Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!ut-sally!ut-emx!reeder
From: reeder@ut-emx.UUCP (William P. Reeder)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: VMS, UNIX, etc.
Message-ID: <1199@ut-emx.UUCP>
Date: 14 Mar 88 16:30:24 GMT
References: <397@lscvax.UUCP> <10157@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com>
Organization: University of Texas Computation Center
Lines: 45
Keywords: IBM (Oooo) VAX speed, etc
Summary: IBM vs. Cray

In article <10157@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com>, ekrell@hector.UUCP (Eduardo Krell) writes:
> Is a Cray fast enough? it does run Unix. The Cray is faster than any
> IBM mainframe, therefore Unix is better than VM/CMS, right? (I'm using your
> 
I heard a rumor (so it must be right, right? :-) that an IBM 3090-400 will
outrun a Cray X-MP or Cray 2 on scalar programs.  (Crays really shine on
code that will vectorize.)  

Another thing I've heard is that UNICOS (Cray's UNIX) is HUGE and SLOW
(compared to COS); besides, are you really going to run a program that 
takes 5 hours (of CPU time) to run interactively?  We have a Cray X-MP/24
running COS at the UT System CHPC (Center for High Impedance Computing)
that is backed up for WEEKS on some of the larger job classes.  There are
some jobs which *couldn't* be run under UNICOS (on this machine) bacause
UNICOS would take up more memory than COS.

As for IBM's VM/CMS -- I don't happen to be graced with a 32xx terminal
so doing some things are a little more painful for me, I get to do
*character I/O*... oh boy!  Where is PA1 on my keyboard anyway?  But
seriously, you's got to learn some obscure stuff on any system, right?
OK, so why does it take 2 (or is it 3) commands to print a file on a 
different printer from the last one?  Why does FORTVS not know where to
find the basic FORTRAN libraries?  Why is it that if I want to use a 
graphics library for this run, I have to give a command (GLOBAL?, I forget)
which include ALL libraries (inluding the ones I think should be defaults
and I shouldn't even have to know the names of) instead of being able to
just add to the list?

I don't use our IBM much, and as a novice on that system I find it quite
frustrating.  I guess the same could be said for other systems I don't
use much, like TOPS-20 (but wait, that's the most user friendly system in
the world, isn't it?).  I do get along with COS (although requiring 
periods at the end of the command seems a *bit* old fashioned) and UT-2D
(anyone know what that is?) and, of course UNIX.

>     Eduardo Krell                   AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ

-- 
William {Wills,Card,Weekly,Virtual} Reeder	reeder@emx.utexas.edu

Scholars who study dinosaurs say there were some smart dinosaurs and lots
of stupid dinosaurs.  Those smart dinosaurs came along early, but in the
survival wars, please note, the stupid dinosaurs won.

DISCLAIMER:	I speak only for myself, and usually only to myself.