The Open Group joins Reading Museum’s DIGITAL Revolution exhibition
London, UK � March 18th, 2025� , the vendor-neutral technology standards organization, is proud to announce its participation in the , celebrating the 60th anniversary of Reading's transformation into a digital hub.
The exhibition opens to the public Tuesday, March 18 and runs until December 24, 2025. It honours the town's incredible tech journey, starting with the arrival of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in the town in 1964, and highlights its lasting impact on the region’s ICT industry.
The Open Group (formerly X/Open) chose Reading as its base due to strong ties with major tech companies like DEC, ICL, HP, and Sun Microsystems - all of which were pioneers in open systems. Established in 1987 to oversee the UNIX® trademark and standards, it was drawn to Reading’s reputation as the “Silicon Valley of the UK�, with top talent, universities, and excellent transport links.
The Open Group is proud to contribute a UNIX® licence plate to the exhibition’s public collection of historic computing equipment which highlights innovations that have influenced the local and global tech landscape. The iconic UNIX licence plate originated in 1980 when a DEC engineer registered his car with a "UNIX" vanity plate in New Hampshire. Inspired by this, a fellow DEC engineer created a mock licence plate as a giveaway for a USENIX conference, choosing New Hampshire's "Live Free or Die" motto to reflect the UNIX minimalist ethos.
Steve Nunn, President and CEO of The Open Group commented: “We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the narrative of this remarkable local heritage, and engage with the community as we celebrate the groundbreaking developments that continue to drive the region forward. This exhibition is a unique opportunity to reflect on Reading's digital past, present, and future � and The Open Group is proud to be a part of it. As an Old Redingensian myself, Reading has, and always will be a special place for me, personally.�
While The Open Group now operates globally across multiple industries, it continues to benefit from Reading’s thriving tech ecosystem. The consortium helps shape the ICT sector by developing technology standards and frameworks that drive digital transformation. As the sole global certifier for UNIX compliant products, it also manages the TOGAF® Standard, a standard of The Open Group, and a key Enterprise Architecture framework helping businesses stay competitive.
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About The Open Group
The Open Group is a global consortium that enables the achievement of business objectives through technology standards and open source initiatives by fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and mutual respect among our diverse group of 900+ memberships. Our Membership includes customers, systems and solutions suppliers, tool vendors, integrators, academics, and consultants across multiple industries. More information on The Open Group can be found at .
The Open Group Media obÌåÓý:
Monika Boudova
Hotwire for The Open Group
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