UniForum celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this year! There can be no other industry in history that has changed and grown as much as ours over this period of time, and it is worth taking a moment to look back to see how far we have come.
UniForum's success has always been linked to the people who dedicated the time and effort required to make the idea of a Unix and open systems organization work. In this issue of UniNews and in subsequent ones, we will talk to some of those leaders who are most responsible for UniForum's past and its positioning for the future, asking them about their thoughts on the association and the changes they have seen in the industry.
Jim Bell, director of corporate alliances for Hewlett-Packard in Cupertino, CA, has been an important figure at UniForum for over nine years, serving both as president and board member. This year, he also received the coveted UniForum Achievement Award at the UniForum Conference in San Francisco.
When asked about the changes in information technology that have affected UniForum, Bell cited the evolution of the open systems community from a "small, if energetic" movement centered on Unix and portability to a mainstream industry that emphasizes more inclusive benefits like interoperability. In adapting to these changes, he said, UniForum has filled "a unique niche in the ecology of open systems."
Kenneth Linhares, attorney from the law firm of Fenwick & West, also stressed the unique role of UniForum. Linhares was present at the first meeting of "/usr/group"--the initial incarnation of UniForum--and helped incorporate the fledgling organization. Linhares stressed that unlike most trade associations, UniForum is "a hybrid for both corporations and users. They've done a good job of maintaining this balance in their organization over the years."
Former UniForum president Bruce Weiner stressed the phenomenal growth of the industry when asked about what has impressed him the most over the years as a UniForum member. Weiner is president of Mindcraft, a software testing laboratory in Palo Alto, CA, as well as president of Mediacraft, which develops Web site technology. He is also one of UniForum's founders and the organizer of the first two UniForum trade shows.
Illustrating his point about industry growth, Weiner recalled that in the early 1980s, a market forecaster predicted that the Unix industry would become a $9 billion market within ten years. "Everyone thought she was crazy," he said with a chuckle, "and actually, it turned out that she was wrong--but on the low side! This industry has become much bigger."
Tony Wasserman, a long-time UniForum friend and member and now editor-in-chief of the newly formed UniForum Press,pointed out how membership has changed over the years. "People who worked with Unix back then were highly technical and largely from the research community." He added that UniForum's membership base is much more diverse now and that the association has provided a "valuable forum" for different people to share issues and discuss technology.
Echoing remarks made by other members, Wasserman also mentioned that UniForum can't rest on its laurels. "We have to keep moving forward," he said. "The association and the industry can't ever take Unix and open systems for granted."