---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SunFLASH Vol 27 #21 March 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article contains some third party product annoucenments and press releases. This article does not imply an endorsement by Sun* Inc. (I wonder if Sun* will catch on as a way to refer to the myriad Sun companies ?) -johnj ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contents: Computer Signal introduces CorporateFax for Sun SPARC Sparc-hosted C Cross Compilers available FrameMaker 3.0 Legato announces SBus PrestoServe Artecon supports Sun on AFCAC 308 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: davec@motcad.portal.com (Dave Carroll) Newsgroups: comp.newprod Subject: Computer Signal introduces CorporateFax for Sun SPARC Organization: Computer Signal Corp., San Ramon, California The following is the text of the press release for CorporateFax.. Real technical questions should be directed to davec@motcad.portal.com. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE David Carroll Computer Signal Corp. 415-275-0990 FAX PRODUCT FOR SUN SPARC RELEASED ON CD-ROM San Ramon, CA, March 8, 1991 -- Computer Signal Corporation, a San Ramon, California based software development and marketing company, announced that they are releasing the CorporateFax (tm) UNIX facsimile gateway for Sun SPARC workstations and servers on digital CD-ROM media as part of an innovative marketing plan. CorporateFax will be one of the first actual live product releases on CD-ROM media for Sun SPARC. Previously, CD-ROMs have been used as samplers and to distribute operating system software. CorporateFax software will be sent FREE-OF-CHARGE to end-users, dealers, and VARs to allow the products to be demoed for free. Those who decide to purchase CorporateFax can purchase a license password for just those features they want. A facsimile modem and manuals are then shipped to the customer. The CD-ROM also includes a FREE public domain MIT X-Window implementation (X11-R4) and GNU Utilities for the SPARC. The CD-ROM disc has a capacity of 644 MB of storage. Computer Signal is "partnering" with other software vendors who have synergistic products which can be used effectively with the CorporateFax product. Some of these include: Xroff (tm) - a troff formatter for fax from Image Network MIT X-Window System and OSF Motif from Quest Systems Geniscript (tm) - a PostScript (tm) rendering engine CADnet (tm) - a document librarian product SCSI Support - a universal SCSI driver for Sun SPARC Highland FlexLM (tm) Network License Manager The CorporateFax product line includes the facsimile gateway engine, PC network connectivity options, high resolution imaging software including troff and PostScript (tm) file formats, and a graphic user interface supporting both Motif and Open Look on X- Window systems. CorporateFax sends incredibly high resolution faxes of both text and images - so good they are hard to distinguish from a laser printed document. Incoming faxes can be viewed on line on X-Terminals and PC's. A command line and ASCII terminal user interface is also included. PC-DOS workstations can be used to access the facsimile server over a network with various user interfaces including plain DOS and MS-Windows 3.0, providing a workgroup solution to sending and receiving faxes in the office. DOS-UNIX network connectivity is provided by Locus PC Interface, Sun PC-NFS, or a sockets based interface. Translators are provided for most DOS word processors' internal formats and the PostScript output file format. Macintosh workstations can also be used with the CorporateFax Facsimile Gateway server to send and receive fax messages. TCP/IP network connectivity with the UNIX host must be provided separately. The UNIX e-mail link supplied with CorporateFax extends e-mail access to any destination with a facsimile machine. Users can send UNIX style e-mail via the facsimile gateway as easily as over the network. CorporateFax is also designed to support integration by VAR's and software developers. It can be used to add high quality facsimile services to new or existing applications. For example, an invoicing program could fax invoices to speed up cash flow, or a sales office could fax orders each nite to the main office. CorporateFax uses a new type of external facsimile modem (EIA Class 2) which allows much of the protocol work to be done by the modem. This means a fax gateway server can support 10, 20, or more fax lines if necessary. The modem used is an Everex 24/96D Facsimile/Data Modem, which connects to the computer via the RS-232 port. The modem lists for $499. A sample of the CorporateFax facsimile