VM/370 security and performance

[John A. Muth]

<<>>

In <6623 at brl-tgr.ARPA>, lcc.barry at UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA writes:

> I've read several interesting criticisms of VM/370 and at least one uninformed
> one.  There are  several good points about VM/370:
> 
> 1) CMS is the nearest thing to a friendly OS IBM has come up with.

True, but that's not saying much. CMS is only slightly more useable
than CP/M. I have never been impressed by CMS.

> 3) Maybe some system programmers in u-wiz ENJOY working between 2 and 6 AM
> when there's a new version of the system to build, test, and install.  With
> VM, you do your work during the day in parallel with production use of your
> machine.  When the system works, you come in ONE night to put it in the
> production machine and make sure it works there.

Exactly right.

I've been with Amdahl for 4 years as a UTS systems programmer. I think
that VM/CP is the slickest thing I have ever seen. It allows me to bring
up test versions of UTS at any time without effecting anyone else. No
one should ever attempt operating systems development with anything
less.

(UTS is Amdahl's port of UNIX to 370 compatable machines)

> In spite of its growing pains, VM/370 & CMS is still the cleanest, easiest to
> use operating system for 370-like machines around.  (Unless you can talk
> IBM out of VMIX, a unix built on a modified VM/370.)
> 
> barry

Or you can call Amdahl and get UTS right now (and you don't have to modify
your VM to run it). We're very proud of UTS around here.

If anyone is interested in UTS, contact:

	Cyndy Ainsworth, Mail Stop 208
	Amdahl Corporation
	1250 E. Arques Ave.
	P.O Box 3470
	Sunnyvale, Ca. 94088-3470

Or call her at:
	(408) 746-8945

-- 
				John Muth
				(408) 746-6069
				...{nsc,hplabs,ihnp4}!amdahl!muth

[The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily
those of Amdahl Corporation, its management, or employees.]