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From: bytebug@pertec.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.arch,net.followup,net.micro
Subject: Re: AT&T and the 3B*2
Message-ID: <143@pertec.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 6-Jun-84 23:16:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: pertec.143
Posted: Wed Jun  6 23:16:31 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 9-Jun-84 07:52:26 EDT
References: <692@cp1.UUCP> <483@spuxll.UUCP>
Organization: Pertec Computer Corp., Irvine, CA
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Xref: 246 694 1732

> cc is useful for a broader market, but again: how many computer USERS are
> computer PROGRAMMERS?  In your particular corner the percentage may be high,
> but most of the programs I write get replicated dozens or hundreds of times
> onto "field" machines that lack source, compilers, etc.

Why does having a C compiler mean that you have to be a C programmer?  You
should take a look at what has happened over the past several years in the
realm of public-domain software.  There are quite a number of computerized
"bulletin board" systems around the country (world?).  Software is put into
the public domain by people who want to share their work with the rest of 
the world.

Much of the public domain software which I'm acquainted with is for CP/M
systems, and thus runs on an 8080/z80.  Because of this, there is not as
much of a need to distribute source, since the object will run directly.
A lot of source *is* distributed, and through this sharing, programs 
evolve into truely useful tools!  

Sadly, this may not be the case with UNIX.  If you want to run my netnews
reader, you better have a 68000-based system that understands my type
of binary files.  You have a VAX?  Then you better have a C compiler.
Oh, you don't have YACC?  Then how are you going to compile the
"getdate" routine?

You don't have to be a programmer to learn enough to compile a program,
do you?  You don't have to be a programmer to extract some public domain
programs from a diskette and type "make".

I suggest leaving everything on the distribution, and let the user
pick and choose what he/she wants to load.