The Open Group is putting the Network Computer Reference Profile (NCRP) through its fast-track standard process and is seeking a further contract plus funding from IBM, Apple, Oracle, Netscape and Sun Microsystems – Oracle’s Network Computer Inc and Netscape’s Navio Communications Inc subsidiaries – to develop a branding program and test suite. TOG says it’s inclined to create a new logo with which to brand NC products conforming to the specs rather than use a new version of its X/Open mark. If the NC market is going to take off we need a large and consistent number of products to address it, TOG says. It hopes that NetPC, Java PC and purveyors of other would-be network computer profiles will also be able to brand their systems NCRP-compliant. It expects to be able to do branding by the end of this year and the test suite is expected in about a month, pending agreement and payment to TOG to develop the suite. TOG’s still waiting for the vendors to let it go public with the news. When the vendors eventually rev their NC spec they’ll have to submit it to a new fast-track process. TOG hopes the NC work can eventually be integrated with whatever comes out of its Active Group ActiveX initiative.
