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From: gwyn@BRL.ARPA (VLD/VMB)
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: merging 4BSD and SysV utilities
Message-ID: <2711@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 31-Jul-86 10:25:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-smok.2711
Posted: Thu Jul 31 10:25:11 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Aug-86 04:12:53 EDT
Sender: news@brl-smoke.ARPA
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I think the folks who are trying to figure out how to best maintain
two versions of everything are on the wrong track.  There is no good
reason not to combine versions for nearly all the regular UNIX
command utilities.  Usually this is a matter of finding the least
buggy version and then folding in the extra options from the other
version.  The only remaining problem is then to get AT&T and UCB to
"buy back" the improved merged version so that this work doesn't
have to be repeated by everyone into the indefinite future.

The C library is a different matter, since there are many semantic
differences between 4BSD and SysV, especially with system calls.
However, there is also no good reason for all UNIX C environments not
to include all functions required for X3J11 and 1003.1 conformance.

Let's try to improve the UNIX environment, not hobble it.