From: mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539)
Subject: Re: Windows vs. OS/2
Organization: Texas Instruments Inc
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 21:03:14 GMT

In <1992Nov11.214418.10075@nosc.mil> discar@nosc.mil (Joe Discar) writes:

>In article <1992Nov11.185049.4781@mksol.dseg.ti.com> mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539) writes:
>>In <1992Nov11.165329.5878@nosc.mil> discar@nosc.mil (Joe Discar) writes:
>>
>>>I've been thinking about all these arguments about which OS is "better" 
>>>(indeed whether Windows could be considered an OS or not).  So I thought that
>>>if there were people out there who could put up or shut up, I thought that
>>>perhaps we could begin to put the issue at rest.
>>
>>>So what I propose is that we get some volunteers from both the Windows and
>>>OS/2 camps to each do a "project"--for example, laying out the cover of a
>>>published magazine (say, the Nov 10,1992 issue of PC Magazine)--each 
>>>using his/her favorite operating platform, using their favorite software
>>>that runs under their favorite OS.   When they get finished, they upload
>>>it to a judging site (to be determined) where other volunteers view their
>>>work.  Then each designer basically tells us *how* they did it, and how
>>>*long* it took them to do it--we give more points for the first one
>>>submitted.
>>
>>>Naturally there are many holes in what I propose... what's to keep the
>>>designers from lying?  "I did it during my fifteen minute break"?  Well,
>>>I think we're all adults here... 
>>
>>>What does everybody think?  Is it workable?
>>
>>Workable?  Yes.  Meaningful insofar as determining "better" operating
>>system?  No.  What it would give you is a measure of who (not
>>necessarily which operating system, even, mind you, but WHO) happened
>>to have the most efficient tools available and/or the most skill at
>>the selected task. 
>>
>>-- 
>>"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
>> in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Fred.McCall@dseg.ti.com - I don't speak for others and they don't speak for me.

>But I was assuming that the volunteers who chose to compete would think they
>*have* the best tools that run under their chosen operating platform.  
>But regardless, we again have the problem of what "better" means.  I thought
>(and still do) that the platform which makes me the most money is the
>"best."  But here's a more platable thought:

Yes, I know.  I remain unconvinced that this is a useful definition of
'best' for anyone but you and your accountant.

> 
>     "An operating system is only as good as the applications written for it."

Change "good" to "useful" (or something similar) and the above becomes
a true statement.

>If you are suggesting (in your post) that a person is unable to "win"
>because the "most efficient tools" are not available for his chosen platform,
>then I would simply say that the Operating System he chose is not as 
>good as others--yet.

So you are still picking 'different' definitions of 'better' out of
the air, Joe?  Are you telling me that an OS suddenly changes because
someone writes tools for it?  It's the same OS it always was, so how
does it suddently become 'better' (in the absolute sense, which is
where all the dispute is)?

I'd discuss this with you, but you'd likely just get upset and
petulantly start bouncing mail after firing a flame, like you did last
time. 

> 
>An operating system can multitask, support gobs of hardware, run in 1K of
>RAM, virtualize 64 gigs with only 2 megs of RAM and 50 megs of hard disk...
>but if you can't accomplish *work* with it... it's next to useless.

There's a difference between 'best' and 'most useful'

>Hence, I think my "test" is still valid.

As a test of 'currently most useful' or 'currently best supported',
not as a test of 'best'.

-- 
"Insisting on perfect safety is for people who don't have the balls to live
 in the real world."   -- Mary Shafer, NASA Ames Dryden
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred.McCall@dseg.ti.com - I don't speak for others and they don't speak for me.
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy