[Serusers] why combine ser with asterisk

[Michael Grigoni]

SIP wrote:

> Michael Grigoni wrote:

<snip>

>>Yes, Seymour liked to code in machine language right from the console
>>and the O/Ses for his machines developed 'organically' from the bottom up
>>in general, but wouldn't you consider SCOPE, KRONOS, NOS etc. operating
>>systems?  And as for hardware, the CDC peripherals and Hyperchannel
>>offerings seemed to be the best in the industry on Cray CPUs...


> Right, but Cray himself was TOTALLY against their creation.

<snip>

He was certainly well-known for a conservative engineering approach,
avoiding bleeding-edge technology (e.g. Integrated Circuits, later LSI)
and pushing mature technologies to incredible performance, but I had not
heard of a philosophical objection to making peripherals and operating
systems even though it was evident he felt it was the domain of others.

> Then, again, when Cray Research was faced with the decision of whether
> to build computers that people would buy or computers for the sake of
> building computers, they understood that they needed to stay in
> business, and decided on the path that would lead them to solvency.
> 
> This caused Cray to leave his own company and form Cray Computers.

<snip>

Interesting.  I remember the public face of this was that he needed to avoid
sole-source procurement problems with big government contracts so he formed
Cray Computers to the mutual benefit of both companies.

His nephew was a classmate of mine and once invited me to a visit to his uncle's
lake home; I wish I had been able to go (sadly too late now).

Regards,

Michael