-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SunFLASH July 1990 Table Of Contents SunFLASH Vol 19 #toc July 1990 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the July TOC for SunFlash. If there are any items that you missed and really want to see, please send email directly to me at flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. If the demand for back issues justifies the effort, I will install a program to service such requests automatically. -flash (aka John McLaughlin) 19.01 Database Excelerator The Sun Database Excelerator (SunDBE) is an unbundled software product that is an alternative kernel to SunOS 4.1 for Sun customers who have database applications. It speeds up their applications by optimizing virtual memory algorithms. 19.02 3rd Party Product: MATHCAD MATHSOFT INTRODUCES UNIX VERSION OF MATHCAD SOFTWARE 19.03 Sun C - Special Offer Sun Announces Promotional Pricing for NEW Sun C 1.0 As part of the April 18th announcement of the SPARCompiler product family, the new enhanced C compiler was announced as an unbundled product. By unbundling the C compiler, Sun will be able to get to market more quickly with the latest compiler and tools technology. 19.04 Sun CD - Special Offer 19.04 Sun CD - Special offer On May 15th, a special CD-ROM promotion program was announced which enables customers to receive a free SunOS 4.1 on CD media for each SunCD Drive which is purchased (US pricing: $995 - Discount Category A) between May 15th and August 31, 1990. 19.05 Beginning TAAC Training Class Sun Consulting is offering the following course: "Beginning TAAC-1 Programming Course" Tuesday August 21, 1990 through Friday August 24, 1990 The course will be held in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina Sun development facility. The four day course will start at 9:00 am and will last until 5:00 pm each day. The point of contact for scheduling your attendance is Mary Lee Bigger (mbigger@east.sun.com) (919) 469-8300 or David MacFawn (dmacfawn@east.sun.com) (919) 469-8300 The approximate course cost is $1000. Please confirm this when you call. 19.06 PR: Sun & ICL's SPARC Machine ICL AND SUN MICROSYSTEMS INK JOINT MARKETING AGREEMENT FOR ICL'S DRS 6000 SPARC/UNIX/OPEN LOOK COMPUTERS 19.07 PR: Sun's SimplifySQL SimplifySQL FROM SUN MAKES DATABASES EASY TO USE New OPEN LOOK Productivity Tool Works With Ingres, Oracle, Sybase DBMS Products 19.08 PR: SPARCserver Enhancements - Sun Prestoserve(TM): Network File System accelerator board - 6 megabytes per second IPI disk drives (911 Megabytes, not 1 Gb) - 128-megabyte ECC memory board gives 4/470 and 4/490 up to 672 megabytes of ECC memory (32 + 5 * 128) - SunCD CD-ROM disk drive included as a standard feature with the SPARCserver 1+, 330, 470 and 490 and the SPARCstation 370 and 470 - price of 32-megabyte memory board from $19,000 to $13,000. 19.09 Security Class at Sun Expo '90 SunOS 4.x Basic System Security Seminar A one-day Security Tutorial is being offered at Sun Expo '90 later this month. Details can be found below. For more information, please contact Sue Finnegan of Sun Educational Services (sueff@ihope.sun.com, (408)276-3120). 19.10 PR: Frame & OPEN LOOK FRAME ANNOUNCES FRAMEMAKER SUPPORT FOR OPEN LOOK UNDER NeWS 19.11 Sbus Product List The current list of SBus developers has grown to 76 products or services from 46 vendors. 14 new additions have been made since the last time the list was published. Enclosed, please find the most recent update as of July 10, 1990. 19.12 1600x1280 Mono For SPARCstation 1 New monitor option 19.13 PR: New Zealand IRS choose SPARC SUN WINS MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR NEW ZEALAND INLAND REVENUE OFFICE AUTOMATION CONTRACT 19.14 Legato Network Backup Tool (product announcement from USENET) Legato NetWorker is a unique, easy-to-operate product that protects files against loss, network-wide. At the same time, it speeds file recovery so users never waste time re-creating valuable work. 19.15 Saber-C Development Environment (product announcement from USENET) Saber-C Version is a complete programming environment that offers an integrated toolkit for developing, testing, debugging, and maintaining your C programs. Its suite of features gives you maximum control over the quality of your software and helps you meet aggressive project deadlines 19.16 Ventura Port To SPARC & OPEN LOOK VENTURA SOFTWARE INC. TO DEVELOP VENTURA PUBLISHER OPEN LOOK EDITION FOR SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. WORKSTATIONS Ventura Software Inc., a Xerox company, today announced the signing of an agreement with Sun Microsystems, Inc., to produce Ventura Publisher for Sun's UNIX workstation environment. The new version will take full advantage of Sun's workgroup computing with the OPEN LOOK(TM) graphical user interface while retaining all the features that have made Ventura the desktop publishing standard for personal computers. Sun is the first workstation vendor with whom such an agreement has been made. 19.17 CDware Program NEW CATALYST CDWARE PROGRAM FROM SUN LETS USERS SHOP FOR SOFTWARE AT THEIR DESK Sun Microsystems today unveiled two innovative new programs for marketing and distributing application software developed for Sun workstations. Catalyst(TM) CDware(TM) lets Sun users browse through an interactive "catalog" of applications -- such as Lotus 1-2-3 for Sun and FrameMaker -- contained on a CD-ROM (compact disc-read only memory) disc. For Sun's third-party software developers, Catalyst CDware is an effective new vehicle for marketing their products directly to Sun users. As a key benefit of the program, the application software can be distributed to users. 