OSF/1 is a major software component of the ACE initiative, of which both Digital and SCO are founding members. DEC OSF/1 is a key operating system environment supported by Network Application Support (NAS), Digital’s set of software products that provide for application integration across systems from multiple vendors. By using the NAS software products OSF/1-based applications can interoperate with applications on other platforms such as MS-DOS, VMS, and Sun OS.

Based on source code technology provided by the OSF, DEC OSF/1 meets the most stringent requirements of the OSF/1 trademark and certification program. Digital has engineered into its OSF/1 implementation several added-value, open technologies that enhance the OSF source code and conform to the OSF Application Environment Specification. These include to predictable, fast responses to external events; binary, source, and data compatibility with the Ultrix operating system for applications written according to existing programming language standards; and the capability to process large amounts of data by increasing the number of files that can be open at one time.

A starter kit for the OSF DCE that provides several components of the DCE architecture required to design and build multi-vendor applications has been introduced by Digital. A conversion programme for users of the existing Ultrix operating system that helps to convert Ultrix systems, and a selection of key foundation products that include DEC Fortran and DEC Pascal available on the OSF/1 operating system for developing applications were also released.