---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Silicon Graphics To Ship SunSoft's ToolTalk SunFLASH Vol 38 #14 February 1992 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Object-Oriented Software Allows Apps To Communicate Across Multiple Platforms MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Feb. 19, 1992 -- Continuing its momentum in the market, SunSoft's ToolTalk was today endorsed by Silicon Graphics. ToolTalk is object-oriented software that enables multiple applications to share data across networks regardless of hardware platform, thereby meeting one of the industry's biggest challenges in delivering distributed computing to the desktop. Silicon Graphics will ship ToolTalk on its IRIS 4D systems by the end of 1992. Since its introduction last June, SunSoft's ToolTalk has become the de-facto standard for network-based interoperability between software applications. Today, in a related announcement, several new software vendors endorsed ToolTalk, including Frame, Interleaf and Applix. These vendors add to the growing list of companies, such as Lotus Development Corp. and Cadence Design Systems, that have announced their support for ToolTalk. "The next ease-of-use battle will be defined by the ability of applications to communicate across heterogeneous computing platforms and networks," said Steve MacKay, vice president of user environment software at SunSoft. "With today's endorsements, a wide range of users can exploit the power of ToolTalk to experience true distributed computing at the desktop." "ToolTalk provides an integration mechanism for Silicon Graphics and third party software," said Jim Barton, vice president of the system software technology center at Silicon Graphics. "This integration will allow users to focus on the task without being limited by individual application boundaries." Project DOE ToolTalk, bundled with the Solaris 1.0 and Solaris 2.0 distributed computing solutions, is a component of Project DOE (Distributed Objects Everywhere). Project DOE is SunSoft's vision of a new computing paradigm where modular applications are created with distributed objects as their foundation to interoperate across multiple platforms. In this new paradigm, users benefit from a powerful computing environment based on objects that collaborate with each other across multiple systems on a network. These distributed objects make the desktop environment highly sophisticated yet intuitive, allowing users and software developers to easily accomplish tasks that cannot be undertaken with today's computing environments. ToolTalk uses object-based messaging, enabling developers to begin creating these next-generation integrated applications today. SunSoft will unveil its Project DOE road map in the next few months. Availability SunSoft ships ToolTalk bundled with the Solaris 1.0 solution and early access versions of Solaris 2.0. ToolTalk is also available as an unbundled product for software developers and computer manufacturers. Product inquiries should be directed to SunSoft at 1-800-227-9227 in the United States. In Europe and Asia, inquires should be directed to local SunSoft offices. Contact: Shernaz Daver SunSoft, Inc. 415-336-0678 Betsy Wahlquist Silicon Graphics, Inc. 415-962-3529 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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, paris.cs.miami.edu, uunet.uu.net, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au 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.