Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!rutgers!ames!sdcsvax!ucsdhub!hp-sdd!ncr-sd!crash!ford
From: ford@crash.cts.com (Michael Ditto)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.att
Subject: Re: Query about the quality of UNIX/PCs and 3b1's (really 3b1 unix)
Message-ID: <2208@crash.cts.com>
Date: 26 Dec 87 23:26:55 GMT
References: <9691@shemp.UCLA.EDU> <18017@clyde.ATT.COM> <997@bakerst.UUCP> <1146@mtunb.ATT.COM> <2420@oxtrap.UUCP>
Reply-To: ford%kenobi@crash.CTS.COM (Michael Ditto)
Organization: Crash TS, El Cajon, CA
Lines: 55
Summary: Unix PC Unix revealed... (SysVr2)

In article <2420@oxtrap.UUCP> rich@oxtrap.UUCP (K. Richard Magill) writes:
>
>3b1 Unix was written by Convergent Technologies.  The C compiler is
>the most obvious clue.

Ok, this thread is getting pretty ridiculous... Now Unix was written by
Convergent Technologies?

The Unix PC comes with Genuine, Real-Live, AT&T Unix System V developed
by AT&T/Bell Labs, and decended from code written by Kernighan, Ritchie,
Thompson, and Bourne, themselves.  It is a port of "System V Release 2"
ported by people at Convergent Technologies, which is also where the
hardware was designed.  It also has some minor extentions from both System
V Release 3 and Berkely Unix.  For example, from SVR3 comes the "xt"
multiplexing protocol and "layers" windowing system, and internal support
for the "Streams" I/O system.  From BSD comes the Berkeley network socket
capability, although this is only included with the Ethernet software.
In all normally visible aspects of the system, however, there are no
significant deviations from System V Release 2.

The C Compiler, assembler, and loader are the standard 68010 tools from the
"SGS" (Software Generation System) from AT&T.  They are essentially identical
to the versions that would be found on any 68000 Unix System V (For example,
the CounterPoint Computers 68020 systems, and the HP-350 68020 systems).

There are some additions to the Unix PC's SVR2 made especially for the Unix
PC:  Loadable Device Drivers and the console windows.  Loadable device
drivers allow driver installation into a running kernel.  The console
windows are supported by a device driver in the kernel, and a few system
programs have been modified to integrate well with the multiple windows.

Then, on top of what is essentially a generic Unix box, you have the
"User Agent" system, with the windows, menus, and automated system
maintenence.  This layer was implemented, in my opinion, in a very good
way that is consistent with the design of Unix; most importantly it IS a
"layer" of software that a user can choose to ignore.  When the user agent
is not used, what is left is a very complete port of System V Release 2
with a few extras thrown in.

There are a very few things missing; these are described in the user's
manuals as a command-by-command comparison between the Unix PC and the
System V Interface Definition for SVR2.  Someone on this group has already
itemized the notable differences; the only one that has bothered me is the
ommission of the "crash(1M)" command.


In summary, I make very extensive use of my 3B1, I am used to System V
release 2 and 3, and have not been disappointed in the functionality of the
Unix of the Unix PC.  I do wish it were a little more reliable (in terms
of frequency of inexplicable crashes, etc.).
-- 

Mike Ditto					-=] Ford [=-
P.O. Box 1721					ford%kenobi@crash.CTS.COM
Bonita, CA 92002				ford@crash.CTS.COM