Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote:
> >   If the very first version of DOS had had a similar account/password
> > system as unixes,

> ... then it wouldn't have run on an 8086, and MS would be broke.

  Or maybe we would have much better PCs today because they would not be
based on (and mostly backwards-compatible with) a totally antiquated and
obsolete architecture designed by IBM and Intel.

  Think about how the game industry has boosted the development of graphics
cards. Imagine if the same boost would have been done to the PC architecture
by OS vendors.

> > would not complain because they would take it for granted, as something
> > obvious.

> It's hard to say. Most of the other systems of the day didn't have it either.

  Multi-user unix systems were certainly being used in many environments
(eg. at universities with thousands of students) back when Windows95 didn't
even exist. Back then things like logins, passwords and access rights were
a given in those system. Yes, I have personal experience.

> Contrast with something like Singularity, where you explicitly list every 
> program you're going to run

  I never said that unix is the perfect system. I just said that it's
*better* (in terms of safety) because the fundamental design is different
(namely, it's intended to be a multi-user system).

  The point is that if operating systems had had the proper design from
the start, things like computer viruses wouldn't exist (except perhaps
ones exploiting bugs, but those would probably not get as widespread
because bugs are easier to fix than fundamental OS design).

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message