Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1+some 2/3/84; site dual.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!vax135!houxz!houxm!ihnp4!dual!mats From: mats@dual.UUCP (Mats Wichmann) Newsgroups: net.followup,net.micro Subject: Re: AT&T vs. the toolkit approach Message-ID: <611@dual.UUCP> Date: Wed, 27-Jun-84 01:18:20 EDT Article-I.D.: dual.611 Posted: Wed Jun 27 01:18:20 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jun-84 06:54:30 EDT References: <77@mouton.UUCP> <7378@rochester.UUCP> <2029@rlgvax.UUCP> <3472@brl-vgr.ARPA> <2033@rlgvax.UUCP> Organization: Dual Systems, Berkeley, CA Lines: 28 [ Line-eater bug available as a seperate but equal package ] No PS? A multi-user, multi-tasking UNIX system needs to have a way to unstick wedged processes (which requires the process ID, obtainable by running PS). Especially programs that take over managment of the screen (word processors, for example) have a nasty tendency to die and leave a terminal wedged so it needs to be unstuck from somewhere. We can of course be nasty and say that anyone who tries to run several processes on a Fortune deserves what they get, but it IS possible to hook more than one terminal to their box....I consider PS to be an essential part of the system. On the other hand, Guy is probably right that Fortune has not lost a substantial number of sales because of their unbundling. They lost the UNIX hackers market (and consequently gave us many of our early sales; thanks guys!), but they were not going after it anyway, so it can hardly be considered a loss. As usual, there is no one answer to this - it depends on your market, your support capability, corporate policy, and the usual things that make up a business. Mats Wichmann Dual Systems Corp. ...{ucbvax,amd70,ihnp4,cbosgd,decwrl,fortune}!dual!mats [ Still not related to Glenn "Rogue" Wichman, who works at Fortune and has no cute signoff message ]