OSF/1 may be available to independent software vendors as soon as September…
The Open Software Foundation has decided that it wants to get its OSF/1 operating system out to independent software vendors as quickly as possible, and told its member’s meeting the week before last that it is currently considering breaking the embargo that restricts its distribution to members only until its official unveiling in November. Although some restrictions would still apply, OSF/1 business area manager Grace Perez says independent software vendors could have it by September – and possibly before – since none of the members objected to the idea. Meanwhile Ms Perez, and Foundation chief Dave Tory said that OSF/1 will have Xenix compatibility – but by the first quarter of next year rather than at the launch of OSF/1 in November. The Foundation is working with Santa Cruz Operation, along with Locus Computing Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co on the development project. Locus will be responsible for software engineering, Hewlett will provide hardware. The goal is to ensure compatibility with SCO Unix System V/386, Open Desktop, SCO Xenix System V and other System V/386s by first half 1991.
Unix International woos MS-DOS, VMS, OS/400 developers to make System V uncatchable…
Unix International Inc has opened a new front in its escalating battle with the Open Software Foundation, this time aimed at winning the hearts and minds of the strategic independent software vendor community. The true blue Unix club says it is out to double its claimed 15,000-strong program base within two years, making it the equal of MS-DOS today. Marketing vice-president Dave Sandell said that the first target is MS-DOS houses, particularly those working in the client-server and personal productivity area. Then come IBM mid-range and DEC VMS developers, Ultrix and AIX vendors and the Xenix and Berkeley crowds. Enticements include a new advertising campaign in the Wall Street Journal (the most secure investment in this paper), Financial Times, Asian Wall Street Journal and various trade publications, and 10 one-day seminars in the US and Europe. Unix International has secured the endorsements of Sparc International, 88Open and Intel for the programme, to emphasise the possibilities of high volume sales through binary compatibility; each has pledged to help vendors to convert to Unix. Unix International member companies will also make porting centres in 18 countries available for third party use, backed by loan programmes, detailed conversion guides and discounted training courses.
…claims 85% have taken up V.4…
According to Unix International’s Dave Sandell, there are 175 companies with System V licences and 85% of those have licences to V.4, and the Unix Software Operation says it is actively negotiating with the rest. Answering the Software Foundation claims that System V.4 isn’t actually shipping, Sandell says that ICL, AT&T and NEC are currently delivering binary versions with applications. But the Foundation riposts that if that’s the case, it would still like to get a copy to play with!
…and wins System V.4 support in India
In the wake of Unix International’s field trip to India last month, 12 Indian companies and governmental agencies have formed a regional group supporting Unix System V.4. The group hopes to harness India’s highly skilled but low-cost programmer population to writ V.4 software for export. The consolidation move, believed to be organised by AT&T India and Sun’s distributor Wypro, includes Hindustan Computers Ltd, Tata Consultancy Services, The National Centre for Software Technology, Softek, Org Systems, ITC Ltd, ICIM – ICL India, the National Council for Social Development, The National Association of Software and Service Companies, and Kirloskar Computer. Unix International is also watching the way the wind blows at the Cocom meeting this month, contemplating a move on Comecon.
X/Open won’t move on user interfaces
X/Open Co Ltd refuses to back one graphical user interface even though the first two of four action items at
its user meeting in Luxembourg last month were demands that they make a choice. X/Open, wanting to make sure it supports a de facto standard, feels it is still to soon. Those that think that X/Open should do more note that even Apple has Motif up under A/UX, and AT&T will sell Motif if that’s what it takes to close a deal. Roger Sippl, chairman of Informix Corp and of X/Open’s software vendor user council, said support for a common applications programming interface encompassing Motif and Open Look would not be possible without compromise: the feature sets are not close enough and you would still need two sets of documentation, two quality assurance tests and two training efforts.
Kavner statement on AT&T peace feelers
If anyone has a solution to the impasse between Unix International and the Open Software Foundation, I welcome it. There is a need for one Unix implementation in the marketplace if there is to be consistency and interoperability among vendors and architectures. The Unix operating system should not be a turf for competitive differentiation. It just hurts the customer. I suggest that any new dialogue address only specific issues and the discussion not be allowed to be used as a vehicle for competing companies to gain new advantages. This has been our problem to date. My chief concern – and the concern of those companies who have adopted Unix System V as the standard Unix platforms – is that we protect the investment users, vendors and software independents have made to date. The industry needs to preserve those investments and I think that’s what this new user group is telling us. They’re saying, We’re interested in the Unix operating system, we have investments in the Unix operating system, and we need assurances that the future of the Unix operating system is not disruptive. In my mind, a commitment to Unix System V is all the assurance they need. You have to remember that there are some pretty major players in the industry who don’t agree, for their own reasons, and may not find it in their best interest to reach an accomodation over a standard platform. We have tried for nearly two years to reach an accomodation. While there is some agreement on technology, the Holy Grail has eluded us. Maybe a fresh look at the issue will help. The key to success is to force out self interest and address the Unix issues from the perspective of those who have invested to date, and how others can be accommodated.
