The following message was posted to an Apple Macintosh newsgroup, under the
subject heading of "The Pied Piper..."
 
 
 
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While the unix powers-to-be struggle to get a "unified unix" (an oxymoron,
if there ever was one), Apple has a wonderful opportunity to do something
useful.
 
Anybody there listening to these rumblings, Apple?  I sincerely hope so.
Otherwise, the real "1984" is here (just a bit behind schedule).
 
 
 
HP is still trying to unify Unix, eight years after it founded the OSF.
 
Posted 2/22/96
 
HP and SCO Announce Next-Generation UNIX System Technology
 
HP and SCO have announced next-generation UNIX technology that will form
the basis of distributed UNIX system computing products for the next
decade. Based on an advanced 3D Architecture (3DA), the technology will
provide a single development and porting target for 32- and 64-bit
applications, enabling OEMs and ISVs to accelerate the delivery of a wide
range of innovative customer solutions.
 
Members of the Precision Risc Organization (PRO), including Hitachi,
Mitsubishi, NEC, OKI, and Stratus, announced their support of the new
technology. PRO, formed in 1992, is a group of companies from key market
segments of the computer industry to advance products based on PA-RISC.
These products range from PA-RISC computer systems and applications to
embedded control products and tools.
 
Fully scalable from embedded systems to large, clustered configurations,
the new technology stream will be able to integrate an entire business
enterprise by supporting a broad range of applications and processor
architectures.
 
HP and SCO expect to deliver specifications and technology starting in
1996. Full support for the 32-bit and 64-bit extension to the single UNIX
system specification standard is slated for delivery by HP and SCO on the
PA-RISC and Intel Pentium and Pentium Pro microprocessors starting in 1997,
and with the first shipments of systems based on the Intel Merced
microprocessor. Technology for backward compatibility for existing 32-bit
systems is also expected to be delivered at that time.
 
The two companies expect the new microprocessor to simplify porting and
software development for OEMs and ISVs, and, ultimately, end users. In a
press release on the announcement, Scott McGregor, SCO senior vice
president, stated that the technology provides a "common technology base
for OEMs who offer UNIX systems and a single target platform for
application developers of all kinds."
 
Third parties interested in the new technology include NEC, which has
announced plans to deliver a MIPS-based port in 1997. In an @Computerworld
article, "SCO, HP pitch unified Unix," (posted February 12, 1996) author
Craig Stedman cited sources who revealed that "second-tier server vendors
such as Unisys Corp. and ICL are expected to disclose plans to gradually do
away with their Unix kernels and standardize on SCO's UnixWare technology."
 
The next-generation technology will include many advanced services, such as
self management, continuous availability, advanced Internet security, and
Windows and NetWare integration.
 
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As I was reading these wonderful news, I began to wonder what the clever
folks at Sun Microsystems (among many others) have to say about this...
I'm sure they'll just roll over and play dead...
 
 
Food for thought.
 
 
Gotta run.  I'm converting everything to the advanced 3D Architecture (3DA).
Back in half an hour.  Fortunately, thanks to the clever folks at SCO
(followed by the leaders at HP), this will be the last conversion all of us
have to do.
What a relief, indeed.  Because all of us want to get back to the business
of running our businesses.  (Except, of course, for those of us who just
love to spend our lives converting from one "universal solution" to the
next).
 
Happy converting,
 
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|               |
|            r  |  Alfredo                     [log in to unmask]
|          e    |                           http://www.adager.com
|        g      |  F. Alfredo Rego               Tel 208 726-9100
|      a        |  Manager, Theoretical Group    Fax 208 726-2822
|    d          |  Adager Corporation
|  A            |  Sun Valley, Idaho 83353-3000            U.S.A.
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