If Computerwoche’s Munich contacts have got it right once again, Siemens’ future MX Unix range is becoming increasingly distanced from the Open Software Foundation technology Siemens claims to support. A couple of weeks ago, a Siemens spokesman was forced to acknowledge that Intel processors would be replacing National Semiconductor NS32332 chips in the future MX machines (CI No 1,448), claiming however that this did not mean a reduced commitment to OSF/1 but that it was simply a decision brought on by time pressure. Now, a Siemens insider confirms that the new machines will run Unix System V.4 from the rival Unix International camp – the new MX range machines were originally to run the OSF/1 Unix derivative, but the Foundation’s decision to opt for Mach as the operating system’s kernel again resulted in unacceptable delays. Siemens will however offer the OSF/Motif user interface and Distributed Computing Environment. In the meantime, the same sources indicate that Targon and Sinix users can – for the time being at least – breath again. While it appears that the planned Siemens Nixdorf Informations systeme AG has concrete plans for a machine that will eventually supersede both lines, it will continue with both the Nixdorf Targons and the MX for the present.
