Open Software Foundation Adds Four New Members

LAWRENCE, Mass., Aug. 20, 1988 -- PRNewswire -- The Open Software Foundation (OSF) today announced the addition of four companies as new members to the international organization.

OSF is dedicated to the development and delivery of an open, portable software environment for the benefit of the information processing industry. OSF's mission is to provide the industry's first member-sponsored research and development organization aimed at bringing global acceptance to a single standard for open software. OSF membership provides vendors and users with input and early access to specifications and code.

The new member companies are: Cornell University, Locus ComputingCorporation, National Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: NSM), and Phoenix Technologies, Ltd.

"The addition of these four new members -- all of whom are leaders in their respective fields -- underscores the strategic importance of our open process to the industry," said OSF president Henry Crouse. "The members represent the spectrum of UNIX expertise -- from hardware platforms to networking/communications software to systems software to advanced research. The introduction of this expertise into our membership is particularly timely as we move toward the evalution and selection of the graphical user interface of our Level-One UNIX-based software offering -- an effort in which members will play a key role."

With more than 12,500 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students, and an annual research budget in excess of $240 million, Cornell University, located in Ithaca, N.Y., is one of the nation's leading research universities. Cornell has more than 25 research centers, and is the site of six national laboratories. Cornell hosts one of five supercomputer centers funded by the National Science Foundation, along with a broad range of other instructional and research programs and activities in computing and computer science.

Locus Computing Corporation, located in Santa Monica, Calif., provides transparent integration between UNIX and other standard computing environments. Since its founding in 1982, the company has emerged as a leader in assisting OEMs to apply the rich UNIX multitasking, multiuser technology to their operating environments. Locus Computing Corporation's range of capabilities includes three products -- PC-Interface(TM), Merge 386(TM), and PC Xsight(TM) -- and a fully staffed customer development group that supports the major mainframe, minicomputer and microcomputer hardware suppliers in the computer industry.

National Semiconductor Corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., is a leading manufacturer of integrated circuits and systems. Its Microsystems Division develops and markets the advanced Series 32000 32-bit microprocessors, as well as UNIX-based operating systems and development software products, single-chip micro-controllers and board-level microcomputers.

Phoenix Technologies, Ltd., located in Norwood, Mass., designs, develops and markets systems software compatibility products for personal computers, workstations and peripheral devices. The company's systems software products enable OEMs to offer computer systems and peripherals that are compatible with existing industry standards, such as the IBM PC series of personal computers and the MS-DOS operating system, or emerging standards, such as the IBM PS/2 series of personal computers and the OS/2 operating system. The company is the leading supplier of BIOS (Basic Input-Output Systems) software for IBM PC-compatible personal computers. Phoenix introduced its first ROM BIOS products in 1984 and currently offers a full line of ROM BIOS products for IBM PC XT- and AT-compatible personal computers. In March 1988, the company introduced its Advanced ROM BIOS products for IBM PS/2-compatible personal computers.

OSF membership is available to computer hardware and software suppliers, educational institutions, government agencies, end users and organizations around the world. Memberships are $25,000 a year for profit-making organizations and $5,000 a year for not-for-profit organizations. Members contribute ideas on both technical and policy matters, are informed of foundation activities on a regular basis, and receive numerous technical benefits and services relating to a new product participation including early and equal access to new development activities.

The formation of OSF was announced on May 17, 1988. The foundation has a management organization, staff and a funding commitment in excess of $100 million over the next three years. Its initial development will be based on technologies offered by the industry and on its own worldwide research efforts. OSF's interim headquarters are located at 20 Ballard Way, Lawrence, Mass. The company will be moving into its new headquarters, located at Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, Mass., within a few months.

/CONTACT: Gary McCormack of the Open Software Foundation, 508-683-6803; or Janice Brown of Hill and Knowlton Advanced Technology Division, 617-642-5907 or 617-965-1846 (home), for the Open Software Foundation/