[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I watched MVS struggle with some ( conceptually ) pretty simple stuff for a lot of years!

SMP (System Maintenance Program ) was a nightmare for several years, although that is not a simple task!

[Imal]

I used to run some DEC 8400's for a while, running my beloved Digital Unix (IMO one of the best Unices ever), So I know the culture.

And my favorite characteristic of high-end systems culture is the wry humor you find throughout. The "early in the life of the operating system" line is classic, widespread, and by no means unusual. Just read the jargon file for a taste, be aware that the culture is constantly evolving (and not just for -=haXX0rz=- either), and one can gain an appreciation for the depth of that culture.

I remember a few DEC tech bulletins that positively had me in stitches. Very dry, very clever, very informative (if you could read between the lines), and paid for by DEC. *8^)

[eggman]

I think the SMP they refer to in the article is Symmetrical Multi-Processing. I worked with Dynix, SCO, AIX, HP-UX, & Solaris. Each had their own version of a System Maintenance Program.

Of course Microsoft is going to be the only winner here. Why else would they pay off SCO and let them try to destroy Linux while Microsoft just sat back and watched the fireworks.