A/UX Release 2.0

[Charles Anderson]

>From article <239 at inpnms.UUCP>, by logan at inpnms.UUCP (Jim Logan):
> In article <16611 at well.sf.ca.us> jng at well.sf.ca.us (James N. Gershfield) writes:
> # Hello, world.  Does anyone know whether the upcoming Release
> # 2.0 of A/UX will be compatible with AT&T System V Release 4 UNIX?
> # Is the new A/UX a complete rewrite of A/UX 1.1?
> # What are the major differences between A/UX 1.1 and 2.0?
> 
> I read an article on A/UX 2.0 recently, and I think we'll be
> lucky if it is System V Release 3!  It improves on various
> things, like Mac OS application support, X window support, among
> other things that I don't remember.  If anyone has more
> information than me, PLEASE POST IT!  I will be purchasing A/UX
> 2.0 for my IIci.

Acording to MacGeek, A/UX 2.0 will support additional MacOS features
such as the Sound Manager, 32-bit QuickDraw, AppleTalk 2.0, AppleShare
client and the high density floppy.  There will be a new Finder program
which will be able to copy, rename, delete, move, and launch files, so
the current hfx utility will not be needed.  The finder will support
old, 24-bit applications and MultiFinder-style multi-tasking.

In terms of real Unix features, they are supporting the BSD Fast File
System (UFS), 3.2 NFS and shared libraries.  Shared libraries should be
a real win for X applications, since you only need one copy of the X
libraries in memory, instead of one copy for each unique application
that's running.

As for newer, "standard" Unix support (i.e., OSF or SVR4), I do not
believe Apple has made any public comment about endorsing either
operating system.  The fact that they the MacWeek article (based on
stuff from Apple) does not mention such features as /proc filesystem
(see ksh man page), RFS, SunOS VM code, etc suggests that they are not
supporting SVR4, at this time.  There is an implemention of SVR4 on the
Mac which has been publicly seen at Unix Expo in November and UniForum
in February, but it has NO relationship to A/UX and is not available as
a commercial product.

Charles.
{sun, ucbvax, pyramid, uunet}!unisoft!cander