From: Joe Turner <turner@telecheck.com>
Date: Sat, 28 Jan 95 00:15:44 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: alt.religion.your.operating.system.sucks
Message-ID: <9501280817.AA15280@TeleCheck.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


I mean no disrespect, but the attrocities commited by the aged
masters who wrote most of the operating systems are well documented.
I have run into this line of thinking in many occasions (my <insert 
compiler or operating system> is better than yours...), although it
it seems to be more of a sore spot to those who love thier compiler/
interpreter.  Most of these observations are made out of ignorance.
I get paid for programming under NT, windows, MS-DOS, VMS, RSX, and
UNIX, not insulting the designers or users.

Additionally, I deal with other people in other companies who love
thier AS/400s and IBM mainframes.  Hell there is even several programmers
here who go misty-eyed everytime the word Amiga is mentioned.
I bet there is even someone out there who believes that he/she could
write a GUI operating system in COBOL (if someone has accomplished this
I would love to see the punch cards...).

UNIX is a programmers environment.  It is very flexible, and you can
do just about anything you want to, provided you have the ability.  Spawning
processes and child processes are trivial, and much more efficent compared
to windows-NT and VMS.  Additionally, I don't know of too many operating 
systems where the source code is floating around.  I mean so what if 
it doesn't come with a pretty shrink wrapped package and a thick 
getting-started, if you have a question just go find the source code.  
Geez.  

And as far as a GUI, most of my work revolves around plain old ASCII.
X windows may be "standard" now, but it didn't stop SUN, DEC, etc., from
making their own proprietary (errr.. I mean "optimized") versions.  
I don't know why there is so much whining about:    

 - My GUI interface sucks
 - Your GUI interface sucks
 - Your mother's interface sucks.

I see no reason to puke up this garbage other people.
 
VMS is more secure (interlock intrusion detection, etc.), but any 
operating system is only as strong as its users/administrators.  The one
thing I do not like about VMS is the way the system libraries are 
structured, but such is life.  I was not consulted when DEC was designing
the operating system.  Thier Xwindows system needs some work, but it does
work.

NT is cool (if you are running on a 300MHz Sable).  I think it is
something special when you can run UNIX, Windows, and OpenVMS applications
simultaniously on the same box.  Can your operating system do that? 
Hell, for $3500 you can by a 166MHz alpha that will do this.

System 7 is great.  I just didn't like it.  I didn't like the way
I was isolated from the hardware, forced to take what the designers
thought I needed.  Just my preference.  Besides, Apple equipment was,
and still is overpriced (I should know I used to own several).

Windows isn't a true multitasking operating system, and besides its like
the old joke, Q: "how do you turn a 486/66 into a 286?" A: "run windows!". 
But like it or not, it is here to stay.  I do like programming under windows
over dos, simply because it is a pre-emptive operating system and forces
the programmers to write structured code (for the most part) to intercept
the messages.  But the serial driver code sucks.

PDP-11/RSX.  Ewwwwww..

MS-DOS.  If you want to write fast graphics, assembly is the way to go.
Windows just can't keep up.  Sure Micro$oft released win-G, but what's the
point.  Your operating system is so much better than mine are, as is your
keyboard, your mouse, etc.,

My point is that every operating system, programming language, or whatever
has benefits and detracting points.  If you want to continue this discussion,
I will be more than happy to create a list for it,.. then you can rant until
you fingers are bloody.

-- 
Joe N. Turner		Telecheck International
turner@telecheck.com    5251 Westheimer, PO BOX 4659, Houston, TX 77210-4659
compu$erv: 73301,1654	(800) 888-4922  *   (713) 439-6597
Finger for PGP KEY.