---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Third Party Product Announcements SunFLASH Vol 25 #15 January 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fujitsu M2480, IBM 3480 Compatible Tape Drive Applix's new Asterix product for X [free demo] Robochart for PC and Sun Ariel Offers 25 MFLOP DSP Engine for the Sun SPARCstationTM EZ-ADMIN Maple V Computer Algebra System 01/07/91 Six Sigma Case upgrades database design tool Graphics Extensions to XView -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Fujitsu M2480, IBM 3480 Compatible Tape Drive IBM 3480 Compatible Tape Drive Now Runs on Sun ! ----------------------------------------------- Fujitsu America announced that they have licensed software from Sun Consulting for their low cost, compact, IBM 3480 compatible tape drive. At one third the cost and a fraction of the size of IBM's 3480 subsystem, the M2480 drive is an economical solution for those Sun customers and prospects requiring 3480 compatibility. The M2480 is supported on the SPARCserver 390, 470, and 490, SPARCstation 330, Sun 4/260, and Sun 3/470 and 3/260 running SunOS 4.1. The SCSI interface makes connection easy and the M2480 fits in a standard 19" rack for integrated installation in Sun Data Center servers. This product is targeted at customers in the oil and gas, finance, telecommunications and imaging markets where IBM data interchange and high performance backup are important. With the addition of an optional Auto Cartridge Loader, customers can expand to 2 gigabytes of fast, unattended backup capacity. Fujitsu America will provide full sales and service support for the M2480 drive and autoloader through their extensive network of domestic distributors. All regional sales offices will be receiving a package containing product literature and a list of local distributors within the next few weeks. For more information please ask about the "Sun M2480 Program" at Fujitsu America at 1-800-626-4686. International customers can purchase this product from local Fujitsu distributor and obtain the necessary software from Sun's Software Consulting Specials listing. For more information on how to order this software please contact Will Snow at (415) 336-5714. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Applix's new Asterix product for X [free demo] From: news@applix.com Newsgroups: biz.comp.software Organization: APPLiX Inc., Westboro, MA [Note: free demo for X available via FTP or UUCP - see instructions at end] APPLIX INTRODUCES EASY-TO-USE DOCUMENT PREPARATION SOFTWARE FOR UNIX WORKSTATIONS AT PC PRICES Westboro, Massachusetts, January 7, 1991 - UNIX workstation and X-terminal users can now create documents faster and easier with a new document preparation package introduced today by Applix, Inc. Available immediately, the new software includes advanced word processing with integrated graphics, a set of powerful macro tools and an optional graphical spreadsheet. Initially available on SPARC-based and DECstation/DECsystem RISC workstations, Asterix(TM) supports the look and feel of both OSF/Motif and OPEN LOOK under X-Windows. Priced between $695.00 and $995.00, Asterix offers researchers, engineers, financial specialists, and other business professionals a low-cost way to make the most of their workstation graphics and networking resources. "Until now, the UNIX industry has been lacking a powerful yet easy-to-use word processing product," said Richard J. Davis, executive vice president of Applix. "Asterix offers flexibility and professional results without the complexity of a full-fledged desktop publishing system." The new document preparation software features live links among all Asterix applications and also supports a variety of import and export formats. One key feature of Asterix is a set of powerful macro tools including an extension language facility that allows users to tailor the Asterix software environment to meet specialized needs. For example, the entire user interface can be customized to the user's preferences, or data from a third-part database can be included in Asterix documents. Asterix Words is a WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) word processor. Words includes style guides, X-clipboard cut & paste, and other powerful formatting and book-building features. Asterix Graphics allows illustrations to be integrated easily into a text document. It is a facility for creating, editing, customizing, and manipulating graphics, and includes built-in drawing tools, screen captures from another X-Window, pixel editing, and importing for HPGL, TIFF, and EPSI files. Asterix Spreadsheets (optional) offers users standard spreadsheet operations, plus special features such as inter-spreadsheet links, projection tables, goal-seeking and multiple views of a single spreadsheet. Users can also create and customize graphs and charts based on spreadsheet data. As spreadsheet data changes, related graphs and charts automatically update. A set of on-line tutorials, context sensitive on-line help, toll-free customer support, and a complete library of documentation also is included. Applix, Inc., is a leading supplier of UNIX office productivity software. Applix is located at 112 Turnpike Road, Westboro, Mass., 01581. Telephone 508/870-0300. Fax 508/366-9313. # # # UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. in the United States and other countries. OPEN LOOK is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. OSF/Motif is a trademark of the Open Software Foundation. SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International based on technology developed by Sun Microsystems. DEC and DECstation are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. X-Window System is a trademark of MIT. