Re: Unix Comparison

from Al Macintyre

You need to get some definitions straight first.

Unix is not hardware or software, it is an OPERATING SYSTEM.

AS/400 is a platform that can run several different Operating Systems.

Once upon a time it was possible to run AS/400 with some OS other than OS/400 
such as SSP without OS/400 in the picture on the early AS/36 models, but IBM 
seems to be getting away from that model, but there may be other models or 
perspectives coming out in the future, but all I really know about right now 
is that OS/400 is the native OS & various other OS possible on the PLATFORM, 
with OS/400 under that OS's covers, so it is LIKE hardware emulation.

Any time you can hot key between more than one OS, like between Windows & 
DOS, then you are in a PLATFORM environment.

Not all OS can run on any hardware.
Software is written that is OS specific.
The OS provides some capabilities & constraints that other OS might not have.

PC is hardware.
It supports several OS, such as Windows, Mac, Linux

I think of a LAN as being LIKE an OS.  Novell for example.

I think of WWW as being LIKE an OS.  
I think of the internet as being LIKE the hardware.
The internet existed long before WWW was invented, but the user friendliness 
of WWW fueled an explosion of population on the internet that in turn fueled 
B2B etc.
WWW (like OS) runs on internet (like hardware) 
and software has to be developed to work effectively with the languages like 
Java & XML.

We run software on OS.
We run OS on hardware.

Unix is OS
HP AS400 PC is hardware.

You probably need to get the opinions of people who are in different biases 
with respect to OS background ... like ask about LINUX on Tech Republic

http://www.techrepublic.com/index.jhtml

>  From:    oludare@ix.netcom.com (Oludare Ogunmadewa)
>  
>  Hello guys,
>  
>  I'm researching different systems in comparison to UNIX.  I need some 
> education in the following areas:
>  
>  Is UNIX a hardware or software and what if is the software. How does Unix 
> compares with HPxxxx, AS/400, PC and what other platforms is in the same 
> category as Unix.  What does Unix has in advantage to all its competitor 
and 
> what is it lacking.

>  Thanks for any of your input.
>  
>  Oludare

MacWheel99@aol.com (Alister Wm Macintyre) (Al Mac)


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