Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!oberon!sdcrdcf!trwrb!aero!venera.isi.edu!raveling
From: raveling@vaxa.isi.edu (Paul Raveling)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: hp9000s300 grief, sorry
Message-ID: <5434@venera.isi.edu>
Date: 5 May 88 16:26:16 GMT
References: <12409@sri-spam.istc.sri.com>
Sender: news@venera.isi.edu
Reply-To: raveling@vaxa.isi.edu.UUCP (Paul Raveling)
Organization: USC-Information Sciences Institute
Lines: 51

In article <12409@sri-spam.istc.sri.com> wohler@spam.istc.sri.com (Bill Wohler) writes:
>
>  i sent the following to a group of people as a way of letting off
>  some steam.  a couple of them, who work at hp, suggested i post it
>  here for the benefit of the hp engineers.
>	...

	I think it would be appropriate to place some blame where
	blame is REALLY due:  At the roots of Unix.

	HP has done ALMOST as good a job of producing a maximally
	compatible Unix port as is possible.  The biggest exception
	is those blasted 14-character filenames -- HP deserves a
	bloody black eye for all the trouble they've caused that
	could have been avoided.

	Speaking from experience with HP-UX, BSD, System V, Version 6,
	and non-Unices (VMS, TOPS-10/20, several PDP-11 systems [including
	EPOS], OS-360, PC-DOS, + maybe a dozen more),  I'd say the
	general rule is:

		If any given software entity ports easily from
		one Unix to another, it's either a miracle or
		a consequence of somone's blood, sweat, and tears.
	
	In fact, I've found it easier to port at least a few programs
	from PC-DOS to Unix than from one Unix to another.  The reason
	lies in Unix's architecture:

	It originated with a simple kernel, which produced a fairly
	high ratio of capability to implementation effort.  The overall
	system relied on ability to assemble tiny pieces into useful
	entities, particularly via shell programming.  It was a
	hackers' system, that provided the tools for everyone to
	'do it yourself'.  They did.

	This applies not just to different breeds of Unix -- it
	also applies to trying to keep a common software environment
	in order for use by every member of a project or an organization.

	Anyway, this is just part of the reason why I used to keep a
	"Unix Sucks" slogan in my xload window.  People demanded something
	less offensive due to all the demos we do on my machine, so
	now it says "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Unix!".

	Anyone want to fund development of a system called Liberty?


---------------------
Paul Raveling
Raveling@vaxa.isi.edu