why learn UNIX (because it's there)

[mcvoy at uwvax.UUCP]

In article <4221 at utah-cs.UUCP> cetron at utah-cs.UUCP (Edward J Cetron) writes:

    [spelling prog w/ lots of parts & pipes]

    hmm, this fascinated me... so I decided to try it, and it worked, and I did
    it as written on my VMS machine....  Now, explain to me why if I can do this
    on my UNIX machine  AND I can do it on my VMS  machine, why UNIX is better 
    than VMS.

Well, how about this: pipes, like many other innovative and unique
ideas, were found on Unix first.  Pipes, and other tools, are slowly
becoming implemented in other systems, such as yours.

So why is Unix better?  Well, tell me, ed, how long have pipes been
available on your machine?  Not very long, I'll bet.  While you have
been starting to use some of the ideas founded by Unix hackers, those
hackers have not been sitting idle.  They're off hacking on something
new.  You know, networks, and graphics, and window managers.  Stuff you
hear Unix types talking about and wish you had (or would wish you had
if you knew what it was).  Unix is good because it's an environment
made for and used by programmers.  That encourages new ideas, ideas
that you will (eventually) use.

'Nuff said, I don't want to start any wars, so follow up to me.
-- 
Larry McVoy 	        mcvoy at rsch.wisc.edu, 
      		        {seismo, topaz, harvard, ihnp4, etc}!uwvax!mcvoy

"They're coming soon!  Quad-stated guru-gates!"