Just what is unix (answer)

Paul Placeway paul at osu-dbs.UUCP
Thu Apr 19 13:16:55 AEST 1984


@begin<flame>

For those of you who don't seem to know, UNIX is **NOT** the user interface,
UNIX **IS** the kernal and file system, **NOTHING MORE**.  As evidence, take
a look at the differences between sh(1) and csh(1).  These shells are not
UNIX, but programs that run on UNIX.

More to the point, the guide lines for command syntax is ment to be run by
an extended shell, runing not instead of, but rather in addition to the
normal shells.

If you want a "standard" unix command syntax (i.e. chaos 8-)), that's fine,
but most of the people I have talked to at our site wanted something more
like TOPS-20 (with the ESC-expansion), including all of the regular wizards.
Yes, I suppose I could call the result OSUnix, but that would be silly...

If you have a better suggestion, fine (i.e. put up or shut up).  I have
recieved some suggestions from people with *USEFUL COMMENTS* from the net,
but the only flames so far are on this news group.

@end<flame>

To all of you who have sent comments, thank you again.

"I even like the chicken		Paul W. Placeway
 if the sauce is not too		The Ohio State University
 blue..."				(UUCP: cbosgd!osu-dbs!paul)
					(CSNet: paul at ohio-state)

(UNIX is a trade mark of AT&T, TOPS-20 is a trade mark of Digital Equipment)



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