---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Third Party Product Announcements SunFLASH Vol 47 #13 November 1992 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ParcPlace Introduces VisualWorks /rdbX: Graphical Database Interface TeleSoft/CaseWare: Ada Development & Configuration Mgmt. TransferPro News Release ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: ParcPlace Introduces VisualWorks From: khaw@parcplace.com (Mike Khaw) Newsgroups: comp.newprod PRODUCT INFO: info@parcplace.com Contacts: Maureen Welch Denise Boucher Cunningham Communication, Inc. ParcPlace Systems, Inc. (408) 764-0766 (408) 773-7428 ParcPlace Introduces VisualWorks ParcPlace's Entry into the Application Development Environment Market SUNNYVALE, Calif. October 19, 1992 ParcPlace Systems, Inc. today introduced and began shipping VisualWorks, an application development environment (ADE) for corporate developers creating graphical, client/server applications that are instantly portable across PC, Macintosh and Unix platforms. The key components of VisualWorks include a graphical user interface (GUI) builder, database access capabilities, reusable application framework, and instant cross-platform portability. VisualWorks is based on ParcPlace's ObjectWorks\Smalltalk, a mature, fully object-oriented programming environment used by Fortune 1000 companies to develop business-critical applications. With VisualWorks, MIS departments can quickly create graphical applications to fill increasing user demands for information access, as well as leverage an object-oriented architecture to address complex application development needs. "VisualWorks is a solid investment for corporate developers that program in 3GLs or 4GLs and are migrating to client/server computing and object-oriented technology," said Bill Lyons, president and CEO of ParcPlace. "In the near term, it enables developers to create graphical applications in minutes, not months. In the long term, the object-oriented foundation addresses the problems of managing application complexity and diminishing the application development backlog." VisualWorks is ParcPlace's first product in the emerging ADE market. Currently, software vendors from various categories are entering this market by offering products that integrate interface builders, database access tools, and application logic for client/server applications. VisualWorks sets a new standard by providing the components of an ADE with the added advantages of instant cross platform portability, an object-oriented foundation and an application framework. Key VisualWorks Components Graphical Interface Builder -- VisualWorks enables corporate developers to create GUIs quickly with a point-and-click "palette" and "canvas." A standard interface layout, or canvas, is automatically generated for the developers to begin work. Customized canvases may also be designed and stored within VisualWorks. Developers use the palette and choose from a wide array of layout tools to design the interface. These tools include a menu builder, icon painter and color tool. The most frequently used palette tools are conveniently located on the "Multi-Tool," enabling quick access. Once visual components are placed on the canvas, the developer may dynamically fine-tune the layout by re-sizing, cutting or pasting, or re-aligning the pieces selected. Within minutes, a functioning GUI is created and the first phase of application development is complete. VisualWorks eliminates the drudgery of building interfaces and allows the developer to spend more productive time fulfilling complex application requests. ChameleonView, a component of the GUI builder, illustrates instant portability of the new GUI across the most popular client/server front-ends, including Windows, Motif, OS/2 Presentation Manager, Macintosh, and OPEN LOOK. Also, ChameleonView allows developers to immediately preview the new interface in the native application look of the platforms listed above. Database Access -- The VisualWorks database access capability allows developers to easily combine the power of hierarchical, relational, and object-oriented database systems with object-oriented programming technology for client/server applications. VisualWorks' open interface structure enables easy integration of virtually any type of database. VisualWorks provides direct access to Oracle and Sybase databases. Through Information Builders, Inc.'s EDA/SQL gateway, more than 48 databases may be accessed including hierarchical, flat file and network databases on minicomputers, mainframes and workstations. VisualWorks enables a logical migration for MIS into object-oriented application development without the need to restructure database information. Database interaction is handled through the VisualWorks External Database Interface (EDI). EDI makes the database interface an object, eliminating many of the complexities of accessing multiple database APIs, and allowing developers to apply the power of object-oriented programming to managing relational data. The VisualWorks EDI enables developers to map data to objects allowing access to information regardless of the type of database. Reusable Application Framework -- A GUI builder is essential for corporate developers; however, the majority of application development time is spent linking the GUI to its designated actions and data. VisualWorks assists developers in creating a working application with an application framework which generates code to tie the interface and application together. The application framework provides the structure for the application and includes tools that prompt the developer where scripting of actions is required. Reusable application frameworks facilitate easier application maintenance, enhance future development efforts, and ensure high-quality applications. Developers get results quickly without in-depth knowledge of the programming language. VisualWorks supports the design of a production application that is maintainable and extendable, not merely a prototype or throw-away code. The application framework is completely object-oriented, which enables developers to reuse not only the interface but the application logic that defines the application. Applications can be reused individually or as a part of another application. The framework enables the application, not just the code, to leverage the features of object-orientation. An application module can be created and all applications that use this module will automatically inherit any new behavior assigned to the original. For example, changing the five digit zip code to nine digits on all the appropriate interfaces could require weeks of programming. With VisualWorks, the change is made once and replicated everywhere, saving significant time on application maintenance. VisualWorks is the only ADE that provides a reusable application framework. Instant Cross-Platform Portability-- Applications developed with VisualWorks run on all leading platforms without requiring recompilation. It is the only ADE that provides users with such flexibility in platform choices. This open, portable architecture applies to both the client and server sides of the application. For example, if an application is developed for the PC under Windows, it is automatically available on OS/2 Presentation Manager, Macintosh, and Unix systems under OPEN LOOK or Motif. The developer only maintains one set of source code for all of the industries leading platforms. Smalltalk -- VisualWorks' object-oriented foundation is Smalltalk. Most other ADEs offer proprietary scripting languages which are not suited to manage complexity or change. With VisualWorks, users may create simple, graphical interfaces, as well as access the power of Smalltalk to develop industrial-strength, reusable applications. Smalltalk is a fully object-oriented language, incorporating mature class libraries over 400 classes and 7,000 methods and powerful development tools. Its object-oriented memory manager leads the industry in sophistication and performance. With the Smalltalk foundation, VisualWorks enables users to take advantage of true object-oriented capabilities, such as inheritance, polymorphism and encapsulation. This facilitates code reuse, improves programmer productivity and ensures high-quality application development. Price and Availability VisualWorks is currently shipping on Intel-based 386 and 486 PCs under Windows 3.1, Apple's Macintosh, Quadra and PowerBook under System 7, Sun 4, IBM RS/6000, HP 9000 Series 700, Digital DECstation under Ultrix and Sequent's Symmetry 2000 Series multiprocessing system under OPEN LOOK or Motif as appropriate. VisualWorks is currently in beta on OS/2 and NeXT platforms, and is expected to ship by January, 1993. VisualWorks is priced at $2,995 for Windows, OS/2 and Macintosh and $4,995 for UNIX. The database drivers are priced at $495 for Oracle or Sybase and $995 for EDA/SQL. ParcPlace Systems, Inc. Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., ParcPlace Systems is the premier, full service provider of object-oriented solutions for software developers. ParcPlace products include integrated development tools and class libraries that enhance application development in the two industry standard object-oriented languages, C++ and Smalltalk. ParcPlace recently expanded its commitment to its C++ offering with the acquisition of the Solbourne OI Software Business Unit. ParcPlace also offers training, technical support and consulting, as well as courses in object-oriented design and methodology. -- Michael Khaw Domain=khaw@parcplace.com, UUCP=...!uunet!parcplace!khaw ParcPlace Systems, Sunnyvale, CA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: /rdbX: Graphical Database Interface Newsgroups: comp.newprod Org: Revolutionary Software email: rdb@rsw.com Mail: 131 Rathburn Way Santa Cruz, CA 95062 Voice: (408) 429 6229 Fax: (408) 427 0342 /rdbX Release 2: Simplified Distributed Graphical Database Access From Revolutionary Software Getting at database information can be difficult if you're not a database expert. The /rdbX distributed graphical interface makes it easy to get the data you want, when you want it, in your X window environment. Whether you're a database novice or expert, the /rdbX X window interface lets you point and click to query your database, perform updates and interactively create reports and new databases, increasing productivity dramatically. You don't have to learn a complex query or report generation language. With /rdbX a database administrator can set up preformatted reports, or you can easily customize your own reports. /rdbX provides one simple consistent look and feel to the leading relational database management systems. You can share database query results easily with other applications such as image processors, CAD/CAM packages and desktop publishers. /rdbX lets you take full advantage of your open computing system to access local and networked databases in a multi vendor environment. o Graphical Queries and Updates /rdbX makes ad hoc queries quick and easy. Using either pop-up point-and-click menus, or a powerful query-by-form facility, or both, /rdbX gives you a graphical model for creating queries without forcing you to know the underlying structured query language (SQL). Queries can be stored for you or others to use later. /rdbX logs the generated queries, giving expert users the greater control they demand. o Interactive Customized Reports For customized reports, /rdbX provides unparalleled ease of use and control. With several default formats to choose from, you just point and click to customize report parameters. It's simple to create multi-table reports, add column and row filters, set sort order and add computed fields. o One Consistent Interface The /rdbX interface is consistent across all database management systems, reducing training time for use with database systems from more than one vendor. Because /rdbX transparently manages the underlying network protocols and actual database driver commands, you can focus on the data without being concerned with network location or database access details. features benefits ------------------------------------------------------------ intuitive, graphical interface + eliminates the need to for database use learn new query and report writing languages consistent interface to + reduces the support leading systems backlog of database administrators and MIS + improves productivity by making databases easier to use graphical database + reduces training time design tools + allows experts and novices alike to easily create and maintain databases flexible licensing + additional users get limited features instead of being locked out completely Release Notes for /rdbX 2.0 Release 2.0 of the /rdbX interface is now available from Revolutionary Software, with many performance and feature improvements, the latest release of /rdb, and the capability of front-ending any arbitrary DBMS. Some highlights of the new release are: + Multi-page forms: Forms can be split into multiple pages; the forms window automatically resizes. + Custom window layout: Using screen definition files, the user can customize placement of fields, captions, labels and action buttons in the forms window. + Action commands (buttons) not tied to fields: In addition to optional action buttons associated with a field and labeled with a lightning bolt, there are also free floating action commands with text labels. + Live updates: If several users are editing the same table and one of them makes a change, the changed record is automatically updated in other windows. + Automatic tiling and sizing of choice lists: When a choice-list field has many choices, the choice list is popped up in an easy-to-use automatically sized and tiled panel. + Adding and deleting fields on the fly: Adding a new field or deleting an unwanted field is performed transparently and automatically without having to save a copy of the table manually. + De-coupled command sets - interface to other database systems: Only a small number of commands are necessary to interface Xve to any underlying database system. These commands are specified on a per-table basis. /rdbX includes /rdb driver commands. + Choice lists available in row/column filters: If a field is a choice-list, the row and column filters provide the pop-up choice menu. + Cut/Paste e entire records to/from other applications * * * AGGRESSIVE PRICING * * * /rdbX Release 2 is available now at the special introductory price of $495 for a single user license or $2495 for 8 windows. Drivers for Ingres, Oracle, Sybase and Informix are scheduled for release in November 1992. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: TeleSoft/CaseWare: Ada Development & Configuration Mgmt. Contact: Philippe Collard, Sr. Marketing Manager, Unix/Ada Products Org: TeleSoft Mail: 5959 CornetStone Court San Diego, CA 92121 Tel: (619) 457-2700 (x310) email: philippe@telesoft.com TELESOFT STRENGTHENS ADA CASE PRODUCT LINE WITH INTEGRATED CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT TOOLSET Technology and Marketing Agreement with CaseWare, Inc. Signed for CaseWare/CM Tool SAN DIEGO, SEPTEMBER 14, 1992 -- TeleSoft announced today it has signed a marketing and product integration agreement with CaseWare, Inc. of Irvine, California. The agreement calls for the integration of TeleSoft's RISCAda(tm) Ada Development Environment with CaseWare's CaseWare/CM Software Configuration Management system. The resulting CASE (Computer Aided Software Engineering) tool will provide configuration and team management capabilities to RISCAda users and will be available directly from TeleSoft. The integrated product will first be made available on Sun worstations and servers in Q4 1992. "Configuration and change management has become a critical part of large Ada applications development, " said Pat Michalowski, director of marketing for TeleSoft's Ada Division. "For the first time, the integration of TeleSoft's RISCAda environment and CaseWare's Caseware/CM tools meets Ada customers' demands for full software lifecycle support for their development projects on RISC platforms." The tight integration between CaseWare/CM and RISCAda provides support for the entire application development process, including development, testing, quality assurance, and maintenance. RISCAda provides specific tools for each of these tasks, while CaseWare/CM provides a configuration management (CM) system integrated with these tools. Configuration management allows developers to easily control and manage changes in the software through the development and maintenance phases. This is particularly important when large amounts of code and large programming teams are involved. Both RISCAda and CaseWare/CM utilize a "point and click" philosophy, making all the tools available to the user via an easy to use OSF/Motif graphical user interface. "We selected CaseWare's CM tools because they provide the best feature mix of all the CM tools currently available for Ada development on UNIX platforms," said Pat Michalowski. "These tools can be custom tailored by users to conform to their own development methodology via a rule-based model. Rather than being confined to a predetermined CM format, CaseWare's toolset allows users to define their own CM process to meet their specific needs and adjust that process if necessary." RISCAda is a portable Ada development environment which provides superior performance coupled with the functionality of graphical user interface-based Ada development tools. RISCAda includes TeleSoft's TeleGen2(tm) optimizing compiler technology; the EZ-Ada(R) X Window-based graphical user interface; the ARCS(tm) 2.0 tool box for productivity enhancement and complexity management; the AdaTracer(R) source level debugger; and a variety of performance analysis and language tools to support the development process. Also included are the most complete set of bindings to industry and government standards. RISCAda is available for host-based applications development, and for real-time applications development targeting the MIPS, i960, and 680X0 family of processors. CaseWare/CM is a comprehensive, feature-rich Software Configuration Management system with an open architecture for tool integration. CaseWare/CM gives a software engineering team complete control over source code development and maintenance activities. The system is designed to support medium to large scale UNIX development teams running in a heterogeneous, distributed computing environment. CaseWare/CM provides full version and release management support, insulated work areas, fully integrated and reliable software construction, support for all project components, multi-state process support, change control, and defect tracking. The integrated RISCAda and CaseWare/CM product will be available for both RISCAda host and cross environments. The first version will be available for the RISCAda/SPARC host in Q4 1992. North American pricing will range from $4,500 to $10,000 per seat, depending on the configuration and the user's software requirements. Quantity discounts are available. CaseWare, Inc. is a market leader in providing UNIX client/server-based software configuration management tools. Founded in 1986, CaseWare has licensed over 1,500 CaseWare/CM user interfaces worldwide. TeleSoft is the leading international provider of software engineering products and services in support of the Ada and the X Window System standards. TeleSoft's Ada Division is the the only vendor providing Ada tools for all of today's popular processors including the R3000/4000, Motorola 68K, MIL-STD 1750A, Intel 80386/486 and i960. Sales of TeleSoft's RISCAda product line have increased at the rate of 53 percent per quarter since its introduction over one year ago.TeleSoft also offers the ASIS (Ada Semantic Interface Specification) Toolkit, a technology that enables software developers to tightly integrate their tools to the Ada library, andO TeleUSE(R), a user interface management system for the development of graphical user interfaces. The company is headquartered in San Diego, with sales and support offices throughout the USA and Europe. # # # For further information, contact: Pat Michalowski Thor Malmberg Director of Marketing, Ada Division Director, European Operations TeleSoft (San Diego) TeleSoft (Brussels) (619) 457-2700 +32 2 647 3670 Deborah Bayles CaseWare, Inc. (714) 453-2200 CaseWare/CM is a trademark of CaseWare Inc. TeleSoft, EZ-Ada, AdaTracer and TeleUSE are registered trademarks of TeleSoft. RISCAda, TeleGen2 are trademarks of TeleSoft. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are hereby recognized. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: TransferPro News Release From: rib!aj@uunet.UU.NET (Al Justice) Org: Digital Instrumentation Technology Phone: 1-800-467-1459 Org: Iomega Phone: 1-800-777-6179 IOMEGA FIRST WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTOR FOR TRANSFERPRO MS-DOS and Macintosh File Transfer Software for UNIX Workstations New York, UNIX EXPO,Sept. 21, 1992 -- Iomega announced today that it will become the first worldwide distributor of TransferPro, a file exchange software program from Digital Instrumentation Technology (DIT),Inc. TransferPro allows non-network users to transfer files between workstations and PCs and workstations and Macintoshes. The software is available for Sun SPARCstation and Silicon Graphics' Personal IRIS and IRIS Indigo workstations. "TransferPro will add value to Iomega's Bernoulli Workstation 90 PRO drive and LaserSafe MO drive by enhancing interoperability between PCs, Macintoshes and workstations," said Mike Joseph, vice president of marketing for Iomega. "It is an ideal non-network solution for file transfers." TransferPro works with Bernoulli and magneto-optical disks, floppy drives and SCSI hard drives. With this software, users can copy and move files and directories, and initialize Macintosh and MS-DOS cartridges and disks. In addition, users can create and remove directories, rename files and browse file contents. TransferPro provides a variety of character filters that greatly simplify transferring many types of files between platforms. For example, the standard end-of line character in a Macintosh text file is a carriage return, while the corresponding end-line character on UNIX platforms is a line feed. TransferPro automatically converts those carriage returns to line feeds as it transfers that file, so that you don't have to waste any time tediously editing files. TransferPro's file name filters translate file names to the most appropriate form for the target file system. "TransferPro is fast and very easy to use," said Ron Gervenack, workstation products manager for Iomega. "It complements our universal drive strategy that gves users their choice of three major computing platforms. The strategy offers users great transportability as well." TransferPro gives users two interface choices. One is a graphical interface for intuitive ease of use. The second is a character-based (command-line) interface. This interface can be included in administrative shell script and runs under any windowing environment.TransferPro is priced at $349, suggested retail and is available through Iomega sales channels. Digital Instrumentation Technology, Inc., is a privately held corporation based in Los Alamos, N.M. DIT is dedicated to enhancing workstation productivity through software and hardware products that are both productive and user-friendly. Iomega Corporation, headquartered in Roy, Utah, develops, manufactures and sells high-performance removable mass storage products for desktop and portable computers and for workstations. Iomega's patented Bernoulli Technology provides unlimited data storage capability by combining the removability and security of floppy drives with the high capacity and performance of rigid drives. Iomega's unique TAPE250 minicartridge tape drives read both QIC-80 and Irwin-formatted tapes. Iomega's stock is listed on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol IOMG. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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. TRACE: To: sunflash@suntri Errors-to: owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com