In the Beginning . . . Was the Command Line
by Neal Stephenson

Avon: 9 November 1999. Trade paperback: 151 pages. ISBN-10: 0-380-81593-1 Suggested retail price: $10.00 (US) Tags: Apple Computer; BeOS; Computing; DOS; Linux; Macintosh; Microsoft; operating systems; Unix Tactical strength: [5/10]

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An interesting personal essay that documents Stephenson's personal choice for his computer operating system, explaining his progression from raw command line, to Macintosh, to Linux, and finally to BeOS. Along the way he discusses some interesting ideas about operating systems and their manufacturers. For example, Stephenson believes that Microsoft makes very good application software, but he feels they hold an incorrect view about the operating system. Microsoft wants to sell the operating system and keep its code a secret. But operating systems provide libraries of public utilities so that applications don't have to reinvent the wheel for common functions like saving a file to the hard drive. Also, a programmer could easily write free versions of the same software, and Stephenson cites the multiple versions of Unix all written from scratch. Stephenson concludes that Microsoft stays on top because it owns a huge "mindshare" of computer users, and he warns that a fickle public's mindshare can easily shift at any time for illogical reasons.

Stephenson could have easily allowed himself to get carried away and written long rants or flames, but he carefully controlled his tone. In the Beginning probably won't create any new OS crusaders, but it gives the current combatants some food for thought.