19.18 Press Releases: IPC, OWN, Channels SUN AIMS AT FORTUNE 1000 WITH NEW, LOW_COST 15.8-MIPS COLOR SPARCSTATION; SIGNS NEW RESELLER AGREEMENTS In a suite of strategic announcements furthering its leadership in easy workgroup computing, Sun Microsystems today launched the lowest-cost color RISC workstation in the industry, disclosed three major U.S. value-added dealer agreements and unveiled a new release of the OpenWindows(TM) application environment, which features the OPEN LOOK(TM) graphical user interface in 3-D. Distribution agreements have been signed with three major computer reseller organizations, Intelligent Electronics (IE) of Exton, Penn., MicroAge, Inc., Tempe, Ariz., and NYNEX Business Information Systems Company, White Plains, N.Y. This marks the first time Sun has distributed its computers through U.S. dealer channels. 19.19 SPARCstation IPC SUN UNVEILS INDUSTRY'S LOWEST-COST COLOR RISC WORKSTATION Sun Microsystems today introduced the first fully configured color RISC workstation priced below $10,000: the SPARCstation(TM) IPC. The compact, 15.8-MIPS desktop system is expandable and includes a 207-megabyte hard disk drive and a DOS-compatible, 3.5-inch floppy drive. With its built-in networking, ease of use and industry-leading price/performance, the new system will enable Sun to further penetrate the Fortune 1000 market for both commercial and technical applications. 19.20 OpenWindows 2.0 Released FAST NEW 3-D OPEN LOOK NOW AVAILABLE FROM SUN OpenWindows Included Free With New SPARCstation Sun Microsystems today introduced a new release of the OpenWindows(TM) application environment, which now features the OPEN LOOK(TM) graphical user interface in 3-D. The new version also contains 3-D DeskSet(TM) productivity tools and a new release of the X11/NeWS(TM) Window System that is five times faster. This speeds up such tasks as window creation, moving, resizing, opening and closing, as measured by the MIT X11 performance benchmark. OpenWindows Version 2 will be included in all diskfull versions of Sun's desktop SPARCstations(TM) at no cost, beginning with the new SPARCstation IPC introduced today. In addition, there is no licensing fee for developers who order OpenWindows. To date, 10,000 copies have been shipped. 19.21 New Sun Distributers SUN SIGNS AGREEMENTS WITH MAJOR COMPUTER RESELLERS: INTELLIGENT ELECTRONICS, MICROAGE AND NYNEX Sun Microsystems today announced that it has signed distribution agreements with three major computer reseller organizations: Intelligent Electronics of Exton, Penn., MicroAge, Inc., Tempe, Ariz., and NYNEX Business Informations Systems Company, White Plains, N.Y. Each company will resell Sun products through local computer centers located throughout the United States. This marks the first time that Sun has distributed its workstations through U.S. dealer channels and is expected to further Sun's penetration of commercial markets. Intelligent Electronics, the largest reseller organization in North America with 934 outlets, will market and support Sun equipment through selected franchisees: Entre, Connecting Point and Today's Computers Business Centers. MicroAge, with more than 732 outlets worldwide, will distribute Sun workstations to selected company-owned and franchised centers. NYNEX, which operates 76 sales branches called NYNEX Business Centers in 30 states, plans to sell Sun equipment in all of its markets. Each value-added reseller must be individually authorized by Sun and must offer systems in combination with software, training and support. 19.22 Response to PMEG Problem This response was just posted to Sun-Spots. The referenced Sun-Spots article by Gordon Irlam describes some limitations of the Sun 4 MMU. This problem is loosely refered to as 'the PMEG steeling problem'. The next SunFlash article will provide a program that reports on PMEG steeling. In this response Joanne Blind-Griffith acknowledges the problem and promises a fix to SunOS 4.1 by the end of July and a fix to 4.0.3 by early August. Note that SunDBE does not have this problem. 19.23 Source For hatstat In 19.22 there was a discussion about the implications of the design of the Sun 4 Memory Management Unit (MMU). Under certain circumstances, pmegs will be stolen from another process that did have an active context. This is a BAD THING. The next release of SunOS will fix this problem and a patch will be made available for SunOS 4.1 by the end of July and for Sun4c 4.0.3 by early August. In the meantime, how do you know if this nasty PMEG steeling is happening to you ? Answer - use the enclosed program. If you are having this PMEG steeling problem, call your support number and they will send you a patch (when it is released). If you are not having this problem, don't worry - be happy ! Note that the enclosed program is Copyright 1990 by Sun Microsystems, Inc. We have been given permission to distribute this program to help you determine if you are having this PMEG problem. 19.23 Xerox Signs $200 million Reseller Contract Xerox Corporation has signed a contract expected to be worth about $200 million over the next several years for volume purchases of Sun's SPARC(R) computers for resale to Xerox customers, Sun Microsystems announced today. Included in the transaction is the just-introduced SPARCstation(TM) IPC, a low-cost color RISC workstation. "We selected Sun's SPARC family because of its open architecture and ability to support the client/server architecture Xerox has pioneered and is committed to pursue," said William C. Lowe, Xerox executive vice president, development and manufacturing. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sunflash is an electronic mail news service from Sun Microsystems, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA. It is targeted at Sun Users and Customers. As a field sales and support office, we try to keep SunFlash useful and interesting to you. If you have any comments or suggestions for enhancing SunFlash, please send them to us. SunFlash is ditributed via a hierarchy of aliases. Please try to address change requests to the owner of the alias that you belong to. Please address comments to the SunFlash editor John McLaughlin (sun!sunvice!flash or flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM). (305) 776-7770.