Apple all along has been very clear about OS X, "It is true UNIX *not* Linux nor any other form of *NIX".
Pedigree and various other things have been quoted by Apple to "prove" this but having a certificate of authentication from a recognized body will definitely help if there's ever a court battle. Some of the members of the certifying organization include:
- IBM - who make and sell a real UNIX
- Intel
- HP - who also make and sell a real UNIX
- NEC - who sell UNIX machines
- AT&T - who invented UNIX and own (owned?) it
- SUN Microsystems - the company was founded on selling UNIX.
- Carnegie-Mellon - whom you'd assume would kinda know something about UNIX
- MIT - ditto
- Motorola
Should any customers ask about indemnification in case of being sued by someone about OS X violating patents (let's use as an arbitrary example, Microsoft) all Apple need do is reply, "UNIX does not violate any 3rd party patents." (which pretty much everyone, even Microsoft, agrees with) followed by, "Apple's OS X is certified as UNIX." Done. No indemnification necessary.
Makes life in the courtroom a whole lot easier.
Wayne
Begin forwarded message:
Date: August 2, 2007 2:12:17 PM CDT (CA)
Subject: [C-REPS] Mac OS X 10.5 - obtains UNIX 03 Certification
Hello,
As of version 10.5 (shipping in October of this year) Mac OS X is will be on par with Solaris, HP-UX and IBM-AIX as a true UNIX OS development environment. Apple has just achieved the UNIX 03 Certification for its Mac OS X 10.5 operation system. This certification covers, "libraries, system calls, terminal interfaces, commands and utilities, internationalization and the C language."
Link to the InfoWorld article (very short).
Regards,
Doug
-------------
Doug Hamilton, BA, MA, APP
Senior Computer Consultant
Computers-on-Campus; Univ. of Manitoba
204-474-6196 (Ph.)
204-474-7556 (Fax)