Unix System Laboratories: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:40, 19 January 2020

Revision as of 11:43, 19 February 2020

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| title=History and Timeline | publisher=The Open Group | accessdate=December 1, 2017}}</ref> There were additions and new innovations as well from both the AT&T and Sun sides. System V Release 4 debuted at the [[Unix Expo]] trade show in New York in November 1989, in the form of source code availability for it as well as demonstrations from Unix International of SVR4-based applications running on seventeen different vendor platforms.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dTAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA41 | title=Hopes of Reunification Highlight Eventful Year for Unix Community | first=Martin | last=Marshall | newspaper=InfoWorld | date=December 18, 1989 | page=41}}</ref> End-user versions of Release 4 became available during 1990.<ref name="advanced"/>

Next USL engaged in an especially arduous effort into trying to satisfy the requirements of the [[National Computer Security Center]]'s [[Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria]] ("Orange Book") to the B2 level.<ref name="cw-sec">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a6P8XXI-B8cC&pg=PA32 | title=AT&T Unix to gain enhanced security | first=Johanna | last=Ambrosio | newspaper=Computerworld | date=October 1, 1990 | page=32}}</ref> This manifested itself in System V Release 4.1 ES (Enhanced Security), which also included generally useful features such as support for dynamic loading of kernel modules.<ref>{{cite news |title=Unix International reviews the Unix System V.4 story so far |first=William |last=Fellows |date= August 13, 1992 |work=Computergram International |publisher=Computer Business Review |url=<!--blacklisted http://www.cbronline.com/news/unix_international_reviews_the_unix_system_v4_story_so_far --> }}</ref>

Following that, USL worked on [[UNIX System V#SVR4.2 / UnixWare|System V Release 4.2]], which was released in June 1992.<ref name="iw-42">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7D0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 | title=Univel targets UnixWare release for early fall | first=Vance | last=McCarthy | first2=Cate | last2=Corcoran | newspaper=InfoWorld | date=May 11, 1992 | pages=1, 103}}</ref> ''[[InfoWorld]]'' characterized this effort as "at the core of an assault on the enterprise networking market," with a modular architecture that stressed improved support for enterprise- and network-level administration, drivers for both [[Token Ring]] and [[Ethernet]], and a greater ability to run on low-end machine configurations.<ref name="iw-42"/>

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== Univel and UnixWare ==

{{see also|Univel|UnixWare}}

In December 1991, USL combined with Novell to form the [[Univel]] joint venture.<ref name="cw-univel">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FzdIrgXpYXAC&pg=PA115 | title=Unix Labs, Novell tighten ties | first=Jim | last=Nash | newspaper= Computerworld | date=December 16, 1991 | page=115}}</ref> The goal was to make the "[[Univel Destiny|Destiny]]" desktop for Intel commodity hardware, which would be USL's first shrink-wrapped binary product, with the necessary resources for sales, marketing, and distribution being moved into the new entity.<ref>{{cite news |work=Computergram International |publisher=Computer Business Review |url= <!-- blacklisted http://w w w . c b r o n l i n e . c o m/news/unix_labs_and_novell_plan_joint_venture_reveal_bones_of_mass_distribution_alliance --> |title=Unix Labs and Novell plan join venture, reveal bones of mass distribution alliance |date=October 24, 1991 }}</ref>

[[Kanwal Rekhi]], a Novell vice president who helped launch Univel, said the

goal was to create a "Unix for the masses".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aw8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA13 | title=Univel developing user-friendly Unix | first=Margie | last=Wylie | magazine=Network World | date=April 13, 1992 | page=13}}</ref>

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The move seemed like a long shot to analysts, with a commentary piece in ''[[Computerworld]]'' outlining the obstacles and success and stating, "Saying this deal has the technical potential to counter Windows NT is very different from predicting that it will do so."<ref name="cw-longshot">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=heyWMcI8pQUC&pg=PA34 | first=Charles | last=Babcock | title=Novell's long shot | newspaper= Computerworld | date=January 11, 1993 | page=34}}</ref>

There was negative reaction to the acquisition from USL shareholders, USL employees, and members of Unix International.<ref name="cbr-japan"/> Norda had to emphasize that Novell had no plans to move USL operations from New Jersey to Utah, where Novell was based.<ref name="cbr-japan"/> And Noorda and Pieper had to travel to Japan to reassure USL shareholders and investors there.<ref name="cbr-japan">{{cite news | url= <!-- blacklisted https://www. c b r o n l i n e.com/news/novell_unix_labs_try_to_reassure_japanese_on_the_merger/ --> | title=Novell, Unix Labs Try to Reassure Japanese on the Merger |work=Computergram International | publisher=Computer Business Review | date=March 4, 1993}}</ref>

Nonetheless, the deal was finalized in June 1993.<ref name="pr-finalized">{{cite press release |url = http://tech-insider.org/unix/research/1993/0614.html |title = Novell completes acquisition of UNIX System Laboratories from AT&T |publisher = Business Wire |date = June 14, 1993}}</ref>

Novell created the Unix Systems Group to contain the new business, which also absorbed the Univel venture.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbronline.com/news/novell_formally_announces_the_unix_systems_group |title=Novell formally announces the Unix Systems Group |work=Computergram International |publisher=Computer Business Review |date=July 7, 1993 }}</ref>

Rekhi was named as the head of the Unix Systems Group.<ref name="nyt-roel-out"/> Pieper, who had been assigned under Rekhi with little role to play, soon departed, leaving Novell in August 1993.<ref name="cw-roel-out">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgsZJgu-zDkC&pg=PA16 | title=News Shorts: Pieper bids adieu | newspaper=Computerworld | date=September 6, 1993 | page=16}}</ref><ref name="nyt-roel-out">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/31/business/company-news-standard-set-for-unix-interface.html | title=Novell Unix Official Out | newspaper=The New York Times | date=August 31, 1993 | page=57}}</ref>