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From: bogstad@HOPKINS-EECS-BRAVO.ARPA.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: Re: sleep() & VMS vs. Unix
Message-ID: <8607051223.AA28031@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Sat, 5-Jul-86 02:05:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8607051223.AA28031
Posted: Sat Jul  5 02:05:37 1986
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[please read *'ed section]

              Since I posted my message about my problems with VMS
      libraries, I have received many messages both from this list and
      directly which inform me of the LIB$WAIT library function which
      provides exactly the same capability (actually a little better) as
      the Unix sleep() library function.

              In my original posting I failed to mention that I had this
      problem ~3 years ago.  One of the messages I received said that
      LIB$WAIT was added in VMS V4 so in fact it wasn't available when I
      needed it.  That message makes me feel better because I really
      would have hated to think I missed it after spending a day with
      the VMS manuals.  I'm glad that VMS programmers now have the
      benefit of this routine, but since I haven't used VMS for almost
      that long it no longer affects me.

              Many messages could be exchanged about why Unix had a
      sleep() routine years -- my PWB Unix 1.0 manual has it 1977 --
      before VMS.  Obviously different systems have different strengths.
      The VMS RMS library is far beyond anything that comes with
      standard Unices - not of course that it can't be done, as LIB$WAIT
      was done for VMS.

              Unfortunately that was the only time in my use of VMS that
      I had to "escape" from the confines of the Fortran 77 standard and
      I am left without another good example to support my opinion.  This
      opinion being that VMS is a programmer unfriendly system.  In my
      original posting I intended to question the need for the
      baroqueness of the system and library routines of VMS.  My feeling
*     is that simple things should be available in a simple fashion.
*     Realizing of course that not everything is simple.
*
*             Does anyone else have a similiar opinion?  Either of VMS
*     or operating systems in general.

              Finally, this message barely belongs in INFO-VAX a.k.a.
      mod.computers.vax.  On the USENET side, mod.os might be more
      appropriate.  Unfortunately, I am not aware of an ARPANET mailing
      list with an equivalent charter.  I will leave it up to the
      readers of this list to decide whether this subject belongs here
      any longer.  I will watch mod.os if anyone wants to start it
      there.  In either case, I'm afraid that I may have little new to
      add since my experience is primarily limited to VMS and Unix.

      				Bill Bogstad
      				bogstad@hopkins-eecs-bravo.arpa