Co-operative integration products and schemas to link heterogeneous computers are all the rage these days, even if, like IBM’s Systems Application Architecture, they do often look like a counterpane beautifully laid over an un-made bed. NCR Corp is right up there and will come out with a new suite of software called Cooperation next quarter designed to tie its proprietary machines in with Unix, MS-DOS, OS/2 systems and other major proprietary systems from the likes of DEC and IBM. Ultimately, the planned offerings appear to be designed to move its proprietary users over to Unix, but NCR said it will continue to invest in improvements to its proprietary operating systems customers while designing ways to link those older computer systems to Cooperation. NCR calls its implementation of the client-server model Open Cooperative Computing Architecture, which comprises Human Interface, Application Environment, Cooperative Services, Communication Services and Base Platform Layers.
