From VMS to UNIX

[dave at rlgvax.UUCP]

I agree with Guy Harris, especially on the last point regarding the OS letting
you do what you want, or having to get around its restrictions to do what you
want. Either way, if the implementors are stubborn enough, they are going to
get done what they want done. They would prefer not to have brick walls in front
of them that they have to tear down or walk around. One of the philosophies
behind Un*x and C is not to be TOO smart. Not to assume too much about what
programmers do and do not want to do. To be flexible. To be as powerful as
possible without holding the programmer's hand. You wonder why there are so
many C programs out there running on Un*x OSs? You wonder why there are so
many modifications to Un*x? It's because someone wanted those things and
they COULD be done. They could be done faster and easier. The idea of adding
restrictions to prevent the user from doing something he really didn't want
to do is found in Pascal, not C. Likewise, that idea is in VMS, not Un*x.

			- Dave Maxey (alias tbm)
			{seismo,mcnc,we13,brl-bmd,allegra}!rlgvax!dave