4BSD is dead???

[Larry McVoy]

[muncha buncha cruncha muncha...]

I have heard rumors (from cmu, uci, ucberkeley, and wisc) that research Unix
will no longer be developed at bezerkely after 4.3.  I hear that Darpa
support for such development has dried up.  I have heard that cmu has a 
OS called MACH (???) which runs 4.3 programs faster than 4.3BSD runs them, 
and that they may be taking over where berkeley leaves off.

What I want to know is:

1) Why is Unix departing from berkeley?  Who initiated the departure, them
   or DOD?

2) What's this about MACH?  I heard it's based on Accent, but I know nothing
   beyond that.  Is the claim that 4.3 progs run faster possible?

3) Is the DOD going to support cmu?

4) What about Version 8 Unix?  I hear (I know, I know, I hear a lot) that
   it is very nice, almost a "clean" version of 4.x.  Streams sound very
   nice....  Are there any plans to follow in berkeley's footsteps with
   a version of unix based on version 8?

5) [This has very little to do with 1-4, I just thought I'd tack it on...]
   What about a merger?  I work on a Masscomp system which is really pretty 
   nice: they have this universe stuff in which both 4.2 & SysV system calls
   can be supported.  Also, both 4.2 and SysV utilities are available, I
   very rarely am faced with "I can't do it because I don't have the 
   widget utility".  Is there any chance of the various 4.x utils being
   merged into AT&T Unix?

-- 
Larry McVoy
-----------
Arpa:  mcvoy at rsch.wisc.edu                              
Uucp:  {seismo, ihnp4}!uwvax!geowhiz!larry      

"Just remember, wherever you go -- there you are."
 	-Buckaroo Banzai