>> proprietary systems got killed by open systems and, ultimately, open source. > It was printed in 1994. Linux and BSD (either FreeBSD or 386BSD, I can't reca

>> proprietary systems got killed by open systems and, ultimately, open source. > It was printed in 1994. Linux and BSD (either FreeBSD or 386BSD, I can't recall which) where around, but Open Source (TM) as we now know it wasn't. I think the "open systems" phrase is more important than the "open source" phrase in the GP's comment. In 1994, Unix systems, even though proprietary, were still more open than the competing systems. Sure, it'll be another 5 years or so before the writing was on the wall for all non-FLOSS systems, but in 1994 it was both a) easier and cheaper to get your hands on a Unix system, and b) easier and cheaper to program it. Sure, they weren't open-source, but they were a hell of a lot more open to hacking than the (for example) Lisp systems, or VMS, etc.