RE: IBM loses its Unix license - Jun. 16, 2003

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Adam Lang
>
> "The Mac folks did for a while, but now they, like just
> about everyone else, are pretty much running Unix, which is basically a
> 35-year-old OS (with Linux sort of a mini-me clone <grin>).  Not exactly
> cutting edge."
>
> You said this with a straight face? ;)  How old is the AS/400 technology?
> There is a lot of technology out there that is cutting edge I
> wouldn't touch
> with a 10 foot pole.  there is a BIG difference between "old and outdated"
> and "proven stability".

ILE, the CISC/RISC upgrade, LPAR, Java integration, EVI indexing - all of
these are significant advancements that required true innovation, at least
IMHO.  But I'm not a big Mac afficianado and by no means a *nix expert, so
perhaps I shouldn't make sweeping statements.  Maybe you can share some
technological innovations from the Mac/*nix side of the world?

I still think that the majority of real OS-level advances have come from
IBM.  Neither *nix nor Windows has done a whole lot to raise the bar in
recent years.  At the same time, I have to admit I can say that with much
more certainty about Windows than *nix, and if you feel I'm wrong, please
give me some insight as to what I've missed.  (Really, I want to know.  I'm
about to do a scratch install of RH9.0, and I want to know what the cool
stuff to play with is <grin>.)

And by the way, the first PC I ever used to do SERIOUS work was a Mac.  I
learned how to really use Microsoft Word on a Mac.  Internal memos came from
my PC, but when I needed real professional word processing to go to a
client, I went to the Mac (and to our lovely Mac Goddess, who beat me
mercilessly until I learned proper respect for the machine <grin>).

Joe