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Skepticism continues on the topic of open systems, at least among users at the recent FedUnix Conference in Washington, D.C.
Questions from those users included the following: "Why is the migration path still elusive?" and "Is a true open systems environment simply an unattainable goal?"
FedUnix, aimed at federal government users, offered many views on the current state of open systems. None of the presentations by users, vendors and consultants, however, provided a better view of the status of open systems than the results of a study undertaken by the Toronto-based consulting firm DMR Group.
Launched by the UniForum association, the X/Open consortium and the DMR Group, the Strategies for Open Systems study program attempted to find answers to fundamental questions about open systems that have been posed by users. Fifty computer vendors and eight major corporations funded the $3 million effort.
The study found that immense barriers remain in the move to open systems, according to Burnes Hollyman, director of emerging technologies at DMR. Those barriers range from an ignorance of new technologies to organizational politics.
"There is a definite user awareness gap when it comes to available options. The burgeoning consortia, alliances and standards groups bring conlusion...