Ported U*ix programs to Plan 9?

[forsyth@minster.york.ac.uk forsyth@minster.york.ac.uk]

>> I think the only place where the "plan 9 model" is dramatically
>> different is in window system software.

i disagree.  9P, precise control of the contents of multiple namespaces,
user-level file servers, and the simplicity of the process model
make a big difference in the way one designs
the implementation of both old and new functions
in the Plan 9 environment.  many of the features i listed appear
in some form in other systems, but usually they are sufficiently
hard to use that people don't bother.  by contrast, in Plan 9
they are used almost casually, and to good effect.

>> I should clarify this:  In Unix, most programs take standard input
>> and produce standard output.  The same is true in Plan 9.  So when

a Plan 9 program can also make things visible in a name space,
to allow them to be manipulated by both new and existing commands.
that possibility can dramatically change the design of a program or
system of programs.