From: roland@quadsys.com (Roland Besserer)
Subject: Re: Sun's GUI and OS mistakes (was Re: LX and SUNOS 4.x)
Organization: QUAD Systems
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 06:09:39 GMT

paulr@fulcrum.oz.au (Paul Rosham) writes:
: [I can't resist...]
: epc1@quads.uchicago.edu (Merlin) writes:
: 
: >beaulieu@bose.com (Larry Beaulieu) writes (about OPEN LOOK):
: >>
: >>	Oh, you mean 'BrokenLook'.
: 
: >I wholeheartedly agree with this.  I mean, what is Sun's problem?  No one
: >I know uses OpenLook or wants to.
: 
: Your prerogative to agree. Sun's problem is marketing its strategy to its'
: customers so that they can understand them. How many people do you know,
: anyway? A significant proportion of Sun's customer base?
: 

As a SUN and DEC consultant my limited sample (100 SUN machines) indicates
that most SUN customers run OpenWindows. With Motif implementations so easily
available, I really don't understand all this bitching going on here. If you
don't like OW - persoanlly I think it's a generation ahead of Motif which
turned into a Windows lookalike - buy Motif. Considering the overall cost
of a workstation, the added cost of a Motif license is miniscule.

: >The last several surveys I've seen
: >showed that Motif on Suns are more popular than OpenLook on Suns.
: 
: I have seen these, as well. Doesn't matter how much you look at these figures
: they neither add up or make any sense. If this fact is applicable in the US,
: what a bout the rest of the world, huh?
: 

All these surveys are 'unscientific' as they like to say on TV/radio
when running a callin poll. Naturally, they are also completely unimportant.
What matters is software availability for the 2 major competitors. What I
see out there is that professional software is more likely to be running
with an OW interface than a Motif one.

: >We use Motif.
: 
: That's your business. Sorry to be cynical :-). Many people think it is fugly.
: Many people can't be bothered to go and buy it.
: 
Count me to those who think exactly that.

: >Our lives would be so much easier if Sun got rid of olwn
: >and supported mwm.
: 
: Mine wouldn't. I use olvwm. You have a choice in which window manager you
: use. I'm glad that you are free to make your choice.
: 
Got what an attitude. Just because you prefer mwm - which I wouldn't want to
use if someone paid me to - doesn't mean everyone feels that way. One reason
X prospered so quickly is that we all have choices and can choose from a
diverse number of user interfaces. 
: 
: >SunOS 4.1.3 has nothing wrong with it.
: 
: Respectfully, crap.
: 
And a big pile of it, too.

: >However, having all of their customers switch to System V Unix is ridiculous.
: >BSD Unix is popular and well supported.  Why would they want all of their

...condensed...

: -PaulR.
: [The above is not a personal flame, but I still wish people would stop
: parading their personal preferences as reality for everyone.]

That pretty much sums it up. I am amazed at all the meaningless discussions
and flames going on here discussion personal preferences of window managers
and user interfaces. The equivalent of this in the autos group would be to
endlessly quarrel about the color of a car.

-- 

Roland Besserer
QUAD Systems
roland@quadsys.com