🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Apr14.151940.3786@linus.mitre.org>, cazier@mbunix.mitre.org (Cazier) writes:
> The responses I've recieved with my earlier questions about VMS 5.5/POSIX
> have been in the form of LECTURES about POSIX. I'm not looking for a 
> religious lecture on POSIX ... I'm seeking folks who might have some 
> knowledge about how functionally equivalent VMS 5.5/POSIX is to UNIX/POSIX?

You would do well to listen to the religion.  Like it or not (and I 
don't, particularly, even though I'm a standardiser myself) Posix is a 
label that is increasingly being stuck `on the side of' both systems and 
applications.  In order to know what's going on, you need to understand 
the words, which are (to some extent) religious.

> If I (a UNIX user) am placed on VMS 5.5/POSIX and run the "posix" shell
> will I get the same functionality from that environment (under VMS) as
> I would if I remain on my current DEC Ultrix system 5500.

My best guess at the answer to that is to suggest that you consider how 
easy it might be to transfer yourself bodily to another _Unix_ platform. 
We run DECstations, SPARCstation 2s, and RS6000s.  Despite that all our 
`Open Systems' (a _real_ piece of marketing-ese, not mere religion) 
products are written to be portable, there are always issues about which 
application can run on which platform with which amount of 
customisation.

> It woudl be nice to get some type of mapping on Ultrix vs VMS 5.5/POSIX
> to see what functions, system calls and/or tools/utilities I'm losing in
> such a move.

Not all Unix systems offer the same set of tools and utilities.  Drives 
us crazy...

> I do not feel that reading DEC literature will tell me qualitatively what
> to expect from my new environment.

You're probably right, but having a look at it will give you a pretty 
good start.  Best of luck with the trawl for information: if you get 
stuff mailed direct to you, do summarise...
-- 
Robin Fairbairns, Senior Consultant, postmaster and general dogsbody
Laser-Scan Ltd., Science Park, Milton Rd., Cambridge CB4 4FY, UK
Email: robin@lsl.co.uk  --or--  rf@cl.cam.ac.uk