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From: benoni@ssc-vax.UUCP (Charles L Ditzel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: talk: is it or isn't it? anyway, an apology...
Message-ID: <1246@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-May-87 23:02:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.1246
Posted: Thu May 21 23:02:46 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 23-May-87 14:52:01 EDT
References: <870520221320.297724@HI-MULTICS.ARPA>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Corp., Seattle WA
Lines: 27
Summary: 8 character names

In article <870520221320.297724@HI-MULTICS.ARPA>, Giebelhaus@HI-MULTICS.ARPA writes:
> I did file a ucr.  I encourage every one else to do the same.
> 
> What is the feeling of the people reading this group about 8 character
> names vs 32 character names?  I have a lot of users that have long
> names; they have had long names for quite some time now.  Now I could
> use edppo to change all the names and then put entries in the
> /usr/lib/aliases file, but I still think 8 character names are stupid.
> I would rather rewrite all the *UNIX* talks on our network.
> 

YES! 8 character names ARE stupid. (feels like MSDOS-land)

> 
> I also think that in addition to UCRs, it is important to discuss
> undocumented (and even documented) "features" of the operating system
> here.  

OK here is a very good one that has bitten more than a few of us.
In GMR3D if you have an open metafile and you try to use a system call
or fork&exec combination your call goes nowhere (i.e. dies).  On calling
Apollo's hotline the expert consoled me by telling me that it was a bug
and that that bug extended to 2D GMR and GPR (I couldn't take all this
bad news in one day).  I basically didn't waste any more time on the
problem. :(  I guess if someone has an explanation i would be interested
in it (BUT PLEEZ - don't give this "it'll be fixed in 9.5 " It seems like
i have been hearing that alot of late.