At the same time as the organisation of rebel Unix oil companies – the Petrotechnical Open Software Corporation – was, as expected, formally introducing itself to the world, chief executive Dan Turner last week revealed that it is working on a reciprocal agreement with X/Open Co Ltd which will likely see the oilers’ club become a member of X/Open’s User Council and X/Open become a member of Petrotechnical Corp. Although X/Open maintains that nothing formal has been signed, there are numerous indications that discussions about a broad alliance between the various user oraganisations is now advanced. X/Open readily admits that itself and the Petrotechnical Corp – along with other formative bodies representing corporate open system users like the User Alliance for Open Systems, perhaps better known as the Houston 30 – share generic concerns, and that there is no reason for them all to be running round the world trying to accomplish the same tasks and preaching the same message. X/Open says it would like to see some kind of common grouping emerge – albeit under the auspices of it own organisation. Although the User Alliance joined the corporation of Open Systems a couple of months ago in a move which was interpreted by the US press as a snub to X/Open’s vendor-dominated set-up, there is quiet concern that now the user groups have declared themselves, the need for a common, strategic platform is becoming essential. It seems a good bet that if any these wishes are to be realised, then the forthcoming Uniforum show in Dallas, Texas, where representatives of all the groups will be present, would be as good a place as any for it to happen. The Petrotechnical Corp, now in start-up mode, says its founder members – BP Exploration, Chevron, Elf Aquitaine, Mobil Exploration and Producing and Texaco – are pressing for alliances with other groups.
