From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: cowan@ccil.org (John Cowan)
Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 10:44:36 -0400
Subject: [TUHS] TUHS Digest, Vol 31, Issue 9
In-Reply-To: <200605191432.k4JEW48K025015@wwws.monmouth.com>
References: <200605191432.k4JEW48K025015@wwws.monmouth.com>
Message-ID: <20060519144435.GD18907@ccil.org>

patv at monmouth.com scripsit:

> I hate when these discussions become religious.  What I initially said was
> I'd love to see what would happen if a TOG branded UNIX were open source.

Ah, I missed that point (and I think some others did too).  The text
below strikes me as relevant; it was written by me, edited by Eric
Raymond with my consent, and published in his name in TAOUP:

                Master Foo Discourses on the Unix-Nature

A student said to Master Foo: ``We are told that the firm called SCO
holds true dominion over Unix.''

Master Foo nodded.

The student continued, Yet we are also told that the firm called
OpenGroup also holds true dominion over Unix.''

Master Foo nodded.

``How can this be?'' asked the student.

Master Foo replied:

``SCO indeed has dominion over the code of Unix, but the code of
Unix is not Unix. OpenGroup indeed has dominion over the name of Unix,
but the name of Unix is not Unix.''

``What, then, is the Unix-nature?'' asked the student.

Master Foo replied:

``Not code. Not name. Not mind. Not things. Always changing, yet
never changing.

``The Unix-nature is simple and empty. Because it is simple and empty,
it is more powerful than a typhoon.

``Moving in accordance with the law of nature, it unfolds inexorably
in the minds of programmers, assimilating designs to its own nature. All
software that would compete with it must become like to it; empty, empty,
profoundly empty, perfectly void, hail!''

Upon hearing this, the student was enlightened.


-- 
John Cowan  cowan at ccil.org   ccil.org/~cowan
Dievas dave dantis; Dievas duos duonos          --Lithuanian proverb
Deus dedit dentes; deus dabit panem             --Latin version thereof
Deity donated dentition;
  deity'll donate doughnuts                     --English version by Muke Tever
God gave gums; God'll give granary              --Version by Mat McVeagh