Architecture Neutral Distribution Format
Encyclopedia
The Architecture Neutral Distribution Format (ANDF) is a technology allowing common "shrink wrapped" binary application programs to be distributed for use on conformant Unix
systems, each of which might run on different underlying hardware platforms. ANDF was defined by the Open Software Foundation
and was expected to be a "truly revolutionary technology that will significantly advance the cause of portability and open systems", but it was never widely adopted.
As with other OSF offerings, ANDF was specified through an open selection process. OSF issued a Request for Technology for architecture-neutral software distribution technologies in April, 1989. Fifteen proposals were received, based on a variety of technical approaches, including obscured source code, compiler intermediate languages, and annotated executable code.
The technology of ANDF, chosen after an evaluation of competing approaches and implementations, was Ten15 Distribution Format
, later renamed TenDRA Distribution Format, developed by the UK Defence Research Agency
.
designers and implementors were also interested because standard installers would mean that only a single language front end would need to be developed.
OSF released several development 'snapshots' of ANDF, but it was never released commercially by OSF or any of its members. Various reasons have been proposed for this: for example, that having multiple installation systems would complicate software support.
After OSF stopped working on ANDF, development continued at other organizations.
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
systems, each of which might run on different underlying hardware platforms. ANDF was defined by the Open Software Foundation
Open Software Foundation
The Open Software Foundation was a not-for-profit organization founded in 1988 under the U.S. National Cooperative Research Act of 1984 to create an open standard for an implementation of the UNIX operating system.-History:...
and was expected to be a "truly revolutionary technology that will significantly advance the cause of portability and open systems", but it was never widely adopted.
As with other OSF offerings, ANDF was specified through an open selection process. OSF issued a Request for Technology for architecture-neutral software distribution technologies in April, 1989. Fifteen proposals were received, based on a variety of technical approaches, including obscured source code, compiler intermediate languages, and annotated executable code.
The technology of ANDF, chosen after an evaluation of competing approaches and implementations, was Ten15 Distribution Format
TenDRA Distribution Format
The abstract machine TDF evolved at the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment in the UK as a successor to Ten15. Its design allowed support for the C programming language...
, later renamed TenDRA Distribution Format, developed by the UK Defence Research Agency
Defence Research Agency
The Defence Research Agency , was an executive agency of the UK Ministry of Defence from April 1991 until April 1995. At the time the DRA was Britain's largest science and technology organisation...
.
Adoption
ANDF was intended to benefit both software developers and users. Software developers could release a single binary for all platforms, and software users would have freedom to procure multiple vendors' hardware competitively. Programming languageProgramming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
designers and implementors were also interested because standard installers would mean that only a single language front end would need to be developed.
OSF released several development 'snapshots' of ANDF, but it was never released commercially by OSF or any of its members. Various reasons have been proposed for this: for example, that having multiple installation systems would complicate software support.
After OSF stopped working on ANDF, development continued at other organizations.