From: Antonomasia <ant@notatla.demon.co.uk>
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 08:04:18 +0800
To: steve@xemacs.org
Subject: Re: Coercive Monopolism vs Wimpyness
Message-ID: <199712222249.WAA03750@notatla.demon.co.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



I thought it was time someone totally unbiased commented
on this OS war thing!


Blanc writes:

>And, since Windows OS is so pitifully lousy, why do people continue to buy
>it, even without the computer attached;  why do they continue to upgrade,
>even if it's so slow and bloated?   Don't they realize Unix is better?
>Don't they realize they're just making Billg richer?

We buy computers ordered with blank disks in preference.  In fact this
one came with DOS and I wiped it on day 1.


> Want to parse MS Turd documents? Windows 95 and MS Office.

Red Hat's Applixware has had good reviews.  Besides I'm happy to return
unreadable messages asking for a different format.  If the other guy
refuses try him with DVI or something.   It's different if you're being
paid to use Windoze. I'll admit it - I did some Lose95 work today: what
was it ?  Trying to get a modem link to stay up.  I've done more creative
things, but not usually under Windoze.


> Want to run that program your mother sends you and wants you to run?

Quote her the exec format error you got.  Ha ha ha.


> Happened to buy a printer? It won't say "Yes! It works with Ghostscript!"

But you should soon find out from other people.





From: "Brian B. Riley" <brianbr@together.net>

> Windows (who stole its interface from mac who stole it from xerox)
> type GUIs are easier to use than CLIs, it is only since the
> entrenchment of GUIs that they have come forth in the Unix/Linux
> world.

GUI interfaces are only easy for the few things they present
you with, after which they are imnpossible.  Unless you can
connect your "find" and "sed" icons in a pipeline ...
In fact I rarely even start X unless it's for the xboard chess game.

speaking of which ...
   Is Unix dying--or even dead?
   From: "S. M. Halloran" <mitch@duzen.com.tr>

    From Edupage, 18 December 1997:
    <---------->
    TACTICAL SHIFT BY WORKSTATION COMPANIES
    Silicon Graphics Inc.'s plan to allow SGI graphics software to run on
    Microsoft's Windows NT operating system provides new evidence that a
    growing number of companies are giving up on Unix and instead
    standardizing on Windows NT.  SGI hopes to be able to use its
    experience in developing high-end graphics software without having to
    spend a great deal of time building the underlying technology
    represented by an operating system. (Washington Post  17 Dec 97)
    <---------->

But SGI never did put any effort into it, which was why their network
programs were built on 'rcp' and needed fixing if you (horrors) set a password.

> turnkey "office suite" and try to give MS a run for its money.  There 
> is no time like now to get the X-Windows (or GUI-free-from-copyright) 
> Complete Office bundled together and have a media gathering to make 
> sure that all the important news organizations are informed.  You 
> should get decent press exposure, since MS-bashing seems to be in 
> vogue.  The Linux or FreeBSD people should select a mediagenic 
> spokesperson from the group--one with fire in the belly--and then do 
> the hard work of putting something together that a 25-year old 
> free-Unix developer's 72-year old grandmother can install to a x86 
> box.  In fact, your press conference would have real pinache if, in 
> fact, you put someone's 72-year old grandmother before a PC with an 
> empty disk drive, run the install, then type a short letter on the 
> fancy word processer, addressed to Bill G., with the message "Up 
> yours!"

I can think of someone possibly suitable for this last bit.
(R. what do you think ?)






From: SL Baur <steve@xemacs.org>

> Unix *is* far better and had the technology decades ago.

> Where can I get a laptop without a pre-installed O/S (or with Linux
> pre-installed) on it?

Try these people.  I'm not sure about laptops.


: VA Research Linux Workstations        |  The World's Best Linux Workstations
:                                       |           Featuring RedHat
: http://www.varesearch.com             |  Now offering VarStation II Systems

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