TOPS-20 --> UNIX

[zornig%bbn-unix at sri-unix.UUCP]

From:  John Zornig <zornig at bbn-unix>

Sure, I have.  I used TOPS-20, and before that TOPS-10, for many years
before beginning with UNIX.  I can see that anyone who thinks that 
command completion and online help is the principal measure of an 
operating system or programming environment would love TOPS-20.  On 
the other hand, anyone who really uses the system, system calls and all,
could get real tired of TOPS-20 and BLISS.  I did.

Indeed, it was the severe shortcomings of TOPS-20 as a serious programming
environment that motivated a group at Yale to invest what seem like man-
centuries in developing the Yale Tools package.

If you want to see the difference, try writing your favorite UNIX utilities
in BLISS or MACRO-10 using TOPS-20 system calls and (echh..) byte pointers.
Don't forget 5 7-bit chars per word, left justified, and be sure to include
the precious command completion and "?" functions.

Talk's cheap....

				    John G. Zornig
				    Ye Olde Venerable
				      BBN Communications Corp.