Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!seismo!uunet!steinmetz!vdsvax!barnett From: barnett@vdsvax.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Amiga: Which replacment OS?/UN*X ?? Message-ID: <1705@vdsvax.steinmetz.UUCP> Date: Thu, 4-Jun-87 10:42:11 EDT Article-I.D.: vdsvax.1705 Posted: Thu Jun 4 10:42:11 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 6-Jun-87 08:20:44 EDT References: <600@gryphon.CTS.COM> Reply-To: barnett@ge-crd.arpa (Bruce G Barnett) Organization: General Electric CRD, Schenectady, NY Lines: 86 Summary: Un*X Yes, C-A - how are you planning to do it? In article <600@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@pnet02.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes: >Sooo, I for one would not like to see Amiga become UN*X boxes. Thay can do >better than that. But if they had a common kernal that could support the >current OS and UN*X, it might make everyone happy. > >But I still would'nt use UN*X. Everyone to their own opinion. I use UN*X a lot. I don't have a home computer (yet :-). I am waiting for a machine with: 32-bit backplane Slots to grow Ability to add UN*X The Mac II is the first machine that is a real possibility. Now if only I could afford it. Mild flame to C-A: [Note - I believe the Zorro slots are not 32 bits address and 32 bits data. If I am wrong - please forgive. Let's not swamp the newsgroup with flames.] The A2000 is a 16 bit machine that can support a 32 bit CPU card. If I buy a home computer, I would like to have a system that can be used for 5 - 10 years (sounds foolish - doesn't it :-). I mean, I don't want to upgrade the chassis and motherboard every other year. I want to buy a machine that is useful as is, then add memory and disks in the years to come, when they drop in price. I can only afford a major purchase in computing power ONCE. Look at the Mac II: The floppy disk controller can handle double density floppys. The CPU motherboard can support 128MBytes (with the right chips). The system can support Parallel Processors, with any CPU becomming the master. So I can add a 68030 (or whatever) board, and use the original CPU board as an I/O handler. Or vice versa. UN*X is available Real Soon Now. Video board is upgradable! Seven 32 bit Slots! Clearly - the Mac II was designed for a long useful future. Yes it is expensive - but perhaps it is worth it in the long run. How much will the A3000 cost assuming you started with an A1000? The same as a Mac II? I know that when I want to upgrade the Mac, some of the boards will be REAL CHEAP five years from now. :-) I think the Amiga is a great machine. I would rather buy an Amiga than a Mac. You guys must be having a great time. I do envy you. But I don't want to buy a system, and then be frustrated with it two or three years later. How much will it cost me to add UN*X in three years? In that time, RAM and disk will be cheap. Richard, you may not like UN*X. I do. Not only can I quickly develop scripts and programs, but I can port them to a large number of machines. I can develop software to run on Vaxes, Suns, Apollos, and Xenix machines. One of the advantages of having a personal workstation is the ability to develop applications for commercial use. This is one way to lower the cost of ownership. There are two directions to go here. MSDOS and UNIX. As for your opinion on Unix, I guess you are critical with the user interface. The ADVANTAGE of UN*X is that you can change pieces of it easily. It is also well understood. Maybe a whiz-bang kernal would make you happy, but unless it was widely available, the advantage would be limited. Sorry guys, but I don't see the Amiga taking over the world. Maybe a nitch. I would rather put my person time into understanding UN*X better, than learning a strange OS. No matter how Great and Wonderful it is, it won't help my daytime job. -- Bruce G. Barnett (barnett@ge-crd.ARPA) (barnett@steinmetz.UUCP) -- "The difference between a Buddha and an ordinary man is that one knows the difference and the other does not."