[net.unix-wizards] UNIX and real-time and when is UNIX

abe@ISM780.UUCP (11/29/84)

>Wrong, PC/IX is System III hacked into an even less usable form by
>Inactive Systems Corp of Santa Monica.

	The author of this statement has clearly never seen or used
	PC/IX, or if he has, is one of those types who has serious
	troubles objectively evaluating a product.  While he is correct
	in his assertion that PC/IX is based on System III code, it is
	inconceivable that PC/IX can be called less usable, either in the
	code or in the documentation, than System III.  There is VERY little
	in System III that has been left out of PC/IX (tar is the only
	"major" missing command, but is replaced by the ISC dump and restore)
	and a number of MAJOR improvements (INed, queueing system, usable
	system management commands, much better documentation, countless
	bug fixes, etc.) have been added.

	The slur on Interactive's name, while hardly shocking or unusual
	in this forum, still reinforces the belief that the statement was
	a knee-jerk reaction based on some unknown prejudices of the author.

	-- Abe Ellenberg
	   Interactive Systems Corp.
	   cca!ima!abe

Ron Natalie <ron@BRL-TGR> (12/01/84)

I was the author of the statement about PC/IX.  I have used PC/IX.  I
have used IS/3 and I have used IS/1 before that.  I have worked for two
companies who contracted with Interactive Systems for UNIX support and
in both cases I am unimpressed.  If I wanted a buggy version of UNIX, I
would get it from AT&T.

avolio@grendel.UUCP (Frederick M. Avolio) (12/01/84)

> >Wrong, PC/IX is System III hacked into an even less usable form by
> >Inactive Systems Corp of Santa Monica.
> 
> 	The author of this statement has clearly never seen or used
> 	PC/IX, or if he has, is one of those types who has serious
> 	troubles objectively evaluating a product.  While he is correct
> 	in his assertion that PC/IX is based on System III code, it is
> 	inconceivable that PC/IX can be called less usable, either in the
>       code or in the documentation, than System III.  ...

As one who had used the IBM PC XT running PC/IX for almost a year (in a
previous job) I must say I agree with the writer from INTERACTIVE. PC/IX
is a very nice port and a very nice UN*X system.  (It's no *ULTRIX*, but
it's nice... :-) )

I don't know where the write of the original comments is coming from,
but I don't agree with him/her.


-- 
Fred Avolio, DEC -- U{LTR,N}IX Support
301/731-4100 x4227
UUCP:  {seismo,decvax}!grendel!avolio
ARPA:  grendel!avolio@seismo.ARPA