From: utzoo!decvax!cca!hplabs!jf@sri-unix
Newsgroups: net.cms
Title: Re: UNIX over CMS anyday
Article-I.D.: hplabs.430
Posted: Mon May 31 21:44:57 1982
Received: Tue Jun  1 02:21:51 1982

I stumbled upon the UNIX vs CMS discussion on net.cms (not being a
regular reader of it) and I am very interested to here from users of
both systems as well since I will be facing an O/S controversy which
will include comparisons of UNIX with VM/CMS and other portions of
the IBM alphabet soup.  I am particularly interested in the omissions
of functionality in CMS as well as any unique features it might have.

Speaking as an experienced UNIX/TOPS/MCP/SCOPE user, I was shocked 
to see what is missing from CMS, especially since it had been represented
to me by my former superiors at the UCBerkeley Computer Center as the
greatest thing since sliced bread.  Berkeley's conversion to IBM for
mainframe computing needs was particularly surprising since they had
been largely a UNIX shop, and some had suggested a network of VAX 780s.
Once the VAX had been more or less eliminated, the big dispute settled
on the O/S and they picked CMS over MTS allegedly because an MTS license
required some contribution to a user software library.  Whether the reason
was valid or not, I am amazed that the UCB Computer Center (not to be 
confused with the EECS dept!) went with CMS when they had a user community
that was accustomed to UNIX conveniences.  If anyone knows of distinct
CMS advantages, I would like to hear about them.  I personally don't
believe that any possible flavor of CMS could hold a candle to
Berkeley (EECS) VAX UNIX.  It is ironic that the leading VAX UNIX
shop is also a 4341 CMS shop.

Also, I missed the early articles of net.cms (before article 7).
If anyone has a copy of these, I would really appreciate their sending
a copy to me.

				JRFalcone
				HP Labs
				hplabs!jf