[Linux-aus] AUUG to close? Will there be a rush of new members to Linux Australia?

[Jon 'maddog' Hall]

Bret,

> One thing about which I am curious, is the use on the AUUG web site,
> of 
> the term "Open Systems", for which I was unable to find a definition
> on 
> the AUUG web site, so I do not know, what is an "Open System".
> 
Before "Open Systems" each company had its own operating system, with
its own APIs, document formats and communication protocols.  On
Digital's PDP-11 line of computers there were more than 10 different
operating systems, none of which shared compatible interfaces.

In the days of commercial, closed-source systems, an "Open System" was
one that implemented standard interfaces, used standard formats and
communicated using standard protocols.  These interfaces, formats and
protocols were supposed to be determined in an "Open" way, meaning that
they would be determined through standards bodies that met and agreed on
what they should be.  Interoperability was key.  None of these issues
required sharing the source code of the system, although having sample
source code certainly made implementation easier.

md
-- 
Jon "maddog" Hall
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