quality is available on request by calling 1-800-835-6605. A sample fax will be sent to your fax machine free of charge. The FREE demo CD-ROM for Sun SPARC contains demos, online documentation, and actual licensable product. The GNU utilities and MIT X11-R4 public domain executable distribution for SPARC are also included on the CD-ROM. The demo CD-ROM for SPARC may be ordered by calling 1-800-835-3365 or 1-415-275-0990. For Sun SPARC users without CD-ROM drives or users on other platforms, the products are also available on tape cartridge for a media charge. CorporateFax software for one user on the SPARC family is priced at $995. Server versions with network support start at $2195. Additional information is available on request. The CorporateFax product is available on Sun SPARC, Data General Aviion, Motorola Delta 68k and 88k, Motorola MultiPersonal Computer, IBM RS-6000, SCO Xenix 386, and SCO and Interactive 386 UNIX platforms. Computer Signal Corporation has offices in the high-tech Bishop Ranch business park in San Ramon, CA. CSC has been developing distributed network UNIX applications for graphics data management for the past five years. Computer Signal also sells the CorporateImage(tm) family of graphics data management products, including CorporateScan (tm), CorporatePrint (tm), CorporateArchive (tm), CorporateCD-Search (tm), and CorporatePhoto (tm). # # # ### PC-NFS and NFS are registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. SPARC is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. All other products mentioned herein are identified by the trademarks as designated by the companies who market those products. Inquiries concerning such trademarks should be made directly to those companies. David W. Carroll CADnet, Inc. - San Ramon, CA. davec@motcad.portal.com ...!portal!motcad!davec -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: clyde@hitech.ht.oz.au (Clyde Smith-Stubbs) Newsgroups: comp.newprod Subject: Sparc-hosted C Cross Compilers available Organization: HI-TECH Software, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. HI-TECH Software announces the availability of its C Cross compilers for Sun-4 and other Sparc based systems. C Cross Compilers are available for the following chips: Intel: 8086, 80186, 80286, 80386 and 80486 8051 family 8096 and 80C196 Motorola: 68000, 68010 and 68020 6801, 68HC11 6809 Hitachi: 6301 and 6303 64180 Zilog: Z80 and Z180 All compilers are fully ANSI compliant and include the compiler, a macro assembler, linker, librarian, cross reference and object conversion utility. Most compilers come with a remote source level debugger that can be interfaced with a target system via a serial line. Full library source code is provided with all compilers. Extensions such as near and far qualifiers are implemented for those chips with multiple address spaces, e.g. the 8051 compiler supports 3 memory models, with near and far qualifiers, to allow code to execute using only on-chip RAM, with external RAM, or with external RAM and stack. All compilers support interrrupt functions that can be called directly by a hardware interrupt. All allow I/O ports to be accessed directly from C without function calls. All compilers support IEEE floating point. The 8 bit chips implement 32 bit floating point, the others 32 and 64 bit floats. STDIO libraries are provided that can be used with a simple serial port. Generated code is small and fast. Our code size is consistently smaller than that produced by competitive compilers, for example the Z80 compiler produces code that is typically 30% smaller than other Z80 compilers can produce. Versions of these compilers are also available for MS-DOS, Xenix, 386 Unix and Sun-3 systems. Prices range from AUS$695.00 (DOS systems) to AUS$1295.00 (Sparc systems). 12 months updates are provided free (except for a handling/media charge). Contact us now by fax, phone or e-mail for further information. Clyde Smith-Stubbs | HI-TECH Software, | Voice: +61 7 300 5011 clyde@hitech.ht.oz.au | P.O. Box 103, Alderley, | Fax: +61 7 300 5246 ...!nwnexus!hitech!clyde | QLD, 4051, AUSTRALIA. | BBS: +61 7 300 5235 Hick's Law of Systems Programming: Don't test for errors you can't handle. