Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!unisoft!john From: john@unisoft.UUCP (John Sovereign) Newsgroups: comp.unix.aux Subject: Re: Future direction of A/UX? Summary: The proof is in the pudding.... Keywords: future a/ux Message-ID: <2045@unisoft.UUCP> Date: 16 May 89 18:10:42 GMT References: <4036@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> <7304@hoptoad.uucp> Reply-To: john@unisoft.UUCP (John Sovereign) Followup-To: comp.unix.aux Distribution: usa Organization: UniSoft Corporation Lines: 47 In article <7304@hoptoad.uucp> gnu@hoptoad.uucp (John Gilmore) writes: >km@mathcs.emory.edu (Ken Mandelberg) wrote: >> Actually, beyond some vague >> comments on increased MacOS compatibility, I have heard nothing >> about the feature content of future versions of A/UX. Certainly >> nothing about the Unix only features. > >That's because Apple is unlikely to provide any. I don't agree. Look at the "Unix" features Apple has already added to A/UX since 1.0. NFS 3.2 SLIP More BSD'isms (e.g., RCS) X Windows POSIX Combined with the original release, A/UX is already, in many respects, "feature-competitive" with SVR4, e.g., a "merged" UNIX, easier kernel reconfiguration, STREAMS, .... >The reason to sell A/UX at all is that GSA won't let US Government >departments buy any computers that can't be upgraded to run Unix. Of the new features listed above, only POSIX can be considered driven by the Government. >able to switch to more cost-effective hardware. There is no point in >doing any more than this, since the number of units they want to sell >would never pay back the investment. And it accounts for why Apple is >not marketing A/UX -- they don't WANT to sell copies. Even the Again, I don't agree with this analysis of Apple's strategy. Why is Mac OS compatibility a priority for A/UX? Because the users want it. A big reason UNIX is only 5% of the installed computer base is the lack of application software. Users don't care what operating system runs their machine for them! With Mac OS compatibility, A/UX instantly claims a huge application software base (I want my Word 4.0!). At the same time, as I suggest above, Apple IS enhancing the UNIX of A/UX. John Sovereign uunet!unisoft!john UniSoft Corporation #include