---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SUNSOFT'S WINDOWS DIRECTIONS SunFLASH Vol 50 #7 February 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attached is a SunSoft message relating to the future of NeWS and their direction of OpenWindows. SunSoft is announced this as their direction recenlty at the X Conference in Boston. SunSoft recently entered into an agreement with Adobe Systems to license the Display PostScript System (DPS) for Solaris. This message is intended to clarify SunSoft's OpenWindows directions in light of our partnership with Adobe and our commitment to MIT's X Window System. Since 1989, Sun has supported MIT's X protocol in its OpenWindows product. SunSoft will continue its commitment to MIT's X Window system by shipping an OpenWindows product based on the MIT source code. The last release of Solaris featuring X11/NeWS and TNT will ship in mid 1993. Subsequent releases of Solaris will incorporate MIT's X11R5 coupled with Adobe Display PostScript Level 2 as well as other imaging and geometry libraries. OLIT IMPROVEMENTS The mid 1993 release of Solaris will feature major improvements in the OPEN LOOK Intrinsics Toolkit (OLIT) based on X11R5 intrinsics. A candidate for IEEE standardization, you can easily port applications developed with OLIT to European and Asian versions. You can dynamically customize OLIT applications at runtime, allowing better control of fonts and colors. Sporting the same look and feel of applications developed with SunSoft's popular XView toolkit, OLIT is an intrinsics- based alternative. WHY A NEW DIRECTION? Starting in 1993, OpenWindows will use MIT's source code as its foundation. Though the switch from an X11/NeWS based server to an X11R5 server will impact applications which depend on NeWS technology, SunSoft believes developers and users will reap major benefits. Improvements in server quality and performance, as well as a more standard X implementation will benefit all Solaris users. All programs written using the X protocol and libraries will run on the new X11R5-based server. In addition, SunSoft will be standardizing on ddx for the writing of graphics frame buffer device drivers. This, along with the adoption of a standard Xinput extension mechanism, will lower the cost of bringing hardware peripherals to market. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS --------------------- Q. What versions of Solaris will this new OpenWindows server run on? When will this new server ship? A. This server will run on Solaris 2.x systems only. Q. What about XView? A. SunSoft recognizes that many of our customers use the XView toolkit. You do not need to port applications from XView to OLIT. You can maintain your present applications on XView until you feel comfortable moving to an object environment or you need functionality not available on XView. Q. Will all the applications that now run on X11/NeWS work on this new window system? Will Drag and Drop and ToolTalk work? A. If an application conforms to X protocol, it will run. As an example, Deskset (except PageView which uses NeWS) runs on MIT's X11R5 with no code change. Applications using the ICCCM Drag and Drop protocol and ToolTalk will also work. Unfortunately, applications using the NeWS Toolkit (TNT) or NeWS imaging will not be supported. Applications using NeWS imaging must be ported to Display PostScript. We recommend that applications using TNT be ported to OLIT. Q. How long will X11/NeWS and TNT be supported? A. Support for X11/NeWS and TNT will continue to be available. Source code for the latest release of OpenWindows will also be available at a reasonable price. Q. What is DPS? A. The Display PostScript System provides a device-independent imaging model for displaying information on the screen. By allowing you to use PostScript to display text, graphics, and sampled images, it frees you from display-specific details such as screen resolution and the number of available colors. In September 1992, SunSoft entered into a long-term partnership with Adobe Systems to provide Solaris users with the Display PostScript System. SunSoft will feature DPS as an integral part of Solaris. Q. Is DPS a standard? A. Though DPS is not a sanctioned standard, it is fast becoming a de facto UNIX standard. All major Unix platform vendors (SGI, IBM, DEC, NCD, etc.), except Hewlett-Packard, support DPS. Q. What do you mean by compatibility? A. All X applications written for Solaris which conform to the X protocol should run with the X11R5 server. Developers should be able to leverage one source base for multiple UNIX platforms. Q. What about NeWSprint? A. NeWSprint will continue to be an integral part of Sun's printing solution. The windows direction has no adverse impact on NeWSprint. In a separate agreement with Adobe, SunPics has licensed Adobe technology for inclusion into future printing and imaging products. NeWSprint, an environment of many modules, enables customers to print on heterogenous networks. One of the modules will be Adobe's PostScript imager or RIP which will be shared with SunSoft's Solaris OpenWindows window system. This will enrich NeWSprint by enhancing the RIP module with industry-standard Adobe PostScript. Q. How much better is performance? A. End users will see immediate improvements in server bootup time, application launch speed, and window snap. Q. Is product quality that much better? A. We believe OWV3 is a high-quality product. By moving to an MIT source base we will be able to deliver an even higher quality product. MIT has issued many public patches since the release of R5, containing over 1,300 bug fixes. Patches are issued every few weeks. Moving to the MIT X source base allows SunSoft to leverage all engineers working on X Window Systems throughout the world. SunSoft can also be more proactive in donating work to the X community at large. Q. You say you are based on standards? Is OLIT a standard? A. Not yet, though OLIT is now the basis of a IEEE working group P1295.2 the Open Toolkit Environment (OTKE). OTKE is standards work which has been proposed in the IEEE Computer Society. This work will establish a toolkit standard based on OPEN LOOK. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu, ftp.uu.net, sunsite.unc.edu, 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@Sun.COM. (305) 351-4909.