musa@cs.arizona.edu (Musa J. Jafar) (11/20/90)
Hello there. I am reading about the
unix file system and the dos file system(sort of speak)
Unix is a real Hierarchy while DOS is not
This is what I understood from my readings.
But DOS looks like a hierarchy.
questions:
Why DOS is not real?
What is the advantage of UNIX over DOS in a single user Env.
other than you have more options under Unix (but you pay for them)
Thanks
Musa.rickert@mp.cs.niu.edu (Neil Rickert) (11/20/90)
In article <551@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> musa@cs.arizona.edu (Musa J. Jafar) writes: >Hello there. I am reading about the >unix file system and the dos file system(sort of speak) >Unix is a real Hierarchy while DOS is not >This is what I understood from my readings. >But DOS looks like a hierarchy. Actually, I think you have it backwards. The DOS file system is a real hierarchy, while the Unix file system is not. The unix file system is a flat file system, with its single inode list the true directory. The heirarchical file system is a virtual hierarchy built on top of this. A flat file system in inherently more robust. Lose on one in a true heirarchy such as DOS, and you lose all file beneath it. In Unix the worst that happens is that some files are moved to 'lost+found'. The virtual heirarchy on top of a flat file system also permits multiple links to a file, which has turned out to be quite useful. >What is the advantage of UNIX over DOS in a single user Env. > other than you have more options under Unix (but you pay for them) > Forget the religious wars about operating systems, and choose the one which, in terms of available software and hardware products and support services, best suits your needs. -- =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= Neil W. Rickert, Computer Science <rickert@cs.niu.edu> Northern Illinois Univ. DeKalb, IL 60115. +1-815-753-6940
srodawa@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Ron Srodawa) (11/21/90)
In article <1990Nov20.143319.16061@mp.cs.niu.edu> rickert@mp.cs.niu.edu (Neil Rickert) writes: > Forget the religious wars about operating systems, and choose the one which, >in terms of available software and hardware products and support services, best >suits your needs. True! True! Let me add my two cents. One of the "best" features of unix, even in a single user situation, is the ability to do more than one thing at a time. Today I was building a BIG compiler (g++), a job that takes quite a while. I was able to copy some diskettes at the same time. Xenix/386 has twelve screens on the console, each under a different alt-function key. So, you can act like twelve users if you like! My system calls others in the middle of the night to transfer mail and files. It does that even if I leave a big simulation running all night. You will find, too, that the Xenix file system is faster than MS-DOS. I also feel comfortable knowing that others can't just walk up and mess with my system..password protection and all that. Ron. -- | Ronald J. Srodawa | Internet: srodawa@unix.secs.oakland.edu | | School of Engineering and CS | UUCP: srodawa@egrunix.UUCP | | Oakland University | Voice: (313) 370-2247 | | Rochester, Michigan 48309-4401 | |
les@chinet.chi.il.us (Leslie Mikesell) (11/22/90)
In article <551@caslon.cs.arizona.edu> musa@cs.arizona.edu (Musa J. Jafar) writes: >Hello there. I am reading about the >unix file system and the dos file system(sort of speak) >Unix is a real Hierarchy while DOS is not >This is what I understood from my readings. >But DOS looks like a hierarchy. >questions: >Why DOS is not real? I suspect that the author meant that under DOS, multiple drives or partitioned drives appear to be seperate units identified by their drive letters, where in unix all filesystems are mounted below a single root directory, and even the raw disk partitions and other devices appear in the file system hierarchy (usually /dev/devicename). Dos versions that support the "join" command can hide most of this and appear more like a hierarchy. >What is the advantage of UNIX over DOS in a single user Env. > other than you have more options under Unix (but you pay for them) DOS has a serious problem with its 640K memory limitation but there are many work-arounds and it has the advantage of cheap readily available software for almost any application, and with add-ons you can get multi-tasking. Unix has always had more of a toolbox approach which you will either love or hate, depending on whether you think about computers in terms of programming them to do what you want. Les Mikesell les@chinet.chi.il.us
mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us (Marc Unangst) (11/23/90)
srodawa@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Ron Srodawa) writes: > Xenix file system is faster than MS-DOS. I also feel comfortable knowing > that others can't just walk up and mess with my system..password protection > and all that. Ron. Right. Give me around 30 seconds with your machine (depends on how long it takes to boot) and I'll have full root access to your Xenix filesystem. Hint: What does your machine do when you put an Emergency Xenix Boot Floppy in drive A: and press the "reset" button? -- Marc Unangst | mju@mudos.ann-arbor.mi.us | "Bus error: passengers dumped" ...!umich!leebai!mudos!mju |