After-Action Report for the Next-Generation Computer Resources (NGCR) operating Systems Interface Standard Baseline Selection Process

Abstract

Abstract : The Next-Generation Computer Resources (NGR) Operating Systems Standards Working Group (OSSWG) conducted a survey of existing operating systems and operating systems interface standards to establish a baseline for the NGCR operating system interface (OSIF). The first section of this report describes the purpose and scope of this study, which covered the timeframe from March 1989 (a briefing made to industry) to April 1990 (when the OSIF baseline was selected). The second section discusses issues regarding the OSSWG evaluation process. Issues presented include the benefits OSSWG gained by active industry participation, the effectiveness of the electronic mail system for providing communications between meetings, the concerns about the compressed schedule, and a discussion about the difficulty in interpreting the evaluation scores. The third section addresses the technical issues that caused difficulties for OSSWG in achieving its objectives. Some of these include (1) how to define distributed technology within an operating system interface; (2) how to specify security; (3) how security impacts the technology of real-time capabilities, distribution, and fault-tolerance; and (4) to what extent OSIF issues impact the performance of OS implementations. The technology topics in this section are presented as technology shortfall areas where there is need for additional research. (kr)