[comp.std.unix] IEEE 1003.1 Rationale and Notes

std-unix@ut-sally.UUCP (Moderator, John Quarterman) (05/11/87)

Attached is a version of the first page of the draft IEEE 1003.1
Rationale and Notes Appendix.  I am posting as the editor of that
Rationale document, not as the moderator of comp.std.unix.

If you know of obscure sections of the Trial Use Standard that
need to be explained, or have other information related to the
Rationale document, please send it to me as soon as possible.

The next draft of the Rationale document will be distributed
on or about 1 June 1987, one week before the Phoenix USENIX
Conference, three weeks before the Seattle P1003.1 meeting.
I will have copies at USENIX and in Seattle.

It is not practical at this point for me to mail copies of the
previous draft.  However, if you are sufficiently interested,
send me your name and address and I will attempt to get you on the
list for the mailing of the next draft.

The next draft may be the last one directly funded by /usr/group,
and almost certainly will be the last to incorporate major changes
in topics or organization.  So it is advantageous to get your
comments in soon, although theoretically changes can be made up
until the draft Full Use Standard is ready for balloting.


		     B.	 Rationale and Notes

	  This appendix summarizes the deliberations of the IEEE
	  P1003.1 Working Group, the committee charged by IEEE with
	  devising an interface standard for a portable operating
	  system for computer environments, IEEE Std 1003.1, also
	  known as POSIX.  This appendix is being developed under
	  the sponsorship of /usr/group, the International Network
	  of UNIX Systems Users, as part of an ongoing program of
	  that association to support the IEEE 1003 Standards
	  program efforts.  It is being published along with the
	  standard to assist in the process of review.	It contains
	  historical information concerning the contents of the
	  standard and why features were included or discarded by the
	  working group.  It also contains notes of interest to
	  application programmers on recommended programming
	  practices, emphasizing the consequences of some aspects of
	  the standard that may not be immediately apparent.

	  Material for this Rationale Document should be submitted
	  directly to:

			John S. Quarterman
			Texas Internet Consulting
			Suite 500, Room 31
			Austin Centre
			701 Brazos
			Austin TX 78701-3243
			512-320-9031
			decvax!seismo!ut-sally!jsq

	  by electronic mail and US mail.  If you have material that
	  you think should be included in this document, please
	  forward this immediately.  Your help in doing so will be
	  greatly appreciated, and will contribute to the quality and
	  acceptance of this standard.

		UNAPPROVED DRAFT.  All Rights Reserved by IEEE.
	     Do not specify or claim conformance to this document.

Volume-Number: Volume 11, Number en