Use a 386 unix as a home machine?

[daniel mocsny]

In article <207 at comcon.UUCP>, tim at comcon.UUCP (Tim Brown) writes:
> Bottom line, what could you need DOS for that unix can't do better
> anyway?

Yeah, I guess none of those 30,000+ applications are any good. So
many of them waste time on such non-essentials as color and on-line
help. Why, many DOS users find they don't even have to look at
manuals for some applications. You know that means they can't
really be computing.

All those misguided DOS users should just give up the idea of doing
useful work for the next year or so, and start working their way
through the cubic meter of documentation a person needs to master
before having a fighting chance of *starting* to put together a UNIX
system that does lots of nifty things.

:-) :-) :-)

Don't get me wrong---I love UNIX and I'm trying to plow through that
cubic meter myself. But face it, a UNIX system is worse than useless
*unless* it comes equipped with someone who knows the ins and outs of
kernel configuration, utilities, system admin, sendmail, software
porting, etc. etc. ad infinitum. This all adds up to an astounding
intellectual overhead, one that most mortal humans will have no chance
at mastering on less than a full-time basis. Like I was telling my
father about all the cool things my UNIX system can do, but when
he asked me about what kind of system he should look at to run his
small business (it has to be do-it-yourself all the way, due to
low budget) I told him to forget UNIX unless he could afford to 
hire somebody to run it. Or to take 6 months off work to learn to
run it.

Moving to UNIX to overcome the disadvantages of MS-DOS is much like
getting married to overcome the disadvantages of being single. Sure,
it will work, but you get quite a few lagniappes in the bargain...

Dan Mocsny
dmocsny at uceng.uc.edu