Isn't the term OPEN have to do with the ability to accomplish work on a
computer. POSIX was just and is a API definition and expectation of how
something will work. Thus, as with all API's, if you stick to the defintion
then any system supporting that definition will run your code. But I firmly
believe MPE was OPEN long before POSIX because of its ability to operate with
other OS's. Porting code, as previously described, is an incovience at best
and a total waste at worse.
I consider a system OPEN if I can hook something different to it and it works
with it. Proprietary to me means you have to use my hardware and my software
or it ain't gonna work. HP has gone to great lengths to open up API's into the
system without giving up the family jewels to allow intercommunication. I
believe this had its roots way back at the beginning when HP had to do
development on a IBM mainframe and download the code to a HP to run. And it
was not too long ago that HP unplugged its mainframes to become a HP shop.
Talk about putting your money where your mouth is.
Again I have nothing against POSIX but what good is it if I have a Winmodem
and want to plug it into my HP 9000. Or as I look at RAM prices (I don't know
the real figures) and I can but RAM a $1 a MB but when I want it for my system
it costs $20.
HP is moving more and more to an "OPEN" system and the prices are reflecting
this course and the software, whether POSIX compliant or not, is being ported
to a great machine. You win some and you lose some, but in the end if you are
able to fit in then you will most likely stay around. And HP is finding more
and more ways to fit in.

James