IBM and Sun Secretly Collaborate on the Next-Generation of the Unix Operating System.MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 1998-- CMP's InformationWeek Reports the OS Will Have a Friendly Java Interface to Give it a Foothold Against Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : IBM) and Sun Microsystems Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA[3]) is an American vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information-technology services, founded on 24 February 1982. (Nasdaq: SUNW SUNW Sun Microsystems, Inc (former stock symbol; now JAVA) SUNW Stanford University Network Workstation (Sun Microsystems, Inc) ) are collaborating on a secret project to develop a next-generation version of the Unix operating system Noun 1. UNIX operating system - trademark for a powerful operating system UNIX, UNIX system operating system, OS - (computer science) software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide various services that is tightly integrated with Sun's Java programming language, CMP's InformationWeek has learned. According to sources, the goal is to offer a scalable platform tailored for Java applications while making Unix easier to use. The sources say the long-term project -- which the companies officially deny even exists -- is still in its early stages. Unix is an industrial-strength, multiuser Two or more users. operating system which comes in many flavors and is widely used as the master control program in corporate workstations and servers. The new version of Unix is being developed for multiple chip platforms, including Sun's Sparc and the PowerPC processor built by IBM. It's not yet clear how or when the technology from the IBM-Sun project would be delivered to users. Brian Croll, Director Of Marketing for Sun's Solaris OS, declined to comment directly on the joint project, but he confirmed that the vendor is heading toward melding Java and Unix. "Five years out, you will see Solaris be a Java server engine," he told InformationWeek. "Java's going to be the way that you enter into the operating environment. The fusion of Java and Solaris is going to give the capability to run a huge application on the server side, and it will just scream." Java users like the idea. "Java and Unix married together would eliminate a lot of the integration we now do ourselves," says Rob Geller, a VP of IT at MCI (1) (Media Control Interface) A high-level programming interface from Microsoft and IBM for controlling multimedia devices. It provides commands and functions to open, play and close the device. (2) (Microwave Communications Inc. , which uses Java to front-end Unix applications. The Home Depot Inc., which is using Java for cross-platform applications development, says a Java-Unix OS could have big advantages. "I can see Java application performance being improved significantly, which is a big plus," Mike Anderson, director of IS for the retailer, told the publication. Java integration is also intended to provide a seamless user interface that will make the OS easier to use, giving the Unix vendors more ammunition in their fight against Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT MSFT Microsoft (stock symbol) MSFT Movimento Sociale Fiamma Tricolore (Italy) MSFT Multi-Stage Fitness Test MSFT Master of Science in Family Therapy MSFT Macalester Students for Fair Trade ) Windows NT. Although Dataquest estimates that worldwide sales of Unix servers will reach $22.6 billion this year, almost double the $12.8 billion in projected NT server sales, NT sales are growing much faster, despite Unix's greater reliability and scalability. Published weekly, CMP's InformationWeek magazine delivers news, strategies, analysis, product and technology information to people who manage technology in business. In addition to the weekly magazine, InformationWeek provides a system of information solutions for people who manage technology in business, including InformationWeek Online (http://www.informationweek.com), the annual InformationWeek Conference for business and technology executives and InformationWeek Daily, an email news service. CMP CMP (cytidine monophosphate): see cytosine. (1) (CMP Media LLC, Manhasset, NY, www.cmp.com) Part of United Business Media, CMP is a leading integrated media company that offers a wide variety of publications and services in the information Media Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX CMPX Complex ) is the only high-tech media company providing essential information and marketing services to the full technology spectrum--the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide. With its portfolio of leading newspapers, magazines, custom publishing, Internet products and conferences, CMP Media is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. Online editions of the company's print publications, which include EE Times, InformationWeek, Computer Reseller News and Windows Magazine, along with products and services created exclusively for the Internet, can be found on CMPnet at http://www.CMPnet.com. CONTACT: CMP Media Inc. Steve Rubel (516) 562-7434 srubel@cmp.com or Barry Zusman (516) 562-7040 bzusman@cmp.com |
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