The Open Software Foundation alternative Unix club, currently operating out of temporary premises in Lawrence, Massachusetts, this week issued its first Request For Technology, asking all software and hardware vendors worldwide to submit their graphical user interface technologies for consideration (and if chosen, licensing) as part of the Foundation’s Level One Unix implementation. Interested parties have until September 16 to make their proposals, and those putting up qualifying technologies will get the opportunity to present their material at a Foundation meeting in the last week of September. Foundation members will then discuss the offerings with development staff early in November, after which the chosen technologies for the User Environment Foundation will be announced – which means that while IBM may well want Next Inc’s graphical user interface for AIX (CI No 969), it is by no means certain to be adopted by the Foundation. The Request specifies conformance with the X Window System v11: X Window defines the underlying technology but not the screen appearance or interactive behaviour; with IEEE 1003.1 Posix; ANSI C; portability; readiness to ship by first half 1989, and portability.
The Foundation has named Henning Oldenburg, formerly computer integrated manufacturing chief at Nixdorf Computer to be Director of European Operations. The European office of the Foundation will be in Brussels.
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