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From: rob@cwruecmp.UUCP (rob robertson)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: why learn UNIX
Message-ID: <1829@cwruecmp.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Jan-87 00:52:48 EST
Article-I.D.: cwruecmp.1829
Posted: Fri Jan 16 00:52:48 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Jan-87 00:21:35 EST
References: <1993@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Reply-To: rob@cwruecmp.UUCP (rob robertson)
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Comp & Info Sys
Lines: 32

In article <1993@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu> garry%cadif-oak@cu-arpa.cs.cornell.edu writes:
>Not fair. The Unix manuals are cheap because they:
>
>	1) Are cryptic and obscure,
>	2) Are not kept up-to-date,
>	3) Contain no examples,
>	4) Contain no index,
>	5) Assume that you're a wizard.
>
>DEC publishes a number of "tutorial and self-help" books -- there aren't
>the popular press books partly because the original manufacturer has acted
>responsibly and published them itself. After all, would you prefer to buy 
>a "Guide to programming in Fortran on XXX" or "Guide to Text Editing" from 
>the manufacturer or from some unknown hacker author?

My memories of programming on VMS consist of stuggling to balance
4-5 giant VMS orange binders of documentation.  Not knowing where
anything is (the index is fairly useless).  Having to figure out
bugs by myself.  

With Unix, the manual for the most part is in one complete volume.
It has a permuted index (a real help).  And manuals are online
(your mileage may vary), good for quick lookups when the hardcopy
manual is across the room.  There is also a bug section in the manual
to describe known bugs.  With Unix, I have a less cluttered desk,
easy information lookup, and I don't beat my head against the wall
as much about unknown bugs in the system.

As far as tutorial and self help books, with unix you have a selection
some good, some bad, but with vms you have only what dec gives you.

-rob