---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash OPEN SYSTEMS: Computing in the 1990s SunFLASH Vol 25 #12 January 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article appeared in Forbes magazine in November 1990. It is reproduced with permission. -johnj ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPEN SYSTEMS: Computing in the 1990s Interview with Scott McNealy, president and CEO, Sun Microsystems Q: How do you define open systems? What we meant when we first popularized the term and made "open systems" the cornerstone of our business model is, quite simply, this: open systems are those that are available as compatible products from multiple vendors. As a result, open systems can run the same software unchanged. Q: Why do companies need open systems? The computer, the system software and the networking equipment you purchase today should be based on open systems. If not, you run the risk of being locked into a single vendor's proprietary system. Large, vertically integrated computer manufacturers oppose open systems because they depend on locking customers into proprietary architectures, operating systems and communications protocols in order to sustain higher margins, lengthen product life cycles and insure repeat business. But the average company already has a myriad of equipment in use and must have broad connectivity between systems. Interoperability becomes even more crucial as new and better technologies come on the market: users can't afford to have their existing systems become obsolete overnight. Q: How do open systems benefit users? Open systems shift the balance of power to the user. Increased competition forces vendors to innovate, and new technologies come to market faster, with better quality and prices. Customers can choose products based on the best implementation of a given technology. As new products are developed, users can "snap out and snap in" the equipment that best suits their needs and budgets. Many vendors advertise open systems. The questions you should be asking are these: are the products compatible and interoperable with other vendors' systems? Do the major software programs run across these systems? Will you really have `freedom of choice' from a hardware and software standpoint? If so, you'll then have an open system that you can build your business on. "Open" hardware and software products should be based on volume industry platforms like the SPARC microprocessor architecture and the powerful UNIX operating system. And open systems vendors should meet standards set by industry consortiums such as IEEE and X/OPEN. They should also have a clear plan for migrating customers to OSI standards, as Sun does. Building our business strategy on open systems has made us the fastest-growing company in the United States for the last five years. It's clear: customers are voting for open systems with their wallets. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu and paris.cs.miami.edu. All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.