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From: doug%noah.arc.cdn%ubc.CSNET@RELAY.CS.NET (Doug Konkin)
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: re: why learn UNIX
Message-ID: <1124*doug@noah.arc.cdn>
Date: Tue, 13-Jan-87 01:16:11 EST
Article-I.D.: noah.1124*doug
Posted: Tue Jan 13 01:16:11 1987
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Oh Garry, why did you do it???

Let me start by saying that most of what you posted boils down to personal
preference, and you and Barry (and me, once I'm done) will all be guilty of
gross personal bias because of what we have said. Let's face it, however well
reasoned an argument is presented on this sort of thing, someone on the other
side can refute it, whether sensibly or not.

That said, I side with Barry. I have a lot of experience with both UNIX and
VMS, and my preference is for UNIX. I am a computer scientist, and I find that
UNIX is a far richer 'playground' than VMS. Sorry, but I can't agree with you
about the quality of utilities and user interface. For the experienced user,
which I believe CS students had better become, UNIX is quicker and easier to
use (see that bias creeping in :-) ). Documentation is also strictly personal
bias. While the UNIX documentation is often cryptic, it fits on the corner of
my desk. The VMS documentation doesn't quite fill my bookcase. Funny, but I
can't report any more success finding the infomation that I need in the VMS
documentation than in the UNIX books. I guess obsfucation is as big a sin as
being overly terse.

I think that the thing to keep in mind is the audience (CS students) and UNIX
becomes an excellent choice, VMS only a fair one. Without source, for example,
how are the operating system students going to hack the kernel? And do you
want to do without pipes, redirection, and hack?

Doug Konkin
Alberta Research Council
Calgary, Alberta.
T2E 7H7
(403) 297-2662