ICS Takes On Motif Support

Software Magazine, Oct, 1998 by Rick Whiting

The Open Group is turning over technical support duties for the Motif user interface to a third-party company, allowing the standards consortium to concentrate on its "IT DialTone" efforts to develop security and reliability standards for E-business applications.

Under an agreement with The Open Group, Integrated Computer Solutions Inc. (ICS) will assume all support duties for Motif, the most common graphical user interface for Unix-based desktop systems. The Open Group will continue to provide updates and enhancements to Motifand the next update, Version 2.l.2, is scheduled for release in January 1999.

The Open Group was created by a coalition of Unix system vendors in 1988 as a response to Microsoft's growing dominance in desktop systems. Motif, shipping since 1989, was an effort to "unify" the disparate versions of Unix from such vendors as Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Digital Equipment with a common user interface. A spokesman for The Open Group, however, would not disclose the number of Motif users.

The Cambridge, Mass.-based ICS is a longtime supplier of Motif software and related products. The process by which Motif customers receive support will remain the same: Customers with technical support contracts will continue to call the same number or send E-mail to the same address as before, and response commitments will remain unchanged.