X-no-Archive:yes
Tom makes a good point when he says:

The same cannot be said about NT, which is frequently touted as an "open"
system.

But to my mind, one would have to view NT as "open" for a couple of reasons.

1- Microsoft does not make computers, it only makes the operating system.
 Conversely, HP makes the HP 3000 and MPE which only runs on the HP 3000.  Just
as IBM makes the AS/400 and OS/400 which runs on the former.  Apple makes the
Mac and the MacOS which only runs on the Mac.
2- Originally, NT ran on 4 platforms, but since then this number has been cut
down to two.  I guess it will go up again when Merced (or whatever IA-64)
starts shipping.  Also, NT runs on AMD, so maybe it is 3 already.  Anyway you
look at it, NT runs on an architecture that represents the vast majority of
installed computers.
3- Most if not virtually all 32-bit applications that run on Windows 95 and 98
also run on NT.
4- The only reason UNIX started becoming somewhat "open" was POSIX.
5- NT has a POSIX interface.

However, there are also numerous reasons why NT should not be viewed as "open".

1- The "standards" are defined and controlled by one company.
2- A lot of the APIs are ill-defined, at best.
3- Add your own reasons.


Kind regards,

Denys. . .

Denys Beauchemin
HICOMP
(800) 323-8863  (281) 288-7438         Fax: (281) 355-6879
denys at hicomp.com                             www.hicomp.com


-----Original Message-----
From:   Tom Brandt [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Wednesday, 25 August, 1999 8:15 AM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: IBM S/390 update reported

At 09:02 8/25/99 -0400, Joe after Boris after Greg:
<snip>
>What makes the HP3000 "open" - is introduction of POSIX to MPE, which permits
>MPE/iX to run code compiled using POSIX libraries (which resemble or could
even
>be the same as Unix libraries).
>
>Thusly, code written to POSIX (or even Unix) - with few exceptions - can be
>ported over and run under MPE/iX.
</snip>

The same cannot be said about NT, which is frequently touted as an "open"
system.


Tom Brandt                            Northtech Systems, Inc.
+1 734-769-5040                     313 N. First Street
+1 734-769-5498 (FAX)            Ann Arbor, MI 48103