<OT> what computers are excellent at (was: Re: New to Linux)

[Ignazio Palmisano]

Matthew Flaschen wrote:
> Mario Andes wrote:
>> But as their structure is based on modules they are much more flexible.
> 
> That statement is so vague it is meaningless.
> 
>> The whole philosophy of unix is its simple structure. Everything is represented 
>> by files: memory,
> 
> Memory is not ordinarily represented as files.  Files can be represented
> as memory.
>> As system memory isn't infinite a swap mechanism always is used to make it possible 
>> to handle files of every size.
> 
> Obviously, that's not true either.  swap are very small compared to files.
> 
>> Hard disks are large files too.
> 
> True...
> 
>> That's to say the only thing a unix system can do excellently is to handle files.
> 
> I certainly hope not.

Seconded :) the only things (almost) that a CPU can do excellently are 
additions, multiplications and bit comparisons, but it seems to me that 
out of that a lot can be done...
2c,
I.

> 
> Matt Flaschen
>