Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!steinmetz!ge-dab!codas!killer!jfh
From: jfh@killer.UUCP (The Beach Bum)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: VMS, UNIX, etc.
Message-ID: <3718@killer.UUCP>
Date: 16 Mar 88 23:25:26 GMT
References: <397@lscvax.UUCP> <10157@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com>
Reply-To: jfh@killer.UUCP (The Beach Bum)
Organization: Big "D" Home for Wayward Hackers
Lines: 41
Keywords: IBM (Oooo) VAX speed, etc
Summary: What runs on a 370 is far from Unix.

In article <10157@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com> ekrell@hector (Eduardo Krell) writes:
>In article <397@lscvax.UUCP> ram@lscvax.UUCP writes:
>
>>Perhaps if there was a
>>machine that was sufficiently fast to handle Unix, I would think about
>>switching my alignment, but I doubt it. Too many other problems with it
>>that I see.
>
>The speed of the machine has nothing to do with whether you prefer Unix
>or IBM's VM/CMS. You should be comparing an IBM mainframe running VM/CMS
>with the SAME machine running Unix. And yes, you can run Unix on IBM
>mainframes.
>    
>    Eduardo Krell                   AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ

[ this is not pertaining to the version of unix which runs native-mode on
  a 370, but rather the mixed-breed product IBM is currently pushing out
  the door.  your mileage may vary ;-) ]

i recently had the misfortune to have to deal with 370/ix on a 9370.  aside
from the size of the system, about 800MB of software and such for 370/ix
and VM underneath it, the ASCII terminal subsystem leaves much to desire.

for starters, the console (and terminals also i believe) run in line mode,
as oppossed to character mode.  the <SEND> key must be pressed for each
batch of input to be sent.

i/o is fast, as is the case with most IBM mainframes i've run on.  the
commands are fairly complete, and the software seems to work.  but that
infernal line mode makes using simple things, like vi, next to impossible.

at last i heard, IBM had shipped about 40 systems with 370/ix and was
not able to support them for spit.  big blue obviously is not too willing
to jump on the Unix bandwagon just yet.

- john.
-- 
John F. Haugh II                  SNAIL:  HECI Exploration Co. Inc.
UUCP: ...!ihnp4!killer!jfh                11910 Greenville Ave, Suite 600
"You can't threaten us, we're             Dallas, TX. 75243
  the Oil Company!"                       (214) 231-0993 Ext 260