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From: jqj@gvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.emacs
Subject: Re: GNU Emacs and Sun windows
Message-ID: <638@gvax.cs.cornell.edu>
Date: Sat, 22-Nov-86 16:39:07 EST
Article-I.D.: gvax.638
Posted: Sat Nov 22 16:39:07 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Nov-86 07:52:22 EST
References: <8611211945.AA02288@EDDIE>
Reply-To: jqj@gvax.cs.cornell.edu (J Q Johnson)
Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept. Ithaca NY
Lines: 25

In article <8611211945.AA02288@EDDIE> rms@prep.ai.mit.edu (Richard M. Stallman) writes:
>I have received an interface from GNU Emacs to Sun Windows that will
>probably be included in Emacs version 18 in a few weeks.  It provides
>for mouse support.
>
>... if you are using a Sun, you should not use Sun windows.
>You should use the free X window system.
>
>1. Using free software in preference to comparable proprietary
>software is an important way users can support the free software
>movement.
>
>...[other arguments in favor of X]
Although RMS may be correct that X is preferable to SunWindows as an
interface, the issues are far more complex than he makes it seem.  For
example, he ignores the new SUN windowing system, NeWS, which is probably
(my opinion.  People at MIT tend to disagree) technically superior to
X.  More important, styling X as public and the SUN windowing system as
proprietary ignores the extent to which DEC supports and maintains a
proprietary interest in X.  Although the interface spec. for X is
public, the implementation of X servers for such DEC graphics devices
as the VAXstation II is DEC proprietary.  Thus, DEC uses X to force me
to buy Ultrix rather than the closer-to-public 4.3BSD if I want to use
a VAXstation or GPX.  Is this non-proprietary?  Do YOU want to support
Ken Olsen's plan to make DEC richer by charging more for software?