Santa Cruz Operation Inc yesterday announced in Paris that it is extending its collaboration with microkernel specialist Chorus Systemes SA to get itself into the real time operating software business. Initially, the two plan a joint marketing effort for the Chorus/Fusion Santa Cruz Unix-derived real-time microkernel-based operating environment, but they are discussing closer co-operation involving adding Everest functionality to Chorus/Fusion. Everest is the upcoming version of Santa Cruz’s operating system, due in May or June, which features advanced reliability and availability and improved network and Windows management, among other things. Santa Cruz has found that the real-time product is important to maintaining its foothold in any number of markets. Under the new marketing pact with Chorus, it would be able to offer, say, a petrol station, pure Chorus microkernel technology on the distributed real-time nodes – pumps, Chorus/Fusion for Santa Cruz Unix on the till serving the pumps, Santa Cruz Unix in the back office, saying many customers use proprietary systems on their real-time nodes that are hard and expensive to maintain.
