How do Unix and VMS compare?

[Chip Rosenthal]

=== REFERENCED ARTICLE =============================================

From: sean at oddjob.UChicago.UUCP (Sean Casey)

	A discussion arose the other day about the relative advantages
	of running Unix vs. VMS on a Vax 11/750. I'm interested in
	knowing the consensus among net users (ignoring obvious selection
	effects.) 
	Arguments in favor of VMS were...

		o FORTRAN runs faster under VMS
		(I don't know how FORTRAN under VMS compares to C under
		Unix??)

		o VMS runs faster than Unix in a multiuser environment.

		o One can always run a Unix emulator under VMS for
		those users who prefer Unix.
		(Why is there no VMS emulator under Unix?)

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People buy computers to run software, not to play with the operating
system.  (While I like to play, I don't shell out the bucks.)  There is
a hell of a lot of software developed to run in a VMS environment.  All
of the test program compilers we use are VMS based.  Therefore, in spite 
of which runs faster, is nicer, etc. we *need* VMS.  However, Unix is 
certainly a very nice environment for development, so we are running 
Eunice in an attempt to get the best of both worlds.  

If Unix had the developed software base which VMS does, then maybe there 
would be a call for VMS emulators under Unix.  Maybe someday Unix will
it.  From what I hear from our test vendors, the world is beginning to 
discover Unix.  Until that time VMS will be a requirement for one and 
only one reason:  it is the only thing which does the job we need to do.  
Until you address this, you can't even begin to address the other factors.

-- 
Chip Rosenthal, Intel/Santa Clara
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