Files as files

From: D. Peschel <dpeschel_at_u.washington.edu>
Date: Fri Jun 12 08:21:27 1998

> Have you ever used a product called ClearCase? It basically maps a
> database engine / version control system to a Unix filesystem. It's very
> powerful, but I wouldn't want to use it or have the overhead associated
> with it if I didn't actually need it. Most people don't need it.

I did an internship at Siemens Business Communication Systems, Inc.
(which was Siemens ROLM at the time). We used ClearCase on a bunch of Suns
running SunOS. It was a pretty slick program, though it used a kernel
device driver to do its magic (I don't know much about UNIX loadable kernel
modules -- perhaps my suspicion has leaked over from my MS-DOS experience).

Unfortunately, the project that we all were using ClearCase for was cancelled,
and I started work on another project, which did NOT use ClearCase. The 2nd
project was a rather slovenly bunch of code with a simpleminded makefile.
(And comments in German.) On that project I got to experience the joy of a
cross-debugger running on TI DSP hardware and a so-so C compiler (and an odd
linker, though that was actually OK).

When I finally tracked down the manual for the debugger (to see how to get it
to work under "real" X Windows -- most everyone else was using OpenLook -- it
had all kinds of ominous notices like "Preliminary" and "The following routines
SHOULD work." (It was a third-party product.) It also gave me the option of
using SunView. :)

BTW, I hate the way OpenLook adheres to the X (Athena?) conventions except when
it doesn't. The way it abuses resource files is shameful, especially since
resources are one of the great things about X. Of course, the ugly apps don't
help matters at all.

These two packages may have been a big factor in ROLM's sticking with the old
Sun set-up they had. I think they're using PC's now, though.

Yes, I know this message isn't really about ClearCase... but I thought my
story might be worth sharing. I hope it isn't typical but I suspect it is.

-- Derek
Received on Fri Jun 12 1998 - 08:21:27 BST