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- From: mjr@hussar.dco.dec.com (Marcus J. "Buddy can you spare a clue?" Ranum)
- Subject: Re: net.views -- What is an "Open System"?
- Message-ID: <1992Sep10.145509.6695@decuac.dec.com>
- Sender: news@decuac.dec.com (USENET News System)
- Nntp-Posting-Host: hussar.dco.dec.com
- Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation, Washington ULTRIX Resource Center
- References: <BuBx63.H64@vcd.hp.com> <1992Sep10.024324.17106@decuac.dec.com> <BuCytz.1IG@world.std.com>
- Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 14:55:09 GMT
- Lines: 44
-
- [Disclaimer: This is all my personal opinion. I work for a vendor, but
- I do not speak for that vendor, nor do I set its policy.]
-
-
- geoff@world.std.com (Geoff Collyer) writes:
- >> What *IS* an "Open System"??
- >
- >Gee, that sounds like my cue. I'll give my usual commentary first and
- >then elaborate a bit. "Open Systems" is a command; "Open" is a verb.
- >You can probably guess what vendors mean when they utter it (it's aimed at
- >your wallet).
- >
- >The last open system I used actively was a VAX 750; the hardware was
- >documented sufficiently well that one could write operating system code
- >for it (without having to beg, grovel, sign non-disclosure agreements,
- >bribe your vendor, sue your vendor, or sell your soul to the devil).
-
- What makes having the hardware documented "Open"?? It seems to
- me that you're defining an "Open System" as any system which you can
- *FIX* yourself if you don't like what the vendor's done with it. Some
- of us prefer to just change vendors.
-
- I don't think it's *POSSIBLE* to define "Open Systems" meaningfully.
- I've heard some folks define "Open Systems" in terms of applications
- portability - but - do you see the hook? It's not the vendor that
- provides applications portability!! (As Geoff should know, if anyone does!)
-
- Is it possible that "Open Systems" means "We're abrogating our
- responsibility to make it GOOD in favor of making it CHEAP?"
-
- Other people have told me that "Open Systems" means that the
- system conforms to all relevant industry and de facto standards. That's
- also nice, but that still means that you get to ensure the portability
- yourself, and that you're still at the mercy of the quality of the
- implementation of the standard. Is it possible that "Open Systems" is
- much like saying, "Here's a bunch of industry standard sheep fur. If
- you want a coat, go for it!"?
-
- Is it possible that when someone says they want "Open Systems"
- they're saying they want "cheap, fast, and good?" - most likely. One
- thing for sure - in the open systems arena, there ain't no such thing
- as a free lunch. Or is that an "Open Lunch"?
-
- mjr.
-