From: satishc@microsoft.com (Satish Chittamuru)
Subject: Re: BYTE asks, is UNIX dead?
Date: 29 Sep 92 20:21:20 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corporation
Keywords: UNIX

In article <3725@eastman.UUCP> talley@ashleigh.Kodak.COM (Brian K. Talley) writes:
 > In article <bibhas.717685421@femto.engr.mun.ca> bibhas@pico.engr.mun.ca (Bibhas Bhattacharya) writes:
 > >This months BYTE screams out asking "Is UNIX dead?".
 > 
 > This bothered me a lot.
 > 
 > >                                                     A closer scrutiny
 > >of the article proved it's just the otherwise.
 > 
 > Interesting. I didn't buy Byte this month, partly because of the crap on
 > the cover.  As such, I wasn't aware of the contents of the article.

I have not only read the article, but I have a photostat of it hanging
on the bulletin board in my office with a big Red "NO!!!" on it, so that
everyone coming to my office will notice it (note where I work).

 > >                                               Are these people trying
 > >to form a public opinion by some kind of a cheap sneaky media proaganda
 > >or are these people smart as anybody else?
 > 
 > Propaganda?  Hell, yes!  Look at IBM!  Look at Microsoft!  They didn't get
 > where they are by creating great software and selling it cheap! Of course,
 > there's often a fine line between "Quality Marketing" and propaganda. :}

The title may be labelled as sensationalism, propangda or whatever. But the
article itself is reasonable well written and a calm, measured look at
the issues. Depending on one's perspective one could claim that there is
a bias towards BYTE's main readership but I think it is a thoughtful article.

The essence of the article is that "Unix isn't dead. But unless the
commercial vendors get their act together, it is and will continue to
decline. Because what sells an OS in the marketplace is what applications
are available on it and not what power the OS has built into it.". The
article goes on to say that despite the attempts of Unix International
and OSF, there is not going to be one true Unix (I agree) but curiously
enough the Solaris and the Univel effort might get the Unix Act together.
A major point in Unix's favour being that the Univel version can run in
4 Megs.

 > Well, when I look back at my old (*really* old) issues of Byte, I can see
 > how much it's changed.  It's slanted towards the IBM realm, and touches on
 > the Mac realm sometimes.  On occasion, they'll feature an article on a non-
 > IBM system, but that's pretty infrequent.

I think you might like this article. Read it. I am not saying that you
will agree with what they have to say. But I think you will agree that
it provides some good food for thought.

 > Just my opinions, folks.

IMHO, too.

 > 
 > --Brian


On a related note, how many of you think that Linux would advance more
easily into the realm of the average Joe or Janet User if we have more
applications that Joe can use on a day to day basis. Remember, Joe being
average is not interested in compiling software packages. He would be
glad if someone can provide binaries at the FTP sites or on floppies that
he would be willing to pay a nominal fee for. Janet would be interested
in easy to use spreadsheet, word processor (Please don't say Emacs. I use
Emacs, I like Emacs, but Emacs ain't no Word Processor), databases etc.

I personally love Linux. Of the 240MB on my harddisk, only 70Megs is DOS.
The rest is devoted to Linux. In fact, even my machine at work has a 30MB
Linux partition. But I find myself switching to DOS when ever my Bank
statement arrives in the mail. Or when I want to write a letter to my
cousins. It's not that I don't like TeX/LaTeX mind you. I used Latex a lot
when at school. And I would use it again for writing documents, manuals
etc. But for writing a simple 1 page letter, Works for Windows is a lot
easier to use that LaTeX, IMHO.

The point of all this is that while it is good that Linux is progressing
rapidly into an very stable, usable and advanced Unix, shouldn't we also
make an effort at increasing the available applications. Yes, I am
willing to help do this. I am sure there are more folks out there who
have similiar thoughts. Maybe we should create a channel on the Linux
mailing list to discuss this and more importantly, Create/Port apps for
everyone to use. If you think this sounds reasonable drop me a note. If
there is sufficient interest we will ask the mailing list maintainers to
create such a channel (if one doesn't exist already). Please drop me a
note on what apps you use generally and what you would like to see
available on linux. I will compile a list of what's available, what's
requested etc. and post to c.o.l. We could add a section to the FAQ that
lists what apps are available.

What do you folks think? Let me/c.o.l know.

-- 
Satish K. Chittamuru				satishc@microsoft.com
=====
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein, either stated or implied, are
solely my own and do not reflect Microsoft's views in any manner.