Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcs!mnetor!seismo!columbia!caip!brl-adm!brl-smoke!smoke!rbj@icst-cmr.arpa From: rbj@icst-cmr.arpa Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: BSD vs ULTRIX vs SysV Message-ID: <2271@brl-smoke.ARPA> Date: Tue, 15-Jul-86 17:50:56 EDT Article-I.D.: brl-smok.2271 Posted: Tue Jul 15 17:50:56 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 16-Jul-86 03:49:04 EDT Sender: news@brl-smoke.ARPA Lines: 52 I administer the UN*X side of the academic computing facility here at Tufts University. I am currently running two VAX 780's under 4.2BSD. The arrival of 4.3BSD has prompted my management to take a look at alternates to the BSD UN*X. They keep returning to the topics: System V, Ultrix. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 4.2 -> 4.3 should provide the least disruption and the most modern system. Your students are probably used to source as well. At least they're all UNIX. I am interested in sources of information which might be useful in helping them to decide what to do. Is there a report comparing different UN*X systems that I might read? Books? What are your opinions? There is a report comparing an old version of BSD (4.1?) with an old Version of System V (5.0?) (or is it SYS III?), but obviously you are interested in something more recent. I am interested not only in functional differences, ie this system call vs that, but also in less well defined differences like availability of knowlegable personnel, corporate software support and its necessity, etc. With System V, you probably won't be able to send this mail the same way and will be forced into using UUCP. BSD (and obviously ULTRIX) will allow you local networking on an ethernet cable, thereby creating your own version of an ARPAnet, even if you don't have an IMP. 4.3 has been enhanced quite a bit and is faster. I find support relatively unnecessary, especially in a University environment. You should find lots of gurus in Beantown. How would you begin to decide which OS a university should run? If I receive enough interesting answers, I'll summarize and post, as others will surely be faced with the same sorts of questions from the same sorts of managers. I wouldn't give TPC the satisfaction. Switching from BSD to System V is like jumping from the NFL into the USFL. Kevin Sullivan Sr. Systems Programmer Tufts University Medford, MA 02155 ARPA: kjs%tufts@CSNET-RELAY BITNET: kjs@tufts Any relation to the Pats owners? (Root Boy) Jim Cottrell Was my SOY LOAF left out in th'RAIN? It tastes REAL GOOD!!