From: westin*nospam@graphics.cornell.edu (Stephen H. Westin)
Newsgroups: alt.sys.pdp8,alt.sys.pdp10,alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Unix portability (was: Shell scripts)
Date: 17 Mar 2000 16:39:33 -0500
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hmv@port.ac.uk (Mike Meredith at home) writes:

> In article <8atab0$1ms1$1@citadel.in.taronga.com>,
> 	peter@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
> > In article <Pine.NXT.4.30.0003162112430.4786-100000@Tomobiki-Cho.CAC.Washington.EDU>,
> > Mark Crispin  <mrc@CAC.Washington.EDU> wrote:
> >>The UNIX world can do a better job; there should be binary portability
> >>between UNIX systems that have the same CPU chip (currently the exception
> >>rather than the rule),
> 
> They should indeed do a better job --- at one time there was a
> European research project in producing binary Unix packages that
> would be architecture independant. I can't remember any of the
> details and I haven't heard anything about it in a while though.

Yeah, OSF had, I think, defined a machine-independent binary
format. Your machine would be shipped with a code generator which
would take your shrink-wrapped software and generate an
executable. Assuming all ports of OSF/1 were reasonably bug-free,
ISV's could just release one binary for everyone. But various Unix
vendors decided that being incompatible was better for business. I bet
you could still find some description on the OSF Web site.

<snip>

-- 
-Stephen H. Westin
Any information or opinions in this message are mine: they do not
represent the position of Cornell University or any of its sponsors.

######

Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!not-for-mail
From: Neil Franklin <neil@franklin.ch.remove>
Newsgroups: alt.sys.pdp8,alt.sys.pdp10,alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: Unix portability (was: Shell scripts)
Date: 18 Mar 2000 21:02:32 +0100
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westin*nospam@graphics.cornell.edu (Stephen H. Westin) writes:

> hmv@port.ac.uk (Mike Meredith at home) writes:
>
> > They should indeed do a better job --- at one time there was a
> > European research project in producing binary Unix packages that
> > would be architecture independant. I can't remember any of the
> > details and I haven't heard anything about it in a while though.
>
> Yeah, OSF had, I think, defined a machine-independent binary
> format. Your machine would be shipped with a code generator which
> would take your shrink-wrapped software and generate an
> executable.

Yes, ANDF (Architecture Neutral Distribution Format).


--
Neil Franklin, neil@franklin.ch.remove http://neil.franklin.ch/
Nerd, Geek, Hacker, Unix Guru, Sysadmin, Roleplayer, Mystic
Use a WIMP (Windows Icons Mouse Pulldowns) interface -
  or get one with a CLUE (Command Linue User Environment)?