[comp.sys.amiga] UNIX "requirements"

jones@uv4.eglin.af.mil (Calvin Jones, III) (03/08/90)

"Mike (Real Amiga have keyboard garages" <mwm@raven.pa.dec.com> writes:

> If you do, I suggest look at how AUX is doing, and how the PC-based
> Unix systems are doing. The answer is "not very well", sales being
> mostly limited to Universities that like the idea of running Mac &
> Unix software on the same box, and to technogeeks who _really_ want a
> Unix box in their house. That total just isn't a very big market, not
> compared to what you can put in office & homes if you don't try and
> sell enough hardware to run Unix. It's big enough to be worth doing,
> but it won't keep the machine alive.

I fear that this is changing.  The DoD now requires that specifications 
use in the procurement of general purpose computers of all sizes call 
for a POSIX compliant operation system.  POSIX is defined in FIPS 151, 
and defines a standard operating system interface and environment based 
on the AT&T System V Interface Definition (SVID) to support application 
software portability at the software source code level.

wendell@medsys.uucp (Wendell Dingus) (03/10/90)

jones@uv4.eglin.af.mil (Calvin Jones, III) writes:

>"Mike (Real Amiga have keyboard garages" <mwm@raven.pa.dec.com> writes:

>> If you do, I suggest look at how AUX is doing, and how the PC-based
>> Unix systems are doing. The answer is "not very well", sales being
>> mostly limited to Universities that like the idea of running Mac &
>> Unix software on the same box, and to technogeeks who _really_ want a
>> Unix box in their house. That total just isn't a very big market, not
>> compared to what you can put in office & homes if you don't try and
>> sell enough hardware to run Unix. It's big enough to be worth doing,
>> but it won't keep the machine alive.

>I fear that this is changing.  The DoD now requires that specifications 
>use in the procurement of general purpose computers of all sizes call 
>for a POSIX compliant operation system.  POSIX is defined in FIPS 151, 
>and defines a standard operating system interface and environment based 
>on the AT&T System V Interface Definition (SVID) to support application 
>software portability at the software source code level.

Check out the article 'Paradoxically Posix' in the March '90 issue of Unix World. 

quote: "Commodore, best known as a maker of home "toy" computers, has recently
attempted to enter the more serious computing with larger business systems.
Its high-end Amigas have actually emerged as the machine of choice for the 
desktop video market - under, however, AmigaDOS. Last October, Commodore
displayed an Amiga running a Posix-compliant UNIX System V.4 at UNIX Expo.
Commodore systems with UNIX are not currently being shipped..."

Interesting and positive article.

-----
Wendell Dingus
...!uunet!medsys!wendell