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: frametec@disney.frame.com (Techsup Mailer) Subject: FrameMaker 3.0 [Note: please do not attempt to reply to this email address. Instead, comments, questions, etc. should be addressed to comments@frame.com] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Frame Technology Announced FrameMaker 3.0 with Tables, Conditional Text --Advanced new features provide wider range of publishing solutions SEYBOLD SEMINARS `91, BOSTON--March 4, 1991--Frame Technology Corporation today announced FrameMaker 3.0, a significant new release of its premier workstation publishing software for multiple platforms. FrameMaker 3.0 adds several key areas of functionality including tables and conditional text, expanding its capabilities to solve a wider range of technical and business publishing needs. Unlike competing publishing packages, all of FrameMaker 3.0's advanced features are included at no extra charge on all platforms, and are fully integrated into the product through FrameMaker's consistent, easy-to-learn interface. FrameMaker 3.0 is priced at $995 for a fixed license on Apple Macintosh and NeXT computers and on 386- and 486-based personal computers running the SCO OpenDesktop 1.1 operating system. The floating license price on all UNIX workstations is $2,500. "Users provided the input we needed to design a next generation publishing product like FrameMaker 3.0," said Frame's President and CEO, Paul R. Robichaux. "FrameMaker 3.0 not only meets the requirements of our current installed base of technical publishing professionals, but also expands FrameMaker's ability to solve a wider range of publishing needs for business professionals throughout an organization. Importantly, what we've kept the same in 3.0 is FrameMaker's intuitive interface and file compatibility across multiple platforms." The key areas of enhancements in FrameMaker 3.0 include: o An "intelligent," cell-based tables feature for integrating statistical data, price lists, schedules, spreadsheet and database information into an attractive, easy-to-read format. All tables functionality is accessed through a single, easy-to-learn menu and allows users to break tables across columns or pages, to include text and/or graphics, and to create and edit tables interactively without switching modes. o Conditional text capabilities for quickly and efficiently creating multiple variations of documents using one base document. FrameMaker 3.0 allows an unlimited number of user-defined condition tags, which can be applied to text, anchored frames, markers, footnotes, or even assigned to table rows. Each condition tag can be "shown" or "hidden." According to beta FrameMaker 3.0 user, David King, of Phoebus Group, "The tables function is a brilliant implementation. I explored it without reading the documentation and was able to prepare and modify tables quickly and easily. It is a congruent extension to the Frame language --not at all tacked on. Experienced FrameMaker users will be delighted." Commenting on the conditional text capabilities, Vera Allen-Smith, Dataquest consultant, said, "I made my living for years producing textbooks and other documents that shared 75% common information, but required specific modifications to the rest of the document for one reason or another. FrameMaker 3.0 would not only have saved me months of work, it would have saved my clients thousands of dollars. Additional new features of FrameMaker 3.0 will include expanded and improved optional text and graphics filters so users can import and export a wider range of text, diagrams and information created by other applications. In addition to Frame's current suite of text and graphics filters, the 3.0 filters will add new support for importing PICT2 files on all platforms, additional support for importing Macintosh Microsoft Word 4.0 files, including table and index markers, on UNIX platforms (already available on Macintosh), improved import and export of WordPerfect 5.0/5.1 files including tables, and improved import of Interleaf files, including tables. In addition, FrameMaker 3.0 includes over 20 new enhancements in areas such as faster performance, batch book-building, document formatting control, hypertext, international hyphenation and spelling support, new clip art, and integrated importing of additional graphics formats including xwd, pcx, and MacPaint formats. Importantly, FrameMaker files created in version 2.1 are automatically converted and directly usable with FrameMaker 3.0, and all formatting is completely preserved. Availability FrameMaker 3.0 will be available beginning in Q2 1991 for the Apple Macintosh, and Sun-3, -4 (and SPARC compatibles), and 386i workstations under SunView. In Q3 1991, Frame will begin shipping an X OSF/Motif version for workstations from Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett-Packard/Apollo, IBM, Sun, and 386-486-based personal computers running the SCO OpenDesktop 1.1 operating system. A version for NeXT computers will also begin shipping in Q3 1991. FrameMaker 3.0 for OPEN LOOK/NeWS will be available