Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!actnyc!prh
From: prh@actnyc.UUCP (Paul R. Haas)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Universal OS (was Re: Survey of
Message-ID: <843@actnyc.UUCP>
Date: 25 Apr 88 18:22:19 GMT
References: <769@imagine.PAWL.RPI.EDU> <76700017@uiucdcsp>
Reply-To: uunet!actnyc!prh (Paul R. Haas)
Organization: InterACT Corporation
Lines: 35

The naive user doesn't want a universal OS, she wants to be able to
use the same interface everytime she tackles the same problem.  This
means she is happy if the interface on her automatic teller machine
is similar enough to the machine that sells her airline tickets for
her to use both without undo confusion or excessive relearning time.
She also wants to be able drive any rental car without having to learn
how to drive again.  She does not want or expect the rental car to
have the same interface as an automatic teller.

The same should be true of computers.  A user should be able to use
the same programming language(s), the same command language(s)
(shell(s)) and the same window system(s) on all the computers that
she uses.  The choice of language should be based on the problem to
be solved and the person implimenting the solution.

In the article that started this thread, the user said he wanted VMS
on every machine that he used.  I suspect, he would be happy if DCL
(VMS's command shell) was available on those machines.  This is not
likely to happen because of marketing considerations (among others). 

If we can get new users to use X windows (or other widely available
interface) and to use only the widely available features of a widely
available language (such as C or Fortran avoiding nasty extensions)
then they will be able to switch between different operating systems
without a lot of grief.

This will not limit progress.  We can still learn new things, however,
we will have to continue to support the old.  I suspect that any
successfull new operating systems will be able to run programs developed
for Unix with out having to change the source code.  Likewise new
window systems will be able to support existing X window applications.
The new operating systems and new window systems may make some things
very easy which use to be nearly impossible under the old systems.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Haas	uunet.uu.net!actnyc!prh