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Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!labtam!news.mel.aone.net.au!OzEmail!metro!news.cs.su.oz.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!simtel!news.kei.com!news.mathworks.com!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!Germany.EU.net!ieunet!maths.tcd.ie!maths.tcd.ie!not-for-mail From: bos@serpentine.com (Bryan O'Sullivan) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Subject: Re: Slight flame from Linux user Date: 4 Jun 1995 16:53:35 +0100 Organization: Polymorphous Thaumaturgy Lines: 45 Sender: bosullvn@maths.tcd.ie Message-ID: <3qsktv$b3u@bell.maths.tcd.ie> References: <3ql3gd$je2@bell.maths.tcd.ie> <3qo2af$nqo@bell.maths.tcd.ie> <3qq5i8$2jj@anshar.shadow.net> <3qqotb$sla@hamilton.maths.tcd.ie> <D9nMI9.Lys@midway.uchicago.edu> Reply-To: bosullvn@maths.tcd.ie NNTP-Posting-Host: bell.maths.tcd.ie Tim Pierce <twpierce@midway.uchicago.edu> writes: > I don't believe that there is an advantage in making an > operating system as easy as instant pudding. There certainly is, at least to an extent. For people who "just want to get work done", it allows them to do just that. And for those of us who prefer to tool around, at least we have a generic kernel that we can play with before we get down to customising and tuning it. Arguably, people who "just want to get things done" shouldn't be using Unix in the first place, but they aren't in any case. I should also point out that making an OS easy to install is a Good Thing for competent system administrators who have lots of work to do. Several years ago, I used to have to nursemaid a VAX into booting BSD off a DECtape before I could think about installing it. Now, I can put a Sun on my network and have it more or less automatically come to life and install the world when it is turned on for the first time. > Running, > administering, debugging, and configuring an operating > system will never be "easy," in the same way that flying, > landing and troubleshooting an aircraft will never be > "easy." Running and administering Unix will certainly never be easy, but I wouldn't go any further than that. > I just don't agree with the goal of making the system > shrinkwrappable. That's too bad. I am glad they don't share your views. > Fortunately, your patronizing attitude was apparently not > shared by Ken, Dennis or Rob. Which is just part of why Plan 9, for example, will never go far. <b -- Let us pray: What a Great System. Please Do Not Crash. bos@serpentine.com ^G^IP@P6 http://www.serpentine.com/~bos