UNIX – The Impetus for Change

Speculation as to the impact of UNIX systems is rife throughout the industry. Interest in the final outcome is not confined to the major manufacturers. Software developers are experiencing significant demand from users anxious to reap the benefits of true applications portability. The benefits of UNIX are felt on a very broad front. It is not only developers who will make significant savings: users, no longer constrained by proprietary restrictions, will have a far greater choice of both hardware and software products. However, UNIX is not a perfect operating system. Its limitations are generally well known, and the long‐standing debate on which standards will finally be adopted seems no nearer resolution. But it is only a matter of time before the age of true applications portability finally dawns.