Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and POSIX

A group of UNIX systems users, /usr/group^(R), established a committee with the objective of proposing a set of standards for application level interfaces. After publishing the 1984 /usr/group Standard, the group decided to seek international status for the standard. In early 1984, the /usr/group Standards Committee closed its activities in its own name and its members were encouraged to become involved in the IEEE POSIX committee so that the work could become the basis for an official international standard.

The first externally visible result of this initiative was the publication of the IEEE Trial-Use Standard in March 1986. Formal approval followed in August 1988 of IEEE Standard 1003.1-1988, a "Portable Operating System Interface for Computer Environments" (POSIX), which became the first step toward a truly portable operating system standard.

Although originally planned to refer to the IEEE Standard 1003.1-1988, the name POSIX has come to refer to the whole family of related standards and parts of the International Standard ISO/IEC 9945. POSIX.1 has emerged as the preferred reference to IEEE Standard 1003.1-1990. An update to the 1988

standard, IEEE Standard 1003.1-1990, was also adopted as International Standard ISO/IEC 9945-1:1990 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). In 1993, POSIX.1 was amended to include extensions in support of real-time applications. Chapter 8 of this manual discusses the compliance of Solaris software with IEEE Standard 1003.1b-1993.

In 1992, IEEE Standard 1003.2-1992 became part of the POSIX series of standards. Referred to as "POSIX.2," IEEE Standard 1003.2-1992 defines a standard interface and environment for applications that require a shell command language interpreter and a set of common utility programs. Chapter 9 of this manual discusses the compliance of Solaris software with IEEE Standard 1003.2-1992.

---

Note - Use of an IEEE standard is voluntary.

---

X/Open

Founded in 1984, X/Open^(TM) is a worldwide consortium of system vendors, ISVs, and users, organized to adopt existing standards and adapt them into a consistent environment called the Common Applications Environment (CAE). Through establishment of the CAE and awarding of the X/Open brand trademark to products that comply with the X/Open definitions, X/Open aims to ensure portability and connectivity of applications. Where there is no official standard, it is X/Open policy to work closely with standards bodies to encourage the emergence of common standards.

Many of the world's major hardware suppliers, including Sun Microsystems, are X/Open members. Most of X/Open's technical work is accomplished by personnel from its member companies.

X/Open publishes its specifications in the X/Open Portability Guide (XPG). XPG defines the interfaces identified as components of the Common Applications Environment. It contains an evolving portfolio of practical applications programming interfaces (APIs), which enhance portability of application programs at the source code level. The interfaces are supported by an extensive set of conformance tests and the distinct X/Open brand trademark. The X/Open Portability Guide, Issue 3 (XPG3) encompasses the IEEE POSIX.1 operating system interface and numerous extensions. Issue 4 (XPG4) encompasses the POSIX.2 shell and utilities.

In 1993, ownership of this UNIX trademark was transferred to X/Open Company, Ltd.

Chapter 5 of this guide discusses the compliance of Solaris to the programming interface specifications presented in the X/Open Portability Guide, Issue 3.

Chapter 6 of this guide discusses the compliance of Solaris to the programming interface specifications presented in the X/Open Portability Guide, Issue 4.

Chapter 7 of this guide discusses the compliance of Soilaris to the X/Open UNIX '93 Brand.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, (formerly the National Bureau of Standards), is a federal government agency that issues Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUBS). Standards are first approved by the Secretary of Commerce according to Section 111(d) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended by the Computer Security Act of 1987, Public Law 100-235.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) together form a system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of international standards through technical committees established by ISO and IEC to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other governmental and nongovernmental international organizations also take part in the work.

The X Consortium

The X Consortium, Inc. is a non-profit organization that solicits, develops, standardizes, distributes, and maintains a collection of technologies that come under the umbrella term of the "X Window System." The technologies are devoted to graphic presentation and human interaction that can be distributed over computer networks. The X Consortium is sustained by corporate

membership fees. This organization has recently broadened its original charter by taking on a role as prime contractor to the Open Software Foundation in the development of licensable software in the form of Motif and the Common Desktop Environment.

UniForum

UniForum, formerly /usr/group, is an association of individuals, corporations and institutions with an interest in open systems. This organization provides input to POSIX and other standards committees and consortia to aid in the development of independent industry-driven standards. UniForum has more than 10,000 members representing a cross-section of the UNIX system community. The membership includes hardware manufacturers, vendors of operating systems and software development tools, software designers, consultants, academics, authors and applications programmers, among others.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) verifies that requirements for due process, consensus, and other criteria for approval have been met by the standards developer before it grants a standard approval as an American National Standard.

Consensus is established when the ANSI Board of Standards Review determines that the criteria for standards approval has been met by the standards development organizations. Consensus requires that all views and objections be considered and that a concerted effort be made toward their resolution.

ANSI does not develop standards, nor does it interpret any American National Standards.

---

Note - Use of an American National Standard is voluntary.

---

The Open Software Foundation

The Open Software Foundation (OSF^(TM)) was founded in 1988 with the goal of bringing global acceptance to a single user interface standard for open software. The OSF Motif graphical user interface bases its foundation on industry standards such as POSIX and X/Open.

In its efforts to develop a single user interface standard, OSF uses an open process to solicit technologies from hardware and software vendors worldwide. The selection criteria used by OSF include technical excellence, maturity, compatibility with established industry standards, and the ability to perform in a heterogeneous networked environment that may incorporate a variety of platforms.