Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!uwvax!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!ems!nis!stag!trb
From: trb@stag.UUCP ( Todd Burkey )
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: The REAL problem is the nature of personal computers.
Message-ID: <316@stag.UUCP>
Date: 18 Jan 88 03:43:46 GMT
References: <7967@g.ms.uky.edu> <1363@sugar.UUCP> <8692@ccicpg.UUCP> <8021@g.ms.uky.edu> <8870@ccicpg.UUCP> <38467@sun.uucp> <2136@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Reply-To: trb@stag.UUCP ( Todd Burkey )
Organization: Mindtools ST Access Group, Plymouth, MN
Lines: 40
Posted: Sun Jan 17 21:43:46 1988

In article <2136@gryphon.CTS.COM> richard@gryphon.CTS.COM (Richard Sexton) writes:
>In article <38467@sun.uucp> cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis) writes:
>>Harald made some valid points about UNIX (tm) and its siblings. Basically
>>while the kernel may be kept under 500K the utilities, tools and other
>>stuff that everyone 'expects' UNIX to have usually add up to a lot of
>>disk space. Added to that, UNIX processes can be fairly large and that

I agree with Harald on this one...My Symmetrics came with 35 megabytes
of tools, languages, utilities, etc, and I have aquired another 20
megs or so of necessary stuff that I find handy to have on-line...Note
that this is a BSD system and that SYSV systems seem to come with less
tools included 'free' (i.e. documentation workbench, prolog, apl,
lisp, uw, window, etc).

>>In article <8870@ccicpg.UUCP> harald@ccicpg.UUCP ( Harald Milne) writes:
>>>	In 5 years, I still have not seen a cheap and reasonable performance 
>>>UNIX implemention for less than $5000. Im still waiting, I love UNIX, and
>>>would love to have it at home.

Sorta true...my Symmetrics cost $4995 (4-rs232/1-centronics/2 meg
model), but if you don't mind putting up with sorta-unix on a PC then
you can get pretty close with an AT runing minix or micro-port. I
looked at that approach first because it was cheaper ($3000), but I
also value my time and hate wasting time playing the workaround game.
The 386 machines might be a different matter, though...they are fast.

>>>	In summary, I don't feel UNIX is reasonable for the home computing

Symantics here...the average person - who is not a programmer in a unix
(or unix like) environment at work - would probably have no use for it
even if it was in the $3000 range. (I think that this is related to
the point that Dave Meile was trying to get across in the mulit-tasking war).
HOWEVER, if you are a unix programmer for a living and like to program in your
spare time (what is spare time?), then it does make sense. Or if, like
me, you just want a good base for furthering your knowledge of
languages and unix, then it also makes sense (except when you are
explaining it to your wife :-) ).

 -Todd Burkey
  trb@stag.UUCP