Branding FAQ

Last updated : February 1996

What is the X/Open brand mark?
The X/Open brand mark is recognized by developers and users worldwide as the guarantee of compliance to open systems standards. The X/Open brand is a mark awarded only when a vendor guarantees (in a legal contract) that any branded product complies with the relevant specification(s) and commits to maintaining that compliance.
Why is the X/Open brand valuable?
Because the vendor warrants and represents that branded products will:
1. Comply with the specification(s)
2. Continue to comply with the specification(s)
3. That if a non-compliance is found it will be fixed in a prescribed time
The X/Open brand is valuable because it provides buyers of computer systems with a guarantee of conformance to widely accepted open systems specifications. This in turn allows them to choose different vendors for different but functionally identical systems, thus avoiding 'lock-in'.
What is the difference between XPG4 and the X/Open UNIX brand?
XPG4 covers many things in addition to the operating system. In fact, XPG4 UNIX and XPG4 Base are part of the core set of operating system related functionality, that are both in turn part of XPG4.
What is the difference between Spec 1170 and the Single UNIX Specification?
Spec 1170 was the working name for what has now become the Single UNIX Specification. The Single UNIX Specification is a comprehensive set of operating system-related application programming interface specifications adopted by X/Open as the single specification definition for UNIX systems, conformance to which is required for the use of the UNIX trade mark.
What is the status of the UNIX Brand transfer?
Novell announced the proposed transfer of the trade mark in October 1993. The transfer was finalised in Q2 '94.
What types of product can bear the X/Open UNIX Brand?
Only those computer operating system that implement the services as specified in the Specification set(s) for UNIX 93 or UNIX 95.
What is the difference between UNIX 93 and UNIX 95?
Differences are in the definition of what can be branded and the conformance requirements. UNIX 93 applies to systems which pre-date the Single UNIX Specification. UNIX 95 applies to systems which implement the Single UNIX Specification.
What are the requirements for the UNIX 93 brand?
The requirements for a product to carry the UNIX 93 brand are:
- XPG4 Base or XPG3 Base branded
- Runs SVVS2 or SVVS3
- Is based on Novell (or USL) code
- The vendor commits to brand products to the Single UNIX Specification.
What are the requirements for the UNIX 95 brand?
Conformance with the Single UNIX Specification.
Does X/Open sell UNIX systems source code?
No. X/Open is responsible for the specification that defines a UNIX system and the registered trade mark UNIX. Many vendors sell products that are based on UNIX source code, licensed from Novell and before that USL.
Does the sale of Novell's UNIX systems business to SCO mean that X/Open is no longer involved?
No. When the Single UNIX Specification was adopted by X/Open, the company became the custodian of the specification which can only be changed through the X/Open consensus process. The trade mark UNIX is available only from X/Open.
Some vendors say that they already have a licence for the UNIX trade mark from Novell or USL, is this true?
Yes, some vendors do. However the terms and conditions of the X/Open licence are commercially beneficial and a number have moved to the X/Open TMLA.
If a vendor licenses UNIX source code from Novell, why do they need a TMLA from X/Open?
Licensing the source does not entitle a vendor to use the UNIX trade mark. Novell always required the vendor to have a TMLA as well as a source code licence.
Can software be branded without hardware?
Only complete environments can carry the brand. This ensures that all the necessary parts of the system are clearly identified to the buyer. However, many vendors brand their products as capable of running on a wide range of machines, such as Intel platforms, 486 or Pentium® based PC compatibles, SPARC or PA-RISC.
What is the UNIX trade mark fee structure?
The fee structure is based on the number of annual shipments of UNIX products. Fees range from $25,000 for up to 1,000 units, to $110,000 for more than 30,000 units.
Why do we need XPG4 Base when we have the XPG4 UNIX profile definition?
Almost all of todays applications are written for systems that carry the XPG4 brand. XPG4 Base has been referenced in over $11 billion of procurement world-wide to date. The Single UNIX Specification offers users portability of existing UNIX systems software and applications to new platforms. XPG4 Base offers developers the functionality needed for new open systems products. Application program developers can guarantee the portability of their code on to a wide range of platforms - including computers with exotic hardware architectures - by constraining themselves to the XPG4 Base specification. The two will co-exist as long as the market finds a need for both. Currently, all leading vendors (including all X/Open shareholders) market products carrying the XPG4 Base brand.
