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Open group to close? (fwd)
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From: J. Maynard Gelinas
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy,comp.os.linux.x,comp.windows.x,comp.os.unix.m
Subject: RUMOR: The Open Group to close
Date: 17 May 1998 16:13:05 -0400
Organization: MediaOne -=- Northeast Region
I am not an employee of The Open Group nor have I ever been, I
just know former employees of OSF/TOG (The Open Software Foundation
morphed into The Open Group about a year or so ago) and have heard
stories. I can only present this as a rumor because as far as I can tell
it's still mums the word. I haven't heard a _thing_ in the press, or a
seen press release; not even a little message on their web page. A
representative from X/Open or TOG could put an end to any debate quite
easily with a few _facts_. Let's hear the scoop from TOG and X/Open
before jumping to any conclusions.
OK. Based on what I _hear_, The Open Group located in Eleven
Cambridge Center, Cambridge MA (between Quantum Books and Draper Labs in
what used to be the old Symbolics building - this is MIT turf, folks),
will be closing their doors at the end of May-98 . I'm told that all
developers and regular staff in Cambridge will be out of jobs and The Open
Groups' intellectual properties will cede to X/Open. The Open Group will
cease to exist, along with The X Project Team... and I guess CDE and Motif
development groups as well.
Cambridge locals will notice the large 'The Open Group' sign has
already been removed from the side the building facing the Charles river.
The very curious seeking confirmation might contact Boston Properties to
determine when Eleven Cambridge Center will next become available. A
reporter type might even want to contact The Open Group directly and ask
them for the scoop. Please do so! While you're at it why not ask someone
in public relations to go on record concerning what X/Open plans on doing
with The X Window System trademark and source code licenses after TOG
shuts down. Curious minds want to know.
Finally, a couple of things for honesty's sake. First, it's well
known that I have an axe to grind with TOG. I certainly made my views of
TOG's new licensing terms for X quite publically known, so consider this
post as coming from someone with partisan views and check out the facts
for yourself. I could even have made a mistake! Second, for those folks
who let me in on the secret: hey, I kept my mouth shut for well over a
week hoping someone else would spill the beans. But I consider this so
important that keeping quiet would be a disservice to the community as a
whole, even though I respect and care for those individuals who let me in
on the scoop early. The Open Group should have made a public statement
_long ago_! Hell, it's being openly discussed across at least one
mailing list of OSF old timers. It's out of the bag, folks. And the
subject is of _critical_ import to X users everywhere... Who owns X?
What's going to happen to future development? Will the licensing terms be
changed again? These questions _must_ be answered by a representative of
X/Open, and soon! I certainly won't feel comfortable until they are.
Thanks for listening,
J. Maynard Gelinas
UNIX System Administrator
m!a!y!n!a!r!d!@jmg.co!m - you figure it out.
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"Photons have neither morals nor visas" -Dave Farber
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