Introduction.......................................................     v
    Purpose.........................................................     v
    The POSIX Open System Environment Reference Model...............    vi
    Goals...........................................................   vii
    Benefits........................................................  viii
    Related Standards Activities....................................     x
 Section 1: General.................................................     1
    1.1   Scope.....................................................     1
    1.2   Normative References......................................     2
    1.3   Conformance...............................................     3
    1.4   Test Methods..............................................     3
 Section 2: Terminology and General Requirements....................     5
    2.1   Conventions...............................................     5
    2.2   Definitions...............................................     5
          2.2.1  Terminology........................................     5
          2.2.2  General Terms......................................     7
          2.2.3  Abbreviations......................................    13
 Section 3: POSIX Open System Environment...........................    15
    3.1   POSIX Open System Environment - General Requirements......    16
    3.2   POSIX Open System Environment Reference Model.............    19
    3.3   POSIX Open System Environment Services....................    28
    3.4   POSIX Open System Environment Standards...................    29
    3.5   POSIX Open System Environment Profiles....................    32
    3.6   Application Platform Implementation Considerations........    33
 Section 4: POSIX Open System Environment Services..................    39
    4.1   Language Services.........................................    43
    4.2   System Services...........................................    53
    4.3   Network Services..........................................    73
    4.4   Database Services.........................................    99
    4.5   Data Interchange Services.................................   111
    4.6   Transaction Processing Services...........................   119
    4.7   Graphical Window System Services..........................   131
    4.8   Graphics Services.........................................   149
    4.9   Character-Based User Interface Services...................   171
    4.10  User Command Interface Services...........................   177
 Section 5: POSIX OSE Cross-Category Services.......................   187
    5.1   Internationalization......................................   189
    5.2   System Security Services..................................   209
    5.3   Information System Management.............................   215
 Section 6: Profiles................................................   227
    6.1   Scope.....................................................   227
    6.2   Profile Concepts..........................................   228
    6.3   Guidance to Profile Writers...............................   230
 Section 7: POSIX SP Profiling Efforts..............................   237
    7.1   Introduction..............................................   237
    7.2   General Purpose POSIX SPs.................................   237
 Annex A (informative) Considerations for Developers of POSIX SPs...   249
    A.1   Introduction..............................................   249
    A.2   Scope.....................................................   249
    A.3   The Role of POSIX SPs.....................................   250
    A.4   Special Rules for POSIX SPs...............................   251
    A.5   Other Issues..............................................   253
    A.6   Conformance to a POSIX SP.................................   255
    A.7   Structure of Documentation for POSIX SPs..................   255
    A.8   Rules for Drafting and Presentation of POSIX SPs..........   257
 Annex B (informative) Bibliography.................................   262
 Annex C (informative) Standards Infrastructure Description.........   265
    C.1   Introduction..............................................   265
    C.2   The Formal Standards Groups...............................   267
    C.3   Related Organizations.....................................   281
 Annex D (informative) Electronic-Mail..............................   295
 Annex E (informative) Additional Material..........................   297
    E.1   Software Development Environments.........................   297
 Alphabetic Topical Index...........................................   307