On Fri, 26 Oct 2001, Karsten M. Self wrote:
The problem I've got with this response is that Unix and GNU/Linux aren't computers, they're operating systems. Unix was written to run on those computers "that didn't exist", largely the PDP 7 and 11.
An OS without a computer is worthless. What drives the architecture of OS'es (other than mental mastrubation) is applications and applications environments. In the very late 60's there was a growth in the computers::person ratio coupled with a great increase in #_computers as a whole. This led to a problem of scale and scope. Problems that Unix was able to resolve in a usable way (as 30 years of use will attest). Most other OS'es weren't. Not that Unix was the only alternative (eg C/PM). However, the sorts of problems used in a day to day business/activity creates a 'natural' schism. That is based around the distinctions between design/engineering and business-home/industry. Unix found a first home in the first. The 'smaller' OS'es found homes in the second. Each expanded into the others realm until today. Whence we have several set of originaly niche market solutions. These solutions have now saturated the market. However, there are forces that are changing the market radicaly. Moving from a real 'network is the computer' model. The reality is that the four horsemen of the network (software, hardware, infrastructure, law) are going to be replaced in the next 5 or so years with an almost completely different model. These differences will serve to amplify the current stresses and schisms in our societies. -- ____________________________________________________________________ The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion. Edmund Burke (1784) The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------