From: utzoo!decvax!cca!gwyn@Brl@sri-unix
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Title: Re:  Another VAX UNIX
Article-I.D.: sri-unix.3111
Posted: Sat Sep  4 18:04:40 1982
Received: Wed Sep  8 06:39:14 1982

From:     Doug Gwyn 
Date:     2 Sep 82 8:09:29-EDT (Thu)
I appreciate your taking the time to discuss the evolutionary aspects of
UNIX.  Unfortunately we are faced with two UNIX families now, although
UCB says that 4.2bsd will have System III compatibility (hope it does).
My personal complaint with 4.1bsd has been the undue emphasis on
efficiency issues to the detriment of compatibility with the Bell System
UNIXes (which we will continue to be stuck with, like it or not).  This
wouldn't perhaps have been so bad if it weren't for these publicly-funded
gurus stating repeatedly that one should toss his PDP-11 and get a VAX
(words to that effect).  The small, elegant approach to system design
that attracted many of us to UNIX in the first place was lost in much of
4.1bsd, in my opinion.  I believe the famous VMS-vs-UNIX debate may have
resulted in UCB's trying to prove that UNIX can be as "efficient" as VMS,
but at what cost?

By the way, I have no major complaints about UNIX 3.0; it feels solid to
use and really hasn't been badly damaged inside.  The FIFOs integrated
naturally into the existing pipe mechanism, so I can't fault USG for
providing them while we await development of the perfect IPC mechanism.