is unix really the answer?
ucbvax!works
I would like to second most if not all of Joel Goldberger's comments. I too
think that trying to adapt UNIX for Alto style personal computers is simply
the wrong path. Admittedly many many people have been and will be using
UNIX, but the environment envisioned for UNIX just doesn't match the
Alto style mold. Most systems that start with a good idea and then try to
adapt to a new paradigm end up being a disappointing mixture of the two,
with a real identity crisis about when to use which ideas. It's better
to do a new design from the ground up both in terms of quality of
implementation and conceptual integrity. Xerox has the right idea with
the mesa development environment, for example, by deciding to go with
an all new system.
On the subject of Xerox, the information that I have is that MESA will be
available on the STAR, at a cost of $3,000/processor, but not until
the end of this calendar year. I have seen the development environment
running on a STAR (at Xerox) and it looks pretty good and very integrated
into the workstation mold (uses windows, makes use of display well and the
mouse, etc.) This is not too surprising since after all Xerox has been
blazing the trail (you can tell the pioneers by the arrows in their backs)
and has many many man years of experience with Alto style implementations.
What would really be nice is if a Smalltalk implemenation were available
from Xerox for the STAR. Office Products Division has not yet gotten
off its corporate butt and made the decision (officially) to get back
into the (now personal) computer business. I have heard rumors that
Xerox is planning a Smalltalk implementation for the STAR and that Dave
Liddle of OPD is enthusiastic about Smalltalk, but a flurry of enquiries
would certainly help. Call David Liddle at (415) 494-4770 , and ask him
personally when Smalltalk will be available. I think he'll get the message.
Tim Rentsch
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ucbvax!works
Im not sure I agree. One of the nice things about UNIX is the
SHELL concept - You can supply UNIX NOW with a system, then
improve the user interface in the future by supplying different
shells. Theoretically, you can do this for TOPS-20, but I
gather DEC tends to be fussier about supplying source code
for their "EXEC", making it harder for people to develop their
own versions...