Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!oliveb!sun!gorodish!guy
From: guy@gorodish.Sun.COM (Guy Harris)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: AT&T/Sun merged UNIX
Message-ID: <40515@sun.uucp>
Date: 30 Jan 88 01:09:32 GMT
References: <398@grand.UUCP> <7766@sunybcs.UUCP> <1387@winchester.mips.COM> <7192@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Sender: news@sun.uucp
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> Ok, here's why people might worry.  How can the design specification
> work be "done" and the design still track an evolving standard that
> has NOT yet been "done"?

I have no idea whether Bill Joy is being correctly quoted or, if he is, to what
he is referring when he says that "the design specification work had already
been done."  I can state, however, that the design specification for the merged
UNIX has *NOT* been "done" in the sense that the procedural interface is cast
in concrete; design of this interface is currently in progress.

> We also haven't heard the intention of complying with the standards from
> the particular crop of people involved with this project, and I don't think
> they've been reported as stating that as one of the project goals.

I believe that it has been publicly stated, in at least some forums, that
POSIX, NBS FIPS, and X3J11 compatibility *are* goals of the merged system.
Whether it has been so publicly stated or not, this is the case.  (Of course,
if any of those standards are not in their final form in time to incorporate
them into the system, these goals may not be achieved, but that's another
matter.)
	Guy Harris
	{ihnp4, decvax, seismo, decwrl, ...}!sun!guy
	guy@sun.com