How Hewlett-Packard Co and Santa Cruz Operation Inc, which are still negotiating their relationship, are going to avoid emerging – in true Unix tradition – with two different operating systems remains to be seen. Their notions of trading Santa Cruzisms for Hewlettisms at 32-bit and 64-bit junctures sometime down the road remains idle chat until they have a better idea what’s going on. Currently there’s no road map or list of the application programming interfaces independent software vendors should follow. Immediately Santa Cruz at least is hurrying to head off talk of there being two kernel exercises under way. It prefers to describe it as two milestones that are related. A subtle distinction we gather. We are reminded of Alice in Wonderland and the White Queen and running twice as fast just to stay in one place. Just like Unix.
