O'pain Software Foundation: (3) relationship to GNU & openness

[Paul Vixie]

In article <4457 at vdsvax.steinmetz.ge.com> barnett at steinmetz.ge.com writes:
>If I were a member of OSF, I would try to find out about the future
>extensions and make my extensions as similar to SysV.Next as possible.
>And if *MY* requirements weren't being met, I would start screaming at
>AT&T NOW. (And some companies *ARE* doing this *NOW*).
>
>If I were a user of an OSF unix, I would start asking my vendor
>for AT&T compatibility. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

Let's imagine, for the sake of argument, that there are two UNIX-making
entities in the world.  One is AT&T+Sun and their licensees; one is OSF
and its licensees.  Just imagine this so we can see what kind of world
it would be.  Imagine (I know this is asking a lot) that as of 1995 or
so, the world of UNIX computing is about evenly split between the two
major UNIX products.  Half the machines in the world run SUNix, the other
half run OSFix.

If I were a vendor in this imaginary world, I'd want to do as much as
possible to make sure that my OS was competitive (which means, among
other things: as compatible as possible) with both of the major UNIX
variants.  If I were an OSF member, I'd want to be competitive against
SUNix licensees.  If I were a SUNix licensee, I'd want to be competitive
against OSF members.

If I were a user in this imaginary world, I would want all my machines to
have at least the same core of functionality (and method), and if one of
my vendors started falling behind (which means: not keeping up with BOTH
UNIX camps on major features), I'd switch vendors.

The two UNIX camps need competition to spur them into new developments.
Bright young programmers need to be able to get their ideas into the
mainstream, too, and that's much more likely if you can approach either
of the two camps with an idea the other one doesn't have yet.

Anyway, if you can imagine this world I describe, then maybe you can tell
me why it isn't possible.  Or tell me why AT&T/Sun has to be the only one
making standards, the one other people have to keep up with.  I note with
amusement that AT&T doesn't think that way anymore, and that they have for
these last years has let Sun and everyone else beat up on them horribly
in the marketplace.  14-character file names indeed.
-- 
Paul Vixie
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