From: jessea@u013.me.vp.com (Jesse W. Asher)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.misc
Subject: Re: Windows NT Report
Date: 21 Dec 92 19:53:17 GMT
Organization: Varco-Pruden Buildings

In article <64@nearside.UUCP>, shwake@nearside.UUCP (Raymond Shwake) wrote the following:
>
>	Based on their comments, and comparing anticipated functionality
>and pricing, I must report with some anxiety that Unix on the Desktop could
>be in trouble. Two of those colleagues are long-time UNIX practitioners in
>both the development and the integration/support areas. They're now proposing

I'm also a Unix bigot who is advocating (with others) moving to Windows
NT.  I have no problem doing this for several reasons:

1)  Price.  Unix appllications and the OS itself have long been over
priced.  Both NT and applications will be very cheap compared to those
for Unix.  Just the other day I heard about a PPP implementation that
was being sold for Unix for $795.  What a joke.

2)  Range of applications.  We will finally be able to run all those
nice dos applications out on the market that have not run worth a hoot
under unix.  Not only dos, but also windows apps.  And porting to NT is
not difficult so a wealth of public domain software will still be
available.

3)  Ease of programability.  Windows is much easier to problem in than
X.  Even though it doesn't have all the advantages of X, we can live
without them for the benefits we gain.  Not only that, but there are X
servers coming out for NT for those needing X.  But we finally have a
choice.

4)  Ease of usability.  Nt should be a lot more easier to use for the
user that actually has to get some work done.  Sharing disks and
printers is no longer something the user has to speed inordinate amounts
of time learning.  Users shouldn't have to spend time learning how to
run the OS just to get it to do something.  They should be spending
their time getting their work done.

5)  Ease of administration.  This relates to #4 in that with NT the user
can do many things that the sysadmin had to previously.  Disk sharing,
printer sharing, and so on are extremely easy.  You will not believe how
easy until you see it.

6)  Enhancements in OS.  The OS handles some things better than Unix.
Better scheduling and able to handle 256kb off a serial port (that right
- 256kb).  They improved what needed to be improved in Unix long ago.

Basically, you will have all the power of unix without a lot of the
hassle.  This is how unix should have been long ago.  Now I too am
predicting the death of Unix for workstations (PC based).  Windows NT is
just too much better than Unix for workstations.  This is _not_ a
prediction of the death of Unix.  Only people that don't know anything
about Unix predict such nonsense.  Unix is still a great multi-user
system with many advantages in other areas.  But it is in big trouble
for workstations.

Besides, NT IS Unix with Windows on top of it.  It is just put out by MS
and doesn't have an AT+T copyright.

-- 
      Jesse W. Asher                                          (901)762-6000
                             Varco-Pruden Buildings
                 6000 Poplar Ave., Suite 400, Memphis, TN  38119
    Internet: jessea@vpbuild.vp.com                   UUCP: vpbuild!jessea