VMS is UNIX spelled backwards (almost)

[Joe Kelsey]

> From: mikec at hou2g.UUCP (#M.CONDICT)
> Those VMS-ites who enjoy denigrating UNIX should show some respect.  Virtually
> every feature in the early versions of VMS that made it useable (barely!) was
> copied from UNIX -- this is well known within the original development group,
> which was headed by a UNIX-lover (gasp, gasp!).  

Well known by whom?  I personally heard a very detailed description of
the history of VMS, and not a single person involved with version 1.0
of VMS had ANY experience with UNIX.  In fact, I believe that their
only knowledge was that a couple people had read the Communications
paper, and that was it!

> In fact, Version 1.0 of VMS
> was a system apparently designed by concatenating the RSX-11M Operating Sys.
> manuals with the UNIX Version 7 manuals, then shuffling or deleting a few
> pages.  I guess the idea was to be upward compatible with RSX while putting in
> all the UNIX goodies as well.  Here are a few examples for your amusement:

VMS was derived 80% from RSX, with a few UNIVAC and MULTICS concepts
thrown in at random.  Dave Cutler (father of RSX and almost any
worthwhile product from DEC, bit-twiddler extrodinaire) had the most
influence on VMS in the early days, and since he parctically wrote RSX
single-handedly, VMS was very much influenced by his preferences.  Dave
was known as one of the major UNIX-phobes at DEC, although he may or
may not have overcome some of his phobia since writing the VAX-11 C
run-time library.

> here he proceeds to give examples of UNIX things VMS bungled.

The only thing that anyone who developed VMS admits was influenced by
UNIX was the mailboxes.  None of your other examples have any validity
as being anything related to UNIX, except maybe by hindsight.  Every
single one of them was based on RSX ideas.

I don't really mind people who choose to say that UNIX or VMS is better
and then give reasons.  I just wish that if you are going to claim
something about history that you would check your facts.

Personally, I can see no reason to choose either system.  Both have
major flaws, along with major plusses.  When you compare actual
operating system capabilities, it comes out as a wash.  Neither is my
favorite operating system, no matter which viewpoint you use:  user,
application programmer, systems programmer, system administrator, etc.
Unfortunately, my current favorite is now destined to become a
dinosaur: TOPS-20.  Sigh.

/Joe