[TUHS] Re: Proper use of TUHS (was Re: Typesetter C compiler)

You just perfectly described the computing world before 1965 & IBM’s 360. A range with 10x - 20x (? recall failure) of compatible models. This was repeated with microprocessors - at each ‘process step’, one clock frequency option for many years. Can’t recall who invented the range of CPU options we now have: server, desktop, laptop, tablet and ‘embedded’ Might’ve been two variants of 486, can’t recall. There was a tower of babel with Networking for decades, first the physical layer, then the packet layer, then network / protocol layer. We ended up with cat-5/6 twisted pair as the most common physical layer (with RJ-45’), async packets framed with Ethernet, running IP protocols over the network layer. “Internetwork” is a give away in the name “I.P.”. This, despite IBM & Microsoft’s (& others) considerable efforts otherwise. Mature markets require “Standard” parts / services, so consumers can mix-n-match as they wish. Standards facilitate “substitutes” & competition necessary to generate low-margin, high-volume commodity markets. By definition, commodity markets trade “fungible goods” destined for consumers. So many of these, hard to list. Standards - where manufacturers agree on common designs - only appear when manufacturers agree they’ve a common interest in building “volume”, not locking customers in. This happened very early with bipolar TTL logic. Smart phones are mostly Linux / Android, with Apple still able to sell non-commodity designs at premium prices. Remember Microsoft’s foray, via Nokia, into Mobiles? “Pocket PC” and “Windows Mobile” / Windows Phone: Crashed and burned. Even Nokia, then largest phone seller, with the proven Symbian O/S, failed against Android. -- Steve Jenkin, IT Systems and Design 0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915) PO Box 38, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA mailto:sjenkin@canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin