---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SunFlash July 1992 Table Of Contents SunFLASH Vol 43 #toc July 1992 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note From The SunFlash Editor Summary of The Florida SunFlash For New Subscribers Summary Of July's Messages (line count + title) Summary of Messages Sent This Month (issue # and synopsis) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The archive files for July 1992 should be available by the end of this week. There are compressed tar files for each month as well as the whole of last year. newstop.ebay.sun.com (Sun access only) solar.nova.edu pub/sunflash src.doc.ic.ac.uk sun/sunflash ftp.uu.net systems/sun/sunflash ftp.adelaide.edu.au pub/sun/sunflash If you find material that would make a good SunFlash article, please send it to me for consideration and I'll post it. If you want a copy of an article that you missed, please send the volume.issue (e.g. 43.00 for this article) to flash@sunvice.east.sun.com John J. McLaughlin System Engineer & SunFlash Editor Ft. Lauderdale, Florida USA August 3th, 1992 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of The Florida SunFlash For New Subscribers The Florida SunFlash is an electronic news service for Sun Microsystems computer users. It is distributed from over 90 Sun offices and by about 40 Sun Local Users Groups in more than 40 countries. The Florida SunFlash has a subscription base of more that 75,000 Sun users. This is the July table of contents for the Florida SunFlash. If there are any items that you missed and really want to see, please send the required volume.issue numbers to flash@sunvice.East.Sun.com. For more information about SunFlash, send mail to info-sunflash thus: $ mail info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM Subject: info info ^D $ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Titles And Sizes For July's Articles -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Line Count Vol.# Title 1146 43.01 S U N E R G Y E M A I L : Newsletter 4 142 43.02 Retail Industry Software Vendors & Sun 209 43.03 SBus Expansion Subsystem 89 43.04 Graphics APIs Technical White Paper 174 43.05 What is SGML ? 430 43.06 Solaris 2.0 440 43.07 Disk Striping and High Performance I/O 261 43.08 HP/Apollo Trade-up Promotion 354 43.09 Third Party Announcements 279 43.10 August 1992 STB Contents 97 43.11 SMCC On-Line Support Products 76 43.12 SMCC, Auto-Grafica Reseller Pact 228 43.13 SunNet Manager 2.0 228 43.14 NetBIOS and IPX for PC-NFS 483 43.15 Third Party Product Announcements I 403 43.16 Third Party Product Announcements II 118 43.17 SMCC Transfers SunVision To AVS 49 43.18 Mitsubishi Bank Using Sun W/S and Servers 281 43.19 SunSoft Extends Solaris Graphics APIs 113 43.20 SMCC And XEROX To Offer Solution Total 5600 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of July's Articles -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 43.01 S U N E R G Y E M A I L : Newsletter 4 From: Miyong.Byun@Corp.sun.com (Miyong Byun, User Programs) June 1992 Distributed by the Press Relations, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation; all rights reserved. Director of PR: Kay Hart; Sunergy Manager: John Loiacono; Managing Editor: Miyong Byun. Contact the Sunergy editors over email at: sunergy_information@Sun.COM. CONTENTS - ISSUE #4 ANNOUNCEMENTS *1* Special Edition Broadcast ROADMAPS TO SUN *2* Sun-Specific, Public Domain Software *3* Correction to Newsletter #3 TECHNICAL TOPICS *4* Solaris(R) SunOS(TM) 5.0 (Whitepaper) *5* White Papers (Listing) *6* Tips -N- Tricks: Finding Things with "find" Aliases NEW PRODUCTS *7* The Energize Programming System SIG NEWS *9* SunPro INDUSTRY NEWS *10* News From SPARC International *11* SunWorld Magazine: "Why Sun Will Win In the 90's" Q & A *12* C Compilers on Solaris 2.0 UPCOMING EVENTS *13* Tradeshow Calendar 43.02 Top Software Vendors In The Retail Industry Move To Sun Platform MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- June 30, 1992 -- Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC), the world's leading supplier of UNIX-based workstations and servers, announced that 10 leading software and system vendors in the retail industry are moving to the Sun platform. SMCC and its new partners will work together to provide a full range of retail solutions, from those for corporate headquarters to in-store systems and distribution centers. These vendors include: American Turnkey, Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing, IMC Systems Group, Inc., Information Marketing Businesses, Inc., Micro Computer Systems, Inc., Progressive Solutions, Inc., Quintillion, Software Artistry, Inc., Symbol Technologies, Inc., and Telesis Computer Corporation. 43.03 SBus Expansion Subsystem - SPARCstation 2 based expansion chassis with 3 additional SBus slots Space for two 424-MB disks - Availability as of July 23, 1992 Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) announces availability of a new SBus Expansion Subsystem for the SPARCstation IPX, SPARCstation 2, SPARCstation 10 and SPARCserver 630MP beginning July 23, 1992. SBus Expansion Subsystem (SES) serves as a companion product for these desktop and server systems. The SBus Expansion Subsystem is composed of: * Expansion chassis with 3 SBus slots and space for two 424-MB drives * SBus adaptor Card to be installed in one SBus slot on the host system * Two-meter cable used to connect the SBus adaptor card in the host system with the SBus Expansion System 43.04 Graphics APIs Technical White Paper This article is basically the table of contents from a white paper that is available from your local Sun sales office. I hope that this TOC will help you decide if you need to contact your local office to get a copy. Note that limited quantities are shipped to each office. -johnj Publication Date December 1991 Order # FE320-01/20k 43.05 What is SGML ? SGML - Standard Generalized Markup Language This is an article by James F. Salois that was posted to the Publish mailing list. -johnj From: jfs@arbortext.com (James F. Salois) 1. SGML - Standard Generalized Markup Language - is an ISO (8879) standard for the markup of text. Unlike the procedural markup used by most proprietary word processing and publishing systems, SGML employs a "descriptive" markup. Rather than describe how each element of text is to be formatted, SGML describes only the elements. For instance: What is SGML?