djb@cbosgd.UUCP (David J. Bryant) (12/03/83)
No, this isn't something from Karnak the Great. It's an interesting article taken without permission from the 11/21 issue of Electronic Engineering Times. David Bryant Bell Labs Columbus, OH (614) 860-4516 (cbosgd!djb) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- DRI, AT&T TO DEFINE UNIX VI Digital Research Inc. (DRI) and AT&T have teamed up to define the next generation of the UNIX operating system, EE TIMES has learned. Company spokesmen would not comment but it is expected that the new generation of UNIX, System VI, will be able to run CP/M files. Also, GSX, the virtual device interface (VDI)-standard compatible graphics kernel, developed by DRI, is likely to be incorporated into System VI. So far DRI, the originator of the widely used CP/M operating system, has not shown any commitment to UNIX. But if System VI is created as proposed, DRI would be able to provide a spectrum of compatible operating systems ranging from single-user single-task types for 8-bit machines, to UNIX on much larger machines. The tie with AT'&T could be a significant coup for the Pacific Grove, Calif.-based company, as far as its arch rival in the operating system business, Microsoft Corp. of Bellevue, Wash., is concerned. Microsoft currently markets a UNIX III version under the name of Xenix, and is planning to build a bridge from Xenix to its MS-DOS system. The first buliding block in that bridge is MS-DOS 3.0, a single-user multi- tasking system which has not been introduced, but is imminent. Given AT&T's muscle and its avowed intent to standardize and support UNIX, DRI could have the edge over Microsoft in the Unix marketplace. DRI will get its toes wet in UNIX by porting, under contract to Intel, System V to the iAPX286 microprocessor. When Intel announced its support of System V earlier this year at the National Computer Conference, it said that the port would be done by Microsoft. The port, to be done under Western Electric specifications, will contain C and Fortran compliers, debuggers, the programmer's workbench, and other utilities.