UniForum UK Ltd believes the user community needs a new place to come together on Internet-centric and global computing issues unencumbered by the collateral of Unix and open system politics. So it is creating a new chapter in its organization called InterForum which sprang into life after we went to press on Friday. It has the likes of Larry Ellison, Phil White and Sir Peter Bonfield on the podium and expects to attract computer, tele-communication companies and other Internet-types to its ranks. Insiders say Microsoft UK will likely lend its support, although it had not actually filled out a membership form as far as we could understand when we closed. UniForum is looking for 20 charter members. We heard it has already got IBM Corp, ICL Plc, Novell Inc, and Sun Microsystems Inc to back it. It has secured the services of ex-X/Open Co Ltd boss Geoff Morris on its board. With the US UniForum show apparently on its last legs, we wonder whether the US Unix user organization might not follow the lead of its UK cousin and bring Microsoft Corp to the party through some kind of Network Computer-type forum though we’re sure that Silicon Graphics chief and Unix zealot Ed McCracken would have something to say about that.
