Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.advocacy
Subject: Re: Byte: Is Unix Dead ?
From: mneideng@thidwick.acs.calpoly.edu (Mark Neidengard)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 15:58:49 GMT
Organization: Academic Computing Services, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

In article <1992Aug19.225125.13807@resonex.com> zenon@resonex.com (Zenon Fortuna) writes:
>In the September's issue of Byte, Tom Yager and Ben Smith give an excellent
>(IMHO) story about prognoses of the struggle of Unix and Windows NT.
>In many places they mention NeXTSTEP and even quote statements of Avadis
>Tevanian.
>
>A few samples:
>     "The NeXT machine provides a shining example of Unix with highly
>      integrated graphics."
>
>     "The NeXT computer, though not a best-seller, has proved that the concept
>      of invisible Unix is a viable one and that graphical workstations can
>      be safely placed on the desks of general users." (according to Tevanian
>      it is the only way to "get up to the millions of units")
>
>     "NeXT doesn't mind striking out on its own [the PC world]. It's bringing
>      NeXTSTEP, based on Carnegie Mellon University's Mach kernel, to Intel-
>      based systems in an attempt to capitalize more on the fervor over Windows
>      than on any renewed interest in Unix."
>
>     "NeXTSTEP uses heavy shading, floating menue, and animated icons to
>      achieve its glossy twenty-first-century look."
>                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>The table illustrating the GUIs, has 3 examples: at the bottom the Windows NT,
>in the middle the SVR4.2's OSF/Motif, and at the top the NeXTSTEP, already
>from 3.0 version.
>
>The analysis shows also the strong potential of the SVR4.2 included in the
>USL (Unix Software Laboratories) & Univel offering.
>
>The conclusion: "Unix has a rich history. If the new pack of Unix vendors can
>keep from bickering among themselves, Microsoft will face a strong competitor
>of NT."
>
>Amen.
>
>	-Z.

Well, that certainly was an interesting article that Byte threw together,
and it is representative of the quality that lifts Byte above the PC magazines
and other platform-specific periodicals.  However, I think that the article
was a little skewed in its outlook.  Byte is first and foremost a periodical
of "personal computing," including, but not limited to, the PC on the
desktop.  IN THAT context the thrust of the article is true: Windows NT will
be in a very good position to damage Unixes ON THE PERSONAL DESKTOP.

However, I think the notion of Windows killing Unix PER SE is ridiculous.
The people that NEED and USE Unix right now are primarily the Higher
Educational facilties and the national research centers and corporations
that currently comprise the Internet.  All the Snake, SPARCstation, and SGI
owners out there should have an appreciation of the durability and enormous
power and convenience (most of the time) of Unix.  It is simply impossible
for Microsoft (as powerful as it is on the PC scene) to displace an
operating system that runs on ALL the important computing centers of the
interconnected electronic world.  Anyone who has used a NeXT or HP VUE (or
any of countless other good implementations of X) will see the ugliness of
the Windows GUI and the fundamental lack of power that X users have come to
take for granted.  It is simply impossible to remove all the people that use
Unix, will use Unix, and have used Unix from their beliefs, investments, and
habits of using Unix.

In short: NT will appeal to the super-PC-weenies as the PC becomes more and
more powerful, but the workstations that the TRULY power-savy users use will
continue to run Unix.

YOU DON'T BUY A SNAKE TO RUN WINDOWS, NO MATTER WHAT QUALITY PLUMBING IS UNDER
IT!

Mark Neidengard
mneideng@cosmos.acs.calpoly.edu
"LOWER--the DYNAMITE!"
	DJ Magic Mike