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Asterix Rolling Demo Download instructions: An X11 graphic rolling demonstration of the Asterix product is freely available to sites with FTP or UUCP access to UUNET Communications Services. There are two files on the machine ftp.uu.net (192.48.96.2) which need to be copied. The file names are asterix-demo.tar.Z and README, and they are located in the directory /usr/spool/ftp/applix on the machine ftp.uu.net. The FTP login ID is "anonymous" and the password is "anonymous". The README file contains instructions on running the demo. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Robochart for PC and Sun From: jackm@agcsun.UUCP (Jack Morrison) Newsgroups: comp.newprod Organization: Ampex VSD Golden Engineering, Golden, CO DIGITAL INSIGHT is now shipping ROBOCHART for PC and SUN platforms. ROBOCHART is an interactive graphics program designed to create and edit flow diagrams. It is particularly geared toward Yourdon-style Data Flow Diagrams, but can generate many other similar diagrams, such as state transition diagrams, system configurations, flow charts, organization charts, etc. ROBOCHART is NOT a general-purpose drawing tool, but for these types of diagrams it's much faster and easier to work with. ROBOCHART doesn't need complicated commands. You simply manipulate the diagram directly on the screen. The program knows you are drawing a flow diagram, and keeps things perfectly connected and aligned as you make changes. Some of the features are: * Objects can be drawn, moved, or resized with a single mouse command. * Flows between objects can be drawn or moved just as easily. * Flows are automatically redrawn when a connected object moves. * Flows can be rerouted with intermediate vertices. * Labels are entered by simply pointing at an object and typing. * Labels are moved automatically when objects or flows move. * An optional snap grid simplifies diagram alignment. * Hierarchical diagrams are supported for logical zooming between levels of detail. Automatic level numbering is optional. Object consistency across levels is automatic. * Diagrams can be saved to disk and reloaded for editing. Multiple diagram pages can be stored in one file. * Pick, Cut and Paste functions handle hierarchical diagram sections. * Program defaults are user-configurable. ROBOCHART runs on PC/XT/AT/PS2 and compatible machines with 256K free RAM. A Microsoft-compatible mouse is required. Hercules, CGA, EGA, VGA, and super VGA displays are supported. Hardcopy output is provided for many laser, dot matrix, and PostScript printers, and HPGL plotters. ROBOCHART can export your diagram in several graphics file formats. List price is $96. ROBOCHART is also available for SUN 3 and SUN 4 systems. It runs under SunView with SUNOS 4.0 or later, and provides PostScript, EPSF, and HPGL output formats. A demo version with full manual is available for $25 (refundable against purchase of licensed version). Full version licensed for a single node is $345. Additional licenses (including manual) are $90 each. For further information or ordering, contact Lynn Morrison, Marketing Director Digital Insight P.O. Box 2095 Evergreen, CO 80439-2095 (303) 674-5232 Send E-mail inquiries to Jack Morrison at ...ncar!boulder!agcsun!jackm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Ariel Offers 25 MFLOP DSP Engine for the Sun SPARCstationTM HIGHLAND PARK, New Jersey, December 3, 1990 - Ariel Corporation, a leading manufacturer of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) development tools and systems, today announced the industry's first floating-point DSP coprocessor card and software tools for Sun Microsystems' SPARCstation 1+, SPARCstation 2, and SPARCstation IPC. Ariel's S-32C is a single-slot SBus board based on AT&T's WE DSP32C digital signal processor. Operating at a peak rate of 25 MFLOPS and fitted with up to 4 Mbytes of zero wait-state SRAM, the S-32C provides the floating-point processing power and advanced input/output capabilities necessary for real-time processing tasks that are not easily handled in UNIX-based environments. DSP program development is supported with a bundled software tools package that includes a math library. "The floating-point computational power of the S-32C is a logical enhancement for the already-powerful SPARCstation", said Anthony Agnello, President of Ariel. "By combining the AT&T DSP32C and up to 4 Mbytes of SRAM on a single SBus card, we can turn the machine into a superb platform for computation-intensive applications such as vector and array processing, image processing, and neural networks." Designed for application flexibility, the S-32C floating- point DSP card enables desktop SPARCstations to address