb  8 15:11:24 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Feb-86 06:08:27 EST
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I have for a long while now wanted to start a moderated list on
this and other similar topics called INFO-PROGNOSTICATIONS (nah,
too long, something like that.)

Although I suspect the unix-wizards audience is a close subset of
the people who should be interested in such topics (many others
also outside the unix community) it is really not quite the right
forum for such discussions.

I would like to feel this out from the community. Without being
overly prescriptive I am proposing a mailing list to loosely
cover the following sorts of topics:

1. First and foremost, trying to put events in the computing community
into some sort of perspective such as emergence of new products and
vendors with attempts to extrapolate their impact. Absolute strictness
about computing is not mandatory but some theme is probably necessary
to maintain interest. Obviously theoretical and research developments
are of equal merit.

2. Speculative assessment of the impact of new technologies on
computing. Obvious candidates at this point in history would be
CD roms, Multi-mip PCs, fast falling memory prices (faster than the
last time someone said that phrase), inexpensive super-computing...

3. Trends in operating systems especially in terms of their wide-spread
impact (such as the current 4.2/SYSV discussion.) Networking etc etc.

4. Trends in software (such as ugh bletch ADA) and applications
(can UNIX really ever support as personal an interface as a MacIntosh,
or does anyone even want that? what does that mean to each?)

5. Trends within companies (will DEC drop VMS? will the world drop
PR1ME? will IBM add JCL to UNIX before they feel comfortable with it? :-)

6. Strong rumors within these areas.

To prevent being misunderstood, the point is reasoned extrapolation
into the near future as it affects our decision making.

Of course what might make it a big boor would be wild speculation
except perhaps by some peculiarly talented individuals. This is one
reason to make it moderated.

What I am soliciting here is:

	a) Is there interest in such a discussion? Or is it better
	handled by existing groups allowing things to fall into
	their apparent topical catagories?

	b) What would it be called, suggestions welcome though I
	do not think this is too critical (INFO-FUTURES?)

	c) Does it exist already to your satisfaction?

RESPOND BY MAIL to the addresses below. USENET USERS: THIS IS NOT a
proposal for a new newsgroup but rather a mailing list, it could
conceivably become a group but the experimental nature of the
discussion should be tested in a less widely distributed audience,
there is no basis to make a usenet group out of it by common
guidelines, whining publicly ('I WANT') always sheds more heat than
light. I have direct access to ARPA, CSNET, UUCP and BITNET so most
anyone that participates in these discussions should be directly reachable.

I will create a summary of responses.

	-Barry Shein, Boston University

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