Well, since VistA is medical in nature the petri dish came to mind first. I think we can add to the petri dish component. It contains, defines, provides structure, environment for it's contents. Let's not discount the work done by a good petri dish. I couldn't agree more.
For someone just starting out with VistA sometimes a simple metaphor can help them visualize the structure of how the whole thing fits together. Instead of fretting over which petri dish/pot to use, the plastic one, the glass one, or the gold one. On Friday 27 May 2005 17:35, Greg Woodhouse wrote: > The problem I have with the metaphor is that the OS isn't a passive > thing like a pot or petri dish, it does useful work (though you may not > be ware of what it is doing -- scheduling, memory management, etc.) > > --- Nancy Anthracite <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Couldn't you have a Pot, Good Soil and Beautiful Flowers instead of > a petri dish!!! ;-) > > On Friday 27 May 2005 02:46 pm, Mark Street wrote: > After reflecting on the Linux/distribution rhetoric some..... a simple > metaphor is in order for the model we are assembling here with > VistA. > I have opened the box, emptied all the contents on the table, quickly > scanned the directions, assembled the parts and pieces together > into a somewhat workable system. It is time for my metaphor. > 1. The computer operating system - VAX, UNIX, Linux, Windoze, etc. > = A petri dish > 2. The database - Cache, GT.M = the blood ager medium for the > organisms to grow. > 3. VistA, objects, routines, applications - mumps code = the > organisms that grow and flourish on and in the medium. > As we can see, the OS is merely a container for the medium and the > organisms. Which is why it really doesn't matter which distribution > of Linux one uses. > If you have a consultant or contract with anyone who is experienced > or proficient with UNIX/Linux it is not that difficult to get a petri > dish out of the packaging. The OS is just a petri dish. ; ) Feel free to > clarify or add to this metaphor > Now, back to the mumps textbook. This stuff is strange..... no > wonder you guys have been working with it for 20 years. : | -- Mark Street, RHCE http://www.oswizards.com -- Key fingerprint = 3949 39E4 6317 7C3C 023E 2B1F 6FB3 06E7 D109 56C0 GPG key http://www.oswizards.com/pubkey.asc ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by Yahoo. Introducing Yahoo! Search Developer Network - Create apps using Yahoo! Search APIs Find out how you can build Yahoo! directly into your own Applications - visit http://developer.yahoo.net/?fr=offad-ysdn-ostg-q22005 _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list Hardhats-members@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members