in Q4 1991. All optional filters will be available from Frame for a given workstation platform approximately 90 days after FrameMaker 3.0 ships on that platform. In addition, all of Frame's original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have committed to porting FrameMaker 3.0 to their platforms in the Q3 and Q4 1991 time frame. These include Altos, Bull, Cetia, Data General, Encore, Matsushita, MIPS, Motorola, Pyramid, Sequent, Siemens, Silicon Graphics, Sony, and Toshiba. For additional OEM pricing and availability, customers should consult Frame's OEMs directly. Upgrades FrameMaker 2.1 customers subscribing to Frame's Support Subscription (FSS) will automatically receive the FrameMaker 3.0 upgrade at no charge. North American customers not currently on the technical support and update plan may upgrade to 3.0 on Macintosh, NeXT, and SCO systems for $150. Upgrade pricing for DEC, HP/Apollo, IBM, and Sun is $500. In a special, one-time promotion, Frame is offering a free 3.0 upgrade to all customers who purchase FrameMaker 2.1 licenses after March 4, 1991. This is applicable on all platforms sold and supported by Frame. For educational and international pricing, please contact Frame. Frame Technology Corporation Frame is a leading worldwide supplier of workstation publishing software for creating business and technical documents. Versions of FrameMaker are available for multiple user interfaces and more than 25 different computers. Frame markets its products worldwide through distributors, VARs, OEMs and directly to end-users. The privately held company is located at 1010 Rincon Circle, San Jose, California 95131 USA. In closing, if you have questions about 3.0 pricing and/or upgrades, please send your questions to comments@frame.com and indicate your address and telephone number so that technical support can route your question to the appropriate sales representative. You may also wish to call our main number and have your call routed to your sales representative: 408-433-3311. Regards, Trish Dailey Mudgett Frame Technical Support -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Legato announces SBus PrestoServe FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Bronwyn Fryer Legato Systems, Inc. (415) 329-7863 Carrie Dillon Sun Microsystems (415) 336-3564 LEGATO ANNOUNCES SBUS VERSION OF PRESTOSERVE Low-Cost NFS Accelerator Product Offers up to 500% Performance Improvement for Sun SPARCservers PALO ALTO, CA (February 25, 1991) -- Legato Systems, Inc. today announced availability of a new SBus version of Prestoserve, an NFS accelerator product that dramatically enhances the performance and throughput of Sun SPARCserver* computers. Like the popular VMEbus* version of Prestoserve that has been shipping since mid-1989, the SBus version of Prestoserve is a hardware/software product that speeds response time in heavily-loaded NFS servers. The new version combines a standard SBus board, a sophisticated UNIX driver, simple-to-use installation scripts, and specialized administration and monitoring software. In July of last year, Sun Microsystems signed a license agreement with Legato to make the VMEbus version of Prestoserve available for the SPARCserver 470 and 490. According to Doug Kaewert, director of systems product marketing at Sun Microsystems, with the SBus version of Prestoserve, the SPARCserver 2 provides unbeatable price/performance for NFS file service for small to medium-sized workgroups. Louis Cole, president and CEO of Legato Systems, Inc., added, "In these times of tightening budgets, it is becoming increasingly important for organizations to find cost-effective ways to support network growth. With SBus Prestoserve, systems managers can add more clients to their servers and increase overall network performance." Up to 500% Performance Increase Prestoserve works by caching NFS writes to non-volatile memory and then efficiently scheduling data transfers to physical disk. This relieves the I/O bottleneck commonly found on most NFS servers, increasing NFS server performance. Prestoserve maintains full NFS and UNIX file system semantics and compatibility with customers' existing disks, controllers, and software drivers. In a recent nhfsstone benchmark test, a SPARCserver 2 installed with Prestoserve achieved up to a 500% performance increase over the same server without Prestoserve. Prestoserve, currently installed at over 500 sites, has provided marked improvements in response time on heavily loaded NFS servers. For example, Wind River Systems in Alameda, California, has been using the VMEbus version of Prestoserve in its Sun 3/280 servers since 1989. "Prestoserve