How do Unix and VMS compare?

[Marc E. Kenig]

<...>
>Clearly, if VMS has a larger software base (as you claim),
>then there would be motivation for VMS-on-UNIX, but this is
>the opposite of the argument you gave for there not being one.

   The point is also moot, since many applications which run on VMS simply
couldn't run, or run reaching reasonable efficiency, on an emulated VMS. (There
is no 'if' about VMS having a larger applications base, for the time being*)
Many VMS applications (reasonably) rely on VMS features,
- virtual memory (try running SAS on UNIX:-))
- RMS record management (why reinvent the wheel for disk storage schemes?)
- record locking primitives(ditto)
- Logical OS symbols, Star coupler support, multi-langauge single-vendor SUPPORT
- real-time performance (I dont have any illusions that VMS is a real-time OS
  but it sure beats UNIX with a stick.)

>UNIX runs practically everywhere.  If Fortran is your bag, certainly there are 
>fast Fortrans available on various vendors' UNIX systems.  Shop around.

"various vendors"? Excuse me, but many of us in the real world don't
have the option to "shop around".  Managerial-types can get real antsy when it 
comes to multi-vendor, non-"big name" (ie,IBM, DEC, etc.) systems.

I think Unix *should* be better, and of the two it is the OS w/a future.
For an interesting view see IEEE 'Computer' June 1984, "Standards Can Help
Us", C. Gordon Bell page 76.