Date   : Thu, 08 Oct 1992 17:22:00 GMT
From   : atha!aupair.cs.athabascau.ca!tech@decwrl.dec.com (Richard Loken)
Subject: Re: Is KA9Q still available for CP/M systems?

fraser_h@eis.dofasco.ca writes:

>Many times I've seen mention that KA9Q was originally developed for
>Z80 CPM systems. Is that original distribution still available anywhere?

If you should stumble across a copy I would dearly love to see it.

Mr. Karn has a religious objection to CP/M and waxes rhetorical about 8 bits
and TCP/IP when the subject comes up.  The song is to the effect that 8 bits
are dead and gone and XT boards can be had loaded for $50.00.  Phil aparantly
has the floppies in his garage but intends to leave them there.

Ironically the tcp-group has been tearing itself apart on a similar vein over
the last year.  To whit, NOS and DOS have overstayed their welcome so why use
them when you can get a 40 MHz 386 machine fully configured for $1500.00 
Canadian and run Unix with native TCP/IP.  I notice the "get out of the
dark ages" rhetoric is less warmly received when it is directed at NOS instead
of CP/M.

I think the demise of NOS and DOS is inevitable as a true operating system
that will handle lots of memory for Intel chips becomes popular.  At that
time NOS, which is as much a task scheduler as a TCP/IP package will be out
moded by TCP/IP services that are written to run under the control of said
OS.  Rumours that Microsoft are going to dump DOS as it now is known are 
starting to crop up - it may be called DOS and look like DOS to they the user
but the similarity will end there.

Hmmppph.  The uninitiated would think I knew what I was talking about but I
am sure many of you can see through the smoke and mirrors.

--
  Richard Loken VE6BSV                             : "ISDN (acronym)
  Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta Canada  : Innovations 
  tech@cs.AthabascaU.CA                            : Subscribers Don't Need."
  {atha|aunro}!cs.athabascau.ca!tech               : - some sorehead or other