Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!agate!apple!well!nagle From: nagle@well.UUCP (John Nagle) Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss Subject: Re: Manifesto question Message-ID: <13211@well.UUCP> Date: 18 Aug 89 20:56:28 GMT References:Reply-To: nagle@well.UUCP (John Nagle) Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA Lines: 14 The notion that "system software" is "operating systems, editors, and compilers" is dated, and belongs to the DEC-20 era. Today, editors and compilers are definitely applications programs. For the popular systems and languages, a wide selection of programmer-oriented applications are available. System software is, today, primarily software that applications interface with when in operation. This includes operating systems, command interpreters, network software, and window support. There is also application-dependent system software, such as database systems intended for use by other programs. John Nagle