Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!nbires!hao!gatech!udel!rminnich
From: rminnich@udel.EDU (Ron Minnich)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: the good old "tools vs. integrated systems" debate.
Message-ID: <1232@louie.udel.EDU>
Date: 27 Feb 88 22:08:25 GMT
Reply-To: rminnich@udel.EDU (Ron Minnich)
Organization: University of Delaware
Lines: 24

Personally i like to build with tools. But on the other hand
the Unix tool-building methodology has kind of given tools a 
bad name lately- the interface from program to program (byte pipe)
is just too lacking to allow you to build an interactive system
from simple tools- at least one that people want to use. 
   On the other hand the Amiga rom kernel supports a more sophisticated
ipc mechanism. We ought to be able to build tools-based integrated systems!
Take a look at HaiCalc; the bar graph menu item activates a process.
Best recent examples: dnet and/or amigatcp, which allow you to 
interact with individual processes which all tied together are more than
the equal of all-in-one programs such as vt100. On Dnet for example
you can have amiga programs emulating different types of terminals
running while you have ftp and/or kermit and/or zmodem running too
(conceivably- no body has written the servers yet!)
   Now for a challenge. Can we build a tools-based system that is the 
equal of Hypercard in its capabilities. I did not say the same thing, 
but something as capable. Hypercard's capabilities are neat, but i 
find myself put off by the 'one big program' approach. Can such a system
be built some other way? An interesting challenge, i think.
(P.S. and besides, i think the script language is gross- reminds
  me of Cobol!)

-- 
ron (rminnich@udel.edu)