Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2.fluke 9/24/84; site fluke.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!joe From: joe@fluke.UUCP (Joe Kelsey) Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: VMS is UNIX spelled backwards (almost) Message-ID: <1970@vax4.fluke.UUCP> Date: Fri, 30-Nov-84 13:22:03 EST Article-I.D.: vax4.1970 Posted: Fri Nov 30 13:22:03 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 2-Dec-84 03:22:49 EST References: <378@hou2g.UUCP> Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA Lines: 46 > From: mikec@hou2g.UUCP (#M.CONDICT) > Those VMS-ites who enjoy denigrating UNIX should show some respect. Virtually > every feature in the early versions of VMS that made it useable (barely!) was > copied from UNIX -- this is well known within the original development group, > which was headed by a UNIX-lover (gasp, gasp!). Well known by whom? I personally heard a very detailed description of the history of VMS, and not a single person involved with version 1.0 of VMS had ANY experience with UNIX. In fact, I believe that their only knowledge was that a couple people had read the Communications paper, and that was it! > In fact, Version 1.0 of VMS > was a system apparently designed by concatenating the RSX-11M Operating Sys. > manuals with the UNIX Version 7 manuals, then shuffling or deleting a few > pages. I guess the idea was to be upward compatible with RSX while putting in > all the UNIX goodies as well. Here are a few examples for your amusement: VMS was derived 80% from RSX, with a few UNIVAC and MULTICS concepts thrown in at random. Dave Cutler (father of RSX and almost any worthwhile product from DEC, bit-twiddler extrodinaire) had the most influence on VMS in the early days, and since he parctically wrote RSX single-handedly, VMS was very much influenced by his preferences. Dave was known as one of the major UNIX-phobes at DEC, although he may or may not have overcome some of his phobia since writing the VAX-11 C run-time library. > here he proceeds to give examples of UNIX things VMS bungled. The only thing that anyone who developed VMS admits was influenced by UNIX was the mailboxes. None of your other examples have any validity as being anything related to UNIX, except maybe by hindsight. Every single one of them was based on RSX ideas. I don't really mind people who choose to say that UNIX or VMS is better and then give reasons. I just wish that if you are going to claim something about history that you would check your facts. Personally, I can see no reason to choose either system. Both have major flaws, along with major plusses. When you compare actual operating system capabilities, it comes out as a wash. Neither is my favorite operating system, no matter which viewpoint you use: user, application programmer, systems programmer, system administrator, etc. Unfortunately, my current favorite is now destined to become a dinosaur: TOPS-20. Sigh. /Joe