many new applications including telecommunications, speech recognition and processing, neural networks, test and measurement, process and factory control, and signal processing algorithm development. The Ariel S-32C's computational power is provided by AT&T's WE DSP32C floating-point DSP chip. The DSP32C operates at 50 MHz and can perform up to 25 million floating-point operations per second (MFLOPS) or up to 12.5 million instructions per second (MIPS) for integer operation. A single cycle instruction can convert to and from IEEE Standard 754 single precision floating point data format. The S-32C card also includes 256 Kbytes of zero wait-state memory (expandable to 4 Mbytes) and a high-speed, bidirectional, serial I/O port. The serial I/O port is capable of synchronous transfer rates up to 16 Mbits/sec. For applications involving CD-quality audio, the I/O port can be connected to Ariel's ProPort for dual channel analog I/O or the DM-N Digital Microphone for stereo audio input. Future peripherals are planned by Ariel and other third parties for digital audio I/O (e.g. direct digital connection to DAT and CD machines), and multichannel industrial sensing and control. A complete array of DSP software development tools for the Sun SPARCstation is offered. Bundled with the Ariel S-32C is a C callable math library for arithmetic, matrix arithmetic, filtering, adaptive filtering, FFT's, and graphics/image processing. In addition, a macro assembler/linker/librarian, simulator, and SunOS device drivers are included. The S-32C with bundled development software is available now for $2995. A bundled package including the AT&T Optimizing C Language Compiler is available for $5795. OEM versions are available starting at $1995. The software tools currently available for the S-32C are specifically intended for Sun SPARCstations. The S-32C hardware, on the other hand, may be used in any SBus-compatible computer. Ariel Corporation, founded in 1982, designs and manufactures digital signal processing hardware, software and systems for the IBM PC and compatibles, Sun Microsystems' SPARCstations and Sun 386iTM, Hewlett-Packard 9000 series 300 engineering workstations, the Apple Macintosh II series, the NeXT computer, and VME-based systems. Ariel maintains a 24-hour bulletin board system (BBS) at (908)-249-2124 (300 - 9600 baud) and can also be reached via E-mail at "ariel@ariel.com". Ariel Corporation 433 River Road Highland Park, NJ 08904 Telephone: 908-249-2900 Telex: 4997279 ARIEL Fax: 908-249-2123 DSP BBS: 908-249-2124 (300 - 9600 bps) Editorial Contact: Les Listwa (908) 249-2900 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: EZ-ADMIN Now there is an easy, menu-driven software package for system administration on the Sun SPARCstations. Developed by Pacific Access Computers, EZ-ADMIN is so simple to use that a new administrator could use it from day one. In addition, you can fully customize the package. You can add new features, new menus and help messages, or you can modify the features already placed within the software. EZ-ADMIN includes: EZ-ADMIN setup, HARDDISK administration, DISKETTE management, INFORMATION menu (includes check for security problems), PRINTER administration, MACHINE menu, USERS administration, PERIPHERALS, NETWORK administration (includes add, modify or delete hosts, NFS and set up hosts), TERMINALS, USERS menu and UUCP. Under development: INSTALL, INFORMATION menu (includes selected security problems, and information disks, memory, network, hardware hookups,and mounted disks), NETWORK administration (includes setting up netgroups, RFS setup, and NIS) DISKS and MISC. Anyone purchasing EZ- ADMIN automatically receives the updates free as soon as they are available. SPARCstations have long been used by technical professionals, but because Sun has introduced more graphics applications, people from a much wider variety of professions are able to include SPARCstations in their systems integration. As a result, there are now many more occasions where administrators and users are crossing over into Sun workstations and UNIX environments. Because EZ-ADMIN is such a clearly presented menu-driven package it can even make an administrator out of a regular UNIX user. Even if you're a proficient administrator, did you ever notice how many steps it takes just to add a user? It's at least 24. Unless you're adding people constantly, you can't always remember the steps. Or perhaps you've run into a situation where your 100 Mb disk says it's full, but you know you've only used 60 Mb so far. Then you do trouble shooting only to find that you allocated part of your disk for a file system space, but forgot to mount it in the file system table, and as a result it was never used. With EZ-ADMIN, events like this can be eliminated. For more information, pricing and availability, call Pacific Access Computers and indicate your interest in EZ-ADMIN at (916) 635-9300 or 800-648-6161. FAX (916) 635-6211. Or write Pacific Access Computers, 2945 Kilgore Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670. PAC is an Authorized Minority Woman Owned Business with offices nationwide. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Maple V Computer Algebra System 01/07/91 WATERLOO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1991 JAN 7 (NB) -- Waterloo Maple Software, based here, has begun shipping a new version of Maple, its computer-based algebra system. Maple V is available initially on Sun 3 and SPARC-based workstations, most Digital Equipment systems running Ultrix, and Unix systems from MIPS Computer Systems, said Janet Cater, marketing manager. Cater said the company plans to release Maple V for Apple Macintosh and Intel 386-based systems in the first quarter of 1991, and for all other systems that run previous versions of Maple later in the year. Maple runs on an assortment of hardware from microcomputers to supercomputers, she told Newsbytes. Maple V has a new X-Window-compliant graphical user interface and three-dimensional graphics, according to Waterloo Maple. The system has a library of more than 2,000 mathematical functions. Maple runs on a variety of Unix-based hardware, according to the company. Waterloo Maple chose the Sun platform for the first release of Maple V becasue "it addresses on of Maple's largest customer bases," said Ron Neumann, chief executive of the company, in a prepared statement. Maple V for Sun sells for US$2,495, with equivalent pricing in other currencies around the world. The Ultrix versions range from US$695 to US$3,595, depending on hardware supported. Site licenses and academic discounts are available. (Grant Buckler/19910102/Press Contact: Janet Cater, Waterloo Maple Software, 519-747-2373) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Six Sigma Case upgrades database design tool From: blm@6sceng.UUCP (Brian Matthews) Newsgroups: comp.newprod Organization: Six Sigma CASE, Inc. SIX SIGMA CASE UPGRADES DATABASE DESIGN TOOL Bellevue, Wash. -- Release 1.5 of the Canonizer, a CASE tool that automates database design, is now shipping to database designers working in UNIX and MS-DOS environments. The upgrade now offers the ability to write a data model in several types of file formats, including ANSI Standard SQL (used by ORACLE, Sybase, Informix, Ingres, Revelation 2000, DB2 and others), as well as C, Raima DDL, and Unify 4.0. When used with Six Sigma CASE's SQL Converter, the Canonizer can be used to convert an existing data model from SQL to any of these output file formats. Another new feature maintains a history of database designs, making software changes and maintenance practical even when the original designers no longer work on the project. A main feature of the Canonizer is its ability to automatically normalize a database, guaranteeing design in third normal form. The process saves days or weeks of time usually required to normalize by hand (depending on the size of the database). With Release 1.5 the Canonizer now allows designers to de-normalize as well. Other enhancements in Release 1.5 include the ability to designate a data item as UNIQUE or NON-NULL, so that a DBMS can check for these constraints. Foreign keys are generated automatically, allowing a DBMS to perform more efficiently. The Canonizer retails for $995 to $2995 for UNIX platforms and $895 for DOS. The SQL Converter sells for $245 to $395 on UNIX platforms and $145 on DOS. As part of an introductory offer ending December 31, 1990, the SQL Converter is included free with the purchase of the Canonizer. Compatible hardware platforms include Sun, Digital VAX, 386, IBM RS/6000, NCR Tower and Unisys. The Canonizer runs on XENIX, UNIX System V, BSD, AIX and Sun OS, as well as MS-DOS. Six Sigma CASE offers a 60 day money back guarantee and free technical support for the first 60 days after purchase. For more information, contact Six Sigma CASE, Inc., 13456 SE 27th Pl., Bellevue, WA 98005-4211. Telephone is 1-800-827-4462 or 206-643-6911. FAX is 206-641-7501. E-Mail is canon@6sigma.UUCP. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Graphics Extensions to XView TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, 1990 DEC 26 (NB) -- KL Group, based in Toronto, has unveiled XRT/Graph, a display graphics extension to Sun Microsystems' XView tool kit. XRT/Graph will be most popular with those developing financial applications for Sun workstations, said Greg Kiessling, president of KL Group, but can be used in any area of development where graphics are needed. XRT/Graph adds a graph object to XView, which is widely used for developing applications for the Open Look interface. It allows developers to embed graphics such as plots, bar charts, and pie charts in their applications. Applications developed with the software can be displayed on any display supporting the X Window specification, according to KL Group. An XRT/Graph development license for a Sun 4 workstation sells for US$1,295, including a prototyping and development tool called Builder. Developers can distribute applications built with XRT/Graph without paying additional run-time fees to KL Group, the company said. KL plans to sell the software directly in North America, though it may consider distributors in overseas markets, Kiessling told Newsbytes. (Grant Buckler/19901220/Press Contact: Greg Kiessling, KL Group, 416-594-1026) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu and paris.cs.miami.edu. All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.