MNCRS: Industry Specifications for the Mobile NC

In June 1997 an industry consortium announced that it was working on a mobile extension of the Open Group's Network Computer Reference Profile (NCRP) to address the unique requirements of the many new mobile computing devices. This specification will propose a set of standards for developers deploying a Java based light weight network computing solution for mobile use. It will also include a new set of trimmed down Java APIs to support disconnected operation, secure remote access, manage power requirements, and ensure device adaptivity to different network environments. The Network Computer Reference Specification (NCRS) defined a network computer (NC) as a lightweight, ubiquitous, extensible, secure, and easy to administer system using widely deployed technologies such as HTTP, HTML, and Java to ensure universality. The Mobile Network Computer Reference Specification (MNCRS) extends the concept of a network computer to define a mobile network computer (MNC). The extension will define open standards that specify APIs visible to applications, network protocols, and server interactions. Naturally, these standards will have implications for software developers, original equipment manufacturers, operating system vendors, and service providers. Since the intent is to enable MNCs and servers from various manufacturers to interoperate, the consortium will adopt industry standards wherever possible. Accordingly, ongoing convergence efforts with entities such as the NCRP and the Internet Engineering Task Force are intended to avoid duplication of efforts in overlapping areas such as security, communications, tunneling.