Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ficc!peter
From: peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Don't Bash Suns
Summary: Mac is not the only responsive windowing system.
Keywords: Bashing Good Companies vs Evil Companies
Message-ID: <1528@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 18 Sep 88 22:31:54 GMT
References: <358@island.uu.net> <626@mace.cc.purdue.edu> <4210@thorin.cs.unc.edu> <3498@ihlpe.ATT.COM>
Organization: SCADA
Lines: 34

In article <3498@ihlpe.ATT.COM>, stuart@ihlpe.ATT.COM (S. D. Ericson) writes:
> Many people seem to think that all machines with windows and a mouse
> are pretty much the same.  WRONG - Only the Mac has the *Uniform 
> Interface*, and only the mac puts priority on the user.

Not true. Any real-time or dedicated micro can say the same thing (Amiga,
IBM-PC running Windows or Gem, Atari-ST running Gem (to a lesser extent),
and so on), and so can many larger minis or micros (Xerox 1100/Star).

> When I
> ask for something on the Mac, I get a response visually - the
> menus are instantaneous, programs and long operations signal their
> activities by opening windows, putting up status bars, watch cursors,
> etc.  

On the other hand, you can't open a Mac window on another machine in another
building, as you can with Xwindows. You can't effectively run background
jobs on the Mac, as you can with Sun or the Amiga. You can't run conventional
software on the Mac without giving up the windowing environment, as you can
with Sun and the Amiga... the Mac programming environment is horrible.

As a user environment, if they'd just give up on trying for 100% compatibility
and soak up the cost of having a few programs break, and go to a conventional
preemptive multitasking environment, they'd be great. They're still the best
machine around foir novice users (though some of the other machines up there
are giving them a run for their money).

> Phew!  Been wanting to say that for a long time. 

I'm sure. Just don't generalise too far... there are more alternatives than
just Mac, Sun, and IBM-PC with MS-DOG.
-- 
Peter da Silva  `-_-'  Ferranti International Controls Corporation.
"Have you hugged  U  your wolf today?"            peter@ficc.uu.net