has kept us from having to buy another server," says systems administrator Steve Sekiguchi. "It has saved us between $10,000 and $15,000. The new SBus version of Prestoserve will help us move toward a distributed server setup." Pricing and Availability The SBus version of Prestoserve is now available for a list price of $2,300. Legato is now taking orders for March shipment. Legato Systems, Inc. is a leading supplier of network administration products designed to enhance and simplify network computing. The company's products, Prestoserve and Legato NetWorker*, allow organizations to utilize to maximum advantage their investments in existing technology, resources and personnel. Sun Microsystems, Inc., headquarted in Mountain View, Calif., is a leading worldwide supplier of network-based distributed computing systems, including professional workstations, servers and UNIX operating system and productivity software. Prestoserve and Legato NetWorker are trademarks of Legato Systems, Inc. SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCserver is a trademark of SPARC International, Inc., licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. NFS is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems. SunOS is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. VMEbus is a trademark of VMEbus Manufacturers Group. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: artecon!mitch@hp-sdd.sdd.hp.com (Mitch D. Becker) Subject: Artecon supports Sun on AFCAC 308 CONTACT: Dana Kammersgard V.P. Sales & Marketing Artecon 619-931-5500 ARTECON SUPPORTS SUN ON AFCAC 308 Carlsbad, CA., February 6.....ARTECON, INC., a leading Sun systems integrator/vendor of workstation solutions, peripherals and enhancements for Sun Microsystems workstations, is supplying enhancement products as a subcontractor for Sun's recent award of the Air Force Computer Acquisition Center's Project (AFCAC) 308. Sun's contract is expected to reach a value of $48 million in four years. Artecon will supply their own floppy drive subsystems and disk drive storage systems (DataVaults) with an estimated value of $1 million. Artecon's products will run on the new SPARCstation 2 and other SPARC products in Air Force facilities. Artecon's removable DataVault enclosure is designed to utilize a variety of disk and tape subsystems. The Air Force will mount drives of their choice into the DataVault's removable canisters. These canisters may be removed from the DataVault enclosure and reinserted at any time without impacting any other devices on the bus. The ability to remove and insert drives without creating SCSI bus errors is a result of Artecon's proprietary active backplane. The Artecon active backplane eliminates SCSI bus errors by electrically interacting with the SCSI chain whenever a disk or tape is removed from the enclosure. The DataVault enclosure is designed for desktop and standard 19" rackmount applications. Artecon will provide over 1,000 floppy drive subsystems to the Air Force over the life of the contract. Artecon's floppy disk subsystem supports both 3.5" and 5.25" floppy drives. The floppy drive subsystems are shipped complete with Auto-Installation script, a Graphical User Interface (GUI), and DOS command emulation. These subsystems provide transparent SCSI disk support under DOS Windows. According to Jim Lambert, President of Artecon, "We are very excited to have an opportunity to act as a subcontractor for Sun on this contract. This is Sun Federal's first prime contract. Typically, we're the prime contractor for Government contracts with Sun Microsystems as the subcontractor. This is evidence of the complimentary nature of our businesses and will help solidify our Government contract relationship with both Sun and the USAF. The contract will also demonstrate the quality and competitiveness of our floppy subsystems and removable DataVaults." Artecon is one of Sun Federal's top 10 System Integrators and has been a leading vendor of workstation enhancements in the Sun market for over seven years. As a prime contractor, Artecon has won several strategic awards: within Government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Naval Weapons Center. As a subcontractor, Artecon has teamed successfully with large prime contractors. Artecon's product lines include: Graphical User Interface (GUI) Software products, erasable optical drives, removable subsystems, serial port expansion products, SBus cards, workstation extenders, internal and external disk and tape subsystems and other add-ons. For more information contact: Artecon, 2460 Impala Drive, Box 9000, Dept. 5500, Carlsbad, CA 92008-7236, 619-931-5500. ###