FoxBASE+

[Evan Leibovitch]

In article <857 at viscous>, rosso at sco.COM (Ross Oliver) writes:
> SCO is definitely committed to continue development on the multi-user versions
> of SCO FoxBASE+.  The SCO XENIX 386 version of SCO FoxBASE+ Release 1.0.4
> started shipping last week.  We also have ports available for NCR Tower,
> IBM RT, and ARIX/Unisys 5000.  We will port SCO FoxBASE+ to Sun 3 and  AT&T
> 3B by year end.

Someone from Fox Software told me by phone that SCO was in charge of
determining priorities of all FoxBase Unix ports. If this is true, then
SCO has shafted Fox Software out of much potential licensing revenue, in
order to protect Xenix market share.

In my eyes, SCO's development of Integra and its interest in promoting its
Unix over others, while certainly free enterprise, are definitely in conflict
with the interests of Fox Software (and FoxBase users, now and potential).

Are there really more IBM RTs out there than the sum total of all pure
System V 286 and 386 systems? Is the demand for the 3B systems growing
faster than Interactive, Microport, and Bell Technologies? Likely not,
but then SCO isn't peddling an OS for the RT or 3B.

If Tim's schedule is true, then there is not even a port being developed
in time for the Xenix/Unix merged 386 product.

In the short term, the losers are Fox Software, and of course anyone who
wants to use a dBASE clone on Microport, Interactive, etc. In the long term,
the entire Unix industry (including SCO) suffers, as "experts" cite the
lack of consistent software as one of the reasons Unix will never make it
against OS/2. Quite the self-fulfilling prophecy.

Perhaps someone at SCO should consider the possibility of a slightly smaller
share of a much bigger pie. Short term greed often results in long term loss.

> Tim Shelton
> SCO Product Marketing
-- 
 Evan Leibovitch, SA of System Telly, located in beautiful Brampton, Ontario
evan at telly.UUCP (PENDING: evan at telly.on.ca) / {uunet!attcan,utzoo}!telly!evan
                           Don't worry - Be happy.