</chapter> <par>SGML is an ISO (8879) standard for the...</par> <list> <item id=i1>a brief description about what SGML is</item> <item id=i2>recommended references to get further...</item> <item id=i3>Products that support it.</item> <item id=i4>How does it fit into publishing...</item> <item id=i5>Comments about SGML, usefulness...</item> </list> <par>A discussion of how to cross reference might be covered in item <xref idref=i1> above.</par> </chapter> 43.06 Solaris 2.0 Some editorial notes: (1) Customers with a software support contract can obtain Solaris 2.0 as part of their support contract. Contact your local Customer Service representative. (2) This is a pull release - i.e. customers must ask for this release - it will not be shipped automatically. (3) All current systems ship with Solaris 1.0 and are licensed for Solaris 1.x only. (4) Solaris 2.0 is available only as an upgrade. (5) Non-contract customers must purchase an upgrade (RTU, media and docs/answerbook) If you are unable to obtain a copy of Solaris 2.0, please work with your local Sales representative. -johnj < rest of article describes Solaris 2.0 > 43.07 Disk Striping and High Performance I/O Printed with the permission of Dave Taber. -johnj Revision 1.0 Copyright 1992 Dave Taber Abstract: This paper discusses basic I/O principles for UNIX systems and compares software-based striping with hardware RAID controllers. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of information in this paper: it is intended to be interesting and illustrative rather than instructive. 43.08 HP/Apollo Trade-up Promotion Beginning 1 July, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) is offering a very aggressive trade-up program to the HP/Apollo installed base. SMCC offers HP/Apollo customers trade-ups to SPARCstations at very attractive prices. We're offering better products, better prices, better availability, and a better future than HP is offering to its own installed base. The last order date for the program is 31 October. 43.09 Third Party Announcements UNIX-Based IsoFax Improves Electronic Fax Security Parallax Graphics (24-bit and video) Application Developers Program PSI Enhances PSILink Service, Adds Support for Wireless Data Networks SRS Imaging 1200L XP 900 DPI SCSI-Based Laser Printer 43.10 August 1992 Software Technical Bulletin Contents This article describing the contents of the Software Technical bulletin (STB) is posted to SunFlash to make those customers who have a support contract aware that they should be receiving this execellent publication. Note that copies of the STB are sent to the people listed in the support contract. They have limited duplication rights (see notice included each month within the STB). ****** I have been given permission to place the PostScript version of the whole STB (about 100 pages) in the SunFlash archives on solar.nova.edu:/pub/sunflash/1992 185,395 stbaug92.ps.Z This file is also on ftp.uu.net:systems/sun/sunflash/1992 This article contains two parts: o Table Of Contents for August 1992 o STB Editor's Introduction 43.11 SMCC Introduces On-Line Support Products Products Help Users Be More Efficient, Establish In-House "Help Desks" MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. July 20, 1992 Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) today introduced two products designed to make using and supporting Sun TM workstations even easier. SunSolve TM is a new software product that gives Sun SPARCstation TM users instant on-line access to service information such as technical bulletins and problem/resolution databases. Sun HelpDesk is a service product that assists Sun resellers who deliver support through the SunPartners service programs in setting up their own help desks, so that they can support their users more efficiently. 43.12 SMCC Signs Reseller Pact With Auto-Grafica MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., (July 20, 1992) -- Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) today announced it has signed a reseller agreement with Auto-Grafica, one of the largest integrators and distributors of pre-press systems in the newspaper and graphic arts industries. Under the agreement, Auto-Grafica will sell Sun hardware, bundled with software and peripheral equipment, in a number of international markets. The contract is valued at $1 million annually. SMCC is the first UNIX-based hardware vendor chosen and supported by Auto-Grafica. "Approximately 60 percent of newspapers are now using UNIX publishing systems. By choosing the Sun platform, Auto-Grafica is poised to respond to increasing market demand for UNIX and open systems solutions," said Katherine Parker, SMCC's pre-press market segment manager. 43.13 SunNet Manager 2.0 -- New Auto-Management saves users time at startup by automatically beginning to manage discovered nodes -- New Request Viewer single control window lets users view all active management queries at a glance -- New System Customization Facility enables users to specify standard behavior for user tools, system-wide operations, and alarming options -- New SunNet Manager 2.0 User's Guide provides intuitive, task-oriented tutorials and complements the SunNet Manager online help facilities -- Scalability enhancements to SunNet Manager distributed architecture enable users to manage networks ranging in size from tens of nodesto tens of thousands of nodes, LANs to enterprise-wide networks -- 35 new partners join SunConnect Partners Program for Network Management On May 18th, SunConnect announced SunNet Mananger 2.0 and the addition of more than 35 new vendors to SunConnect's Partner's Program for Network Management. SunNet Manager 2.0 broadly expands users' abilities to manage their networked environments at a fraction of the price of competitors' offerings. Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) will start shipping SunNet Manager 2.0 at the beginning of July. 43.14 NetBIOS and IPX for PC-NFS This SunFlash article consists of two articles by Dave Pool of Syry (dave@spry.com (206) 286 1412). As questions from Sun users about interoperating with PC servers are common, I hope that you will find this information useful. The first article describes using NetBIOS with PC-NFS and the second describes using Novell's IPX with PC-NFS. -johnj 43.15 Third Party Product Announcements New TurboSwap(r) Products Extend Capacities Aurora Announces Solaris 2.0 Compatibility Aurum Introduces Customer Resource Planning (CRP) System 66%+ Discount on AVIATOR 43.16 Third Party Product Announcements Book "SOLARIS: SunOS and OpenWindows" Portable Mail Enhancements To SCSI Floppy Products Parallax Graphics and ToolTalk "JPEG Movie" Data Type Parallax Graphics' OpenWindows Version 3 Compatibility 43.17 Sun Microsystems Transfers Visualization Software Product Line To Advanced Visual Systems AVS To Deliver Imaging Products Based On SunVision Technology Waltham, Mass.-- July 28, 1992 -- Advanced Visual Systems Inc. (AVS Inc.) today announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) to market and develop SunVision(TM), SMCC's graphics, imaging and visualization software. Under the agreement, Advanced Visual Systems assumes all ongoing development of SunVision's underlying technology and gains exclusive rights to market SunVision and other products based on SunVision technology. Advanced Visual Systems' immediate plans include offering SunVision 1.2 to Sun users and migrating two popular components of SunVision -- the imaging library, IPlib, and SunVoxel, the volume visualization tool, to the latest version of the Sun operating environment, Solaris, as well as to SMCC's new XIL(TM) imaging and video software foundation library. In addition, Advanced Visual Systems will integrate the SunVision imaging and volume visualization functions into its own Application Visualization System, AVS(TM), the de facto standard among visualization environments. AVS provides a powerful visual application development environment featuring a broad range of visualization tools and services that can be used to manage, analyze and display complex data and images. 43.18 Mitsubishi Bank Extends Trading Room To Bank Branches Using Sun Workstations and Servers MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- July 28, 1992 -- Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) and Nihon Sun Microsystems K.K. announced today that Mitsubishi Bank of Japan has designed and installed the first trading system in Japan that links online with a bank branch system for real-time exchange of data between all 300 bank branches and the dealing room. The system includes 100 new Solaris-based SPARCstation(TM)2s and two SPARCserver(TM)490s, a relational database from Sybase and Japanese OpenWindows(TM). 43.19 SunSoft Extends Solaris Graphics APIs On July 27, SMCC and SunSoft are introducing XIL, a new foundation library for imaging and video applications. XIL is the imaging component of Sun's Open Graphics Initiative, a strategy for providing software capabilities known as foundation libraries. These libraries address the requirements of application programming interfaces (APIs) as well as applications themselves. XIL is a portable open standard that will run on all systems using a future release of Solaris 2. This release should be available Q1CY93. A limited number of developers can participate in our early access program. Provides Commerical Imaging and Full-Motion Video SIGGRAPH, Chicago, July 27, 1992 -- SunSoft, Inc. today extended its Solaris graphics APIs by introducing the industry's first foundation imaging library with open hardware and software interface specifications. Called XIL, the new API (application programming interface) provides software and hardware developers with a standard interface for developing imaging and full-motion video products that are portable and scalable across Solaris-based systems. XIL adds to SunSoft's XGL interface for 2D and 3D geometries, increasing the company's graphics offerings for the Solaris environment on the SPARC and X86 platforms. 43.20 SMCC And XEROX To Offer Solution Products Designed for Manufacturers, Utilities MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- July 28, 1992 -- Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) and Xerox Corporation announced today that they have signed a joint marketing and sales agreement to develop document and information management solutions and integration services targeted at the manufacturing and utilities industries. These solutions will combine SMCC's industry-leading SPARC-based workstations and servers with integration expertise and document/information management software applications from Xerox. Offerings will range from systems that help companies manage engineering documentation to materials resource planning (MRP) systems and facilities management systems. Xerox and SMCC expect at least $20 million in combined worldwide business by jointly selling their products into the manufacturing and utilities industries over the next 12 months. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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.