Can all my products use the UNIX trade mark?
X/Open UNIX Brand licensees may now for the first time call their products UNIX. In order to do this, each product has to be what is called a 'Registered Product' which means that the vendor has specifically commited that the product (or product family) conforms to the specification(s).
What test suites do I need for the UNIX 93 brand?
VSX4 (for the XPG3 Base or XPG4 Base brand) and SVVS
What test suites do I need for the UNIX 95 brand?
The test suites are organised as a series of modules to allow various modes of use. To obtain a UNIX 95 brand, vendors will need the following:
- VSX4 (core system calls and libraries)
- VSC4 (commands & utilities test suite)
- VSU4 (Single UNIX extensions test suite)
- VST4 (for transport interfaces)
- Plum Hall or Perennial for C language
How will customers know X/Open UNIX Branded products from older UNIX systems?
X/Open branded products carry the X/Open branding logo and a mandatory paragraph that declare which version of the specification the product complies with. This will be in the form "Product Name Version X.X is an X/Open UNIX 93 branded product" or "ABC operating system on Intel is branded X/Open UNIX 93, ABC operating system on XXRISC is branded X/Open UNIX 95".
What are the usage guidelines for the UNIX trade mark?
Since the transfer of the trade mark to X/Open, X/Open has responsibility for protecting the mark, by ensuring that it is registered in major trading areas, and for overseeing its use. All existing licensees have been informed of the correct attribution of the mark and letters sent to journals in the open systems world notifying them. The effects of X/Open Company's action takes some time to reflect in advertising, due to the lead time for production of such items. X/Open will continue to pursue each misuse of the mark backed by legal action if needed.
Does the XPG4 UNIX brand replace the XPG4 Base brand?
No, in fact XPG4 Base, XPG4 Base 95 and XPG4 UNIX profile definitions will exist in parallel. XPG4 Base was defined in 1992 and will be withdrawn at some stage in the future, leaving the XPG4 Base 95 and XPG4 UNIX profile definitions. XPG4 Base 95 is a superset of XPG4 Base - the major difference is the requirement for a POSIX.2 compliant Commands & Utilities - and in turn XPG4 UNIX specifications are a true superset of XPG4 Base 95 .
Why is this the X/Open brand so important?
Users are assured that the products they receive will deliver the benefits promised and will conform to the same portability specifications of the other branded products. The X/Open Brand is important on a number of levels. By entering into a license agreement to use the UNIX and X/Open brands, a supplier indicates his commitment to make his current and future products interoperable with others which have passed the same stringent conformance testing. Individuals involved in the procurement process will find their time cut dramatically for standards evaluation and subsequent recommendations while increasing the level of systems quality.
How does the Common Desktop Environment ( CDE ) relate to UNIX systems?
CDE is not directly connected with the Single UNIX Specification. However the initiative that developed CDE had as its goal the production of a single graphical user interface. CDE is the open systems equivalent of Microsoft® Windows® in that it provides a graphical user interface to the underlying operating system that may well be a UNIX system.
Will the UNIX Brand criteria allow Microsoft to brand NT or others to brand proprietary environments?
The X/Open Brand is open to any supplier who meets the published criteria. Many products that have been traditionally regarded as proprietary already have the XPG4 Base brand. For those products, additional work may be required to comply with the added specifications (networking, terminal interfaces, etc.).
Trade mark attributions still say Novell (or even AT&T or Bell Labs), which is correct?
There is only one correct attribution "UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Ltd." All existing Licensees have been instructed by Novell that they should now use the X/Open attribution. Any other attribution is incorrect.

What are the test suites associated with the X/Open brand?
There is a growing portfolio of test technology associated with the X/Open brand. Below is a table of the various test suites and the component definition to which they apply:

	Test Suite				Component Definition
	VSX4					Internationalized System Calls & Libraries
						and Internationalized System Calls
						& Libraries Extended
						
	VSU4					System Calls & Libraries Extended and 
						Sockets and Internationalized Terminal
						Interfaces

	VSC4					Commands & Utilities V2

	Perennial or Plum Hall			C language

	VST4					Transport Service

	VSW4					X Window System Application Interface
						and X Window System Application
						Interface V2 and X Windows System
						Display

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