What are “open systems” and “open interfaces?
The definition of open systems has changed over time, but today open systems are usually considered to be systems that interoperate through open interfaces. An interface is simply a common boundary, a means to make a connection between two software components. An interface on the client presents an ordered set of parameters (with specific names and data types) and instructions (with specific names and functions) to an interface on the server that is structured to read and respond to just such a set of parameters and instructions. Thus an interface enables one processing component to exchange data and instructions with another processing component. Some interfaces satisfy part but not all of the “openness” definition above. The information technology world has been steadily evolving toward greater openness, so many older systems still in use interoperate in what now appear to be limited ways. Such systems from a variety of geoprocessing software companies use interfaces that the compani
The definition of open systems has changed over time, but today open systems are usually considered to be systems that interoperate through open interfaces. An interface is simply a common boundary, a means to make a connection between two software components. An interface on the client presents an ordered set of parameters (with specific names and data types) and instructions (with specific names and functions) to an interface on the server that is structured to read and respond to just such a set of parameters and instructions. Thus an interface enables one processing component to exchange data and instructions with another processing component.
