Open system (computing)
Open systems are computer systems that provide some combination of interoperability, portability, and open software standards. (It can also mean systems configured to allow unrestricted access by people and/or other computers; this article only discusses the first meaning.) The term originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s, mainly to describe systems based on Unix, especially in contrast to the more entrenched mainframes and minicomputers in use at that time. Unlike older legacy systems, the newer generation of Unix systems featured standardized programming interfaces and peripheral interconnects; third party development of hardware and software was encouraged, a significant departure from the norm of the time, which saw companies such as Amdahl and Hitachi going to court for the right to sell systems and peripherals that were compatible with IBM's mainframes.
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